"We did it, Joe. We did it. You're going to be the next President of the United States. Haha"
After a long four days, fingers rusting slowly from counting the votes, "history" was made: Biden is the now 46th President, with Kamala Harris as his first female, minority Vice President. The huge scenery of people flooding the streets, homes, and other places to celebrate the successful biding of these candidates, but there are some things I want to ask: Do you really believe that history is being made by this election, or is history repeating itself? Also, why are we celebrating the two candidates who we know are not the best as well? They were the lesser good over evil.
I get it. Most people wanted Trump out of office. Some people liked both Biden and Harris's platform. But if we look closely, Biden and Trump have similarities of their controversial past, while Harris has some explanation and fixing to do. All three made a living in America while Black ten times harder. No one is perfect. Everyone has their mistakes, but these mistakes lead by Biden, and Harris met another whole ordeal. We mustn't get distracted by the fact Trump will be packing his bags. Instead, we need to focus and put energy towards our new elects to make sure they establish some changes and fix the issues they have caused over the years before this election.
This is why I ask why we are celebrating. This is why I ask do you believe history is made with this election. Instead, we should celebrate the force that we, as an American people, are about to demand positive reinforcement in this country. We should celebrate those who got elected for other portions of the campaign. Most importantly, we should celebrate those who contributed the most to this election: Black people. Black voters have been known as the most reliable voting bloc since the beginning. Having the Black vote is just another way to exceed in the polls.
There is a ton of work to do. Let me jump into it. It is okay for us to enjoy the moment of a man being elected who has been in politics all his life, instead of someone who is not a normal political opponent that has ignored the pandemic and refused to do his job. It is okay for us to enjoy the historical moment of a Black and Asian American woman attached to the majority presidential party and now winning as Vice President. However, we have to look into the gap. The gap that I am referring to is the Black gender gap. This election not only affects Black people for the near future, but it also has a trickle-down effect of trauma that both Biden and Harris has caused.
The gender gap of Black people in this election was shot through the roof. Black women overwhelmingly voted for Biden (about 91%), but you can see the gap between Black women and men. Why is that? Let me elaborate. There have been concerns about this election, especially by Black men, due to Biden and Harris's resurfaced information. Specifically, their backstories of policing and mass incarceration targeted at Black males. Some Black men have specified that they will not vote for a Black woman married to a white man-even, a white male officer. Some men have a strong dislike for Biden because of what he has built: the expert of modern incarceration.
Biden has been known to build things for the wrong, biased reasons and not deconstruct them. One of his constructions was the 1994 Crime Bill that disproportionately impacted minority families where fathers and mothers had to spend excessive time in jail facilities. This bill had a goal of increasing prison time and sentences given to those-majority Black males. The Biden Crime Bill was never forgotten as a gateway for African Americans, referred to as super predators, to enter the injustice system. Biden helped build this system.
Harris's background as a prosecutor has caused damage as well for those in the Black community. For years it has been known that Harris sent Black men to prison for decades for low-level drug offenses. The sheet of her career was built on harsh punishments predominantly towards Black people.
Although this gap shows distinctive differences between Black male and female voters, they are still the same people most impacted by police violence, brutality, and mass incarceration. However, they still voted both Biden and Harris into office.
Just by this information resurfaced, we can somewhat agree that this election was a loss loose. However, Biden and Harris are more than aware of their problems in Black citizens' lives. There is a deeper awareness that needs to be celebrated of voting for this election, Black people. Black voters saved Biden's political career and humbled Harris.
With both Biden and Harris, we can see the past deviant behavior being brought to the light, usually excused by those in a higher power. Biden utilizes his elitism to get the American vote. More specifically, the Black vote. Why is this? He is now 77 years old, aware of his issues, and wants to make changes. Harris is now more aware of her past problems and wants to fix them as well. Although we can see disparities between Harris being a person of color and Biden as a white, rich male, we can still see this idea of social control for both.
Voting for them was already an established external means of social control. They now have the means to make changes for the American people and plan for justice for Black people. As the President and Vice President of the United States, these positions hold social control despite the backlash. Since their means of social control in the past was to perpetuate violence and oppression against Black people, it is safe to say now is the time for them to rise to the occasion and fix what and who they have broken.
Clearly, we can see the true winners of this election are Black people and their contribution to the votes, despite the gap. So, why not celebrate that win?
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