Hi Robynne,

I’ve been traveling the past few days so I apologize for not responding earlier to your thoughtful comments.

At this point, I don’t think we can assume that black people have “viable” options in a System that’s so clearly controlled by a plutocracy or an oligarchy (take your pick). I think this is why black voters have been hoping and praying for change that never manifests and frustrated by exhausting outcomes. What they are hoping and praying for will never be achieved by voting in this System. It’s an ugly and unfortunate reality, but there it is.

So, given what we’re trapped in and stripped of the illusion of viable options, I’m merely offering practical recommendations for those who want to keep playing along in a bogus System that is designed to screw all but a few. The best case scenario in this set up is the extraction of minimal “tweaks” for a few lucky blacks at the top (the middle and upper middle class) and a slower rate of decay for blacks at the bottom (the lower and sub-poverty class). I believe the extraction of minimal tweaks is why the Latino community has made modest socio-economic gains that the black community hasn’t: they’re not tying themselves to the Democratic party out of fear of the “scary” Republican boogeyman and are instead asking themselves: “I don’t have to like the boogeyman, but what can I get out of the boogeyman if he wants my vote? Because everyone in this toxic System seems to want votes. They are currency.”

Sadly, black voters haven’t made this shrewd calculation. Instead, they run from the boogyman into the awaiting arms of people won’t do anything to help them — but whisper sweet nothings in their ear and remind them how scary the boogeyman is. This is all they have to do to guarantee the blind of loyalty of black voters. It is an allegiance bought through FEAR. In reality, the Republican party has done nothing worse to blacks than the Democratic party has; the only difference is the GOP isn’t warm and cuddly.

If you don’t mind, I would like to ask you a couple of questions: what sense does it make to dutifully support a party that has given us “exhausting” outcomes for the past 60+ years? What sense does it make to faithfully vote for candidates who deliver feel-good rhetoric but implement empty policies that keep our communities mired in poverty, broken infrastructure, crime, and drug addiction? Sure, we can hope and pray that these candidates will one day deliver on their promised (although if a black president did nothing to improve our condition, I wouldn’t hold onto hope of Biden or any white candidate doing more). If we’re honest with ourselves, black Americans will admit that hoping and praying and voting “blue” has accomplished nothing for us since the Civil Rights movement. If you can think of fundamental and substantive changes the Democratic party has delivered to most blacks, I’d love to hear it.

AA describes the definition of inanity as repeating the same actions yet expecting a different outcome. What does this say about the black community?

Here’s something else to consider: have you ever wondered why the only regions that have seen marginal improvements for the black community are southern cities and states? Ironically, major cities and states controlled by Democrats are epicenters of black misery and distress, a situation that’s been highlighted by the disproportionate number of COVID-19 victims who were people of color in inner cities. And this week we’ve seen far more anger and damage due to class unrest in Los Angeles and New York than we have in Houston or Little Rock. Moreover, the worst instances of police brutality — from Freddie Fray to Michael Brown to George Floyd — have all occurred in cities under “blue” leadership.

Could it be that blacks have been lulled into a false sense of security by a negligent Democratic party, while they are far more wary of “scary” Republicans and more likely to hold them accountable?

Just to be clear, I’m not expressing faux outrage. I am expressing real outrage — not just against a toxic System that guarantees increasing levels of poverty with each passing generation for all but a very few Americans (regardless of skin color); but I’m also expressing real outrage against black sheep leaders who consistently lead their flock into the arms of a feckless party and buy our allegiance to the lesser evil out of fear. These people are the true sell outs.

Lastly, I use the term “sheep” in reference to “excellent sheep” (cited in one of my earlier articles: https://medium.com/indian-thoughts/excellent-sheep-run-the-world-3f16944e53d4) Former Yale professor William Deresiewicz coined the term to describe the self-congratulatory, preening, type-A students who blindly pursue money and power and are groomed to control governments and businesses at the highest levels. I use the term “sheep” not be insulting, but to be descriptive.

Thank you reading and for engaging. I enjoyed your response!