Tuesday, February 5, 2008

THIS IS A PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT...


LOCATION: PARK SLOPE, BROOKLYN

TIME: THE AFTERNOON

IT'S AROUND 2 OR 3PM. MY BROTHER AND I PROCEED TO GO TO A DINER TO GET SOME MUCH NEEDED GRUB. EARLIER THAT DAY WE MAKE A PLAN TO GO EAT AND THEN GO VOTE TOGETHER. IT WAS IMPORTANT TO BOTH OF US TO DO THIS. THROUGH OUT THE DAY, MANY TIMES WE TALKED ABOUT HOW EXCITED WE WERE TO GO VOTE. WE FINISH OUR BREAKFAST. WE WALK TO 11TH STREET BETWEEN 5TH AND 4TH AVENUE. THE VOTING PLACE HAS CHANGED. WE THEN HAVE TO WALK TO 8TH STREET BETWEEN 5TH AND 6TH AVENUE. WE WALK IN. THE WOMEN ASKS US WHERE WE LIVE. MY BROTHER STATES THE ADDRESS. THE WOMEN TELLS US THAT THIS ISN'T THE RIGHT PLACE FOR US TO VOTE. SHE SAYS THAT WE HAVE TO GO TO PROSPECT AND 7TH AVENUE. THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN A PRETTY FAR WALK, BUT WE WERE DRIVING. THE WOMEN NEVER ASKED MY BROTHERS NAME, WHICH IS THE ONLY WAY THAT SHE WOULD KNOW IF HE WAS REGISTERED. I NOTICED THAT SHE TAG SAID REPUBLICAN ELECT. MY BROTHER LATER TOLD ME THAT HE DIDN'T NOTICE THAT. SHE GIVES MY BROTHER A REFERRAL TO VOTE AT PROSPECT AND 7TH AVENUE. WE LEAVE AND I'M PISSED. THIS FELT ALL WRONG. WHY COULDN'T WE VOTE IN THIS PLACE? WE WALK DOWN THE STREET THAT WE HAD COME FROM AND ASK A FEW OBAMA SUPPORTERS WHY THIS WOMAN TOLD US THAT. WE EXPLAIN TO HER OUR FRUSTRATIONS AT THE SITUATION. A WOMEN COMES UP TO US WHO WORKS FOR THE CAMPAIGN. SHE TELLS US THAT IT WAS WRONG, BUT THAT THE BEST THING FOR US TO DO, IS GO TO PROSPECT AND VOTE. SHE TAKES MY BROTHER PHONE NUMBER, AND TELLS HIM THAT IF THEY GIVE US ANY PROBLEMS TO ASK FOR AND AFFIDAVIT AND IF THAT DOESN'T WORK TO CALL HER, AND SHE WILL CALL UP A LAWYER TO GET THE WHOLE THING SETTLED OUT. THE BALLS ARE ALREADY TURNING IN MY HEAD. IS THIS GOING TO COME TO THAT? ARE WE GOING TO NEED A FUCKING LAWYER JUST TO GO VOTE! AGAIN I WAS PISSED.

WE DRIVE TO PROSPECT. MY BROTHER VOTES. EVERYTHING WORKS OUT FINE. WE LEAVE TO SCHOOL, AND WALK BACK TO THE CAR. ON OUR WAY THERE WE SEE THIS WOMAN AGAIN. SHE TELLS US THAT SHE CAME BACK TO SEE US, AND TO SEE IF EVERYTHING WORKED OUT FINE. SHE TOOK DOWN THE REST OF MY BROTHERS INFORMATION, AND TOLD HIM THAT SHE WAS GOING TO CONTACT THE NEW YORK TIMES, TO TELL THEM ABOUT WHAT HAD HAPPENED.

I THINK THE MORAL OF THIS STORY IS CLEAR. THE ENTIRE ACT OF VOTING IN AMERICA IS BULLSHIT. THERE WAS A WHOLE CONVERATION ABOUT THIS BETWEEN CORNELL WEST, MOS DEF, AND BILL MAHER, ON BILL MAHERS' SHOW.

I LATER RACE HOME, TO HARLEM, SO THAT I WONT MISS THE VOTE. I WALK IN. THEY CANNOT FIND MY NAME ON THE LIST. THEY GIVE ME A PAPER BALLOT, WHICH IS BASICALLY THE SAME AS AN AFFIDAVIT. THEY DON'T ASK ME WHERE I LIVE, OR ANYTHING. THEY JUST LET ME VOTE. SO THAT'S JUST WHAT THE FUCK I DID.

IT'S ALL ABOUT OBAMA BITCHES!

No comments: