The Deeper Human Politics of Politics…

The regulars of the barbershop were talking about the elections. One of them said, "The
municipal elections are over for another 4 years."
Another asked, "So what does that mean?"
One of them answered, "Nothing, nothing will change. A lot of us voted for the first time, but
nothing will ever change until there is a community, a tight knit community like every other ethnic group.”
The Barber said, "It was embarrassing to see that guy, Jeremy Searle, run again. He's the guy who was a city councillor in Cote-des-Neiges years ago. When the brothers had a problem with the soccer field – they were getting evicted – they had a meeting with him because he was the councillor in that area at the time, he told them that he was not racist because, “Look, I have a black dog."
Now that he lost somebody should tell him that if black dogs could vote maybe he would’ve won, but it’s people who vote!
Da Professor said, "It's too cold for the brothers and sisters to protest. Brothers will not protest in the cold; they should however go to Anancy restaurant, make a big order of jerk chicken, put posters all over Cote-des-Neiges and NDG, and let everybody know that there will be FREE jerk chicken and a top reggae artist in front of Community CONTACT.”
The protest is against the Community CONTACT for allowing a city councillor whose name is Marvin something-or-other, and who is now responsible for public transit, for taking up all that valuable space in Community CONTACT with his article (opinion). He has never done anything for Blacks as a group, and it doesn’t look like he ever will. [Egbert Gaye, publisher of Community CONTACT, is not really a relative of the late, great singer Marvin Gaye who we all love.] All this Marvin guy (who raises the price of transit fares every year just before the New Year) does is take up valuable space in the Community CONTACT. He must really believe that the brothers and sisters really like him.
Where is Sam Boskey? Sam Boskey likes jerk chicken; he lost one election, but so what? He should’ve come back; he would’ve won again.
New York City has 51 city councillors; Montreal has over 100. We all know that there’s something wrong with this picture.
Welfare Wesley said, "Montreal used to be a first class international city. We hosted the 1976 Olympics, and would you believe the three leading languages in North America are English, Spanish and sign language (thirty 36 million). Canada has only 33 million people. When a tourist or person from out of town rides the metro the public announcements are in French only. Doesn't this City Councillor in charge of public transit know that this is setting the city back?"
The Barber said, "The automated conductor should announce in English and French next stop Lionel Groulx-Oscar Peterson. If you don’t know Oscar Peterson, he was the world famous Jazz pianist born and raised in St. Henri/Little Burgundy. Lionel Groulx wasn't world famous; he was a local priest."
Da Genius said, "Some candidates ran in the Cote-des-Neiges/NDG riding; as usual they didn't win and never will. And if they ever win they will be unable to make a change. The only change possible is if they run as Independents."
Schoolboy said, "If I were running in the election and somebody asked me a question like where do you stand on unemployment? My answer would be... upfront."
There was a chuckle in the barbershop.
Barber #2 asked one of the regulars of the Ways and Means Committee, "How can you win in an election?"
The regular answered, "Knock on every door in the riding and when the door opens I would tell the voter I'm running in the area to get elected. If you elect me I will tell you the truth. As you can see right now by looking at me I am Black, so when I get elected by you, they will not like me at City Hall because they don't want a Black councillor there. Why? There’s too much information and billions of dollars floating around. That's where the power is.
I am retired, or on welfare, or I'm on unemployment, or I have a "jive" job and I want a steady job for 4 years. Once elected, I will be your humble servant. Every two months I will meet with you and tell you everything that is and isn’t going on at City Hall.
Knowledge is power; by bringing that power to the people there is a chance of something changing. If you don't elect me you will deserve what you get: NOTHING except potholes, slum lords, mismanagement at City Hall, no Blacks being hired as civil servants, and no voice at City Hall. I am doing you a favor because I am Independent; I only answer to the people.
Da Professor said, "Blacks don't know how to play the game, and politics is a game. If it was basketball, football or boxing Blacks would be on top of the game. They are observers of politics; they cannot get into the game because they have no community. Politics is big money and Blacks don't want big money.”
Dopey said, "What do Blacks want?"
One of the regulars of the Ways and Means Committee said, "Blacks want things… bling bling veneer, all form no content. They don't want to own a business, they don't want to own a large church that holds over 1000 people, or a regulation recreation center with multi-functional rooms, they don’t want to own a senior citizens home. Like I said before they don't have a [cultural] sense of business.
A prime example of that is the fact that they don't own an Elementary or high school like other ethnic groups. They do not control their own destiny, and this has been going on for over 400 years.
Yvonne Sam wrote, "It's your civic duty to vote." She is right. However, I went to the voting station and it was crowded; I wondered if I was at a KKK rally. The other voters waiting along with me gave me stares as if to say what are you doing here? You’re Black, you’re not supposed to vote.
Years ago in the United States of America Blacks were not allowed to vote. One guy next to me stared at me so hard I asked him if he ever heard of the Tuskegee Experiment endorsed by the U.S government?
He said "No!" I asked him: Did you ever hear of Dr. Charles Drew, Elijah McCoy (the real McCoy)?
He again replied "No!"
I told him Blacks and whites live in different worlds.
He said, "I know Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods, Barack Obama…"
I said you know them, but have you been to their house, or have they been to yours?
Again he replied "No!"
I said granted they are famous but what about the Black family living next door you or across from you have you been to their home?
He said, "No, what's your point?”
I said “My point is simple, white people are 10% of the world population and shrinking... They are hypocrites, brought all diseases to North America, stole the land from the Native Indians and claimed it as their own. Enslaved the Blacks against their will and you have the nerve to say this is your country?”
Stop staring at ME like I DON'T belong."
by Bob White