Vice President Pence, Invoke the 25th Amendment

By Mildred Robertson

America is currently trapped in a conundrum as it awaits a response from the president to legislation needed to stabilize our economy, address our health-care crisis and fund vital government services, both military and domestic. As the nation suffers under the indifference of its Commander-in-Chief, it has become obvious that Vice President Pence must discharge his constitutional duty and invoke the 25^th Amendment in order to break the log jammed legislation lying on the President’s desk at Mar-A-Largo. Section 4 of that amendment states that when a president is unable to fulfill his constitutional duties, but will not step aside, that the Vice President and a majority of either the Cabinet or a body designated by Congress may declare that the President is “Unable to discharge the powers and duties of his office.”  

There has been much discussion as to Trump’s psychological state, and whether his mental health is a factor in the manner in which he has governed. Over the past 4 years we have suffered under his leadership much as a child subjected to the whims of a schizophrenic parent. As we await his signature on legislation required to keep the government open and address other pressing governmental needs, many in the government and the media wring their hands, wondering how he will respond.

He has tied the hands of Congress due to his refusal to either veto the Covid-19 legislation lying on his desk or sign it. But whether his failure to carry out his constitutional duties is based on mental deficiency or simple mean-spiritedness, it is clear that his intent is to stymie both Republicans and Democrats in their quest to address a dire public need in order to assuage his wounded ego. Without his action, Congress can neither move forward to over-ride his veto or submit a revised bill that meets his specifications. If he refuses to act, that legislation will have to wait until the new administration takes office January 20, 2021.

But the American people don’t have that kind of time.

Trump, it seems, is oblivious to the consequences of his failure to act on the lives of countless Americans facing eviction, the end of unemployment payments, food shortages, job loss and for many…death. His failure to act encumbers funding for Covid-19 treatment which will impede the production and distribution of life-saving vaccinations and will negate the $600 stipend intended to help Americans struggling with lay-offs and job loss. So he is indifferent to the crises Americans face as he wastes precious time on political posturing and adolescent temper tantrums.

This president poses a clear and present danger to the welfare of our nation. He has tested every lever the Founders created to safeguard us from despots and their tyranny. Thus far we have survived with a democracy that is tattered, yet still somewhat intact. But we now teeter on the brink. We must not, at this final hour of his administration, allow him to bring democracy to its knees.

Vice President Pence must do what he has not done during his entire tenure as Vice President. He must make a stand. It is clear that Trump is either unable or unwilling to carry out the duties necessary to maintain the health and well-being of this nation. He represents a clear and present danger to our union.

Vice President Pence must invoke the 25^th Amendment and release this nation from the clutches of a madman who does not value our democracy, and scoffs at the most fundamental tenets of our freedom.  He must invoke the 25^th Amendment, declaring Trump unfit for office. His failure to do so will result in irrevocable harm to our national security and more lives lost unnecessarily. His decision on this matter will dictate whether he will be a historical footnote in the Trump administration or be remembered as a patriot who stood for Democracy 

Dark Forces Threaten American Democracy

By: Mildred Robertson

As record numbers of citizens exercise their right to vote in the 2020 Election, dark forces are moving across our country to dampen those patriotic impulses. From armed militias plotting to intimidate voters at the polls to a Trump caravan accosting a democratic campaign bus in Texas, this year’s presidential election harkens back to the early days of the Civil Rights movement. During that period, African Americans were threatened with guns, dogs, nooses and water hoses to prevent them from casting their ballots. It appears that today, many citizens, black and white alike, may face great personal peril as they cast their vote in the November 3^rd election.

In Alamance County in North Carolina, a “Souls to the Polls” march to take advantage of the last day to early vote in that state resulted in an attack by the police…police who were supposed to be providing security for the marchers. According to the NAACP, which organized the march, the group had appropriate permits to march, and had shared their plans with the local police prior to the event. It appears when the group paused for 9 minutes to honor the memory of George Floyd, they were ordered out of the street, and were then set upon by local police with tear gas. Among those gassed were invalids and children.

Meanwhile, the current administration is lobbying the courts to suppress votes, by eliminating all that do not arrive by Tuesday, November 3^rd, regardless of when they were mailed. This could disenfranchise millions. In Harris County Texas more than 120,000 voters who participated in drive-through voting are in danger of having their votes invalidated. While the Texas Supreme Court rejected the request to hear the Republican case, a Federal court will take up the ruling on Monday to decide whether those votes will be counted. Drive through ballots represent 10 percent of the votes cast in that state.

Today it feels as though time has actually gone backward. But on Tuesday, November 3^rd America has the opportunity to reset the clock. We must we vote. We must encourage our friends and neighbors to vote.

The dark forces whose goal it is to dim this nation’s light can only succeed if we let it. But we can lift our collective voices and reject the darkness. We can move toward the light. We can reclaim the soul of this nation.

Vote as if your life depends on it…because it does.

#soulstothepolls #NAACP #AlamanceCounty #VoterSuppression #Policebrutality #Vote2020

You Voted; But You’re Not Done!

Why Voting isn’t Enough in the 2020 Presidential Election

By: Mildred Robertson

The final day of 2020 Presidential Election season is only days away. If you have already cast your vote, you are among 65.5 million Americans who have participated in early and mail-in voting. According to CNN, that’s almost half of all votes cast in the 2016 presidential election and more than the 58.3 million cast in pre-election voting that year.

If you lean democratic, you may be feeling pretty good right now. You’ve cast your vote, and it appears the polls are on your side. National polls as of October 27 show Vice President Joe Biden polling at 52.1 percent compared to Trump at 43 percent.  In comparison, the 2016 election showed Hillary Clinton with just a four-point lead in national polls, with neither candidate breaking the 50 percent mark. One week out Clinton was at 46 percent, while Trump polled at 42 percent. Though pundits and pollsters alike say that Biden is in a much better position than Clinton in 2016, the fact remains that she was leading…until she wasn’t.

