November Third

Don't Talk About It, Be About It

In the short time this site has been around I've gotten some very insightful comments from readers. Thank you for the interest and support. But, here's my pitch to those people- why comment when you can post? Come air out your social and political ying-yang with me. Join the November Third Movement!

Email me if you're interested in blogging on this site. It's hiphopblogs@yahoo.com.

In the meantime while we get together, I'll build up those sidelinks to the right with resources for the young revolutionary in training.

Don't Believe The Hype

The popular myth going around is that the youth vote didn't show up this election. David doesn't believe this, and I don't either. The dude in front of at the polls looked 4 years my junior and was rocking conrows in his hair. Plus on my way there I saw Vote or Die shirts being rocked proudly by corner figures in the projects. And most amazing, my fresh off parole older brother checked up on me to make sure I was voting! So don't tell me hip-hop didn't do it's political job this year!

If you still don't believe, check the statistics, doggy.

Matt Taibbi Asks What's the Democrats' Alternative to God?

Just like Davey D, Matt Taibbi blames the Democrats' big loss this year to their own lack of a compelling reason to vote for their candidates. Specifically, he rebukes the party leaders for dismissing the Christian voters who went for Bush not yet offering their own alternative for the hope, community, and love these citizens find in their religious values.

This blog is aimed at political newbies, so the sociology Taibbi is mentioning here may be unfamiliar or confusing to most of my readers. I'll quote just a little from it:

"We blame corporate America for this state of affairs because this ideology of individual acquisitiveness is the religion it naturally preaches. But it's our failure to come up with a competing ideology of getting along that's the real problem. Down south, in those "backward" red states, they vote the way they do because they see this individualistic religion as a creature of the cold, greedy, north, which has chosen to attack the idiocy of the right-wing church rather than admit to its own spiritual unhappiness."

Yikes. There's more and it's really good, so read the whole thing.

His points ring true to me as a registered Democrat with conservative Christian leanings. I always find myself hating the moral and social stances of the liberal candidates I vote for.

Davey D on Hip-hop's Post Election Strategy

Davey D, the unsung godfather of hip-hop blogging tackles the question that created this site- "After the election, where do we go from here?"

He makes a good point that perhaps one failing of the hip-hop vote movement was the weakness of the candidates. Bush was detestable, Kerry was uninspiring, and who's Nader?

Also, perhaps many are giving up too soon. Davey says:

"Was it realistic to expect us to hit a homerun on our first at bat? Was it fair for us to allow ourselves to be put in that position? Conventional wisdom suggests that we look at and build around small, achievable victories versus trying to get it all in one shot."

Sixty minute documentaries would have us believe that the civil rights movement caused quick change, when really it was a long fight that came to a head in the 60's, but had roots way back in the 20's or earlier. We've just begun to get serious. C'mon hip-hop, let's keep fighting.

Word up, Respect, Politic ditto

What's good?

Many of you who voted yesterday are saying to yourselves "Now what?" It's November Third, your guy won or lost, and now you're back at work/school/home wondering when things will change. Or, more importantly, what will you do with that Vote or Die t-shirt you spent 30 bucks on?

Well, I'm thinking the same thing. So this blog is about what's going on politically and socially the day and days after the election when everyone else stops noticing. As I learn, I'll share that with you.

Chuck D asked recently, "Who's keeping score?" I guess I am now. Hollerate if you want to keep score with me.