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YOU(th) VOTE! 411
It’s time for a take over! The atmosphere in America is ripe for a revolution, and we’re at the helm! Politics and hip hop have finally merged to create a new voice, and a new generation of you(th) voters that can actually change the course of this country’s history! But before I get all Al Sharp on you, allow me to introduce myself. I’m a compulsively ambitious, politically savvy, irreverently fashionable, hip hop fanatic.
My name is Angel Elliott, and I was born and raised in Baltimore, MD. I’m a journalist for BET News in Washington DC.
Why politics interests me? Because I’m intensely interested in the advancement of my people! We can really influence the laws that affect us, if we educate ourselves on the issues! Even more important for Black folks to do so because, well, we all we got!
This upcoming election is so important. After 8 years of Bush’s Bull, we’ve got to choose the right man, or woman for the job. Everyone’s had enough of being broke, struggling with student loans and having a hard time finding a J-O-B! We have the opportunity to elect someone who’ll change not only the U.S, but the world— Yes we can! (ha!) Besides, who says politics can’t be glamorous and hip? There’s more to Capitol Hill than grey suites, pinstripes and policies; I’m here to break it down! Let’s take a ride, from the streets of B-More, to the steps of the White House… and we’re knocking!
-Angel
What’s up! The two most important things to know about me, TRAVERS JOHNSON, are: 1.) my little brother is, hands down, my FAVORITE person on Earth; and 2.)my parents are the only superheroes I ever pretended to be when I was a child. Other than that, I am:
-A 21-year-old small town guy from Quitman, TX.
-“Trav” to a few, “Big T” to people I grew up with, “Teej” to a couple, and “Travy J.” to my mom.
-Passionate about most things related to mass media, politics, and publishing.
-A believer that music is infinitely powerful, and that there are few things more unifying than the electric slide.
-A recent GRADUATE of Morehouse College! (Hallelujah! lol!)
-Moving to New York City after graduation to work in book publishing.
-Blessed beyond measure, and thankful for both the smooth roads and the rocky paths.
-Excited about the monumental possibilities of the 2008 presidential election.
-Convinced that now is a beautiful time to be young and black in America.
Hey all! My name is Keisha Courtney and I am 23 years old. I was born and raised in Utah. YES there are blacks there and NO I am not part of that “particular” group of people, for those of you who are sure to ask 
I am an outgoing individual who loves to have fun!
Family is number one to me and without them I would not be who I am today. I moved to California when I was 19 to go to school, and for a change of pace. I will be graduating from California State University – Northridge with a degree in Broadcast Journalism and a minor in Gender and Women Studies in May.
This upcoming election is history in the making, and I am excited to see who our new leader will be.
Our country is in a crisis and the next president has a lot of things to do in order to turn our country around.
What’s up ya’ll?! I’m Ashley Slayton, a 22-year-old journalist from Longview, Texas…and I’m a packrat.
I’m absolutely obsessed with creating mementos, which is why I’m so excited about chronicling these elections. We’re experiencing history in the making!
I’m in love with the involvement of our black youth in this process. Actress Keri Washington said “People seem to be realizing their power,” and that realization is nowhere more evident than in our own front yard. As a soon to be alumna at
It’s our time to realize our power and own it!
I THINK THAT AMERICA IS READY FOR A BLACK PRESIDENT. NOT BEING DISRESPECTFUL TO BUSH,BUT AFTER HIM WE’RE READY FOR ANYBODY. REALLY WE NEED SOMEBODY THATS GOING TO DO WHAT THEY ARE SUPPOSE TO DO. LIKE GAS PRICES AND THE WAR THATS GOING ON AND ETC… OUR TROOPS ARE OVER IN IRAQ FIGHTING A POINTLESS WAR. PEOPLE ARE TALKING ABOUT HOW THE TROOPS ARE SUPPOSE TO BE HELPING FREE THE IRAQI PEOPLE WHEN THERE A LOTS OF PEOPLE IN AMERICA THAT NEED HELP. IF AMERICA CAN SEND TROOPS TO IRAQ TO HELP THEM WHY DID IT TAKE SO LONG FOR THE PEOPLE IN NEW ORLEANS TO GET HELP. YES, I DO WANT OBAMA TO WIN. IF I COULD VOTE I WOULD VOTE FOR HIM, AND I’M NOT JUST SAYING THAT BECAUSE I AM BLACK MYSELF. IF OBAMA WINS HE WILL MAKE HISTORY AS THE FIRST BLACK PRESIDENT. THAT’S GREAT IT SHOWS US NO MATTER WHAT COLOR YOU ARE YOU CAN BE ANYTHING YOU WANT. AS A BLACK PERSON I HAVE EXPERIENCED RASICM. PEOPLE DONT WANT US TO MAKE IT, THEY SAY WE ARE NOTHING SO BLACK PEOPLE WHY PROVE THEM RIGHT. WE GOT TO STOP ALL THIS BLACK ON BLACK CRIME AND UNITE AS ONE. GO OBAMA WIN THIS
Hi am De’zhane am 14 and am a student in Detroit In my city we have aloud of crime and no jobs this need to end most people here are losing there job .I think Sen.Obama and help to change that because his vision for the would and end this and people here will have jobs and lower gas price but the most important think is he will end the war !
