AAC TRUTH TO YOU
When we came out in 2008 we elected President Barack Obama. We marched, stood and voted, and We showed our voting strength and political power, scaring many who felt their own political power diminishing and made it their mission to make sure it would never again happen.
We said “Yes we can”, we said “Yes we did”, but we were not done, and instead of continuing, for various reasons, we sat down.
Because we sat down in 2010: those with negative ideological, philosophical, theological ideals, whose only goal is power and without the common good, were elected.
Because we felt disillusioned: 19 states now have some form of voter suppression laws, subverting the 13th and 14th amendments and the 1965 voting rights act, thus reducing the voting participation of minorities,the elderly, students, physically disabled and women.
Because we felt angry: the US House of Representatives voted to repeal the Affordable Healthcare Act over 30 times, want to privatize Medicare, create a voucher system and defund the Department of Education and destroy Medicaid for the poor. And there is drug testing if you receive government assistance.
Because we did not feel the fierce sense of urgency: minimum wage is attacked, public jobs are cut reducing our teachers, police, firefighters, postal workers and sanitation workers because they have unions who support workers rights.
Because we felt unappreciated: jobs bills were killed and or filibustered in the US House of Representatives, including jobs for veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan.
Because we felt ignored and unheard: the Supreme Court heard and upheld Citizens United, giving wealthy unnamed faceless donors’ unlimited financial access to buy our election process through super pacs, making sure you will not be heard.
All this, because we felt and we sat down.
Are we sitting down in 2012?!
Created by African American Caucus FCDP Jacquelyne Barber Branch
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