Written by Tanya Free   

This year’s presidential campaign has been dubbed by some in the media as the campaign about nothing. With all of the issues in need of attention, many of them specific to the African American community, it appears that the safe road to the White House is to focus on negative ads and weapons of mass distraction in the nine key states.Recent distractions have seen us debate Joe Biden and his talk of “putting us back in chains,” Todd Akins theories of “legitimate and illegitimate rape” and a woman’s ability to shut down an unwanted pregnancy. Mitt Romney‘s religion, tax returns, and views on abortion are all off limits and questioning President Obama’s commitment to a Black agenda is a taboo worthy of banishment from the Democratic Party. Any talk of a third party is considered blasphemous and challenging our candidate or political party of choice is somehow unpatriotic. The cable news channels play the distraction game 24/7 to gain access to candidates while subjecting us to whatever the party surrogates decide to serve up as their daily playlist of attack sound bites and innuendo. All the while, Super PACS, with their unlimited resources flood the airwaves with their fabricated versions of mass distraction. If we fail to challenge our candidates to address issues of substance, we are destined to be no better off four years from now. We have an opportunity on a local and national level to force these politicians to truly earn our vote. We must no longer allow ourselves to feel guilty for lobbying on our own behalf. The old adage that when America catches a cold, African Americans get pneumonia is still true.Will we demand a new tomorrow or will we sit idly by watching the weapons of mass distraction on TV for the next four years? Tune in!Live Life With A Purpose!