Opening presents on Christmas day is what I felt when it was announced Biden won the presidential election some three weeks after the November 3, 2020 election. Even though it was not wrapped in a pretty package, it was still what I asked for. My little prayer that Donald Trump would no longer be President was answered. However, it was not without conflict, chaos, and confusion—typical Trump malfeasance turmoil. My prayer should have been more specific. Lord, please let Biden win the election by a landslide. Some extra gifts were also delivered. To those who questioned the significance of voting, this election showed how important your vote is and matters.
Court cases are still being dismissed without warrant while the 45th President is blatantly seeking to have votes thrown out to maintain his current presidential status. What seemed to be an inevitable Biden victory, the race was too close to call on election day. Several states had to recount their votes twice before they could declare an electoral winner and certify the win. Because Trump and some of his Republican allies claim of voter fraud, Georgia has recounted votes three times. Wisconsin was paid three million dollars by the Trump campaign to recount votes in districts that were majority Black. The return on that Wisconsin voter recount yielded Biden an additional 87 votes. Heck of a return on investment for Biden.
Both presidential candidates’ performance in the 2020 election is a mirror of what America really looks like and what the rest of the world now sees. The mirror shows us who voted and how divided this country is when it comes to race and gender. America has the first Black female vice president elected to office. Being the centennial year for women’s suffrage, one might have thought there would have been a tidal wave of white women voters supporting the first female vice president in U.S. history. There was not. In spite of Trump’s record of ingrained prejudice and personal acts toward women, more than half of white women still voted for him, according to exit poll data. They didn’t vote for his policies or his leadership. They voted against having an African American woman in the highest office in the country.
It was the black vote that played a key role in helping Joe Biden win the 2020 presidential election. Many African Americans took advantage of the opportunity to vote early by ballot or in person, even though there was so much voter suppression happening in black communities across state lines. Sorors strolled in unison to vote. Fraternity brothers marched to precincts to vote. Mothers stood in line, holding their babies, waiting for hours to vote. All bold displays of one exercising their constitutional rights. Along with examples of voters having their voices heard and yes, showing voting really does matter.
The polling stats in the manner Black men voted still has me scratching my head. How a president that has been impeached would not denounce white supremacy, who downplayed the coronavirus pandemic, who separated more than 500 children from their parents at the borders, received more votes from Black men and Latino voters than in 2016.
This year’s Christmas gift came just before Thanksgiving, even though Republicans and cronies of Trump have been diligently and unashamedly trying to have votes thrown out in counties that are predominantly black and take my gift back. The strength of the black voter turnout exposed how racism is very overt in this country. It also exposed the power of the black vote.
The Traveler Weekly 