There are numerous reasons why Clinton struggled to trounce Trump, and ultimately fell in the polls. Her precipitous fall has been rehashed more times than I care to recall. Suffice it to say, some things came up. While Biden’s campaign may not have to deal with the same challenges as Clinton’s; challenges do exist. That’s why Democrats must leave no room for error.

Among those issues facing Democrats is a concerted effort on the part of the Republican Party to suppress the vote. Tactics range from slowing down mail service, to eliminating voting locations, voter intimidation using armed vigilantes at the polls and rejecting ballots dated prior to Election Day, but not received by November 3^rd. Among the most egregious challenges Americans may face if Biden is elected, is that the sitting president has threatened to refuse the peaceful transfer of power if he fails to win the election.

These challenges and others aimed at disenfranchising voters across the nation threaten our ability to self-govern and may lead to the dismantling of our democracy as we know it. You might be asking what more you can do if you have already cast your vote. Well there is plenty.

Americans must articulate a clear choice in this election. That can only be accomplished by robust voter participation across the country, with particular emphasis on swing states. North Carolina is one of the coveted swing states that may determine who assumes the presidency. Other prized swing states include Arizona, Florida, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.

For those of us living in swing states it is imperative, if we wish our political philosophy to prevail, that we don’t just vote, but also work to get out the vote. There are numerous groups and organizations participating in voter turnout (GOTV) across the country. If you are not connected with any such group, they are easily identifiable on the web, and would be happy for you to volunteer. Among the activities in which you can engage to help guarantee a free and fair election are:

·         Identifying personal volunteer opportunities

o   Poll Watcher
o   Phone Banking
o   Door Knocking
o   Distributing/Displaying Campaign Signage

·         Contacting members of your family/social network and encouraging them to vote.

·         Donating to a campaign that supports your political philosophy and beliefs

·         Working the polls

·         Posting pro-campaign messages on your social network

These are only a few examples of the steps you can take to ensure that sufficient numbers of votes are cast to leave no doubt as to the intended choice of the majority of Americans. In this year, like no other before it, it is imperative that citizens take their civic responsibility seriously.

You took the first step and voted; but this year that may not be enough. Choose your task, and take the next step to help ensure that the 2020 election results in an outcome that reflects the will of the people.

Voting is not enough. You must WORK THE VOTE!

Voting: the Most Important Thing You Will Do in 2020

By Mildred Robertson

It appears that Americans have gotten the message. The best way to change our nation’s direction is for its citizens to let their voices be heard through the ballot box. An unprecedented number of citizens have cast their ballots across America, even in the face of long wait times, fears about tampering with mail-in ballots and threats of intimidation at polling places.

North Carolinians were among the first Americans to cast a ballot during the 2020 General Election as they flocked to the polls on October15, 2020. By the end of business yesterday, Nearly 1.9 million North Carolinians had exercised their right to vote. That compares to only 657,203 votes cast during the same time period in 2016.

It is heartening to know that U.S. citizens will not be intimidated by forces that appear intent upon ending our experiment in liberty. It is clear Americans will face all obstacles placed before them to participate in the one enterprise that makes us unique among our peers; governance for the people, by the people.

Ours is a freedom not easily gained, and not effortlessly maintained. Sacrifice has been the bedrock of our nation’s journey to be the nation we profess to be in our constitution. The obstacles to maintaining our freedom in 2020 are daunting; but they are by no means the most formidable obstacles we have encountered in our relatively young republic.

As our ancestors faced down dogs, clubs, and water hoses to exercise their right to vote, so we must face our own obstacles. We cannot be intimidated or complacent.  We must embrace our legacy and challenge those who would deny us our birthright.

We must vote!

 

Your Country - Your Choice: Vote November 3rd

By Mildred Robertson

 Black Americans have a choice to make in 2020. Will we allow the sacrifices of our ancestors be for nothing, or will we make sacrifices to ensure that Black voices are raised in the 2020 presidential election?

 All kinds of obstacles have been erected in 2020 to discourage Blacks and other minorities from participating in the November 3rd election. Our young people are being bombarded with disinformation about the records of Democratic nominees. Republican legislators and Secretaries of State are instituting rules and regulations that will limit access to the ballot box. The Post Master General has actively worked to slow mail services in order to negatively impact vote-in mailing. 

While some of these tactics are new, this push to deny minorities access to the ballot box is an age-old battle between racist conservatives and Black people seeking the promise of America.  Black people were ushered into that promise when granted the right to citizenship in 1868. But having the right to vote did not translate into the ability to exercise it.

A systematic effort to turn Blacks and minorities away from polling places has prevailed from 1877 until the present, resulting in the exclusion and suppression of communities of color in the political power structure. Southern and conservative legislators across the country have doubled their efforts to block minorities from the ballot box since the Supreme Court gutted the Voting Rights Act In 2013. Many jurisdictions currently labor to institute draconian rules and regulations meant to make it difficult for minorities and Progressives to access the ballot box. Those seeking to depress minority voting hope to negatively impact turnout this year by providing fewer polling places, limiting hours and making mail-in voting unreliable. Further, armed militia have been encouraged to poll watch to intimidate minority voters.

None of these tactics are new. Civil Rights activist down through the years have fought valiantly to overcome these and sometimes more violent obstacles. Throughout the years, we have gained some ground and then lost some as we struggle to reach victory.  But the struggle must go on.

If you cannot stand in line for an indeterminate amount of time to cast your vote; then request a mail-in ballot. If you are not sure your mail-in ballot has time to reach the Board of Elections by or before November 3rd, early vote.  If you cannot get to an early vote location, then be prepared to stand in line on November 3^rd for however long it takes. But whatever method you choose…Vote.

