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- Sep 30, 2011
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State Rep. Bruce Franks Jr. explains black Democratic apathy approaching midterms in Missouri
Woman: We have a potential tragedy in Missouri. We could lose a Senate seat. Hawley could win, and McCaskill could lose. She may not be speaking to folks, but we have an opportunity to lose an important seat in the Senate. How can we get folks out to vote for that, understanding that it’s touchy?
Franks: As a black man in a poor black community, how would you express to me the need to vote for Claire McCaskill?
Franks: I understand what you’re saying. I’m going to vote for Claire. I so appreciate this question, but we have folks who don’t come from this particular community and don’t understand the barriers and challenges. They come in and they say, “Listen, we could lose a Senate seat.” And they’re telling us that we can lose a senator that we never knew existed because this person hasn’t shown up in our community. This person hasn’t spoken to our needs.
I was asked this at the Hadley Township meeting. A lady said, “Well, something’s better than nothing.” I said, “Not when you already have nothing.”
Woman: Let me push back. Look at what you are getting with [U.S. Senator Roy] Blunt[R-MO]. You’re getting a lot less with Blunt.
Franks: Can I push back right there? As a black man from a poor black community who voted for Jason Kander, who would vote for Jason Kander any day over Blunt: One thing I can tell you about Roy Blunt is Roy Blunt is the chair of appropriations. He appropriates the federal funding that comes down that funds Youth Build (a program that connects low-income youth with jobs and educational opportunities). The entire Youth Build program. One place Senator Blunt has always fought for and made sure we had funding was Youth Build in St. Louis.
Woman: That’s … he’s giving you crumbs!
Franks: When I’m saving young black lives every day, we can’t consider that crumbs. That’s a whole loaf. What happens is, now we are talking about folks who, chances are, are having trouble voting for Claire. So, her votes on the good stuff, those are crumbs. Her rhetoric, those are crumbs. But when we have tangible things that we are seeing each and every day that are saving young people’s lives, who had no hope, who come from a disenfranchised community, we can’t consider that crumbs.
Why should blacks be motivated to vote for McCaskill? State Rep. Bruce Franks Jr. explains black Democratic apathy approaching midterms in Missouri
I tried to take essential parts of the conversation without taking too much out to break rules. But, it highlights that general feeling of dissatisfaction that many are not paying attention to.
Woman: We have a potential tragedy in Missouri. We could lose a Senate seat. Hawley could win, and McCaskill could lose. She may not be speaking to folks, but we have an opportunity to lose an important seat in the Senate. How can we get folks out to vote for that, understanding that it’s touchy?
Franks: As a black man in a poor black community, how would you express to me the need to vote for Claire McCaskill?
Franks: I understand what you’re saying. I’m going to vote for Claire. I so appreciate this question, but we have folks who don’t come from this particular community and don’t understand the barriers and challenges. They come in and they say, “Listen, we could lose a Senate seat.” And they’re telling us that we can lose a senator that we never knew existed because this person hasn’t shown up in our community. This person hasn’t spoken to our needs.
I was asked this at the Hadley Township meeting. A lady said, “Well, something’s better than nothing.” I said, “Not when you already have nothing.”
Woman: Let me push back. Look at what you are getting with [U.S. Senator Roy] Blunt[R-MO]. You’re getting a lot less with Blunt.
Franks: Can I push back right there? As a black man from a poor black community who voted for Jason Kander, who would vote for Jason Kander any day over Blunt: One thing I can tell you about Roy Blunt is Roy Blunt is the chair of appropriations. He appropriates the federal funding that comes down that funds Youth Build (a program that connects low-income youth with jobs and educational opportunities). The entire Youth Build program. One place Senator Blunt has always fought for and made sure we had funding was Youth Build in St. Louis.
Woman: That’s … he’s giving you crumbs!
Franks: When I’m saving young black lives every day, we can’t consider that crumbs. That’s a whole loaf. What happens is, now we are talking about folks who, chances are, are having trouble voting for Claire. So, her votes on the good stuff, those are crumbs. Her rhetoric, those are crumbs. But when we have tangible things that we are seeing each and every day that are saving young people’s lives, who had no hope, who come from a disenfranchised community, we can’t consider that crumbs.
Why should blacks be motivated to vote for McCaskill? State Rep. Bruce Franks Jr. explains black Democratic apathy approaching midterms in Missouri
I tried to take essential parts of the conversation without taking too much out to break rules. But, it highlights that general feeling of dissatisfaction that many are not paying attention to.
