A Divided America Threatens Democracy

 By: Mildred Robertson

We have to be better than this. We just have to! 

As I watched the presidential campaign and assessed the two candidates, I was amazed and appalled at how many in our nation accept the concepts of cruelty, hatred, misogyny, xenophobia, and cultural bias as a basis for their political views. 

The Wednesday night presidential debate made it clear that one candidate had a plan, and the other did not. It was obvious that one candidate had a clear understanding of her policies and their impact on society, and one did not. Clearly, one candidate was compassionate and empathetic and would use those traits as they lead our nation, but the other would not.  

Those who watched witnessed 42 minutes and 59 seconds of one candidate's hate and vitriol. On the other hand, 37 minutes and 36 seconds of the debate focused on the other candidate's personal history and her plans to move our country forward socially, economically, and globally. There is absolutely no comparison.  Nevertheless, the media and the American public continue to compare the two as though they were similar. 

America has a choice this November between darkness and light. We must choose between chaos and good governance. We must determine whether we will be the nation that our Forefathers envisioned, or whether we will go down the road of authoritarianism led by a tyrannical despot.  

It is irrelevant whether we call ourselves Democrat or Republican. It makes no difference whether we are white, or a person of color. It means nothing that we are rich or poor, male or female. The issue is not whether we are fiscal conservatives or liberals. The only thing that matters in this election is if we are Americans who love democracy. 

If you fall into that category, there is only one GOOD answer. One clear answer. A 50/50 America that clings to democracy is not good enough. We have to do better.  We just have to. 

NC Early Voting Begins October 17, 2024

 By Mildred Robertson

Well, this election year we have endured all the drama of a convicted felon's selection to lead the Republican Party, a Democratic presidential candidate's decision to step aside for the good of the Party, and the nomination of a candidate who may possibly be the first female of Asian and African descent to ascend to the United States presidency.  That's a lot...but there is more.

America is fighting unprecedented attacks against the right to vote, the right to a woman's bodily autonomy, the right to a fair wage, and the right to affordable housing and health care. We also face the possible destruction of the democratic rule of law in this nation. Our future and the outcome of all these weighty issues and more ride on America's ability to choose wisely when we go to the ballot box this fall. 

Unfortunately, some votes in this upcoming election will be more impactful than others. The general election happens every four years when citizens go to cast their votes; however, their vote doesn't determine who wins. Instead, the Electoral College determines the outcome of the general election. 

The Electoral College has 538 electors and requires a majority of 270 electoral votes to elect the President. Each state has the same number of electors as it does Members in its Congressional delegation: one for each Member in the House of Representatives plus two Senators. Most states have a “winner-take-all” system that awards all electors to the presidential candidate who wins the state's popular vote. Therefore, a candidate may have more popular votes nationwide than the declared winner.

 North Carolina is among those states that may be pivotal in providing the electoral votes necessary to determine America's future direction. There are seven states with a total of 90 electoral votes that may determine who wins the White House this fall. They are Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, North Carolina, Nevada, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. 

While North Carolina may lean Republican, having statistically voted for the Republican presidential candidate more often, Democratic and Republican parties have virtually equal support in North Carolina. Trump narrowly won the state in 2020, but the state previously chose democrats Jimmy Carter in 1976 and Barack Obama in 2008. While voting for Trump in 2020, the state also elected a Democratic governor. 

So, what does all this mean for North Carolinians? Our votes may be more impactful than the majority of American voters. YOUR VOTE may be more impactful than other voters. That is why North Carolinians and other swing-state voters must become informed, remain motivated, and head out to the polls when they open in mid-October. 

North Carolinians can cast early votes between October 17 - November 2. Go to your County Board of Elections website to find early voting sites in your county. Voters will be asked to show photo ID when voting in North Carolina. If you don't have one, your county board of elections must grant you one for free. You may also get a free ID card from the N.C. Division of Motor Vehicles (NCDMV). Also, if you plan to vote on Election Day November 5th check your registration status with the County Board of Elections to ensure your name has not been purged from the roll. 

You must make your voice heard this election year, or you might not have the opportunity again. Vote in the 2024 Presidential Election either by early voting or in person on Election Day. And don't forget the down-ballot races. 

Harris Taunts Trump: "Say It to My Face"

 By Mildred Robertson

Well. It appears Donald Trump has met his even change. Vice President Kamala Harris has stepped into the 2024 Presidential Campaign with guns ablaze. 

As President Joe Biden decided to step away from the campaign and allow Harris to ascend to the top of the ticket, Harris rose to the occasion, inspiring a wide coalition of Americans to pledge their support...and their money. Within days of the transformed campaign many minorities, along with a cohort of white men and women rallied on Zoom calls to raise millions of dollars and attract an army of volunteers. 

Riding on a wave of enthusiasm, Harris' stump speech takes direct aim at Trump and his many challenges, including the fact that he is a convicted felon with 34 counts against him and a sexual assaulter. Unlike many politicians, Harris shows no qualms in vociferously pointing out Trump's dark personal shortcomings. 

