UC Recap – July 27th – August 1st
July 27 – August 1
Uptown Love in the Time of Coronavirus: We already live in a dictatorship
Listen, I get it. “Already living in a dictatorship” sounds harsh. Needlessly alarmist. Overblown even. But if I may. We are living through an out-of-control pandemic with a near depression walloping the economy and we have a senile and racist mad man in the White House. Said mad man has a compliant and neutered State Media apparatus in Fox News and his popularity among the GOP base is just shy of 100%. The Republican Party has become, in the words of activist and author Tim Wise, a “White Identity Cult.” If that does not give you reason for extreme concern, then you are simply not paying attention. This is a recipe for disaster.
We have never been this polarized and divided as a nation since the Civil War. Yes, in theory, this is still a democracy. And again, yes, in theory, there will be an election this November. But and this is a ginormous BUT, if we care to admit it, we simply don’t know where this is headed. Trump and the dastardly Republican Party are the party currently in power and they will not relinquish that sovereignty without a struggle.
The GOP has, for quite some time now, been busy plotting to disenfranchise people of color with an effective, targeted and comprehensive voter suppression regimen. Oligarchy not democracy is really their thing. Only a Blue Wave will suffice this year. If that Blue Wave fails to materialize then we as a nation are doomed and voter suppression, hatred and xenophobia will have won the day. The American Experiment will be no more. The American Dream will wither to a mere illusion.
Tyrant Trump has already floated the constitutionally illegal idea of “delaying” the election on Twitter of all places. How futuristically fascistic of the Tyrant. Even during the aforementioned Civil War, we didn’t delay an election. But since Trump feels he may lose to Biden; a delay is bandied about ever so flippantly.
Make no mistake about it, we are engaged in an epic battle for the soul of this nation. The future is not guaranteed. It must be fought for. Apathy is not an option. Let’s get it!
Pa’lante, Siempre Pa’lante!
Keep checking us out at www.uptowncollective.com.
Led Black
Editor-in-Chief
The Uptown Collective
The UC’s mission is to become “the” definitive, transformative and community-based force impacting the arts, culture, business and New York City’s overall perception of Upper Manhattan. Its objective is to reset, reboot and positively redefine Uptown’s artistic, political, cultural and business spheres via the online space as well the collective’s initiatives and functions.
