African-American vote could carry Dems home to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue

[Samantha]

Here's another Republican "talking head" point debunked by Zogby. Have you heard the African-American community is not excited by Kerry and might not turn out? That's why Clinton is going into Pennsylvania, so we have been told, to encourage the African-American base to come out and vote November 2. This community is just not excited by Kerry, so we are told. Read what Zogby says:

"In 2000, Vice President Gore took a huge margin among African-Americans, winning them 90% to 9% for Mr. Bush. In 2000 our tracking poll on October 20th showed Mr. Gore leading Mr. Bush 85% to 9% with 4% undecided. Our tracking poll today shows Mr. Kerry leading Mr. Bush 83% to 8% with 8% undecided. In fact, among our sample of likely African American voters, more say they are very likely to vote in this election (96%) than said they were very likely to vote in 2000 (93%). And, with Democratic-leaning 527 groups focusing heavily on minority voter registration and turnout, African Americans could comprise more of the electorate than the 10% they made up last time."

http://www.zogby.com/news/ReadNews.dbm?ID=898

Read that again: 96 percent of the African-American voters say they are likely to vote in 2004, 83% of which will vote for Kerry, 8% will vote for Bush*, and 8% are undecided.

If this community does in fact comprise in 2004 more than 10% of the electorate, one might say it is the African-American community that could possibly carry Dems home to the Oval Office in 2004. And what sweet poetic political justice that would be....

[goclark]

1. Sounds right to me!

I helped to register at least 800 African Americans.

My Brothers and Sisters are doing this one for our ancestors!

In addition to registering, for 6 weeks I talked to hundreds of African Americans that were already registered.

They are energized beyond belief!

In our culture, we have a secret way of talking to each other with a smile,it's hard to describe. From slavery times, we have learned how to use body language to speak to each other,sometimes complete strangers, with our eyes/our expressions.

Sometimes when we really want to get our pt. across, we will " break it down" with language -- it is a beautiful thing.

Just a few Experiences:

Sister,middle age told me," My grandmother told me to stay OUT of those BUSHES!!"

Male teenager, when asked was he going to vote said," See my T Shirt?Vote OR DIE!" He graped his two friends and made them register.

Talked to a male, so sad that he was not off parole...He told me that he wanted to vote so bad but his parole officer said he may make a decision to grant him parole "in about 2 months."
That would make him eligible to vote about December 12th - ironic isn't it?

So many talked to me with their eyes when they saw my Kerry button.
Their eyes told me they were voting for Kerry in no uncertain terms.

Many gave me a hand motion,kinda a thumbs up, and would say," We know what we have to do!!"

We are totally energized.

We will need lots of help getting our seniors to the polls.
The seniors, many over 80, still may walk to the polls. Absentee voting is not "real voting" to some seniors. They don't trust Bush in anyway, they think he will steal the mail.

As one young man told me, " I ain't stuck on stupid, I'm voting that MF Bush out!!"

:silly:

[Samantha]

2. Thanks for your post, goclark

I am a caucasian woman but I am your political sister, if you will allow me to be. I find it incredibly wonderful that this particular portion of the American voting community which was so disgracefully disenfranchised during Election 2000 is exercising its right to help eject the perpetrator of that injustice from the Oval Office.

I am a great admirer of the Congressional Black Caucus, which was the only element of our voting community which stood up against the outrage during the vote of the Electoral College in December 2000.

Al Gore said in his final concession speech I heard your voices and I will not forget. I believe the position of all Dems is that we all heard the voices of those disenfranchised in election 2000 and we will always remember so that it can never happen again.

[goclark]

6. Dear Sister Samantha

I am so happy to hear that you have such keen insight into our mission to prove to the Bush Criminal family that " we ain't gonna take no stuff this time!"

It energizes us that so many of our political sisters and brothers feel and share the pain that we have felt for so long. The pain in being disenfranchised by the power crooks. The ones that thing this country belongs totally to them.

Martin L. King Jr. will be proud of us on Nov. 2nd.

Let's be drum majors for justice!!

[Samantha]

8. I believe the echo of his "I have a dream" words

inspire all people to believe that whatever political adversity we face in our lives can be overcome through perserverance. Black or white, rich or poor, man or woman, Christian or non-believer, we all have the right to dream our government serves the needs of its people. We have the right to hold it responsible for correcting the inequalities in our lives, our liberties and our equal opportunities to pursue a life of freedom and happiness.

If all of us band together regardless of our origins and insist we shall have what our founders promised when this government was formed, we cannot be overcome by a George Bush* today or tomorrow. Once we take back the Oval Office and our representative government, we will hold our reps political feet to the fire in our insistence that events like those in Florida 2000 will not be tolerated in this free society. And our political heroes, as Martin Luther King, Bobby Kennedy, John Kennedy, and may I include Al Gore and Jimmy Carter, will see what was once a dream manifest itself into our political reality. We are so lucky to have had people such as they inspire us to find our way.

[deadparrot]

3. Thank you!!! eom

[Hatalles]

4. Keep up the good work, goclark!

:toast:

[goclark]

7. We are all drum majors for justice

Thanks so much for your kind words Hatalles

[Chovexani]

9. Black folks are mad as hell

Don't believe the hype...we have long memories. Black folks are out there in droves trying to GOTV. Young people especially are registering left and right. I've never seen the community so energized.

Hell my country ass cousins down south (and I say that with love :)) are fighting mad and most of them have never bothered to vote before except the old folks (I hear you about them thinking * will steal the mail, LOL). I have family down in one of the poorest counties in SC (job situation is terrible in the area, factories closing down, etc.) and volunteers are working day and night getting people involved.

Repukes know this. Look for Repuke poll hijinx like you've never seen before.

[Dob Bole]

13. wow

Great job! 800 people?

You deserve this Klondike bar!!



(Sorry for biting it. I needed to sustain my life force.)

[TheDonkey]

5. Afrrican-Americans feel the pain of the bush administration

lost jobs and healthcare are very important. Not to mention the education system and War and Iraq will really excite black voters.

I'm excited!

[Indykatie]

10. Myth of Unmotivated AA Voters

As an AA who is active in the community I can tell you that the talking point about AAs not being excited about this election is bogus. True, they may not be very excited about Kerry (I initially wasn't) but the ABB sentiment will result in significant increase of AA voters come election day. I live in one of those dark red states and there is a lot of energy out there for this election even though Bush is sure to carry the state. My daughter (28) voted for the first time this year. That wasn't a vote for Kerry but one against Bush. We both have voted absentee so we could be free to assist with transporting voters to the polls. We're trying to do our part to turn Indiana "pink" this year.

[Chovexani]

12. Welcome to DU Indykatie

:hi:

I've been trying to tell people, black folks aren't stupid and we know BS when we smell it...I'd be shocked if * got 1% of the black vote this time. People are seriously PO'd where I live.

Thanks for your work to GOTV. :)

[Chovexani]

11. A comedian (could have been Chris Rock) once said

When America catches a cold, Black America gets pneumonia. That is the truth.

[Samantha]

14. A kick for this thread is a boot for George Bush*

Share your opinion on the political poetic justice of the African-American community possibly giving Bush* a boot back to Crawford.

Democrats will not be attempting to send him to the back of the political bus; we want him OFF the bus and clearing brush in Crawford.