Your Black Ass Knows What It Is: VOTE
Welcome to the twenty-eighth installment of This Black-Ass Life! We are switching things up this newsletter to share why your Black Ass should vote. We are also repping D.C. and our respective home states (GA & MO) and have included our personal thoughts on candidates and initiatives.
But first, a reminder. While voting is incredibly important, it is not a panacea for all that ails our country. Slap anyone who tells you this damn lie. If this blue wave happens as some have predicted, especially if it happens in the South, expect things to get worse before they get better. If either Stacey Abrams or Andrew Gillum wins on Tuesday, expect white supremacists to act the fuck out and lose their goddamn minds.
Never forget, the century-long terror on Black lives in the South post-Reconstruction happened because Black men (women couldn’t vote until 1920) exercised their right to vote and did so en masse (i.e.: Louisiana had a Black governor in the mid 1870s and elected several Black Lieutenant governors that decade; MISSISSIPPI(!!) also elected two Black U.S. senators, a lieutenant governor and a U.S. representative in the 1870s).
So vote on Tuesday and then get ready to fight on Wednesday and every day after no matter what happens.
l. All Facts… Why yo Black Ass should vote in some checks to Mandarin Orange Mugabe’s balance
We wanted to do an exhaustive list of everything Peachy Pol Pot has done but that’s not possible, so here’s a rundown of some things that have just happened in the last TWO WEEKS.
He claimed the three domestic terrorist attacks we experienced within one week, including the deadliest attack on Jewish people in American history, were slowing down GOP momentum.
He wants to redefine gender in a way that is based in hate and literally makes no scientific sense.
He’s making all the false claims about this “caravan” and will waste 200 million dollars by the end of the year by sending troops to the border.
He had to walk back his statement about rocks being met with rifles after Nigeria’s military used it to justify deadly violence against protestors.
His administration’s xenophobic rhetoric is encouraging extreme voter suppression tactics.
His Labor Dept. is rolling back a child safety labor rule based on loose science.
He keeps lying about this supposed deal with China and his 10% tax cut for the middle class.
He loves a nefarious deal, don’t he? But perhaps the cutest of his deals are the ones with foreign governments while in office. A court just ruled against his request to delay a lawsuit on the matter.
The man is a demagogue. Here’s the latest roundup of his campaign rally lies out of Missouri.
None of us need this proven since we know he’s racist, but another person from his circle - Michael Cohen - has come out and claimed he has said racist things on many occasions behind closed doors. Oh! He also openly called himself a nationalist.
Most importantly, aren’t y’all tired? We’re so tired. This political system wasn’t built for us, but we can vote to shift what’s happening. Watch this incredible video from Ohio Students Association on how young Ohioans are doing just that.
II. Given where most of y’all are, here’s a look at DC’s ballot
The ballot in D.C. is not as thrilling as some of the others around the country, but some insights and endorsements:
On the Mayoral race, Muriel is going to win, which UGH. WE SAY NO TO MURIEL because it seems to us that she is too busy courting and chasing the interest of big business to really care about the needs of the Blackest and the poorest of us all. (i.e.: her recent decision to spearhead the repeal of Initiative 77 in the D.C. City Council). Her baby is real real cute though.
We are also not crazy about the D.C. City Council in general , but there’s a clear choice for the D.C. Council-at-Large race. Between Elissa Silverman and Dionne Reeder, we are going with Elissa. Dionne is simply too chummy with Muriel to actually check her.
And get this, Ms. Dionne actually had the nerve to tell voters to wait until after she’s elected to find out her position on her key platform issues. Sis. That’s literally the opposite of how this works.
Bev Biv Devoe warned the world not to trust a big butt and a smile, we warn you not to trust a man running for school board who takes gobs of money from hedge-fund founded education reformists and who admits to moving his child out of the city because no school in D.C. was good enough. VOTE FOR ANYONE BUT JASON ANDREAN in the school board race.
III. A look at Georgia’s ballot
I (Mitu) don’t think I need to make the case for why you should support Stacey Abrams, but I do want to share a couple pieces that matter to me:
Mayor of Atlanta, Young Jeezy, spurred Atlanta rappers’ involvement in Abrams’ campaign.
Former Georgia Governor, Ludacris, has also voiced his support online and by hosting fundraisers with Will Packer.
AND SHE HAS THE SUPPORT OF OPRAH WINFREY. MAMA CANVASSED FOR STACEY. IF OPRAH CAN CANVASS, YOU CAN AT LEAST PHONEBANK.
A judge just stopped Brian Kemp’s latest voter suppression tactics, here’s a list of his violations against voters, especially Black voters.
Here are my PERSONAL thoughts on some of Georgia’s statewide ballot measures:
Amendment 1: Most Georgians agree with creating a land conservation trust out of revenue from sales and use taxes on outdoor recreation equipment.
Amendment 2: Creates a business court. I personally am against a separate court for business, especially one with appointed and not elected judges. Read more about it.
Amendment 3: Revises method for determining market value of forest land and creates a timberland property class. Read more about this riveting subject here.
Amendment 4: I’m personally against this; so-called victims’ rights proposals always make me nervous because they can undermine due process.
Amendment 5: Allows a school district or multiple districts with a majority of students within a county to call for a county sales tax referendum. The bill has bipartisan support, but could take power away from smaller school districts.
IV. A look at Missouri’s ballot.
Missouri actually has some sensible initiatives on the ballot. Here are my (Jumoke) recommendations.
Yes on Medical Marijuana. There are 3(!) initiatives on the ballot, Amendment 2 is the most sensible, but if all passes, the one with the most votes wins.
Yes on minimum wage increase (Proposition B), because, duh.
Yes on ethics reform (Amendment 1) because our last Governor was a legit sexual deviant and predator who crossed all kinds of ethical boundaries to blackmail his victim. Mitu says you can’t govern and gag and I agree. You gotta pick one.
On the candidates, my daddy says all of them are too old and worthless, but y’all should vote for Claire McCaskill and other Democrats because you have no choice.
You heard the man. VOTE for the Blue side on Tuesday. Then turn up or go to sleep for 14 hours like my (Jumoke) Black Ass is going to do. We'll see what Wednesday brings.
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Stay Black, thrive, vote and we’ll hit your inbox next on November 19.