Rock The Vote

 When I was 14 or so I heard this wonderful idea of "Rock The Vote", it was the concept of music executives in the response to rap and hip hop artists voices/votes being repressed in the United States. When I was still in elementary school, I remember there was testing coming up and there was a rap that some students preformed during a test pep rally called " Bust The Test" it went something like this: 

" Bust the test, bust the test baby,

 bust the test and I don't mean maybe, 

you can do it you can do it 

you can bust the test"  **Busting the test, meant Acing it**

For a child who had grown up in a very conservative home, to hear this rap and it be so positive was a joy. What does this have to do with voting? To say the least, it opened my eyes to things that were different from everything I had known to that point. To know that I could think or even like things that are different from that of my family or people I grew up with. So, when I heard about "Rock the Vote" later, I was able to see it for what it is; a positive force to encourage voting and non-suppression of voices that have a right to be heard. In other words Rock the Vote is about empowerment. 

Over the years, Hubby and I have moved around a lot. In the varied places we have lived, I have had the privilege (and still do) of being around people from different backgrounds and viewpoints than myself or even what I grew up with. Being around all this has been invaluable to me as a person. Last year I had the privilege of substitute teaching long term in an 8th grade history class. I call it a privilege because that is what it was. There is so much history that gets forgotten over time and I had forgotten. 

I had forgotten that voting was not given to everyone when this nation started. People of color, women and other minorities have been suppressed insofar as their vote or voice being not only heard but also not respected. So, I thought to look up voting and how it has changed over the years since the birth of our Federal Constitutional Representative Democracy Country. The US is neither a democracy nor a republic, it is in fact, both. This is what I have found:

1776 - Voting is controlled by state legislators. Only white men that are land owners and over the age of 21 were allowed to vote. 

1868 - 14th Amendment granted full citizenship rights, including voting rights, to all men born or naturalized in the United States. 

1870 - 15th Amendment eliminated all racial barriers to voting. 

1920 - 19th Amendment gave women the right to vote. 

1924 - Native American Citizenship Act gave native Americans the right to vote. 

1964 - Civil Rights Act gave all men and women 21+ regardless of race, religion, or education the right to vote. The 24th Amendment is also ratified eliminating poll taxes.

1965 - The Federal Voting Rights Act suspends literacy tests. Registration and voting rights are now federally enforced.

1971 - The 26th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution lowers the voting age to 18.

1975 - The Federal Voting Rights Act is renewed, permanently banning literacy tests nationwide. Section 203 is added, requiring translated voting materials in areas with large numbers of citizens with limited English skills.

1984 - The Federal Voting Accessibility for the Elderly and Handicapped Act requires polling places to be accessible to people with disabilities.

1986 - The Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA) allowed members of the U.S. armed forces and overseas U.S. voters to register and vote by mail.

1993 - The National Voter Registration Act (NVRA) created new ways to register to vote. It also called for states to keep more accurate voter registration lists.

2002 - The Help America Vote Act (HAVA) authorized federal funds for elections. It also created the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC). The EAC helps states comply with HAVA to adopt minimum standards on voter education, registration, and ballots.

2009 - The Military and Overseas Voting Empowerment (MOVE) Act improved access to voting by military and overseas voters.

In the 244 years this country has been around, there has been growth on the side of citizens and their ability, their right, to vote. Also in that time frame there has been considerable efforts to suppress that same right. 

In the late 18th and early 19th centuries although individuals had the right to vote, suppression was rampant in the US. From poll taxes, literacy tests, fraud and intimidation were only some of the means used by citizens against other citizens to suppress voting rights. It wasn't until the late 19th century that women were no longer seen as property. Over the years in America, women have accomplished much in the way of getting into politics. 

In the 1950's after the end of WW2, there was a push for women to reclaim the household as men came back from war. Since then there has been a war of sorts over the "roll" of a woman. What does this have to do with voting? Simple, in many ways women of prior generations while having the right to vote would vote only for whom their husbands voted for. In all honesty I could probably make this post super long, I won't. 

Voter suppression is still happening today. Mostly it is a person being taken advantage of by others. Other times it is by a system of government that is broken. A broken system of government can look like many things. It can look like one party dominating a states government so much so that any opposition will be squelched before it even gets on the ballot, let alone being championed by the constituents said party represents. When this happens many voters feel that their vote doesn't count and therefore their voice doesn't matter. 

I look forward to many days. One in which individuals are not judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character. One in which state government while maybe not equally divided between whatever political parties are present in it, but has the ability to represent respectfully the people in the state and their views. Unfortunately this is not happening in some states. 

For as long as I can remember, there have been great lengths taken to get individuals out to vote. Many of the for-hire car companies have offered reduced rates to and from your polling place. I have seen many public posts from friends and family members offering to give free rides to people who need to cast their vote. 

This years elections have been something out of a movie. It has been crazy, with the pandemic (COVID19), the school year being out of wack and so many other things happening. I wasn't sure how many would come out and vote. However, voter turnout was at an all time high and we as a nation  (with the world watching) will see how well our country's system works. One thing is very apparent to anyone paying attention. Whomever is elected as the next president of the free world is going to have a challenge on his hands. The country is more divided then it's been since the civil war, the american people have lost confidence in our system of government, as well as media outlets.

Dear readers, if you pray, please pray for this nation and it's people. Pray that there will be healing the likes of Sept. 12, 2001. Pray for understanding and the ability to respect the differences of others. There is so very much. If you can't think of what to pray for or how to pray, please just lift up yourself and your loved ones.