What Blacks Need To Do Who or what is the first Priority in this allegory?

by 05/18/2015

THE PROBLEMS:

A husband went to the police station to file a missing persons report.
Husband: “I lost my wife. She went shopping and hasn’t come back yet.”
Police: “What is her height?”
Husband: “Average, I guess.”

Police: “Slim or healthy?”

Husband: “Not slim, but probably healthy.”

Police: Color of hair?”

Husband: “Changes according to season.”

Police: What was she wearing?”

Husband: “Not sure, either a dress or a suit.”

Police: “Was she driving?”

Husband: “Yes.”

Police: “Color of the car?”

Husband: “Black Audi A8 with supercharged 3.0 liter V6 engine generating 333 horse power teamed with an eight-speed tiptronic automatic transmission with manual mode. And it has full LED headlight, which use light emitting diodes for all light functions and has a very thin scratch on the front left door…”

THE SOLUTIONS:

Let us now transpose the two people and one item represented in this allegory.      

The husband is the extreme conservative elected official. He will only fight for the rights and privileges of rich campaign donors and some of the people who voted for him.   The rest of us, mostly Blacks, are in that 47% category that millionaire Mitt Romney said does not count.

The wife is the person who did not for whatever reason vote in the mid-term election. The fact that she does not speak out makes her almost invisible.

#NOTE: The late infamous President Richard M. Nixon called these people his silent majority. He pretended they agreed with him, so he did not change policies.

The car is the grand prize, elected office, like Pat McCrory being elected Governor of North Carolina. Once in that prestigious seat, he gained fame, power, honor and inside connections. He used his power to award his campaign donors and friends with political appointments. His most obvious inappropriate appointment was making billionaire Art Pope our state’s budget director.

WE, suppressed voters are in the same predicament as the wife in this allegory.  So let us give her some sound advice  We should tell her to tell her husband the following:

First, I will stop depending on you as an intelligent reference source on political matters. I will become a constant student and do my own research. I will read and listen to opinions on both sides, analyze them, then decide who will be best for me and my family in 2016.

Second, I must say I do not like what you are doing and will not take it anymore. I will discuss every issue I disagree with and you will defend your position with a yes or no answer. I will no longer accept your old pathetic “I am still studying the issue” lie.

Third, I will register to vote and encourage seven other friends, co-workers and family members to do the same.

Fourth, I will learn the name of all elected officials on my ballot from dog catcher to president. I will have discussions with family members, friends and progressive groups to evaluate them. I have discovered my voice and now I will use it. You will respect me and describe me in the future in a detailed manner as you did for your real love, your car.

NOW, LET US PRACTICE THE SAME SERMON WE JUST PREACHED TO THE WIFE!!! 

To be successful in this our 3rd Reconstruction Era, we must make the best use of one hour. Please spend only five minutes discussing the problem and fifty five minutes on the solutions.

Please subscribe, read and financially support our true reference source, our local Black newspapers.

Matthew 6:21 –“Where your treasure is, there will be your heart also.”

James J. Hankins is a military veteran, A& T State University alumni, retired vocational education teacher, past president of the New Hanover County NAACP, member of friends of Abraham Galloway and author of the book “What We Blacks Need To Do”. To comment or order his book, please e-mail him at [email protected]. •

Print Friendly, PDF & Email