“Democracy cannot succeed unless those who express their choice are prepared to choose wisely. The real safeguard of democracy, therefore, is education.”
― Franklin D. Roosevelt
Pondering this very profound and sagaciously delivered statement, it can make one question; Why? Citizens, of a democracy, must be reminded of the importance of one’s duty in utilizing one’s voice to assist in the building and sustaining of one’s own nation? This inquisition almost becomes like a riddle which, seemingly, cannot be justifiably solved. Especially, when we recognize, in our present state, our country’s handling of racism, sexism, rights to affordable health care, immigration and basic human rights, such as clean water for every human being who resides in, or is passing through our great country, the United States of America.
Still in pondering the above statement, and adding to it, these profound words, which are, not only, overflowing with wisdom and hope, but they also are a never ending challenge to us as a people, of the African American community, to stand up and always utilize our voice to have a say in our lives.
“Give us the ballot, and we will no longer have to worry the federal government about our basic rights.
Give us the ballot, and we will no longer plead to the federal government for passage of an anti-lynching law; we will by the power of our vote write the law on the statute books of the South and bring an end to the dastardly acts of the hooded perpetrators of violence.
Give us the ballot, and we will transform the salient misdeeds of bloodthirsty mobs into the calculated good deeds of orderly citizens.
Give us the ballot, and we will fill our legislative halls with men of goodwill and send to the sacred halls of Congress men who manifest justice.
Give us the ballot, and we will place judges on the benches of the South who will do justly and love mercy, and we will place at the head of the southern states governors who will, who have felt not only the tang of the human, but the glow of the Divine.
Give us the ballot.” – Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Give us the ballot and we will resolve issues, we will not sit on the sideline as second class citizens allowing others to speak for us. We will stand up as a people for equality and justice.
Have we truly lived up to our promise as a people? Are our eyes still focused on the promises we’ve made to those whose blood filled, and still fills, our streets? Are we bold enough to take a look into the mirror and understand it’s now up to us to have our say in our history?
We have the Ballot! We need to live up to our promise as a people because we still must elect just judges, district attorneys, county officials, city officials who will stand for our people and our rights to equality and fairness.
We are not a people who use our political platforms to degrade our brothers and sisters. We are better than stooping to the likes of Donald Trump and Ted Cruz in acting like bullies, or name calling (playing the dozens). We are a people of pride whose fore parents had to suffer, fight and die just so that we can have the right to vote and hold political offices. We will not shame ourselves in the manner of this modern-day political campaigning that reduces us to childlike behavior, whether we are in the arena, or on the sidelines adding mischief.
Again, in pondering Roosevelt’s statement, we must educate ourselves to the choices of candidates who are trying to earn our vote. Educating ourselves is the only way our democracy will work, and work in a just manner. Electing officials to crucial positions because they are the biggest bully, or they got off the best one-liner is preposterous and is a mockery to our democracy. This is not Scandal, or Empire, or some dramatic series awaiting the next media-made, hyped up hysteria. This is our lives, our children’s lives and it’s our turn to stand firm on our watch.
Educating ourselves would be to study our candidates, their records of voting, their ability and strength to be a leader in standing up for our people (and not their own agendas), their ideals of change, and mostly how they plan to implement change. If said candidates aren’t able to fulfill the very basics of our needs and requirements as a community, then they have no right to our vote. The last move we should choose to make is backwards.
When we do not stand with our Ballot, we conform to second class citizenry. When we do not take the time to educate ourselves, we do risk “our safeguard of democracy”. When we don’t choose wisely, we risk making a mockery of our democracy.
Donald Trump says he loves his ignorant voters. smh I fear for my countries future.
This is a really good article. I agree with it. However, as I often say; voting/the ballot/electoral politics is just a part of the big picture. It is one of the easy means of expressing democratic opinion of the people. It might be the easiest means. But I personally know folk who refuse to participate in voting because they are mad about the meager results of voting. There are many other tools that people can use to get freedom, justice, equality, bread, clean water, etc. Often, those other tools should be used. But we should not forget the vote.