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Blacklash

By Rev. Donald L. Perryman, PhD
The Truth Contributor

  If Rosa Parks had not refused to move to the back of the bus, you and I might never had heard of Dr. Martin Luther King.    

                    -  Ramsey Clark

 


Rev. Donald L. Perryman, D.Min.

Cozzie Watkins’ bold words said it best during last week’s Roll Call Across America.


While pledging North Carolina’s delegates to the 2020 Biden-Harris ticket, the 69-year-old nurse, who works on the front lines against COVID-19, proclaimed to a national television audience “Black people, especially Black women are the backbone of this party and if we don’t show up, Democrats don’t get elected.

For sure, Kamala Harris – the daughter of an Indian mother and a Jamaican father – is the first woman of color to serve on the presidential ticket for one of our country’s two major political parties. Harris can unite immigrants, Asians, Latinx, African Americans and whites. In a country which often ignores, denigrates, and denies Black women’s talents, experiences, wisdom and words, Harris is feared by her political opponents for her relentless prosecutorial questioning and scathing critiques of their failed leadership.

Therefore, it is not unreasonable to expect rivals to, in the words of author Carol Anderson, “cherry pick Harris’ record on crime,” but also implement other forms of backlash in response to significant gains by blacks.

“People are afraid that society is changing and recognizing that women are the most skilled and capable people, if not more than men. Men have screwed this thing up long enough,” explained a long-time male activist. “The language and the actions are misogynistic, pessimistic, and privileged. Let’s end the patriarchy and male hegemony. Anybody using words to describe women as mean or nasty, their language has revealed them.”

Nor is the backlash limited to glass ceilings and misogynism. You can also add voter suppression.

A broad cross-section of the Toledo community showed up at a rally last week in support of the postal service. Leaders of the National Postal Mail Handlers Union and others accused the United States Postal Service of a deliberate slow-down of local mail service.

Approximately six weeks ago, according to sources, five of 11 sorting machines were removed from service without explanation. Also, one of two crucial overnight lines that key the mail up for the carriers to come in at 6 a.m. and load for distribution was eliminated with no overtime assigned. “Essentially, six of 13 automated mail processing machines have been taken out of play so that a letter going from Toledo to Maumee takes five days to deliver.”

The impact has been that the delays cause many people – including senior citizens - to receive late charges on bill payments and not getting critical medicines or refills on time. Others, see the delay in mail delivery as a deliberate voter suppression tactic, which they fear will cause many absentee ballots to be received after the deadline and not be counted.

What can be done to “blacklash” or counter the backlash?

“Go (vote) early, and be safe,” urges Lucas County Commissioner Pete Gerken. The Lucas County Board of Elections could also place 10-12 ballot box drop off points throughout the County.

The ballot box drop-offs could provide a valuable alternative for those who don’t trust the mail or don’t want to stand in line to vote. However, this policy will require a court challenge to overturn Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose’s earlier directive limiting ballot drop boxes to one per county.

Lucas County is also revamping its early vote center at 1301 Monroe Street to make the area more expansive, allowing for social distancing. The remodel was made possible by Owens’ Community College’s exit.

Also, voting is not enough. Young people should also sign up to be poll workers to fill the shortage of older workers caused by that group’s increased risk to the coronavirus.

Lastly, you can encourage your mail carrier. Kindness and understanding go a long way too!

Contact Rev. Donald Perryman, D.Min, at drdlperryman@centerofhopebaptist.org

 
  

Copyright © 2019 by [The Sojourner's Truth]. All rights reserved.
Revised: 08/27/20 16:34:47 -0400.

 

 


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