Why I Marched at the Voting Rights March

Though the turn out was far less than what many had expected, perhaps due to the rain and cold weather, the DC Emancipation 2007 Voting Rights March was a huge success by all acclaims.

When asked why I marched, my resounding response is "I march for millions of black men who can not vote!".

On Election Day 2000, nearly 1.4 million voting-age black men - more than one in eight - will be ineligible to cast ballots because of state laws that strip felons of the right to vote.

I am sure that the number of black men in the system are higher now than they were in 2000.

My concern, a few weeks ago, pertaining to the IMUS mess had more to do with the fact that the Rutgers women's basket ball team would allow a white man to so affect them. And, then when I reflected on how many educated black women are so quick to be conditioned to label black men as drug addicts or alcoholics but, "of less value than white men" I had a better understanding of why the words of Imus may have affected them so much.

Since, many have been conditioned to put so much stock in what white men say.

While I have never referred to any woman as a 'bitch' or a 'whore' nor do I disrepect women, many disrespect me and, in most cases, regard me and other black men as 'less than ... ."

I marched for the black men who can not vote.