The 2020 Dems and our Black Asses
Welcome to the 52nd installment of This Black-Ass Life! This week, we’re asking Democratic candidates to think, really think, not just go on The Breakfast Club, about our needs as Black-ass voters. Also, take a moment today to reflect on how amazing Regina King is. You’ll feel better for it.
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l. The Facts
After what seems like the 60 billionth Democratic debate, 2020 candidates still haven’t confronted issues of racial justice in any real intentional way. They need to. As the back and neck bone of the Democratic Party, issues affecting Black people must be centered.
Why are Black people Democrats?
Black voters started moving from the party of Lincoln in the late 1920s due to the refusal of the Republican Party to make any headway on civil rights issues.
The sharp turn happened during the 1932 presidential campaign between incumbent Republican President Herbert Hoover and Democrat Franklin D. Roosevelt. To retain the presidency, Hoover ingratiated himself hardcore with southern segregationists. Black people bowed out from that bullshit.
By 1960, ⅔ of Black voters identified as Democrats, and after LBJ signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Republican party staked their claim to the racist-adjacent notion of states’ rights, the number of Black Democrats continued to steadily climb.
Last year during the mid-term, 90% of Black people voted for the Democratic candidate: 88% of Black men and 92% Black women, to be exact.
Why does it matter?
Democratic candidates understand that they need Black people to get anywhere in national elections. During this Presidential campaign, they pandered in the usual way: eating with Black-ass vegan Al Sharpton at Sylvia’s 🙄, talking to Charlamagne 🙄, talking about that one time they marched or didn’t march 🙄, etc. They do all this without actually offering substantive policies on issues affecting Black people . Here are three issues (there are many more) we’d love to see more action on:
As we’ve said before, Black trans women experience horrific rates of violence and murder. Even though 2020 candidates have been tweeting about specific incidents, it is obvious they do not understand the crisis facing Black trans women and have routinely voted for legislation that harms them.
Since Shelby v. Holder, voting rights have been routinely under attack across the country. Platitudes are good and all, but we want an aggressive plan of action from 2020 Democrats to not only restore the Voting Rights Act, but also to expand on it.
Reparations is the act of making amends for a wrong one has done by paying money to or otherwise helping those who have been wronged. America needs to pay Black descendants of enslaved people. Point Blank. Instead of talking around the topic and offering no substance, show us your policy briefs on how to finally get descendants a little of what is owed to them.
At the very least, can we get a debate focused solely on issues of racial justice?
What can my Black ass do?
Get educated. A great place to start is the incredibly robust 1619 Project.
Support the yearly introduced H.R.40.
Learn what 2020 Democrats are - or aren’t - proposing on reparations.
ll. Other Things
All hail Regina King.
In Watchmen, we get to see Regina King *literally* fight White supremacy.
Oprah can afford more than we can and she laughs about it.
In case y’all missed it, Sallie Mae gathered up our coins and flew 100 employees to Hawaii - all expenses paid.
Meghan needs to leave the UK and pretty much escape to anywhere else. She wasn’t prepared for their mess.
Not just Ronan Farrow: Sil Lai Abrams’ rape allegation story was killed, too.
Y’all watching this Black faux-Bachelor show on OWN? If not, you should.
The Best Man is 20 years old. I (Jumoke), who remembers wanting to see this movie in theaters and my hating-ass mama not letting me, am old.
Yoooo, that’s not Tupac?!
Our Black-Ass song(s) of the week (Mitu):
Summer Walker is a record-breaking R&B artist, check out her Tiny Desk concert.
Things we are looking forward to / things we are not looking forward to:
I (Jumoke) look forward to the day where I’m not afraid to sit on my couch and where I don’t feel worried looking at my door.
I (Mitu) look forward to season 2 of Netflix’s La Casa de las Flores, and I couldn’t more strongly recommend that show to all of you.
lll. Text from a Black-Ass Mama
My (Jumoke’s) mom didn’t hear from sister for ~12 hours, but then she did. Here, the drama unfolds in two texts.
Stay Black, thrive, and let’s draft a Meghan rescue plan. We’ll hit your inbox next on November 4.