No matter how difficult it is to cast your vote, you must make it a priority in 2020. It is you who will decide the kind of country in which we live. Whether you vote or stay home, you are making a choice. Choose to be part of the solution. Vote in the 2020 Election. 

Ruth Bader Ginsburg: Lioness of Equality

 By Mildred Robertson

Today we mourn the loss of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who succumbed to a long battle with cancer. Ginsburg was only the second woman to sit on the highest court in the land.

 

Both a champion for justice and progress, Ginsburg led the fight for equality under the law. Her tireless advocacy, unending service, and trailblazing spirit opened the door for women and girls across the country to aspire to, and achieve seats of power in government and business. Her efforts, however, were not confined to seeking justice for women. She was equally committed to securing justice for all.

 

Nominated by Bill Clinton in June 1993, Ginsburg was confirmed in August. Her appointment to the Court followed a legal career as an advocate for the advancement of gender equality and women’s rights. Before taking the bench, Ginsburg had already won multiple cases argued before the Supreme Court.  

 

Her passing comes at a pivotal time in our nation’s history. If the Joe Biden/Kamala Harris ticket is successful, it will be the first time that a woman, no less a Black woman, is a heartbeat away from the levers of power in the United States. It remains to be seen whether America is ready to make that leap. While Kamala is neither the first female candidate to vie for either president or vice president of the United States, a successful Biden/Harris ticket would nonetheless be a huge departure from political norms in the U.S. The success of such a ticket is made possible, in part, by the work of Justice Ginsburg and others like her.

 

Justice Ginsburg’s passing also adds to an already fracas 2020 Presidential campaign. The airwaves have been awash in advertisements attempting to establish uncertainty about the efficacy of our political system. Both political parties are embroiled in a flurry of activity to determine how to maintain the power to fill the vacant seat, while doing as little damage to candidates caught up in tight races across the country.  Voters are carefully watching, and many are mobilizing to respond to how the White House and the Senate handle this vacancy with less than two months until the national election. The question is, will our Congress respond in a way that honors her memory and her body of work, or will her passing be the catalyst for a major challenge to our democracy.

 

As the nation pauses to honor Ginsburg, a folk hero sometimes referred to as “the Notorious RBG,” the words spoken in a 2018 documentary about her life powerfully exemplify her passion for justice. Ginsburg paraphrased the 19^th Century abolitionist and women’s rights activist Sarah Grimke, stating, “I ask no favor for my sex; all I ask of our brethren is that they take their feet off our necks.”

 

Those words…that legacy resonate as women still struggle to meet their potential in a world that maintains a double standard, and black people struggle just to live. The question is, will America live up to Ginsburg's call for justice and allow women and minorities to stand in liberty, or must we fight to remove the weight of oppression to gain justice and equality.

 

She will be missed—but will not be forgotten. May the "Lioness of Equality" rest in Glory and may her work stand through the winds of change.

The State of America: Change Has to Come

By Guest Blogger, Mary Ratliff, President NAACP Columbia, Missouri Chapter

We are experiencing a very tragic and difficult time in our Country. I listened to the President's speech during the Republican Convention that compelled me to put pen to paper to respond to what seems to be a distorted or omitted fact in Donald Trump's speech. While delivering his speech He posed this question, while directing their attention toward the White House: "What is the name of this House, which is of course the White House. He then said, "We are here they are not."

Many have criticized those remarks but no one has addressed the meaning of his remarks, meaning this House is named for those who should occupy it, and is called the White for that purpose. I believe this was not a dog whistle but a bullhorn announcement to those who believe the presidency should be reserved for white males only.  

Change has to come, we need to recognize this is not a movement but a revolution. In a movement requests are made; in a revolution demands are made with expected outcomes.  We are calling upon like minded citizens, as was the case in the 50's, 60's and 70's, to join with us to march, demonstrate and strategize to bring about the changes necessary to bring peace to this troubled country.

We need all hands on deck to turn out the vote this November 3, 2020. Make no mistake, this administration has caused damage that will take strong leadership to repair. Unfortunately there are those who want to take us back to the 'good old days'  when Black Americans were viewed as less than human; only capable of jobs that required physical strength. This was not to be the only plight of the Black Race, because we had strength most of the time with little or no formal education. Black mothers and fathers taught us there is nothing more important than freedom and education; so we fought, bled and died for the right to have our little boys and girls enjoy the freedom that is due them.

I am appealing to our white friends, recognizing they can never walk a mile in our shoes,  to have a conscious that will direct them to no longer sit by and allow the senseless killing of Black men by police for no reason but for the color of their skin. 

Let us make it plain, there are those who say if no change is made in administration, we will be set back as a people, I say to you, that's a dice that shouldn't be rolled. Slavery did not stop John Brown, Harriett Tubman, Medgar Evers or Dr. Martin Luther Jr., and it wont stop us. It seems so strange to have to say in 2020, "we will be free." Unfortunately, that is not the case for Mike Brown, Travon Martin, George Floyd, Blake Taylor and so many others. 

We like Dr. King believe in a nonviolent revolution and refuse to allow our message to be lost in senseless violence. So we commend our young people for accepting the torch passed on to them as we continue to be the shoulder for them to stand on until we all are free indeed.

Respectfully Submitted By Mary A. Ratliff. President Columbia NAACP

Ratliff has spent over 60 years in the civil rights struggle, beginning in the 1960s when she helped organize a group called Concerned Citizen United. She later became president of the Columbia Chapter of the NAACP where she continues to serve today. Ratliff also served several terms on the National Board of the NAACP.

Where’s My Mail?