Of course, Trump has pulled out his old playbook, attempting to otherize Harris, questioning her heritage, calling her names, and trying to sully her credentials. That is a tall order since Harris has an impressive resume, having served honorably as both Attorney General and Senator from California and is the 49th and current Vice President of the United States. Harris is a fierce advocate of stricter gun laws, supports the Dream Act, and has taken the lead in healthcare and taxation reform.

Unlike many politicians who choose not to go toe-to-toe with the bombastic Donald Trump, Harris has invited him to join her on the debate stage. As she referred to Trump's attacks on her credentials and character during an appearance in Atlanta before a crowd of 10,000 or more, Harris taunted Trump inviting him to "Say it to my face." While Trump had promised to meet Biden anytime and anywhere, he does not seem as eager to take on this renowned litigator on a debate stage. 

He might do well to continue on that course.  Harris gained national notoriety for her pointed questioning of Trump administration officials during Senate hearings, including Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh and Attorney Generals Jeff Session and Bill Barr, leaving them all searching for answers to her pointed inquiries. 

Trump doesn't want that smoke!

Biden's Departure Unleashes Democratic Enthusiasm

 By Mildred Robertson

President Joe Biden took the unprecedented step to bow out of his presidential re-election campaign, abruptly ending his half-century political career.  With just 4 months until the 2024 Presidential election, one would have thought his actions would have thrown the Democratic Party into a tailspin. 

Instead, Biden led a well-orchestrated hand-off to Vice President Kamala Harris, who took up the race without missing a beat. In fact, the Harris campaign has tightened the race to a statistical dead heat in many battleground states in less than two weeks. 

Harris's nomination seems to have released a bound-up enthusiasm inspiring exhausted Democrats and electrifying independents and never-Trump Republicans with the mere possibility that she might defeat Trump in November. This new-found enthusiasm spawned an organic grassroots effort.  A broad coalition of supporters gathered on Zoom calls raising millions of dollars to support Harris's Whitehouse bid.  

The first call was initiated by Black women immediately after the President turned the reigns over to Harris. The Sunday night call attracted 44,000 participants and raised $1.5 million in just 3 hours. Impressed, a group of white women decided to follow suit. On Thursday, 164,000 White Women for Harris broke the world record for the largest Zoom call, raising $8.5 million and still counting. 

The success of these two calls resulted in a groundswell of organizations ranging from White Dudes for Kamala who raised $10,000 to Crazy Cat Ladies, all pouring dollars into the newly minted Harris campaign. 

Biden withdrew from the race following pressure from many Democratic leaders after a poor performance at the June 27 debate against Trump. While he appeared too frail for the battle, many continued to support him following his abysmal debate performance. It was feared that his exit from the race would throw the party into an upheaval resulting in a Trump victory. 

But the 81-year-old Biden drew on his years of political experience and timed his announcement after the Republican Convention, stepping on their messaging. The spotlight, meant to shine on the Republican Convention and grant them unearned press instead shone brightly on Biden and his extraordinary hand-off of the 2024 Democratic nomination to his Vice President. Harris and her campaign have dominated the press since the Biden announcement. 

Biden's decision to step down had to be difficult. He undoubtedly believed that he could defeat Trump again. However, he knew he had lost the confidence of many of those he would need to achieve that goal. Rather than fighting to convince his detractors that he was up to the job, Biden chose to relinquish his claim to the most powerful seat in the world and thwart Trump's bid for the Whitehouse.  Using a well-thought-out strategy, he passed the nomination to Harris and infused new life into the campaign. 

He will be remembered in history for his selfless sacrifice. His legacy will stand tall among America's heroes. If Trump is thwarted and Harris can take the Whitehouse, Biden will be remembered as the man who helped preserve American democracy. 

Still Riding with Biden - Follow His Lead

 By Mildred Robertson 

On June 21, 2024, President Joe Biden took the unprecedented step of stepping down as the presidential candidate for the 2024 election. It was an act that knocked the breath from many of his supporters. He made his announcement with dignity and integrity, passing the torch to Vice President Kamala Harris. It was heart-wrenching. It was also, perhaps, necessary.

My confidence in Joe Biden has not faltered. My confidence that the American public would be able to look past his faltering footsteps, verbal missteps, and physical deterioration was not as strong. The media onslaught, fueled by leading democrats who were willing to publicly question his ability to serve made it impossible for him to continue. While I am confident that he could have finished the job, the job remains unfinished. That is why I believe those who professed that we were "Ridin' with Biden" must continue that journey by following his lead. He said that selecting Harris as his running mate was "the best decision I've made," and enthusiastically threw his support behind Vice President Kamala Harris to top the Democratic ticket. I plan to do the same.

Harris, who previously served as a US senator and attorney general of California, made history as the first vice president who is a woman, Black, or of Indian descent. Now, she is positioned to replace him on the ticket in 2024 and break yet another glass ceiling. In addition to being the first woman of color to become vice president, she may well become the first woman to lead the free world as President of the United States.