i want borak obama to win. we need a black president. all these years theres been white men as presidents. barak obama will lower prices of gas, end the war, make the economy better. he will make this country a better place to live. john mckane is to old to be president. hes like 70 or older. he would only make this country worser than it already is. if you hate bush you will hate john because there both the same. john is just another bush.
ma name iz shantel nd i want obama to win.i luv him.obama we need a black presdent.he will make our country better.im not tryin to be races.but he will make a difference in young peoples lives.will have lower gas prices.no more wars nd people dyin.itz time for all the negative things to stop.we need positive things for young children nd adults.
hey im nina from rhode island and obama is a big hit in rhode island . i totally support him at all times all my family supports . He will always support black people because we are his kind i love obama
My name is Tyti and people call me Tyti because they can’t pernounce my name. I am one of many young African American children who are too young to vote, but incourages our friends of older age to register. As a young’n our voices are ignored but I’m here to let America know just cause we are young doesn’t mean we are foolish and we do have an opinion that can help change the WORLD!!
First thing first Mr J.McCain is to damn old to to be tring to run anything the man is older than jesus if we have a cirsis dis dude gone have a damn heart attack i mean he should be his old ass in miami with all the other old people gettng older but on the real TIP Sen Obama would look like he would be a very good president he has good morals and is a good decision maker he looks like the respossible type and wont make no stupid ass decisions like Bush but like he said its time for a change and a good one
I think Borack Obama should win because the united states should be given a chance to work with a black president to see how much he could change in the economical system istead of letting the other culture take over the world
Why does everyone make the fact that Obama is black such a big deal? I’m black too, but is that really such an important aspect to know about him? I think when people are going to vote for president, they will determin their vote between a black and a white president, not a democrat and republican president . People really need to start listening to what these candidates are saying, and what their plans are….. NOT looking at their color of skin. Being black doesn’t determin whether or not they will be a good president. What they believe in will.
I believe that the Black communities need to stick together and let’s get Obama in office. The youth need to help with the votes as well. All youth out their in the world needs to talk to your parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles about voting, because their vote can really make a difference. It’s time for a change!!!! It’s time for black people to take over and show the white communities how to run things!!!!!! The white people are tearing the society down!!!! YOUTH LET’S STICK TOGETHER AND HELP OBAMA WIN THE ELECTION!!!
Your right its not such a big deal that obama is black,the fact of the matter is that he is ready to make a change. Borack Obama is tired of seeing what he sees eveyday in our communities and is ready to make a change. and people need to stop paying so much for gas let’s McAine change the gas prices.
As far as Black candidates go, Obama although having moved deeper into the American Political System in his run for presidency, knows the nature of “the game” of politicians. He is knowledgeable at this point of the reality that “Politics Makes Strange Bedfellows.” Mr. Obama in his position must concede his ethics in the matter of “political expediency,” in order to potentially achieve his ends. In actuality, in 2008, there is no foundation of even a Congressional Base of support for Mr. Obama. His is a reality in which he seriously needs to consider, who in a country of “right wing hawkish politicians” is going to be behind him, should he become president, in terms of strenthening his questionable resolve to actually function in his much hyped up manner, as a “light weight” in a game of heavy racsist hitters?
As you can see Borack Obama is ignoring the racial comments people have brought towards him. he is not letting it get to him at all. He looks at J.Mcain as no wories. Borack understands the situation that we are in and wants to get us out of it. He should at least be given a chance at being president. Look at how far he came to becoming president.I SAY WE GIVE HIM A CHANCE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Is this what we have ??@ to; is this what they die for? Our sisters & mothers rapped & our brothers & fathers killed born & raised as slaves ! ” Jim Crow” divided us & our rights they tried to Deni us & an education they tried to deprive us. Yet still we overcame with black activist like Malcolm X, Dr. King, Harriet Tubmam, & Rosa Parks; they made a change in history and showed us the way. We marched, prayed, sang & fought for our rights & freedom & won or did we?
Now we fight & kill each other, we misuse & abuse one another, we rap and beat our black women. And the world want to say its the medias fault, but i beg to differ it starts at home it starts with you. So I blame our black fathers for not being they, for not telling your daughter they were princesses & not raising your sons to be men. I blame my black mothers for not molding us & showing us the way; instead the streets showed us,pimps mold us & drugs control our everyday thought. Now we have lil ones of our own with tears in their eyes & arms open wide looking up at us as if we were god. Yet we stand here with no knowledge to feed them so the streets is where we lead them. Now my daughter has her PhD. & wants nothing to do with me, while my son see he didn’t make it pass the age of 18 ! So l’ll ask u again Black America did we win ?
