We Must Do Better, We Must Demand What Is Rightfully Ours Maynard Jackson’s Card

I certainly don't need Cardi D to be the individual guiding African American on how to vote. Yeah, Megan the Stallion graduated from Texas Southern University but she the voice of reason in the community? What NBA players should lead the parade of African American voters to the polls after informing the community on the issues? How about Charlemagne the God is his voice the one we should follow? Steve Harvey? Why not educate our African American community to be independent-minded and issues-oriented? This is a passage from THE DEBT by Randall Robinson we don't need to drive a new political party which would in fact lessen our political power. We need to have educated African American voters, who decisions based on outcomes, programs, policies, and politicians who elevate our needs. No matter the skin color or political party. Right now we are stuck on stupid politically as a community as a whole. We vote against our interest or vote blue without a critical analysis of the blue candidate. You see if Biden, Trump, Harris, or Pence or any other candidate cannot pass our card of issues test and don't deliver after committing they are out. The first paragraph of Maynard Jackson’s test goes to The Debt to read the rest. I read this book in its entirety on THE BLACKMAN READ ALOUD HOUR:


“Maynard Jackson, when he was mayor of Atlanta, told me once that all African Americans should carry on their persons a laminated card listing the policies that would benefit our community. Whenever approached for support by a local, state, or national politician, the bearer would whip out the card and read it aloud to the candidate for office. The race of the candidate would not matter. All would have to face "the card." After all, this was business. The card would be blown up to poster size and posted in black churches, community assembly halls, barbershops, beauty parlors, restaurants, stores. It would be affixed to utility poles and streetlight stanchions. Black taxi drivers would display it in the plastic jackets holding their chauffeur's licenses against their dashboards. A national database would be created to facilitate the dissemination of the wallet-size cards. Millions would be mailed to blacks in New York, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, and Chicago. Hundreds of thousands would be sent to St. Louis, Kansas City, Mobile, Dallas, Detroit, and Memphis, with enough available to cover the handful of blacks in Maine, Vermont, Montana, and the Dakotas. Essence, Ebony, Black Enterprise, and Emerge, The Crisis, would run the card. African American social media sites would assist in elevating the card's exposure.

Excerpt From
The Debt
Randall Robinson


That way we wouldn't have this split that has arisen in our communities regarding who is viable or isn't a viable candidate. If Biden passed the card and his running mate passed the card test. They would have our unmitigated support, period. You are only viable no matter your skin color is you are committed to the 20 or so national issues on the card. If you don't pass the test you don't gain the community’s support. If matters not if you are Democrat or Republican. The only thing that matters is how you are judged by the card. We would eliminate entertainers, sports figures, and media types from influencing novice, or immature voters. Why because everyone African American in this nation would have access to the card of issues. You wouldn't need an entertainer or sports figure, paid to influence, to do the job you as an educated voter can do yourself. Number one on the list of demanded issues should be reparations. If any of the political parties or the political candidates buck that request no matter their skin color. They should immediately fail the test. Because all the history of the United States has shown absolute disregard for African American’s oppression from 1629-2020 and that needs to stop immediately. It's not too late to develop the card for 2020. We still have time to make our demands heard. We cannot wait any longer and the political objective of anybody but Trump isn't sound intelligent thinking.

Are these entertainers, sports figures who are political neophytes demanding anything other than simply getting rid of Trump? Are they working towards clear policy demands for African Americans other than getting rid of Trump? Are demanding reparations or simply saying getting rid of Trump? Are discussing educational upgrades in our communities or simply getting rid of Trump? Are they discussing economic development models or simply getting rid of Trump? Are they discussing saving the social net programs or simply getting rid of Trump? Are they discussing free or low-cost comprehensive healthcare or just getting rid of Trump?. Are they demanding anything other than getting rid of Trump? Are they working towards clear policy demands for African Americans other than getting rid of Trump. No, we need individuals who do the necessary homework and issue-oriented research beyond the singular issue of getting rid of Trump. Because once Trump is gone what will we have? More status quo and crumbs of change while the majority of African American communities continue to suffer societal disparities.