Merely legal rights are alienable, being granted by the state, they can be taken away by the state. Natural rights can be secured or violated by the state, but they do not come into existence through being granted by the state; nor does their existence cease when there are not acknowledged or secured by the laws of the state. — Adler, Six Great Ideas, p.168
Republicans in Texas “dreams” were paused when Chris Hollins, Harris County Clerk and Lina Hildalgo, Harris County Judge, provided multiple voting options for citizens. A drop box at NRG for the county and mail-in and drive-up sites led Governor Greg Abbott and his cronies to devise under the table and “sleight of hand” laws to restrict voting. Republicans were spooked from 40 states to sponsor 400 plus Jim Crow restrictive anti-democratic laws. Their reason for the restrictive bills was allegedly to “reduce fraud.”
Preposterous is that there will be the elimination of NRG as a voting box drop off. Harris County is bigger than eleven states. Penalties will be targeted at election officials who sends a mail-in ballot to a citizen without a request from that citizen.
A disaster is looming for the Republican party in the next decade. All the major cities in Texas are controlled by Democrats and the same is true for the country. Notwithstanding demographics, consider the thesis of Rahm Emanuel’s book, “The Nation City-Why Mayors Are Now Running the World.”
“About a hundred cities around the world drive the economic, cultural, and intellectual energy of our planet today. And that will grow in years ahead.” – Rahm Emanuel, p. 12
Although he did not mention political energy, in most states combined political capital will triumph over partisan gerrymandering and redistricting in the long run. As Stacey Abrams implied, the neo-Confederates cannot win a FAIR FIGHT.
Make no mistake, the greatest point of antagonism that the Neo-Confederates have is with black people. BLACK PEOPLE can drive the resistance; however, we must foster and rely on a collective action strategy. Why? Nationwide we are on 13% of the population and in Texas we are only 12% of the population. In Houston, we are 25-27% and too many of us are convinced that voting will not make a difference. Rainbow energy will be required to turn back the insurrectionists.
When Abbott signs the draconian Jim Crow legislation, it signals that we must go to work, we must OVERPERFORM as a people and as a multi-racial movement.
We are stronger today than we were in the 1890’s. Rights that we possessed in 1890 were chopped up and cancelled during the first Reconstruction. Guest what, it took decades of sustained struggle to recover basic democratic rights such as full voter registration and participation. Prepare for a marathon, an Usain Bolt sprinter will peter out.
Abbot and Patrick, Texas Republicans are on the wrong side of history. They will soon splinter and ultimately collapse like a termite infested fence post. Here me out, the precedent has been set.
I predicted that this maniacal and lunatic party will go APOPLECTIC and CANNIBALISTIC. With increasing frequency, they will begin to eat their own children and relatives. I offer the following notable examples.
Allen West, Texas Republican Party Chair has resigned, irreconcilable issues with driving the Abbot-Patrick clown car.
Perhaps, Tim Scott, black Republican senator from Rep. Jim Clyburn’s state will be next. This current scenario is reminiscent of Jackie Robinson in 1964 taking sharp issue with the John Birch extremists and the far-right apologists. Presidential candidate Barry Goldwater said at the Republican convention “extremism in the interest of liberty is no vice”. Robinson had to tell his party, “Kiss my grits”. Robinson went on to endorse and vote Democratic for Texan Lyndon Johnson to become President of the United States. Only 7% of Black America voted for the extremist party.
The defection of Michael Steele, black Republican Chairman leadership that led the party to majorities in the Senate and house in 2010. Steele was forced to leave party and become a Never Trumper point of light.
Another example of cannibalism is the devouring of Rep. Liz Cheney –Rep. Wyoming. Unfortunately, she is unable to be swallowed and digested.
Cheney and her allies are committed to payback for her removal from the Chair and preventing 45 from destroying the Party.
Counter organizing is silently going on. Former neo-conservatives plus BUSH family members, Condoleezza Rice and Colin Powell, Governor Hogan and moderate Republicans will significantly split the party, though not necessarily the base.
Now is the time to Build a movement to strengthen and deepen democracy. Don’t despair, OVERPERFORM. Weigh in so that BIDEN- HARRIS fights for John Lewis Voter Rights Act and For the People ACT as an antidote to the poison of Voter restriction. Don’t be disappointed when the For the People Act fails.
Our Black Futures Think tanks must design new communication paths for the community to early detect cancerous legislation and then execute building our resistance and self-rule by the people at the neighborhood level.
Get our BLACK FUTURES community think tanks together and design a path forward by educating and registering 16- and 17-year old’s. After we meditate and pray on the grace that we will need for the life on the other side of Jordan, lets rethink how we ROLL SOULS TO THE POLLS.