Americans React to Chaotic Leadership

By:  Mildred Robertson 

                                                                                                    

Many Americans will turn to the U.S. Postal Service this fall to cast their vote during the most dangerous pandemics the world has ever known. The Coronavirus Pandemic has sickened 5.6 million U.S. citizens and 174,293 have lost their lives as of August 18, 2020. Times such as these have historically caused Americans to come together to fight a common enemy, putting aside partisanship, and in some instances even prejudices and racism. Americans leaders have commonly stepped forward to summon our better angels as we work for the collective good of the country.

 Not so, however, in 2020. Our current administration has instead worked to divide us even further, casting around to find a villain besides himself upon whom to lay blame for the unchecked spread of Covid-19 within our borders. America is experiencing the collapse of our social and financial foundations, the demise of our school system, the overburdening of our health-care system and the total lack of vision regarding how to emerge from the horror that is the untethered pandemic sweeping our nation. Not only is there a lack of leadership in addressing these pressing national concerns, but an attack on the nation’s infrastructure that could help mitigate some of the issues we face.  

 From the lack of an organized effort to obtain the personal protective equipment (PPE) needed by the health care industry to safely treat infected patients to the hobbling of the U.S. Post Office in order to discourage absentee voting during a pandemic requiring physical distancing, this administration has acted as an adversary to rather than a proponent for America’s survival and recovery from this pandemic. 

 As legislators grapple with a gridlocked congress, the House continues to attempt to hammer out a compromise to provide a much needed stimulus check to Americans struggling during this pandemic.  A key component of their negotiations is an attempt to provide $25 billion in emergency funding to the U.S. Postal Service so that it can meet its traditional obligations and another $3.6 billion for state and local election officials struggling to staff polling places and process mail ballots which are expected to increase due to the pandemic.

The administration is at odds with the House as it struggles to provide relief to Americans suffering from furloughs, job loss, sickness and death. The administration has instituted draconian measures to slow down the mail, ripping mail sorters from mail rooms across America, and spiriting away mail boxes in minority communities, in hopes, it is believed, to discourage these individuals from voting by mail. These voter suppression tactics, if successful, would result in long lines and would possibly decrease the number of individuals voting due to fear of exposure to Covid-19.

Citizens across the nation have already experienced slow mail service as the USPS officials eliminate overtime in the midst of a worker shortage due to the pandemic. As quarantined Americans increasingly depend upon the USPS for everything from medicine to toilet paper, the post office is experiencing staff shortages due to the virus. Postal workers complain that mail is left sitting on the docks, and postal customers tell stories of late delivery of medication, and small business shipments and correspondence arriving 3 weeks after postmark. The strategy behind these tactics is to discourage mail-in voting. It is the president’s position that mail-in ballots will result in voter fraud, though there is no data to support that claim.

 Many battleground states, including Arizona, Florida, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin currently require that mail ballots be received by Election Day in order to be counted, regardless of when they were mailed. By slowing the mail many voters who mailed their ballots in a timely manner might be disenfranchised. Even if the states decide to accept ballots postmarked by November 3, it is possible that uncertainty about the election outcome could be established. By slowing delivery of mail-in ballots it is more likely that a clear winner could not be announced election night. In other words, a candidate who was in the lead based upon Election Day in-person votes could challenge the legitimacy of mail ballots, even though a majority of people chose to use that method due to the pandemic. This claim could be made even if their ballots were mailed timely. Trump has already indicated that he will challenge the legitimacy of mail-in ballots despite the pandemic.

Trump’s attack on USPS is his second attempt to strengthen his political position with the approaching election. He first floated the idea of postponing the election due to Covid-19 before finally suggesting that only votes that are tallied on Election Day be counted.  His suggestion was met with immediate push back from Americans from both sides of the aisle.  The attack on USPS has fared no better. In new developments, under extreme pressure from citizen protesters and the legislature, the Trump appointed Postmaster General Louis DeJoy announced today that changes to USPS processes and procedures will be halted until after the November election.

It is clear that when citizens collectively raise their voices, government responds. November 3^rd we have the option to loudly declare our desire for leadership that responds to the needs of every American citizen. We can demand an end to chaos by voting for stable leadership that comprehends democratic governance and understands that America is a nation ruled by the people.

It’s About the Census, Stupid

By Mildred Robertson

As Americans struggle with the Covid-19 outbreak, attacks on our democracy by a sitting president, racial unrest, the militarization of our police force, and a gridlocked legislature, many do not have time to think about how the next 10 years will play out in American democracy. But we must. You see in 2020 America must collect data to determine how it will divide its limited resources for the next 10 years.

Little is being said about the 2020 census as the nation’s airwaves are dominated by the president’s mindless press conferences, a deadlocked congress that cannot implement any useful legislation, and police militarization against peaceful protesters. Granted, these are all topics that need and deserve the public’s attention. However, the 2020 census is as important as, if not more important than any of these challenges. In fact, the successful implementation of the census will have an impact upon all these issues.

Many minorities are wary of the census, fearing that “Big Brother” is trying to keep tabs on them. It is an understandable fear, but one that is being used to suppress much needed minority participation in the process. You see, the census helps determine how federal dollars will be used in local communities. That means that an under count in your community may mean that vital community services won’t get the dollars they need to support improvement in city services. It may mean that you don’t get a city council person to represent your area. It may mean that potholes in your community don’t get fixed. You might be denied a congressional representative. There might not be a public school or hospital built in your community. Maybe you will end up with fewer fire stations than you need. You might not have a public works department that can adequately maintain your streets, or pick up your trash. The census affects things like youth programs, senior meals, healthcare and housing assistance.

