To vote or not to vote

BNE said:
i vote cuz tho positive policies might not be frequently put into practice cuz of how political power is divided, negative policies sure r. n ima do what i can to use my vote to help minimize, even if it aint much. cuz it aint the only thing I'm doin n - this is the kicker - it can't hurt.

really, it's a tick in a box. it isn't gonna harm me if i make the best choice based on those available. if exercising my right to vote was inherently harmful, my stance might be different. forfeiting it aint gonna accomplish shit on it's own.

whether ur doin other things for the causes important to u or for the community at large is extraneous cuz u cld be doin all that while voting, too. being active in ur community isn't linked to vote forfeiting.
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On the contrary, imo voting is harmful to us because it keeps us an active participant in our own oppression. We put people in office who are just hustling, placating and pacifying us. We give people our power only to abuse us with it. We can't play both sides. Are we gonna be active in our own oppression by being active in a system of blatant white supremacy? A system that destroys everything on the planet and is at war with every person on it. Or are we going to consciously remove ourselves from that which is harmful to us and has always been harmful to us and be active participants in our well being, our freedom, and what is helpful to us by applying the change on an individual level that is necessary for those things to truly manifest in our lives and for the lives of future generations?

How can we participate in our freedom and oppression at the same time? We're literally canceling ourselves out.

We can make a conscious decision to be active participants in creating and establishing another way of living or a social system that benefits everyone and pretty much everything. We can choose to create a system where we won't have to minimize negative policies against us because not only do we not (have to) play by their rules we don't even have to play the same game.

It won't happen overnight. Nothing does but we can lay the blueprint and at least lay the foundation for future generations to build on now through action.
 
I never wish to deny Black people autonomy. You can vote for who you want to vote for; that's your prerogative. However I can't stand to see non voters and Green Party voters guilted for their choices nor can I stand to see people say "our ancestors died for our right to vote" as a means to guilt trip or romanticize the Civil Rights movement. Its ahistorical. It's incorrect.

We weren't given the right to vote because of our "ancestors" suffering during the CRM. Suffering and democratic power are not interdependent. Suffering doesn't hold the power to change socio-economic issues. We have the right to vote through democratic action: freedom rides, demonstrations, sit ins. People during the civil rights movement knew suffering and death would ultimately be the consequences in challenging a bourgeoise society, a racist-capitalistic caste society. It's imperative we understand that suffering and death did not give us "rights". It was leveraging the images of our suffering (Emmett till, Rosa being fingerprinted before going to jail, Montgomery Bus Boycott, March on Birmingham, voting rights march Mar. 7th 1965, The Birmingham children's crusade being attacked by dogs and water hoses etc), it was action, it was sabotaging Americas financial infrastructure that lead us to receiving certain rights.

Our ancestors didn't die for our right to choose between a fascist and a warmonger. They did not die for us to debate about which candidate will loosen the reins of oppression. No. They died for racial equality; something we have yet to attain.
They envisioned a world different than this one and so do I.
 
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also @Cain this country has always been hostile to immigrants. let's not forget Obama deported 2.5 million undocumented persons.

your friend could have been deported under Obamas administration as well.
 
if voting was as useful as ppl make it seem why are the crime rates so high in these democratic ran cities? I mean look around at these predominantly black and brown, democratic ran cities. THEY ARE IN FUCKING SHAMBLES!!!!!
 
Ppl out here voting for Satan and the Devil smh.

Do you, but let's be smart about our voting power.

Make these ppl earn your vote and express to them when they come around, what are they doing for black ppl.

Do the right thing.

If Betty Shelby ran and Darren Wilson ran for President/Mayor/State Representative/City Council/Overseer of the local School Dance. Would you vote
 
I had a patna of mines say he voted for Bernie, so I was like what kind of plan does he have laid out for black ppl?

Dude said "I don't know, but he marched with MLK"

Smh

Had to change the subject because the shit wasn't even worth addressing

"Aye man aint it suppose to rain today"

We need to know what we are getting outta the deal.
 
is the political system fucked up? yes

could it use a complete breakdown and rebuild? absolutely

is not voting going to change any of these things? FUCK NO

nomad said he is involved in his community...salute. I think thats admirable tbh. No troll, however, dried ink on paper is gonna go a lot further. That's not to say your efforts are in vain, but maybe use your influence to help support an up an coming politician who you KNOW has the interest of the community at the forefront to get him to represent the ideas of the people you work with.

if you dont like a candidate on the ballot, write one in. You are still exercising your right to vote, and STILL supporting someone who best represents your interests, all while not making a mockery of the voting process

I got time today in case you havent figured it out
 
BNE said:
I agree, hunnid %.


just not on this.

i've seen 1st hand that enough activism, press n direct action can make even right wing candidates bend in the right way. public pressure has political influence.

that doesn't undermine the importance of voting but i wldn't say that dried ink will automatically go further. they're both necessary.
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i should elaborate

what i mean is, dried ink gets put into law. That is a documented record that now becomes a binding document that helps govern your life

you can still be activists and whatnot, but when the ink is dry on the paper is when your efforts have really influenced change.
 
Candidate A needs 100 black votes to win, Candidate A doesn't address any black issues (100 black voters don't vote for Candidate A)

Candidate B don't need the 100 black votes to win and doesn't address any black issues.

What do you think Candidate A will do the next time election comes around? He/She will continue to lose every election if he/she doesn't receive those 100 black votes

Did the no vote campaign by those 100 blacks help or hurt themselves?

Should the 100 blacks who didn't vote, vote still?

Don't be a political chump. Black ppl are last mane and this speech was given 30 plus years ago and the speech sounds like it was given yesterday

 
tbh brah, i have not clue of the correlation you are trying to draw here
 
Simp said:
so instead of clarifying your position, you just take your ball home and leave?

gotcha
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Dude,

You're a bright dude, post #35 is broken down to the point where a 3rd grader understands it. I even posted a video from Malcolm to add more funk to the post.

Nothing else I could do breh.

You don't convince the sun it's hot.

I'll bow out
 
Knock_Twice said:
Dude,

You're a bright dude, post #35 is broken down to the point where a 3rd grader understands it. I even posted a video from Malcolm to add more funk to the post.

Nothing else I could do breh.

You don't convince the sun it's hot.

I'll bow out
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how you compliment me in one breath, then insult me in the next?

you base your position solely on the fact that these two candidates need a specified number of black voters. Thats where you lost me

why is that the variable?
 
Simp said:
how you compliment me in one breath, then insult me in the next?

you base your position solely on the fact that these two candidates need a specified number of black voters. Thats where you lost me

why is that the variable?
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Don't worry about it breh.

Just do yo thang.

It's all good

I don't know what else to tell you.
 
how about you tell me what is the point you are trying to make?

we are having a civil discussion

im not angry or upset...its obvious we are on two opposing ends of this discussion as we've gone in circles about this irl

i just want to better understand your pov b/c even if i dont agree with it, i still would like to understand it
 
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