"If you don't know anything about the issues, don't vote," said
Bill Maher, host of "Politically Incorrect," at a Rock the Vote
convention in Chicago.
Yeah, yeah, yeah. I've watched the commercials, and I've read the ads. They
include Choose or Lose, Rock the Vote, and numerous other contemporary slogans
designed to drum-up voter participation among the younger generation. The
various spokespersons for these pitches happen to be current celebrities
from the entertainment industry whose blossoming sense of civic responsibility
is manifesting itself in the guiding of the Generation X'ers into the voting
booth. At first glance this seems a very admirable goal, but upon further
inspection the question arises: is this the most intelligent thing to do?
Please excuse my sarcasm. I know I run the risk of sounding selfish, self-centered
and elitist by bringing this up, but I think these voter participation drives
warrant at least a discussion, especially among our African-American entertainers,
singers, rappers, actors and comedians. My problems with this voting drive
are that the ads encouraging voting and their spokespersons don't address
some major concerns about voting -- concerns such as issue awareness. In
typical Hollywood fashion, these commercials are perpetuating the myth that
all you have to do is vote and all will be right with America. While it
is true that voting is the very cornerstone the principles of democracy
are built upon and many of our ancestors have been denied voting rights
and have fought and died in the name of suffrage, the underlying sentiment
behind this concept is the individual's responsibility to know the issues.
If a voter isn't aware of the issues, what good is that vote? Even if by
happenstance that vote is genuinely in America's best interest, it's still
not the most advisable method of accomplishing goals. This type of logic
is the equivalent of jumping into the deep end of a pool without having
the slightest idea of how to swim. There is a chance you may learn how to
swim quickly but the odds of that happening are astronomical. Am I telling
anyone not to vote? No way! Those who can vote have a responsibility to
vote. What I'm saying is along with that responsibility is a responsibility
just as important -- knowing the issues.
The purpose of this article is not to berate our entertainers who are doing
what they feel is right. The purpose of this article is to get them to think,
or at least acknowledge that their words and actions do have consequences.
This is why I am taking issue with the brothas and sistas who are starring
in these ads. I realize that their heart is more than likely in the right
place; I just question their thought processes. Instead of Rocking the Vote,
why not start off the process with Knowing the Issues? I happen to be of
the opinion that entertainers, just like religious leaders, should remain
separate from politics. If they are going to cross over, however, do so
for the right reasons in the right way. If you're an African-American entertainer
concerned about our communities, in particular our poorer communities, do
a commercial about that. If entertainers are that concerned about civics,
why not address the dilemma black people face when we are called to vote
in elections that we historically have had no one to vote for that represents
our particular needs? If entertainers are to use their fame as a political
instrument, they should do so in a limited capacity. Use their fame to bring
to light the issues, nothing more. Guide the people who follow you to look
in depth at an issue, then let them make up their mind about it. It seems
to me that these are the topics our artists should be concerned about. Miscommunication
and an ignorance of the issues are the primary reasons why black folks are
in the predicament that we are currently in. These entertainers should be
motivating their fans to educate themselves about issues and to think for
themselves rather than tell them what to do. It seems to me that they as
artists should concentrate more on the truth of the matter than on it's
appearance.
Let's face it: America is the greatest country in the world and our black
ancestors are partly responsible for that accomplishment. Now the baton
is handed to us. America will still be great but the question is: Will it
be because of us, or in spite of us?
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Note: New Visions Commentaries reflect the views of their author and not
necessarily those of Project 21.