Election Results – Be Civil: Look at the numbers, not the headlines. The election is not a landslide, it is not a supermajority and it is certainly not a mandate. There is a 1.8% difference in the presidential popular vote of ballots counted so far; yes counting is still going on. The electoral college votes, such as the system works shows an electoral college landslide. In two recent elections, the candidate that won the popular vote lost the election because of the electoral college. The power of the electoral college is why those swing state were so important. If any of the swing states flipped; the result of the election would have been different. All this is to say, we’re at about a 50/50 split. There is no mandate. However, there is a plea for people to be civil as understandably while people at the very core, want the same thing, the ideas on how to get there are vastly different. No one should be smug in the idea of a majority ideology. Except for maybe black women.
The 92%: 92% of black women voted for Harris. Wednesday, November 6, 2024, I was interviewed by two newspapers, my response some where in the process each time was, I’m tired. Since then, social media has been deluged with black women saying we’re tired. This is why. While the election results left many shocked, dismayed and <add your own reaction here> we, as black women had deja vu. Another case of a highly qualified black woman more passed over for a white male. Black women have had a lifetime of this; the feeling after the election was eerily familiar. The qualified African American female who has spent her life in public service was passed over for a European American male whose criminal record would not allow him to work at McDonalds, let alone the Secret Service or the FBI. He is a racist, a felon, a rapist, and has filed for bankruptcy 6 times. 6!1
Follow the Money: I have become a novice Trumptologist. Bankrupt 6 times! You may have heard 4 times, but it is 6 without differentiating between chapter 7, 11 and 13. His big money came as a reality tv star, The Apprentice (2004- 2015) because contractually, each episode was like a 43 minute commercial that was part of his salary. Now, Trump claims to have made over a half billion from the show. Why this man lies about things that can be easily confirmed is another factor in why he is unfit to lead the country. I digress. He made $214 million. While not the inflated amount of half a billion, $200 million plus as reality star, gave him wealth, power and name recognition. As the tired black woman I am on sabbatical now. Since I’ve lived this, here are a few observations and suggestions on things to consider.
The Response to Blue Bracelets – Don’t: The latest movement for people to signal they voted for Harris is to wear a blue bracelet. That may be a good gesture for comfort, but what does that really do? From this black woman’s perspective, the bracelet symbolizes a group of people who want to fit in with their communities and social circles and discreetly single I am not like everybody else. Consider the American Negro, bereft of the option to go incognito. What do we wear to show the police, I’m not a threat? Well, now you are judged by the color of your skin and assumption rather than the content of your character. It’s rough. Maybe skip the blue bracelets and understand, this is what privilege means; you have an option to discreetly signal your beliefs. Think about black women – we’re 92%; people know how we voted and we’re vulnerable to attack.
Protests: The Montgomery Bus Boycott lasted over 13 months. It started in December of 1955 to protest segregation on buses. It was a planned strategy in which Rosa Parks was first arrested for not sitting in the back of the bus. The point is, this was a strategic plan and people sacrificed and walked for more than a year. The negative economic impact to Montgomery was tangible. The results were integration of public transportation. The con’s, white supremacists retaliated with violence against black people in Montgomery. We were in it for the long game. It would still be another 10 years before the civil rights act of 1965,
Consider the long game and strategy. Any march, protest, t-shirt or social media post may feel good in the short term; but without some long term strategy those actions are just a symbolic gesture and performative nonsense. Here are some actions to consider based on what you value.
Reproductive Rights: If freedom to choose what happens to your body is your concern, if the policy for your state does not protect abortion rights, what can you do? Sign a petition, call a legislator. There are a few discreet minimal effort things you can do. Can you stockpile the morning after pill or abortion pills for those who may need it? Can you remind women who are using period tracker on their phones to stop using and delete?
Education: Agenda 47, Trump’s plan, and Project 2025, the Heritage foundation plan both have a goal to do away with the department of education and funding for public schools. Books Unbanned is a project that gives library ecards to young adults in states with banned books. Your donation to this organization would be appreciated.
Deportation: The newly elected leader has pledged to rid the country of “illegal aliens.” The correct term is undocumented immigrants, but moving on. This plan to do this includes two actions that should raise alarm, deportation camps and denaturalization. Because of denaturalization, US citizens (some of whom legally voted for this man) can be placed in deportation camps because denaturalizations means some people will be stripped of their citizenship. Citizenship is at risk for both parents and their children born in the US. Yes, he call the offspring “anchor babies” and they are at risk of deportation.
When you have this conversation with people, some of who would fall into the potentially deportation group, observe if they tell you they aren’t worried, or that won’t happen. Here is the black woman’s perspective, that explanation or the ability not to have a concern is what we mean by privilege. Stated policy in which you feel protected from either because of wealth, skin color or network makes this a non factor for you. That may be a hard conversation. But more to the point we can get ahead of this by making the phone calls, emailing your representatives and those in legislature and/or signing petitions. But it needs to be now.
Closing Thoughts: Women, skip the 4b. It has not been successful in other countries. Get educated on movements. Watch Eyes on the Prize. EYES ON THE PRIZE tells the definitive story of the civil rights era from the point of view of the ordinary men and women whose extraordinary actions launched a movement that changed the fabric of American life, and embodied a struggle whose reverberations continue to be felt today. It’s available on YouTube. Well it appears the black woman wasn’t hired for the job this time. Y’all figure this out. I’m on black girl sabbatical. Peace out.
1Six Bankruptcies
1991: Trump’s Taj Mahal
1992: First of two Atlantic City casinos owned by Donald Trump.
1992: Second of two Atlantic City casinos owned by Donald Trump.
1992: Trump’s Plaza Hotel in New York City
2004: Trump’s Hotels and Casinos Resorts
2009: Trump’s Entertainment Resorts
Balancing on Unstable Surfaces 
well said.
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Thank you for the reminders. After numbness, comes strategic action. You are so right, we must be in it ‘for the long haul’.
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The long haul, and strategic action. Thank you, as always.
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I love your wisdom Sheila. Here is one I saw driving through a neighborhood on a big whiteboard on the front porch of a home on a busy street, “The biggest challenge of being alive is witnessing the injustice in this world and not allowing it to dim the brightness that is your light.” Something like that. Enjoy the sabbatical, and please come back. Your light is needed.
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