So if you care about the conditions you live in…if you care about your community…then you care about the census. You see, in 2010, the last time a census was taken conservatives were the majority in most statehouses around the country. The data collected in the census is used to determine how many national and state legislators will be apportioned to your community. Because the legislature, both locally and nationally, can draw congressional lines, they were able to use the data from 2010 to draw voting districts that placed all the power in their hands across much of the country. It is called gerrymandering. These gerrymandered districts resulted in political districts drawn in such a way that only one party benefited. By drawing lines with conservative voters in the majority, they were able to sweep statehouses across the country and to win majorities in the United States Congress and statehouses nationwide.

If you want to have an impact on how your community is governed, you need to fill out the census. Donald Trump will not be sending his goons to your door. The census will not trigger a follow-up on a delinquent ticket or warrant. It is not a way to determine whether illegals are in your home. You do not have to talk to the census taker who knocks on your door. You can fill out the census form on the internet. It only takes a few minutes. The questions are not overly invasive.

A depressed census is the number one voter suppression technique. Don’t let your love of privacy or fear of an over-reaching government keep you from participating in this vital activity. Just like voting, participating in the census is the duty of every American and it is the privilege of every resident. Make sure your community is rightfully reflected in the 2020 Census so that the distribution of resources over the next 10 years will meet your community’s needs. Visit my2020census.gov to fill out your census questionnaire. Please, do it today.

Presidential Polls Predict Landslide--Don't Count on it!

By Mildred Robertson

According to recent polls, Joe Biden will rout Donald Trump on November 3.  A Quinnipiac University poll taken July 9 – July 13, 2020 show that 52% of Americans support Joe Biden while only 37% support Trump. The poll of 1273 registered voters has a margin of error of plus or minus 2.8%.  Sounds like good news for Democrats. However, voters who are lukewarm on 2020 candidates and think their vote is not needed should probably rethink their position.

The 2020 Presidential election has a unique set of challenges which make the final outcome less predictable than past elections. Factors include a repeat of 2016 when Russia interfered in the presidential election, a possible drag on the youth vote for the Democratic nominee’s moderate stance on many hot button issues, and voter intimidation and suppression attempts by Republicans and other conservatives.

Republicans have made concerted efforts to limit early and mail-in voting. Their stance seems to be that a large voter turnout will result in their defeat, and have, therefore, pulled out all the stops as it relates to limiting minority access to the voting booth.  

False narratives run rampant in ads and among TV talking heads who repeat conservative tropes regarding widespread voter fraud. Many states are limiting the number of polling  places, all but guaranteeing that there will be long lines and ridiculous wait times come election day. These factors, added to the Corona virus pandemic, are designed to stymie the Blue Wave being predicted by state and national pollsters for the 2020 Election. If America has in fact turned against Donald Trump, conservatives seem to believe that they can stem the tide by discouraging voter turnout and making it difficult for those who chose to do so.  

The fact is, voting has never been easy for African Americans. From poll taxes, to night riders, to work schedules that make it difficult to get to the polls, many Americans found the challenge too tough. But it was not too tough for people like the recently deceased John Lewis who sacrificed his body to win you and me the opportunity to vote. It was not too tough for Dr. Martin Luther King, or the young men and women of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee or the Freedom Riders, many of whom gave their lives for our right to freedom and human dignity.

As we mourn the loss of Civil Rights icon John Lewis, it would be fitting that they change the name of the "Edmund Pettus Bridge" to the "John Lewis Bridge." But what would be even more fitting would be a record turnout of minority voters in the 2020 Election. That is the best way to honor his memory.

We cannot depend on polls to deliver our fate on November 3, 2020. We must take our destiny in our own hands and vote in numbers like we have never voted before. Check your registration to make sure that you have not been subject to one of the many voter purges occurring across the nation. Request your mail-in ballot as soon as they become available in your state. Make sure you mail in your completed ballot at least two weeks prior to November 3, 2020. If you choose to vote in person, take off November 3^rd so that you can stay as long as necessary to make sure your vote is cast. Go to the polls early. Talk to your family and friends to make sure they are registered and that they intend to vote.  

It is true that many polls across America say that the 2020 election is over. But a poll is just an educated guess. Don’t leave your future to guesswork—VOTE on or before November 3, 2020. 

Contact your local Board of Elections now for early voting locations or to obtain your absentee ballot

Seizing the Moment – While Black Lives Do Matter

By Mildred Robertson

My 30-something-year-old son has been active in the protests in San Diego, California triggered by the George Floyd murder. He has marched, he has been tear-gassed and clubbed by police, and he is frustrated. While his passion for immediate social change is still red-hot, he wants to know the end game. He wants to know what will happen when the marching stops.

His first response when he took to the streets is that it appeared that no one was in charge. It was a knee-jerk response from a group of young people overcome by the brutality they have witnessed over the course of their young lives. And they are outraged.

You see, while America’s duplicity is familiar to me…a near Septuagenarian, many youths, both black and white, have been sheltered from the race hatred that bubbles just beneath the surface of American society. America has never addressed the festering sore of slavery and its incumbent racial animus.

It is, perhaps, the fault of our generation who witnessed the transformative 60’s and experienced the benefit of a society where we could walk on the sidewalk and not have to step to the side to let a white person pass…or when we got to move outside the redlines…or when we were able to drink from whatever water fountain we chose. It all felt like progress. It WAS progress.

Our school systems white-washed the history of slavery and Jim Crow, and many of us, traumatized by the brutality of racism ignored it, striving instead to achieve the American promise of peace and prosperity. At least those of us who could. But far too many of our people were trapped in the dysfunctional strata of our society where they faced substandard schools, inferior housing, inadequate healthcare, food deserts, and over-policing.

While young people like my son were not unaware of racism…of course, I had “the talk” with him about policing…It had not touched many of them on a daily basis as it had those who were less fortunate. But this current administration has ripped the scab from our barely healing racial strife to expose the ugly hatred nurtured by white Americans who blamed their failures on our successes. Blacks who have not been able to dig themselves from the poverty into which they were grandfathered under the oppressive systems of slavery and Jim Crow were viewed as lazy, criminal, and not entitled to the American Dream. Those who became successful and moved up in society were viewed as interlopers who stole the Dream from deserving white citizens.

