47. "RE: What are you talking about?" In response to In response to 45
>What you fail to admit is >that Black people also fought >to not participate and resist >this government at all costs. >That presents a contradiction in >our obligations. Would Garvey tell >me to vote?
Not all black people. Garvey actually had a plan to move black people out, so he probably woulda figured that we'd all be gone before there'd be any reason to vote.
>Many would argue that voting hasnt >helped Black people that much.
And it hasn't. But it has hurt black people a lot. Voting is damage control.
>Like i said- the government >didnt let you vote on >whether or not they would >bring crack into our community. >After they committed the crime >we can vote on how >to rememdy the situation but >the fact is we're only >resolving the problems that they >cause nonetheless entitling them to >do more damage. If the >potnetial of voting is to >keep us from being worse >off than we already are >then perhaps you should look >into politics that have potential >for resolving our situation and >not just settling for it.
I can look into other politics--I'm not aligned with any party because none of them seem to have my best interest in mind. However, the way things are now are just that--this is how it is...NOW. No other political groups are as powerful as the two in power today. There is no large scale black mobilization. We've been waiting for revolution for decades now...if it ain't happened yet, what makes me think it's going to happen now? All I'm trying to do is to keep from being worse off than I already am. And the damage that the government does much exceeds any good I could do being an activist, unless I think romantically and think I can change the world.
>you're not even considering the reasons- >you're considering the excuses. Is >rastafarianism not valid?
It is valid. But I would hazard that most people who don't vote aren't rastafari, or belong to belief systems that prevent them from voting.