Macon-Bibb sleepwalks toward its 2016 elections

Election day for roughly 30 state and local offices that will govern Macon-Bibb County's affairs through the year 2020 is Tuesday, May 24. Are you registered to vote, will you vote or do you even care? Do you know what the issues are and how they affect you, your family and community? Do you know who's running for office and what their priorities are? Have you considered that most of our leaders have no opposition and whether they truly represent your best interests? Have you considered what your best options are as a voter, a community stakeholder, or are you depending on the newspaper, TV or some political group to tell you how to vote? Do you know where to vote, or do you even care?

If you don't care and don't intend to vote, it's not by accident. You've been programmed that way. It's the puppet master's game. Either our votes don't count or you're convinced that it's useless to vote. If you don't know what's going on, it's no accident. You've been programmed to be distracted. Only those who seek out the truth, the facts and are alert enough to take charge of their community can even hope to win this game.

Macon-Bibb County is saddled with a mayor leading four state legislators; Robert Reichert, Reps. Allen Peake, Bubber Epps, Robert Dickey and John Kennedy, who at his behest, have a taken a collective initiative to minimize voter turnout, especially black voter participation, with Macon-Bibb County being over 60 percent black. That's why they unanimously refused to move the 2016 election from its odd May 24th date back to its normal time in November as local voters are used to in a presidential election year.

As our local representatives they should be ashamed. Peake said everyone knew when the new election date is. Not true. Epps said locals approved of consolidation's giving the mayor power to unaccountably oust employees with no chance for appeal. Not true. Nearly half of Macon-Bibb voted against consolidation and most knew little of what it would be like. We are now stuck with a rushed, awkwardly timed local election, confusingly and inconveniently separate from the November presidential election, which reduces chances for voter awareness on issues and will likely weaken the already feeble participation of local voters.

Thousands are unclear about candidates, issues, the track records of standing leaders and the impact of proposed ballot issues. Voting precincts have been reduced. The U.S. Voting Rights Act was nullified in 2014. Many are disillusioned, apathetic — and apathy is an emotion very close to death. Macon-Bibb's black voters especially, are scattered, disunited, ineffective and appearing nearly dead, waiting to be plowed over and seeded, with more lies, illusions, money manipulation, economic exploitation, race disparity, neglect and oppression.

Few incumbents have opposition because the people have surrendered to an enemy that erases their heritage, disrespects their struggles, foments poverty and smiles empty promises laced with deception and helplessness for the youth. If I'm wrong, you will have to prove it by your actions. Otherwise we will find Macon-Bibb County's people continuing to look up from the bottom of a sinking hole.

George Fadil Muhammad is a resident of Macon-Bibb County.

This story was originally published April 16, 2016 at 7:36 PM with the headline "Macon-Bibb sleepwalks toward its 2016 elections ."