Vote or die. Did anyone truly understand the concept of the movement? Who was P. Diddy trying to target and why was the participation of voting so strongly emphasized last year as apposed to this year?

The Vote or Die campaign was created to encourage minority youths who were eligible to vote. The purpose of the movement was to teach young adults about the importance of utilizing their right to vote and how the votes of minorities can impact change in America.

According to the article, “Political Participation: Voter Registration,” prepared by members of the International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs (IWGIA), it was reported that in 2000 there were 22.8 million African Americans and 13.2 million Hispanic Americans in the United States. Of those numbers 15.3 million, about 67.5 percent of African Americans and 7.5 million, about 57.3 percent of Hispanic Americans were registered to vote.

2000 was the last year for which detailed demographic statistics were available that examine election participation, so although there is no current data to defend whether or not improvement has been made, we must look at the facts in order to determine who the Vote or Die campaign targeted.

Based on the information provided, the number of minorities registered to vote in the U.S. combined (about 22.8 million) does not surpass the number of non-Hispanic white citizens registered to vote in the United States (103.6 million). Therefore, we can easily determine that the target audience for the campaign was probably young Back, Hispanic and Asian/Pacific Islanders.

Contrary to the belief of many, minorities were targeted by Diddy not because we don’t have an interest in politics or because we don’t care about the implement of new laws and policies – since were thought to break them anyway, but simply because many of us consciously choose not to vote. And although it many seem abstract for a group of people who have struggled for this right to choose not to vote, know that there’s reason behind the animosity from minorities towards voting.

For example in a 2002 report by the Federal Election Commission there were 215.5 million total citizens 18 years of age and older in the U.S. Of that number, 168.4 million were registered to vote, however 20.6 million were considered inactive, “meaning they had not recently participated in election voting and in many cases had moved to other jurisdictions [and] each state determines for itself how long an individual may remain on the list of registered voters without voting.” (IWGIA)

And please, don’t misinterpret my animosity towards voting as ignorance to the importance of the struggle and sacrifice that took place in order for me to have the right to vote, but at the same time don’t let yourself become ignorant to the fact that although I legally have the right to vote, I still may be denied the opportunity to be an active voter.

Which brings us to the reason behind voting being so strongly advertised last year as apposed to this year. Because of last year’s efforts, more young adults in America this year are motivated about exercising their right to vote in order to correct this flaw.

We don’t need as much direction as to what actions are important to take in order to see a change in the future at the voting booths. We know how, when and where to register, where to go to find out what will be on the ballots, where to go to find information about how different policies will positively and or negatively affect our political communities and most importantly we know what to expect – and when you know what to expect, you know how to compose a plan for prevention.

The International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs is a federal group that “supports indigenous peoples struggle for human rights, self-determination, right to territory, control of land and resources, cultural integrity and the right to development.” (IWGIA) for more information on minority political participation in the U.S. go towww. IWGIA.com

Talecia Bell can be reached at [email protected]