April 1, 2021 | BY PETE MCDANIEL
I have not read Georgia’s new voting law, but I have paid close attention to the reporting on it. That said, Georgia Governor Brian Kemp and his minions in the General Assembly should have surprised no one by their insidious re-write of the state’s voting law. Isn’t Kemp the same politician accused of cheating Stacey Abrams out of becoming the state’s first female and African American governor during the heated election three years ago?
He appears of dubious character at best and certainly not above revenge politics.
Why would the guy languishing in the comfort of the governor’s mansion seek revenge? The answer is rooted in the aftermath of the 2020 election in which a coalition led by Abrams did the unthinkable: flipped the great state of Georgia from red to blue; Republican to Democrat. In both the presidential and senatorial races no less.
The big flip left Kemp and his fellow Republicans red-faced and hellbent on performing a graceless backflip restricting the participation of non-white voters in future elections.
Even good samaritans are shackled by the new law, signed in private behind the closed doors of the governor’s office while State Representative Park Cannon futilely knocked which resulted in a handcuffing, arrest and a pair of felony charges.
This is America? Apparently so.
We should have anticipated the Republicans’ reaction to such a humiliating defeat. Abrams warned us not to get drunk on success but to remain vigilant because the war endures despite a couple of battles won.
Hers wasn’t prophesy but a thorough understanding of the lengths to which the opposition would go to make their America great again.
Back to the good samaritans: Reportedly, among the most blatant suppressive elements in the new law is one that makes it illegal for members of the public to provide food and water to voters lined up at the polls. How asinine is that?
The good governor believes that one can persuade an undecided voter to vote their choice by handing out refreshments and a snack. A fifth of Jack and a gift card to Outback maybe, but not bottled water and a pack of peanut butter crackers.
The voters I know aren’t cheap tricks.
Sorry, I couldn’t resist. Admittedly, it’s not a laughing matter, but this situation is so incredibly absurd that I must laugh to keep from crying or cursing or worse.
What do we preservers of the voting rights protected by the constitution do about Georgia and a whole slew of other states following Georgia’s lead? There are choices, but we must act. We can not sleep on this egregious attempt to further disenfranchise us. Those heroic souls who were beaten, maimed and murdered for our right to vote deserve action.
Some of us are focused not on red or blue but on green, as in the purchasing power of people of color. The plan is to force corporations to speak out against the new law or face a backlash through boycotts aimed at negatively impacting those corporations’ bottom lines.
Another group is calling for the Masters, scheduled next week in Augusta, to be moved from Georgia. Additionally, the group has suggested that Major League Baseball relocate the All-Star Game, slated for July 13 in Cobb County outside Atlanta, away from Georgia.
The pros and cons of both proposals are obvious: A major financial hit on two of the biggest revenue producing events in the state and a political statement guaranteed to get the attention of policymakers at the state capitol.
First the Masters. To my knowledge, the Masters Tournament Committee is an autonomous body that answers to no one; not the PGA Tour nor any other ruling body of golf. It is immoveable, unshakeable and completely impervious to boycotts. Women’s rights activist Martha Burk discovered the harsh reality of the Masters position at golf’s head table. That Augusta National eventually allowed women to become members was more of a concession to tokenism inspired by the controversy in1990 at Shoal Creek CC in Birmingham, Al., than a concession to political and social correctness.
As for the players, none will refuse to play in the season’s first major championship. It’s almost unfair to ask them not to play. You won’t find any Muhammad Alis or Curt Floods wearing soft spikes and polo shirts inside the ropes of a professional golf tournament.
Golf history tips its hat to the victor not the most patriotic.
The Masters ain’t leaving Augusta. Not in our lifetime anyway.
Major League Baseball ownership, and that of all other professional sports, for that matter, is replete with billionaires; among the most conservative ilk in this country. My guess is that they’re not unhappy with the developments in Georgia and elsewhere; certainly not unhappy enough to move the All-Star Game.
I do, however, like the idea of a boycott and support the efforts of a group of Black businessmen who are pressuring corporate leaders to speak out against the new law in Georgia and the other 240-something proposed bills across the country that would restrict voting. I will participate in the boycott of major corporations doing business in Georgia, which begins on Friday, April 2.
Organizers are asking supporters to boycott all national and international companies headquartered in Georgia as of the signing date of Kemp’s new suppression law. To avoid purchasing gasoline on Friday, fill up on Thursday, April 1. Don’t purchase a ticket for any flights in or out of Hartsfield International Airport, especially on Delta Airlines. Boycott the following corporations: Home Depot, ACE Hardware, Chick-fil-A and Coca-Cola.
As a transplanted resident of Georgia, I plan to re-examine my spending priorities to reflect my dissatisfaction with the new law. I just might boycott all of the above and urge others to do the same for an extended period.
Remember: Green is the only color that matters to the rich and powerful.
ABOUT PETE McDANIEL
Pete McDaniel is a veteran golf writer and best-selling author. His blogs and books are available at petemcdaniel.com. Comments on this blog may be emailed directly to Pete at gdmcd@aol.com or visit his Facebook page.
