By Renee J. Turner,
NDG Special Contributor
With the discreetly, systemized, and methodical implementation of voter ID and restrictive voting laws pillaging voters of their right to vote, the call to action has not been loud enough. The purging of voters from voting rolls throughout the country is really an assault on America, which should be alarming to all voting citizens. We should not be so focused on the presidential debates that we forget the GOP has designed and engineered this faulty voter fraud program to prevent American citizens from voting. The structure of these laws was designed to sway the election of not only the presidential race, but to discourage candidates from running for offices throughout the United States. There are a number of Congressional seats up for grabs in 2012.
The fingerprints of African Americans are forever etched in American history. It cannot be emphasized enough that too many people fought, were beaten, and died for the right to vote.
While African-American voters remain a significant voting bloc, yet civil rights remain a key issue in this election. Unfortunately, speaking out against racial injustice is sometimes characterized as playing the race card, without anyone ever providing a description of the playing deck.
Voter suppression legislation has silenced votes in sixteen states. The sounding alarm rings as reportedly up to 5 million eligible voters are wiped from voting rolls. In addition, it is possible hundreds of thousands of absentee ballots will be thrown out. In Florida reports indicate absentee ballots are being thrown out due to lack of signatures required on the outside of the return envelope.
If some still need convincing, taxes are not going to by raised if the Republicans can help it. So, the deadlock will continue. Many GOP lawmakers have signed the Americans for Tax Reform pledge to never raise taxes. Meanwhile, what will continue to happen is the hiding of money in offshore bank accounts by the wealthy.
With Mitt Romney’s bait-and-switch campaign, few believe he and the Republican Party have our best interest at heart. He is trying to sell the modernized trickle-down economics as our way out of this economic crisis, when it has caused trickle-up poverty here in America. So-called “entitlement” programs become unrecognizable or non-existent.
Seemingly, when any first African-American candidate is elected, there is an avalanche of strong opposition to keep that elected official from serving a second term. Having inherited this bad economy, President Barack Obama has maintained poise while enduring everything from finger pointing to the birther comments. Already forgotten is a long list of accomplishments during the Obama Administration. The GOP spin is giving him credit for everything negative, and those still undecided voters may have a listening ear.
Now early voting has begun in many states. It is important to check the voter ID requirements in your area (in Texas the courts ruled against their implementation). Our own individual power is in our ability to vote. In 2008, 65 percent of registered African Americans voters voted in the presidential election, leaving 35 percent of African Americans voters who did not vote. We need to reach out to that 35 percent.
Help a relative or friend become informed, and get to their voting poll. This election will be decided based on electoral votes, and possibly indifference if we let it. At the heart of this, voter suppression should not stop us from exercising our right to vote. We have to get out and vote to make our voices heard or voter suppression could win this election.
Renee J. Turner lives in Atlanta, Georgia.
