Once again this November Americans will have the unique
opportunity to exercise their right to cast a ballot in the upcoming
Presidential election. Here in California we will not only play a role
in selecting the next President, but we will also select the men and
women who will represent our interests in Washington, Sacramento and
our local city halls. These individuals shape policies that impact
every aspect of our lives. Whether it is the quality of education our
children obtain in school or the level of care our parents receive as
senior citizens, elected officials determine the distribution of
government resources. Every election gives us an opportunity to have a say in how these
resources are distributed in our community. African American voters
have an exceptional role to play in this and every election. Denied the
vote for decades through institutionalized disenfranchisement, we owe
it to our ancestors to participate in the political process. Our votes
are our voices and each election we must be heard. Many question the value of their vote, too many think their votes don't
count and after the debacle of Florida it is easy to understand this
attitude. However, when we fail to vote our communities suffer. Harmful
policies are developed when good citizens don't participate. [more]
Article originally appeared on (http://brownwatch.com/).
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