But polite society barely acknowledges this reality. You see, we work in integrated workplaces. Our friendships are many times interracial. We go out to clubs and share a drink after work, or have an occasional social dinner meeting.  We even sometimes worship together. Our lives have become intersectional.

But it is not where our lives meet that causes problems. It is when we walk out of the hospital and take off our lab coats, when we leave the bank and change from our Brooks Brother’s suits to our jogging pants and hoodies, when we come home from the fire station or the police station and put on our casual clothes. When we look like all the other black folk in the world…That is when the problems start--when we become the threat.

When we are walking to the corner store like Trayvon Martin, or lying in bed like Breona Taylor, playing in the park like Tamir Rice or driving our car like Sandra Bland; the threat is real. But it is we ourselves who are threatened.

Though touted as the land of fairness and equality; America, since its inception, has always had a strange taste for violence. From the slaughter of native Americans, to the brutalization of slaves, to the ruthless marauding of Black communities throughout reconstruction, to the viciousness of the attack on civil rights activists, to the inhumane policing in Black communities that have resulted in the death of thousands of folks like George Floyd. Blood lust has been a part of the White American nature.  Yet White folks clutch their pearls when a young protestor, angry over these 400 years of injustice, raises his or her fist and possibly throws a brick.  It is this disconsonance that has caused many White Americans, not only to see but acknowledge their duplicity.

And now, with eyes open, many White Americans are persuadable. Many can acknowledge the shame of slavery, the burden of servitude, discrimination and racism on the Black community and the disparities that are rooted in them.

Unfortunately for George Floyd, it was his televised execution that caused many White Americans to see. But his death has created a moment. A moment when Black Lives do actually matter. The moment will be fleeting, so we must seize it now to create the change we need in order for America to be great for the FIRST time.

America on Fire! Black Lives Matter

 By Mildred Robertson

It has happened again. Police officers have publicly executed an unarmed black man. On May 25, 2020, Officer Derek Chauvin nonchalantly pressed his knee into the neck of George Floyd as he pleaded for air…his life. Ultimately he pleaded for his deceased mother, knowing, I believe, that he would soon meet her. Chauvin and three other officers, without care or emotion, watched the life seep out of George Floyd over an alleged $20 crime, while a crowd of onlookers begged the officers to give him relief. First Minnesota, and then America exploded.

Cities all over the country…the world…have erupted in response to this latest case of brutality. Some have erupted into flame; a flame fueled by Ahmaud Arbery and Breonna Taylor and Philandro Castille and Sandra Bland, and Mike Brown and… Unfortunately there is not enough space in this blog for me to name all those black men and women who have been murdered at the hands of those who were supposed to protect and serve them.

This last injustice, however, this public execution of George Floyd has touched a nerve that has not been exposed since the bombing of an Atlanta church which snuffed out the lives of four innocent little girls. Floyd’s death appears to be the final straw that has made the burden of racism and social injustice too much for many Americans to bear.  Numerous leaders across this nation have said that things must change for justice to be served.

The unbridled passion erupting all over this nation has resulted in weeks of sometimes violent protests, fueled by rogue peace officers pursing anything but peace.   Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey urged for, not the dissipation of passion, but a redirected anger focused on creating real concrete changes to systemic racism. “I’m not asking for patience…I am asking you to take that energy that has consumed our country…that either can destroy us or build us up, and use it not to destroy our neighborhoods,  but to destroy systemic racist…all of the things that make it difficult when a life like George Floyd’s is taken… to get justice.”

Unfortunately, however, the truth is that history does not provide us hope that the officers, though charged, will receive the justice they so richly deserve.  Nor do the atrocities endured by peaceful protesters bode well for a swift resolution to conflicts inherent when America reawakens to systemic injustice. 

This conflict is not about burned out main street, or looting. It is not about property. The rioting and looting is a distraction. The fact is Derek Chauvin and the police officers with him clearly killed Floyd. It is a fact that they were not immediately arrested and charged with murder. It is a fact that three of the officers walked free for weeks before even receiving charges. The recent deaths of Ahmaud Abery, Breonna Taylor and ultimately, George Floyd demonstrate that America’s claim to civility is hollow.

White Americans need to attest to the fact that the policing system in our country is broken. They must admit that police militarization in communities of color is real. They must acknowledge that race plays an out-sized role in lives of black folk and other minorities throughout this country. That would be civil.

All lives matter, but right now it is black lives that are under attack. Until the sacrifice of black bodies on the streets of America is finally deemed actionable…until police officers learn that their violent policing of black communities is criminal…until violators are held accountable, fiery convictions will rage on.

Without justice, there will be no peace.

Covid-19 Tests America’s True Nature

By Mildred Robertson

The Corona Virus is like an angry mother who has told humanity, “That’s it. I’ve had enough. Go to your room.” Or is it more like God has tired of our antics and decided that the planet needed a break from us. The earth needs to breathe. The streams need to run clear. The rest of earth’s creatures need to, at least momentarily, reclaim their habitat. This pandemic has resulted in a lesson for those who choose to receive instruction. It has revealed our inner nature and magnified both our humanity and our savagery.

For the past month, the entire world has slowed down. We’ve figured out how to worship and work remotely. Mothers and fathers are actually interacting with their kids. Family dinners are being cooked in the kitchen rather than being passed through a service window. We have had the time to work on unfinished projects, read our favorite books and binge watch our favorite T.V. shows. And yes, we have had the opportunity to lounge in our PJ’s and forgo makeup and haircuts.

