President – The Heart of the Matter

Where is your VOICE-BOX?!

In a private meeting inside Trump Tower days before his inauguration, Donald Trump told a group of civil rights leaders something most Republicans wouldn’t dare publicly acknowledge: lower turnout among Black voters did, in fact, benefit him in the 2016 presidential election. “Many Blacks didn’t go out to vote for Hillary ‘cause they liked me. That was almost as good as getting the vote, you know, and it was great,” the president-elect said, according to an audio recording of the meeting shared with POLITICO.

Where is your voice-box?! If you have never recognized before that silence speaks loudly, please people – African American/Black people recognize it now in the phrase presented at the opening of this conversation. When we do not vote those in power actually can take the arrogant stance that the reason is because we silently agree with them – that we “like” them. When we do not utilize the systems that are in place, broken as they may be, we act as though we are mute. The now elected President is counting on “Blacks” doing the same again.

We can watch movies like “Selma”, we can talk about Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and we can talk about the civil disobedience that was enacted to tear down walls all day and night. These discussions mean nothing if we are not taking the torch that they began to remove and keep moving forward. Water-hosed, beaten, arrested – reactions to the desire of African American people to have a “voice” – mean nothing if we do not take up the torch in this broken system and keep moving forward (yes, I know that I said that twice!). We have to use the ballot-box as an extension of our voice – the “Black” voice.

Let me share a personal experience if you will. I worked in a specialized mental health rehabilitation facility (SMHRF) during the last election. Many of the clientele that I serviced were on the high-end of the mental illness spectrum (Schizoaffective, Schizophrenic, etc.) and though at times they struggled to be present in the “now” in their conversations…many of the men (Black and White) were in the “now” when they discussed electing a woman as President of the United Stated of America. They expressed their opinion by stating – “I’m voting for Donald Trump cuz I don’t want a woman running the country.” The speakers were “lucid” enough to make that conscious decision and a vocal one at that! Where is your voice-box?!

If you don’t register to vote, desire to vote, or think that voting is unimportant to your “now” consider this…there are people who still today feel that the place of the African American/Black people is on the bottom. African American women are the most educated group of people in America and their economic standing does not reflect that position. African American males are the object of police brutality regularly and when they suffer even unto death their “past” dictates how the public view of their death will be presented to the masses. Decide if that is how you want your son, daughter, nieces, nephews, to continue to be seen. Ask yourself “Where is my voice-box?!”

Let’s talk about #45

President Donald Trump Silhouette" Poster by CobwebsClothing ...

How did the American people elect a man with minimal qualifications to be President?! The Constitution states that to be President the candidate in question has to be 35 years of age, a resident, and a natural born citizen. There are, however, implied qualifications. These include experience in a governmental or military capacity, the ability to debate and respond to questions, display mental stability, raise funds, and align with the political beliefs of the party he/she represents. Even as I compose this article I am shaking my head at the fact that a person was elected to office with the minimal requirements of a leader of this country!!!

When I think about running a company and hiring employees for an expected job, I would hope that I would examine their resume specifically looking for employment in areas that align with the position in question. That said, I read #45’s resume searching for the implied qualifications as he unfortunately fulfills the Constitutional requirements. He had no political background, no legal background, and no military service. His current performance with the press leaves him lacking in fielding questions and responding with viable answers to the questions presented. As a therapist, assessing clients is an area in which I have experience – we need to realize that though there are diagnosis that have become “buzz words”, #45’s mental capacity is questionable at best. As he has won the seat as president it is fair to say that he can raise money (this is the one area in which he stands proficient). The Republican Party needs to take an introspective look at its party beliefs!! Are they racists who look to divide the American people and put their foot on the neck of the middle class and the poor?!

Did his party review his resume?! Have the staunch supporters of #45 look at his resume?! Did Americans look at his resume?! Pre-President his resume included President of the Trump Organization (this is his real estate company); Owner of Trump Model Management; Executive Producer and Star of The Apprentice; Part owner of Miss Universe, Miss USA, and Miss Teen pageants; and he did numerous cameo shots in various films. #45 used his access to avoid the draft and thus never served in the military and there is no mention of one political venture of any kind. What were we thinking?! I say we because just based on his resume it is apparent his thoughts of the role of women and many men (of all races) voted for him because they could not stomach the thought of a female running the country. We would rather have an ill-qualified man than a competent woman?! “HOUSTON WE HAVE A PROBLEM”!

It is my sincerest hope that with this coming election, we the people will look at the qualifications, both Constitutional and implied, of the candidates more than the party that they represent. The greatness of America relies on democracy not promises to “make” it great;especially when #45 refuses to produce documentation that reveal where he puts his money. We can not afford as a country to continue to have a narcissistic dictator run it into the ground! #45 has spent the majority of his time in office trying to erase the works of his predecessor, especially in regard to the Affordable Healthcare Act. He has ruined the image of the United States globally as he did not have the ability to maintain our allies and build new relationships with foreign nations (hard work for a bigot to perform). He has been swift to respond to protests relating to the #Black Lives Matter movement and did not respond to the violent acts of white supremacists – except to imply that they were “good people”. Let me say correctly…”good people on both sides.”

GOOD PEOPLE LET’S CHOOSE CAREFULLY!!!