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Activism, Good World

When Democracy Dies

DJones1
DJones1

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Our Democracy is in Free Fall & How Will It Affect The Black Community

When democracy is replaced, the most disadvantaged groups will lose the democratic freedoms we currently have, to demand equality and at the very least, fight for, stand up to, or challenge discrimination on every level. When a non-democratic, autocratic government takes their seats at the head of the leadership table, they have vowed to rebuild and reopen the private prisons that President Biden has closed. There will be no choice or even opportunity for accountability or consequence when the next George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, or the thousands of others, are abused, assaulted, and murdered by hate. When democracy dies, our possibilities will be limited and many of our rights will be rescinded. We often struggle in accessing fair housing, prime education, and employment opportunities. When democracy dies, those desires will be off the table. When democracy dies, those in power will seek to criminalize many of the freedoms we presently enjoy and vaporize our dreams of someday rising to a level playing field of equality with our counterparts.

Over 400 laws have been introduced that will make it far more difficult for minorities to cast votes. This includes special ID requirements, prohibiting some of the early voting activities, (Souls to the Polls) prohibiting busloads of voters, removing names from voter registration lists if they sound the same – we know that Jones’ Johnsons and Smiths will have a really hard time verifying their registrations. Not mandating employers to allow people time off to vote and laws that don’t allow the offering of water to voters standing in line for long hours could greatly reduce the ability to vote and the overwhelming turnout of minority voters. In addition, many of these laws allow election officials to falsely claim fraud so that the apparent winner of any election can be overturned to give victory to whomever “they” want to win.

Our votes are our loudest voices in determining who should be leading us and they know we are consistent voters. But the votes that represent Black and minority voices will be silenced and the leaders they select for us, will have the power to keep us silent and become non-participants in our own futures.

Know that I don’t claim to have the answers or know the resolve. I just know it’s happening. They’re saying the quiet parts out loud and we continue to witness unchecked lawlessness. I do believe that part of our response must be to vote in numbers that cannot be disputed. We must be willing to assist those at the greatest risk of being suppressed and while democracy still has a heartbeat, even if it’s on life-support, we’ve got to stand taller than ever before and fight harder as if our lives depend on it because it does.