We have seen the best of humanity as nurses, doctors and other health-care staff placed themselves in harm’s way to work tirelessly to provide care and comfort to the hundreds of thousands who have been stricken with Covid-19. We see athletes and celebrities step up to provide support for those who cannot meet this challenge alone. Food banks and churches across the country have tried to help fill the gap for families who cannot afford to buy food.  Essential workers at grocery stores, restaurants and supply stores brave the perils of this deadly disease to ensure we can keep our cupboards stocked and take care of other essentials necessary to sustain a comfortable living condition.

But then we must also acknowledge the savagery experienced by minorities who suffer harsher consequences when they break quarantine than do their white counterparts. Armed gunmen and hissing protesters terrorize our state houses to try to force an end to the very quarantine designed to save their lives. Minorities are overwhelmingly represented in the numbers of those catching and dying from Covid-19. While many blame this disparity on pre-existing conditions in the minority community, (a conversation that requires its own separate discussion), some health-care workers attest to the fact that minorities lives are not valued in the same way as majority culture patients, and may not be receiving quality, compassionate care.

And then there is the government. Congress came together to pass much needed legislation to supplement the income of those impacted by closures due to the pandemic. Many state and local officials have risen to the occasion, implementing policies and procedures designed to safeguard the public against this deadly disease. They have done so with very little help from the federal government. In fact, this administration’s bungling attempt to spearhead the fight against Covid-19 has resulted in confusion, inadequate supply chains, overpriced supplies, and state and federal agencies competing against one another for scarce resources needed to contain the outbreak. In most instances the Trump administration has worked counter to the successful management of this pandemic.

This marks the first time in our history when facing such devastating peril, that the Commander-in Chief has failed to appeal to the American public to come together to collectively face the threat. Instead Trump has lied about when his administration learned of the deadly pandemic, and the steps they were taking to contain it. He has contradicted the advice of scientist who have cautioned us on the need for social distancing and other practices necessary to fight the virus, and has advised the public to self-medicate or use untested therapies to treat Covid-19. He has publicly assailed journalists who have questioned his actions regarding combating the virus as well as nurses and others who have pointed out that the necessary resources for them to fight the disease are in short supply. He has failed to marshal business and industry to form a uniform strategy to develop testing and vaccines necessary to defeat this virus. The fact that America’s rate of infection and death toll is the highest in the world can be directly attributed to his lack of vision and leadership.

Historically, adversity has brought out the best in American citizens. But this pandemic has proven atypical because of the atypical person occupying the White House. While I have not been a supporter of all of the presidents who have served in my lifetime, from Eisenhower to the present, there are none whom I believe did not want the best for this country as a whole—none but the current president. His narcissistic, sociopathic personality will not allow him that kind of concern.  Because of him, many Americans cannot hear the voices of their better Angels. Because of him, his cult-like followers choose savagery over humanity.

Because of Trump this pandemic has been allowed to break us. Only time will tell if America can look inside herself and find that inner strength that has glued us together throughout our struggles. Only time will tell when we will overcome this pandemic, and whether humanity will reign victorious in the end.

Covid-19 and Religion: The Devil’s in the Details

By Mildred Robertson

Churches and Synagogues across the nation have closed their doors, trying to keep out Covid-19. Well, most of them have. But there are some religious zealots who declare that the Lord will deliver them from this rampant disease and refuse to shut the doors to the temple. That sounds valiant…devout…holy, right?

The problem is, God apparently does not view this supposedly pious act the same way the zealots do. Many of the churches that refused to adhere to social distancing are experiencing rising cases of Covid-19 among their memberships; and many of those attendees have died.

Although I do not profess to be a bible scholar, religious teachings I have received throughout my life tell me that God does not do for us what we can do for ourselves. It is a sensible act to practice social distancing during a highly contagious epidemic. Where faith and religion come into it is that when we have done all that we can to protect ourselves, God steps in to do the rest. He protects us as we go to the grocery store, or the pharmacy or to deliver food to a shut-in neighbor. Those are the kinds of instances where he inserts his grace and mercy in our lives.

While I find it unfortunate and sometimes disquieting to have been cut off from my religious fellowship for the last several weeks, I have also seen an amazing spread of the Word in places that it has seldom been. My Facebook feed, once filled with hateful memes about political rivals is now filled with folks singing their favorite hymns and quoting their favorite scriptures.

As a child, when I found myself faced with adversity in life, my mother would tell me that everything would be alright, because what the Devil meant to defeat me, God meant for my good. Instead of attending one Sunday worship service, now I can listen to my pastor, and the pastor of the church where I grew up as a child. I can listen to the sermon preached by my cousin in Ohio or my nephew in Mississippi. While this epidemic has raced across the face of the world wreaking havoc, it has caused an equally sweeping transmission of the Word of God across the country.

 I recently spoke to a friend whose wife decided to teach her Sunday school class online. What had been a class of 20 has since become a class of hundreds. That kind of spread has been replicated all over the internet. It is as though someone has thrown a brick in the middle of flaming embers, only to disperse them out to inflame a wider area.

That is not to say that this is an ideal situation. Neither does it imply that this manner of worship should become our new normal. But it is important to remember that it is not good to tempt God. We know that he is all powerful and that he can deliver us from Covid-19. But we should not be so vain as to expect him to manipulate the laws of nature to prove our piety. Our actions during this pandemic may be judged by man, but also, I believe, by God. The devil truly is in the details of how and why we make the decisions we make during this trying time.

Donald Trump's Trouble with Covid-19

By Mildred Robertson

Donald Trump has a successful formula he uses to defeat his adversaries. He taunts. He misinforms. He intimidates. He gaslights. He fear-mongers and he name calls.  These tactics have worked against his republican and democrat opponents, the media and various individuals and ethnic groups. But Trump has a problem. You see, Covid-19 doesn't care about any of these tactics. 

