THE FOX AND THE WOLF By Damon Davis
I can’t remember ever feeling the way I do right now. This time in my life has my stress levels fluctuating up and down, day to day, sometimes minute to minute. A mass of emotions from fear, despair, hope, and grief attack my senses and psyche daily. Everything from police, plagues, government attacks, is out to kill my black ass and at times, I am overwhelmed with the constant tragedy and disinformation in my media feed. On top of all this stress and strain, I have to pay my bills. Even then still, one of the most “significant elections” (or so they say) of my lifetime is on the horizon.
“Vote” is such a loaded word to me. Because it implies that I am taking control of my life, by giving control to another. I am trusting that the person I vote for will have my best interests in mind and therefore implement changes where needed and fight to keep things that protect the greater good. Well, honestly in this election I don’t feel like any of them have my best interests in mind or are really going to change shit on a level that will ever reach me, let alone the folks at the depths of American society. I am honestly jaded by the American election process and how blatantly corrupt and laughably “not-forme” it is. We have a choice between the sitting ruler of the free world who clearly favors the destruction of everything that I love and cherish. Who emboldens domestic terrorists to murder people that want safer and more fruitful lives, and outright would love to exterminate us in the name of “Making America Great Again.” Then on the other side, we got a ticket that represents a slightly slower and softer death and destruction of me and my loved ones. One that says they care about us but, have shown us time and time again, they represent the same system that is killing us every day. So, what do you do when your choices are between bad and worse? Common sense says you pick BAD. Let’s be clear--this election is not about getting what we want and changing the world into the one we want to see. It is about mitigating harm to us and our loved ones. This is a lunch line and the choices are gruall or a happy meal, neither are good for our health as Black people, one is just more appetizing for the moment. Understand we will be fighting the same fights with Republicans as Democrats, just one fight may be easier to win than the other. One wise man said to me the other day,
“We aren’t picking a champion, we are picking an opponent.” So in picking this battle, choose wisely.
BLACK MEN BUILD
2020 26
