I find it offensively amusing when the western media and people who are instinctively oblivious to the racial and social class issues in America propose unrealistic and racially biased narratives to solve the “race problem” in America.

Sadly, many African Americans and Latinos have eaten and digested this plate of biased slop. Hopefully after reading this blog you can shake your “We do this to ourselves/if we just” mentality. Today we will discuss voter turn out, or lack thereof. 

                    “If we voted more”
                               

In the 2012 presidential election only 13% of African Americans and 10% of Latinos came out to exercise their fifteenth amendment right. Many believe African American and Latinos cries fall on deaf ears due to a subpar voting initiative. I do not believe this is case. I believe it is lack of representation that causes disenchantment among black and Latino voters.

One reason why many African Americans and Latinos are reluctant to vote is that when we do decide to exercise our right, we find ourselves playing a game of “the lesser of the two evils” at the polls. Which isn’t a hard choice because the GOP doesn’t shy away from their bigoted agendas and The Democratic party makes a valid effort to exploit our social struggles with minimal, but slightly believable compassion to gain minority votes. 

  In my personal opinion, liberation and equality in America will not manifest from the Democratic or Republican party. Liberals and independent dark horses rarely get elected, so we won’t go into hypotheticals with their party agendas. Voting is only effective if the elected officials cater to the needs of the people who elected them. Otherwise it’s pointless and ineffective.

  Here’s another interesting statistic. In 2012 Asian Americans had the lowest voter turn out at 3%. Ironically, Asian- Americans have the highest average family income of $68, 636. Caucasians hold a average household income of $57,007, despite leading voter turn out at 73% Hispanics Americans hold a average household income of $39,005 with a 10% voter turn out. The African American average household income is $33,321 with a 13% voter turn out.

   I think it’s safe to say voting is a privilege, not a gateway to liberation, equality or financial bliss. The Asian- Americans are a testament of that.  Voting is a great gesture and a right I appreciate. However I do not believe it will end racial prejudice and institutional racism. It’s an internal social issue that will be solved by the people, not elected officials.

No one should have to vote to have their human and civil rights respected and acknowledged. This is just one of the many unrealistic solutions to solve the race problem in America.

Regards,

-Terrance Thomas