THE SENTINEL

I’m tired of hearing people justify their lack of citizenship by saying their vote doesn’t count, so why vote anyway?

If the events in our fair state and in Congress aren’t aN indication of what happens if you don’t vote, then I don’ know what it’s going to take.

Here’s a quick political science lesson from a novice: The legislative body creates the laws by which the citizenry must abide. Because we didn’t think our votes counted, we allowed a very conservative group of people to take control over our economic destiny . . . by only 10,000 votes statewide.

That’s right, 10,000 votes in the entire state created this current conservative wave that is anti-poverty, anti-inclusion, anti-people of color and pro-wealth.

Because we didn’t bother to vote, although many of our people died for that right, the “bills” and “amendments” that are being introduced are going to impact the economic validity of African Americans “big time.”

Just what do you think this California Civil Rights Initiative is all about? It’s about making some poor white Joe think that African Americans, Latinos, Asians and women are taking away his job.

It doesn’t matter that corporate “right-sizing” and “downsizing” and mega-mergers created fewer opportunities for what has historically been our middle class.

It doesn’t matter that the new jobs that are being created are for a new generation of high-tech, computer wizards who must be highly skilled.

It doesn’t matter that small business is hampered in its ability to pick up the employment slack because it can’t compare with the mega-giants.

The reality is that we are in rapidly changing economic times. Those with the least clout or ownership are left to the “survival of the fittest” mode or “dog-eat-dog” mentality.

This mentality is perpetuated with propaganda like the California Civil Rights Initiative, which divides people because of their fears.

If we allow this attack to continue without honest opposition, then we can look forward to an economic future which will continue on a road of despair and hopelessness for us and our children.