Voting and Shopping

Let’s talk about voting first.  By now you know that the midterm election of 2014 was shameful and the lowest turnout since World War II.  Older, white voters, who traditionally support Republicans went to the polls  75% strong.  Turnout among traditionally Democratic groups, the young, the  “minoritized” and women was way down to 12%.  On the local front, there are 1.2 million registered voters in Dallas County.   Only 33% took the time to vote.  I simply do not understand this.  And to be perfectly honest with you, I tried extremely hard to choose another subject for this week’s article, but I simply could not shake the urge to pen thoughts on these “sad statistics”.

Several weeks ago, I read this other  “sad set of statistics”.  New Orleans rakes in more than $200 million from a single annual three-day affair.  It is called the “ superbowl”  of marketing to African American women.  Now, these  statistics are not news.  For instant, African Americans are known are trendsetters.  We exercise religiously more economic  clout in our consumerism.  And it never falls below 50%.  Eighty(80%)percent of African American consumers will tell a friend about a product if they like it or dislike it.  Fifty-nine(59%)percent expect companies with large African American consumer bases to give back to the African American community.  Surprisingly, forty(40%)percent are more likely to use a daily deal app than the other markets.  We spent more than three hours a day on social media and nearly 40% shop online.  I could go on and on.  Of course,  nothing you do is a secret anymore.  It is all in somebody’s fishbowl stored under “disrespect”. 

But the point of this exercise of thoughts is the influence we as African Americans bring to the table and the way we report it to the world.  Reminds me of another piece I read this month from Dr. Willie Jolly, in Washington, D. C., something about a $100 hat on a ten-cent head.   I am unapologetic, because voting was not always free to the African American.  We all owe a debt to our ancestors.  Repeating:  We all. . .  owe a debt.

A new year is a-coming.  We can do better.  

Ester Davis can be reached at 214.376.9000

P.S.    OOOO!! THANKS. . . Mr. President for the masterful nomination of Loretta Lynch as Attorney General.