Am I the only one that sees the cycle repeating itself? After the Civil War the United States passed the first Civil Rights act in 1866. That Civil Rights act ushered in reconstruction. During reconstruction blacks experienced a level of social progress that they had never known. It included a period that saw more black politicians than anyone had ever expected. That period lasted until 1877. In the 1876 Presidential election there was an intense dispute about who had actually won the race. The dispute led to the 1877 compromise which awarded the Presidency to Rutherford B. Hayes on the condition that the Reconstruction end in the South and troops be removed. The period of progress for blacks had come to an end.
Once Reconstruction ended it was followed by the introductions of black codes and later Jim Crow. In effect the South found a way to bring back slavery without calling it slavery.
That was then this is now. In 1964 and 1965 under LBJ the 1964 Civil Rights act and the 1965 Voting Rights Act were passed. They were the culmination of the Civil Rights movement of the 40’s and 50’s. These two acts resulted in a new period of reconstruction. Like the period of Reconstruction in the 1800’s the new period lasted until about 12 years. Reagans Presidency was the beginning of the countries retreat on the promises of the 1964 Civil Rights act and the 1965 voting rights act. The more things change the more they stay the same.
It appears that progress for black people in America is in a circular loop rather than a straight line. We find ourselves once again waiting for the nation to protect our voting rights from a full scale assault from the alt-right.
Here’s the thing, there’s a saying that goes fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me. Black people are catching on to the bait and switch. President Biden and the Democrats have an opportunity to break the cycle by passing a comprehensive voting rights bill. If the fail the jig is up and they end up screwing themselves. They can’t afford to not have every eligible voter at the polls in November of 2022. If they lose in 2022 election politics is done in the United States. Bottomline the Democrats need to get their act together if they want to have any chance of remaining relevant.
We’re living in a closed loop, it’s time to break out.
Think!!
Eyes Wide 👀 👁 Open!!!