He can call Covid-19 the "Chinese" virus. Covid-19 doesn't care. It soldiers on, increasing it's daily body count. He can lie about its spread, but Covid-19 continues it march across the continental USA, taking the lives of those it pleases.  He can blame the lack of preparedness for this epidemic on previous administrations, but Covid-19's accelerating spread continues to highlight the Trump administration's lack of strategy and leadership in the fight to stop its onslaught. He can have doctors, nurses and government officials fired who point out that vulnerable populations are being left without support in the fight against the disease, but Covid-19 continues to swallow up those vulnerable communities. 

As of this publication more than 300,000 have been infected and close to 8,000 have died. You see, Covid-19 just doesn't care. But more importantly, this disease has made it evident to Americans from coast to coast that neither does Donald Trump.

While experts warned him months ago of the deadly threat this disease held for our nation, he did nothing. When the disease finally made its way to our shores he promised that it would quickly go from 15 infected to zero in a matter of weeks. When the disease began to spread, he did nothing and called it a hoax created by democrats. He held daily press briefings to replace the now-impossible political rallies and gave the American people misinformation. Finally, when the daily death count soared, he declared himself a "War President" and his administration began to make meager attempts to combat the fast-paced disease. It has been too little too late. 

Even though he has capitulated to the experts, agreeing that Covid-19 represents a national threat, he has still failed to marshal national resources to combat the epidemic. He says, instead, that it is the responsibility of state government to safeguard its citizens. 

This epidemic has made it startlingly clear that there is a vacuum in leadership in the White House.  Covid-19 illustrates the folly of republicans who elected a buffoon as president in order to prop up big business, capture the Supreme Court and pack conservative judges in federal courts across the country. They could accept his ineptitude as long as they got what they wanted. But then Covid-19 came along. The problem with Covid-19 is, it doesn't care about politics. It doesn't care about Donald Trump's aspirations, and it doesn't care about the hundreds of thousands of lives it will snuff out. 

Donald Trump's trouble with Covid-19 is that it makes it clear that America needs a president who cares. Covid-19 shows us that Donald Trump is not the one. 

What White People Don’t Know About the Black Vote

By Mildred Robertson

This blog was first published in March 2020 before the November election.  As we approach the November 2024 election, I think it might be wise to revisit this topic. Though the name of the adversary may have changed, the facts have not.

We have folk such as " Charlamagne Tha God" (What a pompous, blasphemous handle) attacking Biden with little regard for what damage the alternative would do to our community. But I am confident that the ancestors will rise up again in us, and blacks across the nation will do what is necessary to survive, and perhaps thrive. Defeating Biden is defeating ourselves...and we are not likely to do that unless those who purport to be leaders tell us to slash the master's throat and die rather than sing songs that point us to freedom. 

So. It seems the “Bernie Bros” think that Black voters have somehow been “mamified;” voting for the safe candidate rather than their revolutionary leader. They say we voted against our own self-interest when we overwhelmingly supported Biden over Sanders. 

The audacity it takes for any White American to assume he or she understands the motivation of Black folks when it comes to the idea of revolution is laughable and demonstrates why, perhaps, there is a disconnect between Black voters and the Sanders campaign.

You may not understand our struggles or our journey. But it is necessary that in 2020 those who want or need our support respect our perspective. It appears to me that Bernie and his supporters are unable to see our view.

Since the first enslaved African set foot on the shores of this stolen continent, we have had to weigh what it would take for us to survive. Our choices seldom included a totally positive outcome. We learned that revolution does not always have to be loud. Sometimes it is subtle.  So we learned how to be subtly defiant, and thus survive.

We learned how to work in the big house, smile at the master and tuck morsels of food away for our loved ones. We learned how to hoe in the fields all day and still find time to toil a small plot of land to provide a few extra bits to our starvation diet. We learned how to take the guts of a hog and the feet of chicken and turn it into a delicacy. We learned how to endure rape, and then bear the children of our oppressors; loving our children still. We learned how to say “yas suh massa” while, unbeknownst to our tormentors, we sang songs that told a slave when it was safe to “get on board” the freedom train, or “wade in the water” to elude slave hunters and their dogs.

We learned how to walk among hordes of snapping dogs, water hoses and hate-filled southerners to get an education. We learned to stand our ground when marauding psychopaths filled the night with burning crosses, and the trees with corpses of brown bodies.

We learned to sit at the back of the room, and still get an education. And yes, we learned to balance what we MUST have with what we want or need.

What we must do right now is remove Donald Trump from the White House.

I’ve never been a Bernie fan. But that is neither here nor there. If I thought for one minute that Bernie had a better chance of beating Trump than Joe Biden, I would vote for him in a heartbeat. And if chance would have it that he becomes the Democratic candidate, I will rush to the voting booth to cast my vote for him. And the majority of my brothers and sisters will do the same.

But I believe that what has happened here, as has been practiced by African Americans for 401 years, is that collectively we searched for the path toward survival. That path led us to select Joe Biden as the candidate who could best help us reach that goal.

You see, Donald Trump’s presidency holds a threat for all Americans, but for us the threat is magnified. Whether it is jobs, healthcare, climate change, social or environmental justice, the threat to our community is always greater than that of the average white American.

If you examine the range of 2020 Democratic candidates, the field was deep and wide. The credentials of many were impressive. But do not doubt that each of the candidates had baggage. None were perfect. And none will ever be. That includes Bernie. While vocalizing many policies that would help the Black community, I have yet to see his success in getting similar policies enacted.

Joe Biden is a known commodity in the Black community. He has a track record that, while not unblemished, indicates that we will survive and perhaps thrive under his leadership. After weighing the various threats to our collective survival, Black voters decided it was time to sing “get on board,” and they boarded with Joe. While White liberals may disagree with this choice, it is necessary that they respect it if we are to have a working relationship.