The Case For Black Men Voting

By B.E. Melendez

Black men – and women – in the United States have led the world’s most courageous battles in the world for voting rights – too many sacrificing their lives. How is it possible that a great many Black men are reportedly thinking about sitting out one of the most important elections of our time?

One argument i s , “We vote and nothing changes.”

“Our votes are taken for granted,” some say.

“Our v o te s do n ’t count,” say others.

Born and raised in Sarasota, Wallace Dasher, III, understands the sense that politicians are more visible when they want your vote than after they get it. But that does not stop him.

“I vote in every election, local included,” he said. “I owe it to myself, I owe it to the democracy of this country, but most important, I owe it to my ancestors who fought the brave battle and paid the ultimate price for me to be able to cast my ballot in peace and solidarity with all other voters in this country. This is why I vote!”

Dasher, 48, a director of risk management, quality assurance and performance improvement, has received his mail-in ballot, researched the candidates, their platforms, and the various issues on all four pages and has mailed it in.

Fellow Sarasota resident and community activist Joseph Mack is a member of the Sarasota Democratic Black Caucus and is just as motivated. “It’s my responsibility to vote,” said the 45-year-old.

Disappointed to find that “Many people are not informed about what’s going on in politics,” Mack makes it a point to pay attention to politicians.

“I look at the promises they made, and are making, along with the promises they keep and don’t keep,” he said.

Dasher agrees. “We should follow their careers,” he said. “And when their actions don’t line up with how they portrayed themselves, we should not give them our vote again.”

Mack believes it’s important for Black men to participate in and get connected with local organizations, like the NAACP and others in order to be heard after elections. “Politicians are more likely to take calls from groups of voters than individual voters.”

But he also points out that sometimes “we’re asking elected officials to do things that are not in their jurisdictions, and we can’t blame them when they don’t have the power to make everything happen that we want to see happen.” Like Dasher he is making it a point to address every item on this year’s massive ballot.

With s o many e fforts making it harder for eligible voters to vote, every vote is more precious than ever. The more people who show up, the greater chance voters have of neutralizing those efforts.

“This election is vital to our democracy and the future of generations to come. There are so many topics at play from women’s health to civil rights to immigration, to basic human dignity and anyone who is concerned about the future for their children and children’s children must vote for their protections,” Dasher said.

He concluded, “Voting is serious and essential business.”