Balance

On November 4th, 2020 the majority ruled. The majority of the people in the United States of America voted for more than a president. They voted for change. Action speaks louder than words and votes speak louder than tweets. Voting in America has been beneficial to the order and an attempt to bring order to a nation with such diversity and diverse needs. I would be very na?ve to think that voting is a cure-all or the epitome of actions a nation, its leaders, and its citizens can take to bring about change, unity, and justice for all.  Voting is one step of many to bring about balance for all to coexist in America.

The notion of not voting because it does not bring about change is flawed. And the innuendo that the voting results from the minority communities were fraudulent is ludicrous, as well.  Before all eligible citizens could vote, voting was still not a cure-all for America. The history of voting in America was awful before it became the voting, we are familiar with today. The condition of America was utterly deplorable, destructive, and devaluing in the then called, “free” nation. In a nutshell, it was a wealthy white man’s capitalistic haven with shady processes to promote it. The history of voting reveals voting was pretty much for predominantly White men who owned property. Agriculture was the way of the elite. They owned all the land, what was on it, and who was on it. They kept over 95% of their profits from the free African slave labor used to create it. Capitalism in its finest. Free labor, you question? Yes, America’s shameful 400-year free African slave labor yielded the anger, denial and befuddled White privilege talked about today. Let’s not forget, there was little to no employment. Education was not the norm, nor was it free. No women or slaves could vote. Please don’t trick yourself into thinking the onslaught of the industrial revolution contributed to the Yankees versus the confederates; when we all know it was about free labor versus paid labor. Basically, the elite White men wanted to have no parts in no kind of work, employment, or job. No. They wanted free labor, all the profits, and NO voting for all. Abolitionists and African slaves wanted to put an end to the free African slave labor that was capitalistic in nature. Freeing the slaves so more people could work those new industrial jobs was to introduce socialism. That socialism was certain to bring about balance in power, wealth, and votes. But the powers that be were having none of that. None, nada, zip, zilch, zero. Capeesh? They loss. Sounds familiar?

Changes in the lay of the land and conditions of people caused a dramatic shift in America and voting.  America, itself was changing. The surrounding nations, international trade, wars, and health crisis influenced, shaped and molded, and shifted change. Though this was turbulent, tumultuous, costly, and deadly; it was, unfortunately, a necessary evil to bring about change. This change continues to change till this very moment. Voting plays a pivotal role in changing and shifting this nation. The change and shift are a culmination of what I call, the 5 W’s: who can vote, what to vote for when to vote, where to vote, why to vote, and how to vote, changed.

November 4th, 2020 reflected the continuing change, scope, and trajectory of voting that encompassed all those 5 W’s in one ethnic group.  Women came out in droves again in the 2020 election.  Black women who are descendants of slavery, to be exact. It would be the combined efforts starting with the “Open Letter to Biden” from more than 700 African American women according to USA Today in April of 2020. the support of James Clyburn (D) of South Carolina’s House of Representatives that catapulted Joe Biden back into the electoral race and the Black Lives Matter movement that brought about change in the 2020 election. It may be hard for some to accept. Even, the current sitting president, Donald Trump does not believe the results of the election. Be that as it may, American citizens cast their votes and the electoral college is doing their part to reflect the votes of the majority. The balance will be in the white house. Change is here. Regardless of #45 disdain of the results and those who made those results possible; Joe Biden is the president-elect and Kamala Harris is the vice president-elect of the United States of America

Voting is not, has not, nor ever will it be a cure-all for every problem faced in America. Regardless of who believes in it or not, voting helps and works in America. “C’est la vie,” so goes the French saying. “Variety is the spice of life. But routine pays the bills,” says my grandma Louise. America has ways of offering various opportunities to create a good life. The variety here is vast. The myriad of ways to create a good life are interesting. Some people who live here; hate it and some people love it. Whatever your thang is and whoever you are, voting is one of the many modalities used to help increase the likelihood of having the life you want to live in America.

Voting is an attempt to bring balance to the millions of citizens of the United States. How politicians use the votes is always a work in progress. The work in progress is sometimes for our good and sometimes for our bad. Good, bad, or indifferent; it is up to the individuals and collectives as to how they (we) want to hold these politicians accountable. Voting helps bring about balance in America to make life a little better for the citizens living here and the next humans who will occupy the space and take in the air you breathe.

One does not have to vote. The choice is respected. The notion of unsafe voting has proven to be false. Voting in America is safe. Be it writing, “The Contract with Black America,” demanding a seat at the table, volunteering at church, hosting a workshop to teach a trade or taking food to your loved one; those are acts of bringing balance too. The balance of male and female energy is now at the helm of one of the world’s most developed nations. The history of male-dominated appointments and energy is now in its last days. This balance is needed now and it will remain in the future of this country because the citizens will continue to vote.  They will vote for balance. They will vote for change. They will vote for freedom. They will vote for liberty. They will vote for peace and they will vote for love. Those 5 W’s and the how of voting are powerful. Don’t believe me? Just watch.

Change has come.