America, you have a new President and Vice-President.
Now that the smoke has partially cleared, as Trump continues to sow doubt into the political fabric, we need to address the elephant in the room.
On Saturday, November 7th, 2020, as soon as media outlets began declaring Joe Biden the presumptive President-elect, Black people began to celebrate.
Then they started virtually convulsing like Sister Thelma in church after the Holy Ghost convinces her legs and arms to tremble with joy.
Black Twitter feeds, Facebook and IG posts went HAM with congratulatory posts, random jubilations in metropolitan areas, and even some Black folks openly crying.
Cue the Van Jones crying face meme.
Now, I must admit, the thought of #45 exiting the White House did give me a tickle. However, my emotional lexicon doesn’t recognize over joyously toasting to a win deferred.
You see, we the people of the African-American delegation have been made promises for votes but until January 20th, 2021, they are just words.
In a country where the 40 acres and a mule promised, for the back-breaking work it took to build and sustain a burgeoning colonial experiment, and never fulfilled, pardon my lack of enthusiasm.
It is clear that the Democratic Party believes they are betrothed the African-American vote due to history and not actual deliverables met.
READ MORE: Is How You Vote More Important Than Who You Vote For?
Holding Dems Accountable
When Kamala Harris states in her fated interview with The Grio that, “no, I will not do something just for Black people, no” it should have been an initial signal.
It is easy to browbeat a generation for not exercising their voting rights while encouraging civic engagement. It is easy to extol the virtues of the illustrious late Freedom Fighter, Congressman John Lewis as the reason.
READ MORE: John Lewis’ Legacy Inspired a New Generation of Good Trouble
However, a vote is a symbol of a commitment to a candidate, whom if successful, commits back in return to their supporters. In many aspects, the monetization of that support is seen as the hallmark for a guarantee of interests being a priority during a political Administration.
Sans a strong and unified Black collective, the 2020 race was as Dr. Claude Anderson put it on The Breakfast Club, “a symbolic win.”
But the time for symbols are passed. Now that we have gotten Donald Trump and his bigoted regime out of power, how about revisiting deliverables for Black people.
In states like Pennsylvania, Philly Blacks pushed the Biden-Harris ticket over the hump. In Michigan, Black Detroit voters showed out and delivered Biden the win.
It is clear that Joe Biden and Kamala Harris were the better alteratives, now let’s stop prematurely celebrating and actually demand action items be completed.
The Black delegation collectively thanks Stacey Abrams for what she did in Georgia for voter turnout.
READ MORE: Stacey Abrams Sends Subs To Black folk — ‘We don’t elect saviors’
But that is her job and we must make sure that she also utilizes her role to keep the Biden-Harris ticket focused on domestic issues of race and the disproportions affecting Black people in America.
I know you didn’t ask me to verbally pop all the balloons at the shindig. But I must implore my people to stop the cycle of emotional wins supplanting actual victories.
If we don’t then we will forever live in a state of limbo as the most loyal political bracket to never require anything in return.
The least quid pro quo of any voting block on earth.
The thought of that offends me because I don’t need a savior; just someone in charge of America who is not a liar.
