Why Black Men Should Be Exercising Their RIGHT To Vote In America
You probably already know this but; the criminal justice system is known to unfairly target black people; many black communities only have access to low-quality education; and working age black people have the highest unemployment rate amongst any racial group in the U.S.
As a black man in America, you are probably quite familiar with these systems that were built around you, not for you. Luckily, through your vote, you have the power to help elect leaders who care about rebuilding these unfair and oppressive systems.
Your Vote Is Important
Exercising your right to vote is about more than just selecting our government’s next set of leaders. It is about positioning our country, and its people, to explore new avenues of social, economic, and societal welfare. We need you to vote in the 2020 election, and here’s why.
Your Vote Represents An Opportunity For Change
Barack Obama ran on a platform of change, but eight years isn’t nearly long enough to set in motion all of the policies and programs that are needed to undo the damage left behind by 400 years of oppression and social inequality. While 2020 has been a landmark year of progress for increasing public awareness of racial injustice, the battle is not nearly won.
In order to keep social awareness moving in a positive direction, we will need supportive voices in government that are willing to guide our country down a path that completely embraces racial equality and social justice. As a black man, you are essential to the process of putting these leaders into office.
Through your vote, you can voice which issues are most important to you and where you want change to occur. Without your vote, the issues that you are most concerned with will have less support at the highest levels of government. Prove how much you care about these important problems by going out to vote.
The Black Vote Can Lead To Criminal Justice Reform
One of the most noteworthy examples of social inequality in American society can be found by looking at the criminal justice system. In a 2019 Pew Research Center survey, 84% of black adults responded that they feel black people are treated less fairly by police, and 63% of whites agreed with this sentiment.
Although these are just their opinions, the evidence to support the idea that blacks are treated unfairly by the police is overwhelming. For example, a recent study by PrisonPolicy.org found that police are twice as likely to use force against blacks than they are whites. But none of this is new information. We’ve known this to be the case for decades.
The real issue is that countless political leaders have been completely aware of this issue, yet still refused to work towards fixing it. Fortunately, our voices have recently started being heard. We are suddenly in a position to change the relationship between the black community and the criminal justice system by electing political leaders that care about enacting criminal justice reform. By voting, you can ensure that this necessary change actually takes place.
Your Vote Can Save Black Students From Dysfunctional Education Systems
Black children are often forced to participate in an outdated and dysfunctional education system that is not tailored to serve their unique needs. In many areas of the country, discriminatory practices are a very real issue that creates a poor learning environment for black children. There are also other notable issues, like the school to prison pipeline, which sees black youth being funneled out of public schools and into the criminal justice system.
We need to put our support behind leaders who will cultivate new policies and programs that lead to better access to quality education for children in low income communities. The black vote can be used to bring in lawmakers who actually care about the black education crisis.
Your Vote Can Improve Employment Rates For Black Men and Women
At the end of 2019, the national unemployment rate sat at 3.5%, its lowest point since 1969. The unemployment rate for whites was lower than the national average, at 3.3%, yet for blacks, the rate sat at around 5.4%. While a 2.1% difference may only seem like a slight disparity, this gap in employment rates highlights that there is a stark difference in employment opportunity for blacks versus other racial groups in America.
We must continue working to increase representation of black Americans in the workforce.
While past lawmakers have taken action to help blacks succeed in the workforce, many lawmakers don’t put this issue at the top of their list of concerns. The only way to bring black unemployment in line with other races is by dismantling the many systematic obstacles that keep black people from finding employment. Therefore, we need to vote in lawmakers who will take action to remove these obstacles and create jobs in black communities.
The Black Votes Matters!
In past elections, the black vote hasn’t been as strong as it needs to be. While Barack Obama received about 90% of the black vote in 2012, only 66.6% of eligible black voters showed up to the polls that year. The turnout was even worse for black voters in 2016 — only 59.6% of eligible black voters participated in the last election. In fact, Trump only led the election by 78,000 votes. That means black voters had the potential to significantly change the results of the 2016 election. Let’s not make the same mistake twice.
Exercise Your Right To Vote
Your ancestors fought tirelessly, for centuries, to earn your right to vote. Do your part by participating in the 2020 election. Your vote will make a difference, so use it wisely. Find out which candidates best represent your ideal vision for America and cast your vote.
If you have any questions about voting or the 2020 election, don’t hesitate to contact BlackMenVote.Org. We will help you understand how you can ensure that your vote is as impactful as possible.