See in June 19,1865 free us from slavery, but in that same year they formed the Black Code which took away the right of newly freed slaves. 1870 the 15th Amendment was written giving blacks the right to vote,& Hiram Revels was the 1st Black Senator of Mississippi. May 17,1954 Brown vs. Board of Education declared racial segregation in schools unconstitutional. But in August 1955 it would change our history for Eva, when a 14 year old boy from Chicago was murdered in Money, Mississippi for whistling at a white women his name was Emmett Till. Emmett horrific & senseless death sparked the medias attention when his mother Manie Till Bradley insisted on having an open casket funeral. Manie wanted the world to see what they had done to her only son. Tills death sparked the Black Resistance of the South which later became American Civil Rights Movement. Even after 5 decades, people still are fascinated & troubled by his death, but a lot of people including my self didn’t know how Emmett Till was till a man named David Banner start wearing his name on his shirt. May 10,2004 the Justice Dept. reopened the case of Emmett Till & 2005 Sep.14 the Till Bill was passed by the US Senate to probe old civil rights cases.
History didn’t stop their and it doesn’t stop now, we need to step up and do our part be for we have no history. Wake up Black America !!!! A salve mind don’t make u free! VOTE or DIE
Sincerely, The Untold History of Black America
I NEED HELP !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
the biggest lie ever told is that ex-felons cant vote. this is not true. I have been seriouly trying to get this word out. But i keep hit brick walls. I depends on what state you stay in rather you get and when you do get your right to vote back.
Please get the word out
http://www.aclu.org/votingrights/exoffenders/statelegispolicy2007.html
and
http://www.hrw.org/reports98/vote/usvot98o.htm
I’m allways watching your shows and you show new songs
i live in NC.
&& to me here, there isnt a lot of racist people here, i know there is in otha place not here tho
i have friends of all kind.
some wish clition would have won.
others want obmama to win.
&& jus to let everyone kno dat he is MIXED !
he will b the first half black president !
i been readin some of these comments people leave && i dont understand why some people think dat the white people gonna flip.
i mean come on we live in the 2000 century !
the older gentrations might jus bc they aniit
been rasied like us.
but if u was born and rasied now u aniit gonna think nothing of it
to me i dont see the big deal its for the betta i think.
he black soo he can understand our culture && he got white in em soo he can understand there culture.
&& why is skin color the biggest deal with him.
people need to stop worrying bout what the outside looks like && need to make sure dat who they want in charge of us for the next 4 years && do they match there believes && not bout being the first this && that. yess i want obmama to win beacause first he wants to change the school system around put more money into it && lower prices && stop the war.
thinggs like this should be what your vote is basic on not the outside !
i think we should focuse on the gas, the poor, and all the sick people in the world, instead of nonimportan things like cars, video games, and t.v. Every person that doesn’t care are the people that are making this world even more worse. The drugs, the killing, and everthing in between.Even though im too young to vote i will always listen to the problems. Im a 13 year old girl and i try to do the best to keep this world clean and safe for my brother and family. I try to make my dad recycle. Help the world! I think that Obama would be a great president. I don’t have to be Black to think that Obama would be a good president. I’m a 13 year old Mexican girl and i’m proud of who i am. And remember “Vote or Die.” Please make sure your family are voting right. Don’t be races. Save the world = Saving your futur,yourself,and your family. Love = Peace!
I think that this election is the most important election ever. Obama can make American history people. Yo, Martin Luther Kind Jr. risk is life for us black people. HE LITERALLY RISK HIS LIFE FOR US!!!!!….HE DIED FOR US!!!!…TO HAVE FREEDOM AND TO HAVE RIGHTS…Now we have a chance to put a BLACK man on top, you people are just going to let him fall. Are you kidding me?? he is a BLACK man and not only that, but he’s a BLACK MAN with the name BARACK HOUSAINE OBAMA!!! I mean no doubt about it…my vote is to the black man! And this isn’t Racism…NO!!..this is about keeping the Dream alive, and now that I have a chance to put a BLACK man in the White House, I’m most definetely going to do this!!!! no question about it!!
BARACK OBAMA ALL THE WAY!!!!!!
If black people didn’t commit so much crime in America they wouldn’t be arrested so often. Teach your kids to get an education, work hard and stop committing so much crime. Black men aged 20 – 30 make up 85% of the violent crime in America. That’s why the jails are so full of young black men. And don’t think that Obama is going to be your savior. Get an education about how the government works and you will know that he can’t help just blacks. Obama is 50/50 Black/White therefore he is just as much a white man as a black man. He was raised by his WHITE mother and grandparents in Hawaii and went to IVY LEAGUE schools. How many black people went to IVY LEAGUE schools? NONE because blacks aren’t smart enough. Too busy watching music videos and smoking dope. Affirmative action is the only way blacks can go to those schools and take spots meant for more qualified Asians like myself. Asian Americans are model citizens who don’t commit crimes, work very hard, get excellent educations and don’t drink KOOL-AIDE. We worship the Sun and are too smart to believe in God like blacks do. We know that religion is falsehood created by people who don’t know any better. I’m so glad I’m Asian.