Oct 10, 2024
Politics
Gif Source: Wix Media Gif
According to a recent study, shared by reporter Candice Norwood of The 19th an independent nonprofit newsroom that most Black women voters are eager to back Vice President Kamala Harris in the presidential race. According to the poll, Black female voters also think that the 2024 elections will be more important than the ones that came before and that their top priorities would be defending democracy, boosting the economy, and combating white supremacy. Harris is going to have to rally a large amount of voters to win. And every vote counts. Especially those of Black male voters.
The presidential field is littered with Republican mailers targeting young Black male voters. But what makes these young Black voters accessible in Republicans' opinion? An article by Maya King on Oct 4, 2024, in the New York Times titled "In Georgia, Black Men's Frustration With Democrats Creates Opening for Trump" shares a story plus an example of one Black family's thoughts on the subject. King's story shares that Freddie Hicks, 23, has been receiving numerous Republican mailers at his home in DeKalb County, Georgia, criticizing Vice President Kamala Harris and praising former President Donald Trump. The excessive quantity of mailers alarmed his father, Fred Hicks, a Democratic strategist in Atlanta. No other family members were receiving as many mailers, and they did not receive similar messages from Democrats or Kamala Harris campaign team. https://19thnews.org/2024/08/black-women-voters-harris-election-democracy/
The upcoming election in Georgia has highlighted the importance of engaging young Black male voters who are concerned about their level of support for the Democratic Party. Fred Hicks, a concerned parent, highlighted the volatility of their opinions and voting decision influence as a result of the numerous mailers focusing on his son's demographics as a qualified American voter. This issue is seen as a potential long-term advantage for the Republican Party.
Gif Source: Wix Media GIF
King's story highlights Black men and women's high turnout and loyalty to the Democratic party. It also mentions that the gap in support for the party between Black men and women is narrow. Additionally, it discusses the openness of more Black men under 50 to voting for Mr. Trump or not voting at all, which could impact the election in competitive states like Georgia.
Displacement and Taxation: The Struggles of Long-Term Black Citizens in Gentrified Neighborhoods
Some African American men are expressing frustration with the Democratic Party in their districts, creating an opportunity for the Republican Party to gain their support or decrease their turnout. In addition, for example, in New Jersey, gentrification has led to the displacement of many long-term Black citizens and their children due to soaring rents, plus high homeowner taxes over the past decades. Black citizens have noticed that once they were systematically moved out of their neighborhoods, the very cities and states to which they have paid taxes for generations of former neighborhoods plus streets are now being repaired properly.
Challenges Faced by African American Men in Supporting the Democratic Party
The disparity in access to financial resources for real estate and land developers based on racial and ethnic identity has been a significant issue. Non-Black minorities and White developers have been observed to have greater success in securing small business loans and grants, enabling them to obtain lucrative contracts from the state plus establish their businesses. In contrast, Black businesspeople have not received equitable support from financial institutions and small business loan administration (SBA,) hindering their ability to compete for quality, well-paying contracts and establishing their own businesses. Additionally, there are reports of non-Black real estate developers disproportionately hiring non-citizen workers, which has been perceived as a strategy to undermine the American workforce. These practices have contributed to significant disarray in New Jersey, rather than fostering a sense of community. According to a report released by Ocean & Monmouth County Assemblyman Paul Kanitra on May 7, 2024, New Jersey is home to 894,000 undocumented immigrants, and the state spent a substantial $7.3 billion 2024 on their behalf. Some taxpayers may question the allocation of such a significant amount to non citizens and feel uneasy about these findings.
Picture Source: Ras Baraka Campaign for Governor of NJ
Another controversy that Black male voters In NJ have witness.
Black American male voters have observed widespread mass incarceration of their community for minor offenses, as well as excessively high fines spanning over four decades here in N.J. alone. Additionally, the prospect of facing mandatory fines as high as $5,000 for not making a car insurance payment on time poses a significant risk to their livelihoods. But when the rent is $2,200, car payment $325 per month, Utilities water gas & electric $250 per month plus car insurance is $450 per month. And said parent paycheck is $2,500 and parent needs to feed, and care for three children. Chances are economically vulnerable parent citizen drivers for example will pay their rent, buy food for their children, put a payment on the utilities and gas in their car that may leave him or her making a late car insurance payment & car payment for example. This human condition while living in a unfair economy will inturn make economically challenged Black citizens vulnerable to being followed by police and subseqently given a fine. (That is if they live i.e. Sandra Bland.) That could lead to their imprisonment and in some worse case scenarios their children unnecessarily placed in foster care.
Not because they are bad parents but instead rather a result of an unfair economy administered by the state they live in. Which would be totally preventable if the state of N.J. never issued ridiculously high fines in the first place. Black voters have witnessed like situations over the years. Plus the displacement and broken families as a result of able bodied Black citizens male or female who had jobs until being thrown repeatedly in jail for a non-violent, non drug related charges. This hassle and stronghold enforced by the state of NJ leaves citizens feeling like non-citizens are being prioritized over citizens and their families because they are not harassed by the state of NJ for example like Black citizens have been since the 80s with exuberant fines plus over policing tactics. Which in turn blocks said Black citizens from advancing freely. https://www.valuepenguin.com/auto-insurance/new-jersey/penalties-driving-without-insurance
Challenges and Opportunities for the Democratic Party Among Black Men
Black male citizens of all ages have observed the unjust treatment of Black citizens during the COVID Crisis from 2020 to 2022. For example many Americans did not receive their unemployment benefits or $1,750 stimulus checks in N.J. and Black men heard all about it. There were widespread complaints about nonpayment to citizens in the news plus TV. Despite this, Governor Phil Murphy, whom the majority of Black citizens repeatedly voted into office, allocated the remaining 40 million dollars to undocumented residents. This decision came despite the outstanding reparations owed to long-term Black citizens, whose families have contributed centuries of taxes and who ancestors fought on the side of the Union Army not Confederate!
Black North American voters of the 21st century, who are the direct descendants of the original Africans forced into chattel slavery, recognize the often invisible and destructive forms of racism, such as structural and systemic racism, and how they have harmed the health and well-being of Black citizens and their children generationally. Long-term Black American voters born after the enforcement of the Civil Rights Acts and Affirmative Action policies understand that structural racism has hindered their opportunities for advancement over the past 50 years. They feel that resources meant for Black citizens in the '60s and beyond were disproportionately allocated to others. As the remnant survivors of North American African chattel slavery and descendants of East Coast 1st Nation tribes, Black citizens feel a sense of disloyalty from mainstream America. Where with they are correct. i.e.,
Dark Places of the Earth: The Voyage of the Slave Ship 'Antelope' "https://www.publishersweekly.com/9780871406750)
The Democratic Party can better engage with Black male voters by addressing their specific concerns and priorities. This could involve actively listening to their perspectives and experiences, involving them in policy discussions. Making good on the reparations owed to Black North American citizens plus highlighting how Democratic policies positively impact African American lives. Additionally, the party can build trust and credibility within the Black male community by actively supporting initiatives addressing racial inequality, economic disparities, criminal justice reform, and access to affordable healthcare and education. It's also essential to have diverse representation with in the party to ensure that the voices of Black men and women are heard and seriously considered in decision-making processes.
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