News Americas, MIAMI, FL, Fri. Oct. 12, 2018: Like millions across the country, I felt I too was the victim of a Devil’s Triangle on Sat. Oct. 6, 2018, with the lifetime confirmation of Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the people’s court – the Supreme Court.
The range of emotions – from absolute violation, anger, sadness and disappointment – were akin to when Donald Trump was shockingly declared the President of these United States in Nov. 2016.
But while that was largely unexpected, we cannot say the same for this confirmation. We knew it was coming as the Republican Party is at a sad point in their history, where they will do anything to ensure they control all levels of government and push their ultra-conservative agenda.
However, as much as I raged, I took comfort in knowing that there is a silver lining in this dark, funnel cloud and it is November 6, 2018 -Election Day!
All of the anger, rage, remonstrations and unhappiness of the past few weeks, along with the disappointment and outrage from Saturday’s vote, must now be turned into fuel to power a blue tsunami this Nov. 6th that must stop the red tide of destruction.
We still have power, power in our vote, and we use it to urgently put some checks and balances back into the branches of government and ensure our Democracy is not turned into a dictatorship that will run roughshod over the rights of immigrants, people of color, women, LGBTQ individuals and the poor.
We must use our vote to take back control of the People’s House and the People’s Court.
All of us, especially black and brown immigrants who have earned the right to vote through naturalization, must use that right come Nov. 6th or risk losing it forever. We cannot afford for one single Democratic or Independent voter to sit this one off on the sidelines. Every single vote count, and we must make all count this Nov. 6th.
If you have not registered to vote, make sure you do by Nov. 12th, if you live in New York. This is the most critical election of our lifetime and it feels like the one lifeline we have left before we are all pushed out into the ocean without a life raft.
Caribbean immigrant voters, who have been known to sit on the sidelines too often and only show up for parties, carnivals and fetes, are especially urged to ensure they use this franchise.
It is why CaribPR Wire has launched a carnival-themed voter education program with creative social media targeted Caribbean-centric messages like: “Lime, Wine, Vote” “Vote Or Your Lime Is History” and “Jam Up The Polls This Nov. 6th.” There are also culturally specific messages including: “Jab Jab To The Polls This Nov. 6th,” “Hot Gyal A Vote,” “Dutty Wine To The Polls This Nov. 6th” and “Ride De Riddim and Vote This Nov. 6th.” There is also a unique message for Haitian voters – “Bondye Fe San Di” or “God Acts And Doesn’t Talk.” The messages can accessed on CaribPR’s Facebook page here.
This is the most critical election of our life-time as immigrants in this country, especially given the anti-immigrant policies being put in place by this administration.
With the Supreme Court now tilted completely in favor of the current ruling party, every single anti-immigration program that has been overturned by federal court judges at the state level could be appealed at the Supreme Court and reinstituted.
That includes DACA, the Flores amendment and even the recent provisional TPS victory for Haitians, Sudanese and some Central Americans from last week. And that’s just barely scratching the surface on the immigration front.
This Nov. 6th is D-Day for us as immigrants and people of color in these United States. Let’s vote blue like our lives depended on it because it does!
The writer is CMO at Hard Beat Communications, Inc. which owns the brands: NewsAmericasNow, CaribPRWire and InvestCaribbeanNow.
