Lupe Fiasco
Lupe Fiasco for President!
-A Message to the Voters/Non-Voters-
With the Presidential
Election underway I've come in contact with many People who don't Vote and
aren't involved in the Political Process. Cool. I definately understand how they think. What I don't agree with is the apathy that accompanies non
participation. In otherwords, although they can give you a laundry list of reasons why
they don't Vote and aren't involved in the Political Process, rarely do they
share even a few concrete, practical alternatives to not Voting or not being
involved in the Political Process. It always leaves me wondering just how much
thought they really put into Politics (The Science of Power) and the
Political Process itself. It also leaves me wondering about their concern for the many People who actually share their sentiments... Without
having any concrete, practical alternatives to an Ideology, Program or Political Structure we don't support, we consequently support
that Ideology, Program or Political Structure by default. For example, if we don't support Public Schools because we claim
they suppor the misducation of our youth yet aren't providing viable alternatives
such as Charter Schools, Home Schools, GED Program and etc., then we're
apathetically supporting the same system of miseducation we accuse the Public
Schools of promoting because we ourselves have nothing to offer. Therefore, the
youth are left to stay in Public School or drop out and fend for themselves. I
can't speak for you b.u.t. I don't think those are very good alternatives.
The above paragraph
exemplifies a common non-participatory approach I cee many People take towards 'unsolving' the
problems we face. We often have a various creative ways of critiquing problems,
pointing out flaws and articulating why we aren't going to support something
yet invest little thought, time, finances and etc. in providing actual solutions. The
next time you hear somebody explaining why they don't do something or support a
certain program, ask them what do they suggest as an alternative. More often than not, you and they'll
be surprised what they actually come up with. What you will find, in most cases,
is that they never even put much thought into doing something about it beyond
words. This sheds light on a greater problem than the ones you heard them
pointing out in the first place.
One of the lessons
I've learned growing up and that was reinforced through gaining Knowledge of
Self is that it's not enough to point out a problem without striving to provide
a solution. Growing up in a household with six siblings we were all responsible
for taking responsibility and playing our part. There was always work to do and
playing the 'blame sombody else game' didn't allow us to get the work done. Yes
we tried and were usually unsuccessful. In order for our family to operate with some
basic level of efficiency we all had to pitch in and help -whether that was doing
dishes, dusting or have a sock party (where we'd all sit down and match the
washed socks). Likewise, in order for our communities, cities, counties, regions and states to operate with some basic level of efficiency we all have to pitch in and help too. Me and my siblings weren't allowed to get away with pointing out
a problem and not striving to do something about it or not being held accountable
for helping solve it. I couldn't imagine my Ole Earth or Ole Dad running around to put
out brush fires, and there were alot, everytime one of us ran to them about a
problem. Wisely they delegated responsibility to us by age and taught us to develop
problem solving skills to address these issues ourselves. I'm thankful I got it
and learned to further develop this strategy towards Life as I've grown and
developed. I'm sure that many of us didn't grow up in this way and possibly the
'blame somebody else game' was a way of life in our household, yet that doesn't
sentence us to a life of irresponsibility. As Adults we have a choice and if a
philosophy or approach towards Life isn't working out for us we have the power
to change that.
I would like to make
a few suggestions to those of us who aren't voting in the upcoming Presidential
Election or who aren't involved in the Poltitical Process as a whole. First and
foremost it's important to recognize that your non-participation makes you an
unwilling participant by default. You're still subject to all of the Governmental Policies and Procedures that are enforced on
a National, Regional and Local Level. To simply choose to have no say (voice)
or opt out in how these Policies and Procedures are drafted, implemented and
enforced on a National, Regional and Local Level doesn't mean that you, your
family, your community and your place of employment won't be affected by these
Policies and Procedures. As a matter of fact, to choose to have no say (voice)
translates into your 100% approval. If we don't approve then surely we should be
willing and able to provide some concrete, practical alternatives that we approve through participation. If we haven't come up with anything
we actually do or we can encourage others to do, then we're doing ourselves and
others an injustice by having nothing to offer b.u.t. words. Keep in Mind that
if it really came down to it People will drink mop water if there's nothing
there for them to drink... So this is what I suggest to those who don't Vote or aren't involved in the Political Process:
1.) Do something
about it. If you're not Voting or involving yourself in the Political Process
then come up with some practical alternatives. When I say "practical
alternatives" I'm talking about concrete activities People can engage in
right now that will help empower them in a way that Government is supposed to.
I'm talking about practices that can be implemented amongst those who share the
same sentiments on a daily basis that serves the needs of the People. If you
don't agree with the Governments Policies towards funding Arts Programs then do
something about it by establishing an Arts Program or committing yourself to
helping financially support Arts Programs.
2.) Network with
those who share your sentiments. Network doesn't mean get together and vent,
trade conspiracy theories or beat up on Fox News about what's going on in this
Society. You're intelligence and their intelligence equals a whole lot of
intellectual compacity to either change the System as we know it or set up your
own. If that's not the reasoning or goal for why your congregating with
eachother then what's the point? Personally I and many others may agree with
many of your thoughts about Politics and the Poltitical Process b.u.t. simply
because we got together and didn't do anything above and beyond talking, we
feel no more inspired, educated or empowered about the future than before we
met.
3.) If you're not
actually doing anything about it then save your time and breath. I didn't say
"going to do" something, I specifically said "doing" something. In my short lifetime I've been to many meetings to meet about something to plan
another meeting about what we need to meet about. Years, Months and Days later
nothing has changed and the same concerns exist. A simple rule I've learned to
follow is that if I don't have anything to offer than I don't have anything to
offer. Make sense? In otherwords, if I'm not in the position where I know for a
fact that I can get someone employed, I'm not going to have a long discussion
about how a person needs to stop hustling or sitting around not working. Usually THE
FIRST THING People who are in positions will say is, "I don't have a choice" (there aren't any
alternatives). And if you can't provide any alternatives then you are simply a
part of the problem. I know you mean well and don't cee yourself that way
b.u.t. that's what you actually are. Hey, you may be able to get them a
job at Burger King which ain't equal to the paper they make on the
block b.u.t. at least it's some thing. Something they probably won't have to always look
over their shoulder, over the counter or through the drive thru to do. If
anything, they'll at least recognize that you cared enough to provide an
alternative for them beyond a mini lecture and you never know, they may follow you up on that!
In closing I just
wnat to emphasize the importance of being Proactive. Regardless if you choose
to Vote and be involved in the Political Process or not, we all need to play a
positive and productive role in our families and places where we live
(communities) to ensure that it's a better place for us, our children and our
elders. There are many things we share in common and take a vested interest in
regardless of our Political or Non-Political stances and it often takes a shift
in our Geopolitical landscape (Hurricane Sandy) to cee this and work together.
So regardless who gets elected as the President of the United States, lets
at least agree to commit ourselves to being Presidential in our families and
communities. Lets at the very least agree to take more responsibility and be accountable for the
change we desire to cee, not simply in words b.u.t. in deeds!
Peace,
Saladin