by Hardy Brown
Hardy Brown, Sr.
Listening to some Democrats calling for President Joe Biden to drop out of the presidential race is ludicrous.
I am reminded of what Paul wrote in a letter to the Philippians in Chapter 3 verses 13-14. “But one thing I know forgetting what lies behind, but keeping pressing forward to what lies ahead and keep my eyes on the prize in front of me.” Then in verse 16 Paul reminds them to not forget what they have already attained.
A lot has happened since the debate and last Saturday a 20-year-old white, registered Republican male tried to assassinate former President Donald Trump. We do not know at this time why. Regardless of his reason, I do not condone killing anyone over different political beliefs or views.
During my 60 years of participating in politics, I do not like those who lie on other candidates, forge signatures on absentee ballots–like a candidate who ran against me once did–just to win an election; or, finding absentee ballots– like the city of San Bernardino did against Ralph Hernandez–when he ran for city council.
In the two cases I mentioned above, one person went to jail for forging signatures and I threatened the city, in the other scenario, that I would have the Attorney General investigate the election.
In every election, the candidates should explain why they are seeking public office and explain their vision, without lying to the voters about the other candidate(s) in the race. It is up to each voter to research every candidate for themselves or rely on people they know and trust before they vote.
One of the verses in the song, “Keeping Your Eyes on the Prize” goes like this: “The only thing we did was right, Was the day we started to fight. Keep your eyes on the prize, hold on, hold on.” This is what we did during the Civil Rights Era of the 50’s and 60’s. We kept our eyes focused on the prize, and in 1964, the Civil Rights Act was signed into law and in 1965, the Voting Rights Act was signed into law.
The fight was not easy and many Black leaders had different views on how to get there. Some wanted to pick up guns and fight, like the Black Panther Party or Malcolm X of the Nation of Islam who famously said, “By any means necessary.” On the other hand, leaders like Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., labor leader A. Phillip Randolph, the Urban League, the National Council of Negro Women and others, advocated for peaceful marching and protesting.
Today, however, I am reminded of the agreement reached between Malcolm X and Martin Luther King, Jr. The agreement was not to fall out with each other just because they had a different strategy as they were focused on reaching the same objective. Their mutual goal was to secure laws that gave Black people legal rights to jobs, housing, education, business loans, voting rights, equal justice under the law. That consensus agreement is what led to the signing of the 1964 Civil Rights Act 60 years ago and other Civil Rights legislation that followed, including Roe vs. Wade, The Equality Act, American With Disability Act and others.
In the 50s and 60s we had southern Democrats like Governor George Wallace of Alabama, who stood in the college doorway with other white conservative Christians saying, “Segregation now. Segregation tomorrow. Segregation forever,” to keep Black children from going to school with white children.
Now, we have Republicans and white Christian nationalists trying to take us back to those days. Read the Heritage Group’s report, Project 2025: Mandate Leadership- The Conservative Promise, if you don’t believe me. It was written by known Trump loyalists from his past administration.
Project 2025 will expand the powers of the President and the U.S. Supreme Court made it clear in its latest decision, if reelected president, Donald Trump will have broad immunity.
The Chair of the conservative Heritage Group Project 2025, Kevin Rogers, says it will be a peaceful and bloodless revolution unless resistance comes from those on the left.
Donald Trump, if elected in November 2024, with immunity, would have the authority to declare Martial Law across the country, if people participate in peaceful protests.
It was Governor Lester Maddox of Arkansas, who stood in his restaurant doorway with an ax handle to keep Blacks from entering his public place of business.
It was Police Chief Eugene “Bull” Connors in Birmingham, Alabama, that used German Shepard dogs and billy clubs to beat Black students while using fire hoses, to prevent them from peaceful protesting.
During all those hard years, we, as a people, never took our eyes off the prize of Civil Rights.
We are now faced with the choice of electing a felon convicted on 34-counts; a person who incited a riot against the federal government on January 6, 2021; a person convicted of sexual assault where the courts awarded his victim hundreds of millions of dollars; and a person who vows–if reelected–to use the Justice Department against his political opposition to indict them and lock them up. This opposition will include news media and journalists who would speak out against his administration and its policies in spite the Freedom of the Press authorized in the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. In addition, on Monday, July 15, he announced Senator J.D. Vance as his Vice President and running mate. A far-right extremist, J.D. Vance believes banning abortion nationwide is a ‘good idea’. He has also suggested women in violent relationships shouldn’t get divorced, praised Project 2025, and has attacked both Social Security and Medicare.
Or, we can choose a person who vows to serve the public with dignity and respect as outlined in the Constitution, where no one is above the law. Someone who has a track record of protecting our civil rights to vote, own a home, and attend college without high debt when you graduate. This person is someone who advocates for equal opportunity in employment, low cost medical coverage, women’s reproductive rights including the right to an abortion, is addressing issues related to the changing climate, and investing in Black own businesses.
It is up to us, the voters, to KEEP OUR EYES ON THE PRIZE OF FREEDOM AND HOLD ON. . . HOLD ON. .
