Monroe Dispatch - No Struggle, No Progress

This nation that sits between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans in the northern hemisphere of the Americas that is called the United States is a lot of things, but “united” is not one of them. Even being in the midst of the possible worst pandemic known to mankind, some areas are being torn apart at the seams. As of this writing, over 65,000 people have died from the COVID-19 virus in just a little of over two months. A big argument over whether the nation was adequately prepared, or foresaw the consequences of the virus is still being hotly debated all over the nation. In moments of crisis that affects the whole nation, it is usually the central government that takes the lead, that being the federal government in Washington D.C. That has not happened according to many observers, as independent states have done most of the heavy lifting with little federal support and continue to do so.

Somewhere in the middle of this raging pandemic, this nation has to prepare for an election. Conducting an election for president in a vast nation is a big thing, even if it’s every four years. Also, being uncertain about how this pandemic will leave this nation and the world makes it an even bigger thing. But if you are seen as “the leader of freedom” in this world, then there is no choice but to back up those words.

Nowhere is there more division than in politics and religion. The two will play integral parts in the upcoming election, so much so that one may not be able to tell them apart. Politicians will sound like preachers, and some preachers will sound like politicians. There may be a few who will change political parties, hoping to hop on the winning team. One such individual is Vernon Jones, a black state representative from Georgia. Jones, a Democrat, endorsed President Trump for reelection and was promptly removed from his state party. Jones said that he endorsed Trump over Joe Biden because Trump “has done more” for Black Americans than former President Barack Obama. Jones wasn’t a Hillary Clinton backer either. He is urging other African Americans to vacate the Democrats and vote Trump, saying that Democrats tried to “suppress” his voice and vows that he will “not be intimidated”.

This argument about Democrats “taking” the black vote for granted has been going on for some time now. Perhaps Jones needs to be reminded that Republicans have been suppressing (and taking away) the Black vote for decades, even going to court to overturn civil rights legislation pertaining to Black voters. Jones should be reminded that Republican governors and secretaries of state have been closing precincts in predominately Black areas, including right there in Georgia, his home state. He may have forgotten what the present governor did when he was the secretary of state when he ran, after having purged thousands of Black people from the rolls, thereby enabling him to defeat Stacy Abrams.

Jones also knows that it was only through divine intervention that President Obama was able to accomplish the things that he did because there was Republican opposition against him before he took his oath. What makes it even worse is that he ran to Fox News, saying he will “talk as a Democrat”, but that he will “agitate” the party for simply speaking his views. They should be ashamed, he said. But Jones conveniently forgets that Republicans do the same thing that he accused Democrats of doing, starting with the president. Remember Mitt Romney voted to impeach Trump, and has been shunned since. How about Jeff Session, who was about as loyal to Trump as could be. Sessions “couldn’t protect” Trump from Robert Mueller, so out went Sessions, and no Republican stood up for Session or Romney because they are afraid of the president.

Where was Jones and his talk about the country over party? Jones is having his moment in the sun, but it will come down to who is best qualified to fix the problems that this nation faces. Black people are not dumb/stupid, nor do they need to be reminded of which political party is best for them. All that matter is that Black people vote in huge numbers, because the party and the man that heads it, the one that Vernon Jones has found “religion” over, will make it harder for Black people to vote between now and November. Remember, the world is watching. So is God.