The Illusion of Voting

By Wanda Young

What happens in a city like Philadelphia under pressure? On the surface there had been panic. Underneath it was still business as usually. The Coronavirus had been a prescription for devastation, depression and death.
West Philly a black community, survival of the streets has always been a way of life. But a forced lock down for three months changed the structure of households, business and politics. Running for office is still controlled by pay to play. How does a person run for a political office when the deck is stacked? The Trump and Biden election, is the worst political nightmare the United States has ever seen. Black lives matter is a question that remains to be answered. While the black vote is economically a financial gain who really benefits? Our identity information is worth gold. No illusion that for over 400 hundred years a race of people are still asking for equality in employment and education. Why?
Is vote by mail, the wisest decision?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Oct 23, 2020
• ISBN: 9781664135468

Wanda Young

Wanda Logan a native of West Philadelphia. Bachelor in Business, business women, entrepreneur, activist, motivational speaker, community leader, helped developed programs such as Career Link & Directed Job Search, TANF placements, over twenty years in employment placement and work ready programs. Book Author, The Weight of a Heart. Ran for political office. Ms. Logan has been in the trenches of that uphill battle in wanting change for her struggling community. Believed, you can’t just seat on the sideline and hope.

Book preview

Copyright © 2020 by Wanda Young.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

Rev. date: 10/21/2020

Xlibris

844-714-8691

www.Xlibris.com

818978

CONTENTS

Time

Pushing Up Daisies

Don’t Bend Over

Priceless, The Buy In

The Coronavirus In Philadelphia

The Mis-Education Of A Black Community

Queen Bee & The Three Amigos

Thief Or Just An Opportunist?

Hostile Limitations

Only, Ten Shades Of Grey

Dark Sunday

Democratic Republican

What Does It Take To Run For Office

Fifty Years Later

The Machine

Freedom Is An Illusion

Politics In The Church

Elections

Divided & Conqueras

40680.png

TIME

40686.png

A N INDEFINITE TOOL that continues as one of the creators greatest gifts. An element we can’t bend or get back. There will be generations of upcoming politicians and leaders the substance of what they are made of, will determine on who is supporting the finance. The future of black communities are at risk in every city. Understand inter- city politics isn’t what you think or maybe it is; you just never said it out loud. Sex, lies, social media, organized crime and even our faith in the church is manipulated.

While so many in leadership have been in silence. Let’s not be blindsided. The base of urban money comes from the state. Philadelphia has made other sources of income like sugar tax, tobacco tax that has served them well. Resources have had limitations when over flowing money was allotted. On one hand the city receives money because it is marketed as a city poor. The other hand the poor is being squeezed out for restructure and gentrification. Think, for a moment have we ever gotten a meaningful legislation that has lasted more than a term from any of our Presidents. Understand for Republicans or Democrats this is a business and if poor people our making money they are out of business.

Don’t get any of this twisted, on a city level the impact of the virus gave management and the government time and the freedom to get away with whatever they wanted.

Is it fair? Time has placed a nation in a very uncomfortable situation. Between the Covid Virus, Politics, the President of the United States election, Black Lives Matter and Vote by Mail.

We have a lot on the plate.

40680.png

PUSHING UP DAISIES

40686.png

T HIS IS THE year 2020, truly it will go down in history like no other year. My name is Wanda Logan, I live in Philadelphia one of the most corrupted cities in the United States. In truth, the days of constitutional rights and democracy are no longer. In the State of Pennsylvania that is a republican state but the jewel of state is Philadelphia which is 97% Democratic. When you look at the fundamental denominators one would assume politics would be clear and cut. Either you’re on one side or the other. This is the number one mistake most of us make, even myself. The brotherhood of the two parties’ also parallel one cannot exist without the other. Both parties have one thing in common, its foundation was built on laws by Caucasian men. During that time the black man was still being sold as a slave. For there to be some kind of balance in all things there has to be new guidelines, rules, laws and extra lanes. Based on the design that is in place, we have to push the agenda of the restructure of America.

As you read this cast of events, there are always three sides to every story the cover-up, the misunderstanding, and the deception. None of which gives clear accountability.

The right to VOTE at one time bought pride to any man or women no matter the persons color. It meant they were a part of something. As the generations passed voting had lost its shine. In many cities the voting process is known to have been tampered with so much so the now millenniums younger generation don’t want to be bothered. As if to say don’t waste my time or I don’t believe it matters. Whether I vote or not. Ask anyone on the streets the most common reply is they are going to put in who they want in anyway. Which is the truth. The occurrence of manipulation of the voting system has always been influenced by financial gain, power and control.

The sixties gave a glimmer of hope, when a movement arouse for civil rights. Today we are still fighting the varied manifestation of oppression. Coming up in my childhood, I was taught the lessons of a man’s voice and his dreams that had given hope to so many the thought of equality to a nation. His vision gave us a start that anything was possible. King wanted more for mankind then they had wanted for themselves.

The world is in a place it’s never been before. For the first time we have come across an airborne virus that has effected all of our lives. This disease Covid -19 shut down the United States and the world for months. My observation from my view. I do believe, people have taken advantage of a nation working under fear. This is chess game at its finest. Step back you may see that the American people have just been prawns’. This will be the third opportunity that I know of in black history that black voices can be heard and yet I see no movement on the leadership level to move that tree that was rooted with division and racial injustice.

Police brutally is finally being addressed, the mass of voices are asking to defund their money. Now, not to rain on any ones parade in some cities it may work but in Philadelphia the police department has an iron clad union contract. We cannot make changes with their money, defunding is not going to happen in Philadelphia. Once upon a time the police department in Philadelphia was seventy percent Italians, Polish and White’s. We have come a long way infiltrating for employment opportunities in this field. There are still some places that this has not changed.