I look forward to the Democratic Party coalescing behind this candidate. She will be a formidable challenger to 45. I anticipate a campaign that will clearly define who she is, and highlight her experience, integrity, and character; traits necessary to lead this country away from the darkness epitomized by the Trump campaign.

Violence is Not the Answer to Political Discord

 By Mildred Robertson

The events at the Trump rally on July 13, were unspeakable. There is no reason for a person to fear for his or her life just to participate in the political process. My heart goes out to the families of the folks who suffered injuries or lost their lives. That being said, the violence that landed on Donald Trump's doorstep is simply chickens coming home to roost. From the moment he rode down the golden escalator to declare his presidency, to the day that he was shot, Donald Trump spoke hate and violence to his followers.

He urged his followers to beat up protestors at his rallies and promised to pay their bail. He suggested in an online post that Gen. Mark Milley, the former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, deserved to face the death penalty. He wanted to use the military to shoot peaceful protestors in the street. He called for shoplifters in California to be shot on sight. He mocked former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., with the violent attack her husband Paul suffered during a home invasion last year.

This is not to say that the assassination attempt was justified. It was horrifying! But the fact is that Trump himself has fueled this toxic political environment where one might have to give up his or her life simply for their political beliefs, whether progressive or conservative.

As a North Carolinian, I cannot embark upon this conversation without singling out gubernatorial candidate Mark Robinson who just weeks ago called for the extrajudicial killing of people he considered to be enemies of Christian America. This MAGA Republican stated at a rally in North Carolina, “Some folks need killing... It’s a matter of necessity!”

There is a political necessity now. We must take these next three months to learn the platforms of those folks vying for leadership in our local and national communities. We must measure their words against their deeds. We must weigh their political platforms to determine which individuals can move our nation forward, and which will throw us into discord and chaos.

It is unfortunate that an assassin attempted to take the life of a presidential candidate. But what would be more unfortunate would be for the nation to let this travesty distract us from our real challenge.

Every American should become informed about the Republican 2025 platform. Each of us should determine what President Biden stands for. We should seek to understand how the policies he has instituted affect our daily lives. Once informed about the issues that challenge this nation and how various candidates plan to respond to those challenges...THEN WE SHOULD VOTE!

Voting is the proactive response to political discord. VIOLENCE IS NOT THE ANSWER.

Religion and Politics 2024: It's Personal

 By Mildred Robertson

I am a lifelong churchgoer. I joined Log Providence Missionary Baptist Church when I was 8 years old, although I was 15 when I actually accepted Christ as my personal savior. So, it is safe to say that religion has informed many of my decisions throughout my life. To those who have known me since childhood, I acknowledge that I did not always heed the religious doctrine I was raised in. But as I look back over my life, I see those are the times when things did not go well.

For that reason, I believe each of us should seek a higher power in making our personal life decisions. For me, that is the role religion should play in politics...each individual's personal decision. So it is painful as I watch people purporting to embrace God's calling on us to live an upright life to weaponize His Word for their own personal gain.

Case in point, North Carolina gubernatorial candidate Mark Robinson who identifies as an evangelical Christian and has preached at congregations including Trinity Baptist Church in Mooresville, North Carolina. This self-designated born-again Christian has a history of anti-black, antisemitic, anti-women statements prominently posted on Facebook throughout the years. In fact, most of the public positions he holds are anti-humanitarian. During a June 30 speech at White Lake church in the small town of White Lake North Carolina he said,

"Some folks need killing! It’s time for somebody to say it. It’s not a matter of vengeance. It’s not a matter of being mean or spiteful. It’s a matter of necessity! When you have wicked people doing wicked things, torturing and murdering and raping. It’s time to call out, uh, those guys in green and go have them handled. Or those boys in blue and have them go handle it.…"

This is just a small sample of the hateful, vile statements made by this MAGA gubernatorial candidate who runs neck-and-neck with his Democratic opponent, current North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein. He and other MAGA acolytes continuously call on the name of God, while spewing ungodly hatred and promoting ungodly violence. It is this kind of religious fervor that gave birth to the murderous Crusades, the Salem Witch Hunts, and many other horrors perpetrated in the name of God. I am sure God himself is horrified.

The King James Version of the Bible, 2 Chronicles 7:14, tells us that God said: "If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land." Read full chapter

I have struggled as I watched the broadcast news, which I now tend to turn off after about 15 minutes of dispiriting commentary, bad news, and handwringing. It has become clear to me that there is only one way America will be all right after November 5th. That is if EACH of us turns down the volume on all the noise about age, mental capacity or criminality, gas prices, guns, border wars, women's rights, and equal rights...all important and relevant issues for the upcoming election. But as we turn down the volume on all these weighty issues that none of us can handle on our own, we must TURN UP the volume on our communication with our own personal Higher Power. We must hear that still quiet voice that will give us direction if we only listen.

When you go in the voting booth on November 5th, (and please go, no matter how disheartening the seeming outcome) TURN UP THE VOLUME on your personal guide. Listen to your heart...that is where He speaks. Because religion is not a NATIONAL process. It is a personal one. If we really ARE God's people, he will speak to us...he will guide us, and if we follow his direction, He will heal our land.