RuralFreeDelivery posed a great point on my MyFoxMemphis version of the blog "Anybody Isn't Better Than Mayor Herenton". Part of his post stated:
What if I have anger and contempt towards Herenton, but I don't feel that any of the new candidates have a compelling vision or plan for the city? Should I just not vote?
I couldn't help but to think about that. I thought about it to the point where I need to elaborate on that myself.
Since I was 18 years old, I've been told to vote. I read all the History books and articles about the Suffragists and how Black people fought and died so I can cast a vote. My first time using that right came in 2000 when I prepared to officially prove my maturity by voting in the Presidential Election.
Well, that went to pot...
Not to dive too terribly deep into that, I just didn't get who I voted for. This happened again in 2004, and that marked the beginning of my Voter Frustration. I voted for Harold Ford, Jr...and blast if Corker won! Either way it goes, as a registered voter, I still made my point as my vote was a part of Harold Ford, Jr's tally. I kept reminding myself that I made a difference, even if my candidate didn't win. Yet, I still felt kind of rotten. I have had some people I voted for to win, so I didn't give up.
Fast forward to Memphis right now. We are preparing for what will definitely be one heck of a Mayor's Race. You don't have to look far to realize that a lot of people aren't feeling Mayor Herenton like they used to. The air is sweet with the smell of burning "We Can't Hackett No More" shirts from 1991. The Commercial Appeal broke down the current statistics of those supporting him and those who weren't. I wasn't shocked by what I saw either.
In my previous blog, I made the point of asking Memphians to vote for the candidate who would best serve our city and who had something to bring to the table. I asked the intelligent people of our city to remember that we have to vote for someone, and not against Herenton. I mean, there is no other way to better say that. However, RuralFreeDelivery made me think...what if nobody else is talking about what they can do for Memphis and you truly don't want Herenton?
Honestly, I don't know who I want leading our city. Nobody is talking about anything other than "It's Time for a Change"! So, in saying that, all you are saying (in my opinion) is "Unseat Herenton"! What else are you saying, though? I'm certain there is a candidate who's talking about lowering the crime in the city. However, how are you planning to do that? My opinion is simple, you can make examples of crooks and put them under the jail, but if the policeman involved is in cahoots with the crooks..man, I went there again. Anyhoo, I want all candidates to tell what they plan to do for us. Don't capitalize on people asking Mayor Herenton "What Have You Done For Me Lately", jump into the "Ring of Fire" and impress Memphians. Anyone who's lived here longer than a year knows we need some improvement, so what do the candidates plan to fix?
If they don't speak sooner, then we'll have a bigger dilemma. If people take my advice and vote for the better person, but don't know what who the better person is, we may face the lowest voter turnout in Memphis history. I guess that'll be the ultimate example of silence being golden. No new candidate gets my vote because they aren't Herenton. They have to earn it.
What if I have anger and contempt towards Herenton, but I don't feel that any of the new candidates have a compelling vision or plan for the city? Should I just not vote?
I couldn't help but to think about that. I thought about it to the point where I need to elaborate on that myself.
Since I was 18 years old, I've been told to vote. I read all the History books and articles about the Suffragists and how Black people fought and died so I can cast a vote. My first time using that right came in 2000 when I prepared to officially prove my maturity by voting in the Presidential Election.
Well, that went to pot...
Not to dive too terribly deep into that, I just didn't get who I voted for. This happened again in 2004, and that marked the beginning of my Voter Frustration. I voted for Harold Ford, Jr...and blast if Corker won! Either way it goes, as a registered voter, I still made my point as my vote was a part of Harold Ford, Jr's tally. I kept reminding myself that I made a difference, even if my candidate didn't win. Yet, I still felt kind of rotten. I have had some people I voted for to win, so I didn't give up.
Fast forward to Memphis right now. We are preparing for what will definitely be one heck of a Mayor's Race. You don't have to look far to realize that a lot of people aren't feeling Mayor Herenton like they used to. The air is sweet with the smell of burning "We Can't Hackett No More" shirts from 1991. The Commercial Appeal broke down the current statistics of those supporting him and those who weren't. I wasn't shocked by what I saw either.
In my previous blog, I made the point of asking Memphians to vote for the candidate who would best serve our city and who had something to bring to the table. I asked the intelligent people of our city to remember that we have to vote for someone, and not against Herenton. I mean, there is no other way to better say that. However, RuralFreeDelivery made me think...what if nobody else is talking about what they can do for Memphis and you truly don't want Herenton?
Honestly, I don't know who I want leading our city. Nobody is talking about anything other than "It's Time for a Change"! So, in saying that, all you are saying (in my opinion) is "Unseat Herenton"! What else are you saying, though? I'm certain there is a candidate who's talking about lowering the crime in the city. However, how are you planning to do that? My opinion is simple, you can make examples of crooks and put them under the jail, but if the policeman involved is in cahoots with the crooks..man, I went there again. Anyhoo, I want all candidates to tell what they plan to do for us. Don't capitalize on people asking Mayor Herenton "What Have You Done For Me Lately", jump into the "Ring of Fire" and impress Memphians. Anyone who's lived here longer than a year knows we need some improvement, so what do the candidates plan to fix?
If they don't speak sooner, then we'll have a bigger dilemma. If people take my advice and vote for the better person, but don't know what who the better person is, we may face the lowest voter turnout in Memphis history. I guess that'll be the ultimate example of silence being golden. No new candidate gets my vote because they aren't Herenton. They have to earn it.
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