Showing our prejudice judging on a political party instead of dealing with the issue of the person whom is responsible. President Clinton when he was president made the choice to take funding from one source to finance the police department throughout the United States. Before that a past Mayor of Philadelphia Frank Rizzo had given his seal of approval on full force to the police department. Over the years Philadelphia has had a long history of killing and abusing blacks, decades that will not be undone. Over the last few years the police department has made an effort for better relationships in the communities. September 2020 a bill has been past to get rid of the chokehold. Ground work is starting, we can only hope more change in policy to come.

The feeling of anger initiated rallies and protest this year because of senseless, unnecessary black lives taken by police officers is finally on a national level of attention. Justice has been staggering and demoralizing. Believe me, this battle has been constant. This is not new to black neighborhoods. Our hearts get heavy each time our black child steps out the front door.

Long overdue the passing of the law to protect against prejudice in hiring LBGTQ. But the truth this should have been covered under EEO under Title VII Civil Rights Act of 1964 which covered discrimination. Any good lawyer should be able to win his case on this.

This was also the year of getting rid of idol images like the Confederate Flag displayed often as a symbol of pride down South, keeping blacks enslaved. An over sight on how the South was won. As people are pulling down statues like Christopher Columbus and others because they feel offended. I get it. The history books and what was taught in the classrooms had given a different version of the true historical story. How do we redefined all this information?

If you ask any 3rd grader who discovered America? Answer Christopher Columbus. So you see we have much work ahead.

The world is also realizing that the coronavirus has affected our entertainment life. The last play I went to see was Hamilton. The trill and passion of live entertainment and an orchestra cannot be replaced by viral streaming. The sports world is in turmoil, football and basketball had been a ritual like clockwork. As everyone is being pushed to the internet, streaming or virtual is it enough to keep money flowing into this industry. The strangeness of watching a seminar or workshop just doesn’t have the same feel as being there in person. The only convenience is we don’t have to wait in a line.

First dates, will also have a different feel. Easily a sneeze or cough can change the direction of a date. No one is thinking any more about the person just having a cold or an allergy.

A nation voting by mail. I have my own opinion on this. It seriously depends on the city or state of where you live. Forget the hype of Republicans or Democrats or any other party it’s not about this. In a city like Philadelphia that is ran by pay & play or a commission that decides who is in and who’s out. It can be very bad news for the voters.

On the outside it seems like a nation has united on issues of asking for equality of Blacks. This subject has been an ongoing subject from the past to the present. Asking for permission is craze at this point. It’s like asking can you go to the bathroom in your own home. We have to demand the respect that is due us. A little food for thought, we have had foreigners come into the United States and receive funding, grants and investments for their dreams, off of the American tax dollars. Don’t you think everyone deserves the same opportunity? Now, is the time to push the envelope for equality? In the past the movement of Black Lives Matter had only made small footprints and often issues had fallen through the cracks. As the world is healing there is a space and time to permanently fill in the gaps. A lane has opened, what does this mean? Make your way over to it, and gas it.

40680.png

DON’T BEND OVER

40686.png

T HERE WAS NO proper assessment, when a hint of disruption had occurred in the United State. The arrival of the virus was dismissed as an advanced case of the flu. An abundance of bad decisions had been made from Government Leadership in Washington DC. The virus had spread and multiplied like fleas leaving its hatchlings behind. The down play of the virus caused more damage to the United States. Each country has been dealing with this epidemic by the decisions of its own leaders and doctors. The United States broke under pressure not wanting to seem like leadership didn’t know what they were doing. The double talk left a country divided at its worst. Its July 2020, we still have not been able to get on top of not spreading of the virus yet. In fact we haven’t heard about a cure lately. Mid-August over five million has been reported to have contracted this virus, one thirds of this number have died. If we were to get a note from our leadership, if anyone dared to man up. It would go something like this.

Dear Constituents,

We apologize for the misfortune of the virus that has accrued in the country. We are working diligently for a cure for this epidemic. In to many ways it seems to have become a way of life. There will be casualties. Please, accept that people will become sick. We have asked for your help to live by the rules, stay home when possible. So that maybe we can slow down the process. It’s mandatory in most states to wear in public your mask and remain six feet apart. If feeling any symptoms of the virus please restrain yourself from being around others. Voluntary quarantine yourself for fourteen days. Wash your hands often.

Thank you for your assistance in this endeavor.

Sincerely,

Your Government

Right from the beginning we went for the buy in to the slogan we are all in this together. Rich, Poor, Black, Caucasian, Asian, Korean Mexican and Chinese no one was excused or exempt from this party. Far from the truth. The slogan should have been Only the strong survive. The handwriting…Hmm I’m sensing it reads communalism a foot. It is clear that a certain status of people will not be able to recover from this madness. It was just on the news a famous singer’s father had gotten the virus and she sent him a ventilator. Can’t hate her, she could afford to help. A sign of what is to come the haves and the have not’s. The cracks and creases of segregation and gentrification have deepened.

By the time the government lets us legally come out for air. What will the condition of the United States really be? With all the lies and cover-ups will the American people ever know the truth? We have been spoon feed different information on a daily bases that has been pick though. Doesn’t exactly send a message of confidence or hope. My father, 81 this year worked for the Philadelphia Board of Education over forty years. He & his wife retired with all of their benefits. His only concern had been on the outcome of the Obama Care, Congress found a way to keep apart it, but let’s be clear it’s nowhere near what is needed. What is going to happen to people that have no healthcare and no insurance. The talk of abolishment had me wondering what package did this replace many still don’t qualify for the healthcare that is available. Seniors have had their own struggles on this issue. Many have worked their whole life