Reel Urban News Op-Ed
By Darrell L. Williams, Ph.D., U.S. Senate Candidate, Wisconsin
The Struggle Continues! As I reflect on one of the greatest American Holidays for Blacks, Juneteenth, I am reminded of those slaves who sat by the Pot Belly Stove 12/31/1863 (January 1, 1863) waiting for the Emancipation of Proclamation telegraph from President Abraham Lincoln that all Slaves were FREE. Unfortunately, they did not have the technology as we know it today. Slaves in the South were Free in 1863 but Slaves in Texas did not receive the telegraph until June 19, 1865. For 2 ½ years later their Freedom and Liberty were suppressed because this vital information was used to capitalize off of their free labor. That is what suppression and oppression is all about.
Over 50 years ago women’s rights were won ‘fair and square’ to vote and have the rights to make a choice about their own bodies. Long before the Supreme Court Justice official ruling to over throw Roe v Wade, their decision had already been leaked that they were suppressing the voices of women in America.
More recently, Senator Ron Johnson unapologetically refused to believe that President Biden won the election. Instead he still believes the election was “STOLEN” and falsely accused America’s electoral process including denying the integrity of the Wisconsin’s Voters Electoral Commission.
This is why I am writing this article about voter suppression. As you know, this is the election for Wisconsin’s next United States Senator. We were all informed that the Wisconsin criteria for candidacy is the same, 2,000 valid signatures to appear on the ballot….which provides clear evidence of constituent support. Despite meeting the guidelines and criteria set by the state to be on the ballot, recently, WTMJ4 (According to the media outlets official website, WTMJ4 is an affiliate of NBC and owned by Scripps Broadcasting Holdings, LLC.) took the liberty to implement new criteria that suppresses the voices of some Candidates by denying them from being a part of the highly anticipated first televised U.S. Senate debate. These actions prevent voters in Wisconsin from making an informed decision about who they want to elect. This is simply not right!
I am very disturbed by the recent criteria to be a part of the first televised Senate Debate. The problem is the Candidate must have over 5000 individual donations to their campaign or have a ranking of 5% or more in the Marquette Poll by June 30th. More problematic was the fact that I and three other candidates were informed of this on June 21st. It is beyond unacceptable for WTMJ4 to inform 4 candidates of this criteria at the last minute. This is despite the fact that the same Marquette Poll mentioned over 48% of the voters were unsure and did not know enough about the candidates to make an informed decision on who to vote for in the upcoming U.S. Senate election. Hmmm! And we wonder why people are suspicious about one of the oldest and most dignified privileges in our country, ‘voting’, because of these unethical practices.
I am asking WTMJ4 to include me, and all candidates in the televised debate. I believe in bringing people together and hearing their voices so the people can make an informed decision. This criteria exemplifies the disparities that this nation faces. The criteria clearly discourages those candidates that represent communities of lower economic status as well as classism. This criteria only benefits those who are wealthy. My voice and those on the ballot should be heard and not silenced! Wisconsinites should not be left uninformed by criteria that keeps the faces and voices of all candidates who are on the ballot from being part of the televised debate!
I find it peculiar that I received this email on Tuesday, June 21st only upon my own inquiry and request after hearing of this criteria third hand. Yet, I understand that the debate criteria was sent to 4 other candidates last month (May 19th). The criteria of getting 5000 individual donations is unreasonable, especially after ‘just’ being made aware of this requirement. The State gives you 45 days to collect 2000 signatures to get on the ballot. I find it odd that WTMJ4 would develop criteria that circumvent candidates who met the criteria to be on the ballot set by the State of Wisconsin.
It is clear that this action is intended to provide 4 candidates with a substantial advantage to boost their visibility and ratings in the public eye. Not only is this malicious to the other candidates, but unfair to Wisconsinites who deserve the right to hear from all candidates who are on the ballot. To put such barriers in place to prevent me and others from being a part of the televised debate is no different than the efforts being taken to take away peoples’ right to vote! This is another form of voter suppression that keep many people oppressed. However, you are doing it by taking away peoples’ right to be informed by not allowing them to hear my voice or the voices of all candidates in this critically important race. This is unacceptable and questions the integrity of your news station and insults the voting intelligence of the Wisconsinites across this State.
This criteria and the manner in which it was discriminately disseminated directly undermines the efforts of many groups such as the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) and Souls to the Polls. For years and currently, these organizations have been fighting and organizing to get people, especially, minorities to the voting booths across Wisconsin. Now, suddenly, you are directly forcing Wisconsinites, especially our minority groups, to vote without being allowed to see all of the candidates and hear their voices and views on the televised debate.
Freedom of the press should work both ways….not only for the press to have access to news and information, but also to give a voice to the people who need to be heard. How can we be a voice for the people without a microphone? How can we ask the people to make an informed voting decision, ‘especially the 48% of unsure and undecided voters’ when you (WTMJ4) are not allowing them to hear the voices of all candidates in the most important U.S. Senate election in Wisconsin’s history?
More alarming, as WTMJ4 was aware, the State Democratic Convention was June 25-26 in Lacrosse. To be informed of this criteria 9 days prior to the deadline you set for June 30th, coupled with the Democratic Convention, left even less time to meet this requirement.
I have known WTMJ4 to be a fair and reputable news station who prided itself on keeping Wisconsinites informed. Again, it raises the eyebrows of many as to why you would put such barriers in place to hush the voices of 4 candidates. Wisconsinites want to hear the voices of all candidates on the ballot during the televised debate. How can we ask Wisconsinites to vote for the best candidate when we do not allow them to hear the voices and see the faces of the people they are being asked to vote for?
Again, the Marquette Poll alluded that almost half of Wisconsinites (48%) were not satisfied with the candidates you are trying to platform. In fact, they do not know enough about the candidates to make an informed decision. This is why ‘all’ candidate voices need to be heard during the televised debate.
I am calling on the Wisconsin Democratic Party to stand together as one. All candidates should participate or nobody should participate. Any candidate who participates is supporting one of the many forms of voter suppression that we claim to fight against. All candidates voices were heard at the Wisconsin Democratic Conference (WTMJ4 was present) and should be heard by Wisconsinites during the televised debate. The presence of WTMJ 4 and other media outlets to hear all candidates provides evidence of the value of such a forum. Hence, WTMJ4 should provided the people of Wisconsin with the same opportunity to hear the candidates as they had during the televised debate.
I am calling on the NAACP, LULAC and the HMONG community to stand against this new form of voter suppression. Efforts such as this have kept African Americans and other minority groups uninformed for too long. The NAACP’s forums in the past have included all candidates. For the past year, at various functions and forums around the state, all candidates have been invited. Why not now? We cannot sit by and watch this death occur.
As well, I am calling on Souls to the Polls to stand in solidarity against such voter suppression efforts. Why would we be rushing to get ‘souls’ to the polls when they are not being allowed to see the faces or hear the voices and views of all candidates to help them make an informed voting decision? It is ironic that throughout this election season, we have stressed to voters the importance of knowing the candidates and their views. Now….even with 48% of voters unsure….the very opportunity to hear from all candidates is being denied.
For the people of Wisconsin, ‘again,’ I am asking WTMJ4 to include all candidates in the televised debate on July 17, 2022. Hearing and not hushing the voices of all candidates in the most consequential election in Wisconsin’s history is not only essential, but paramount! Let’s do the right thing in this situation! Our ancestors are rolling over in their graves as their efforts, in this ‘Democratic process’ for people to have a voice is being silenced. However, all Wisconsinites must raise their voices and demand to hear the voices and perspectives of all candidates who are on the ballot. Only then will Wisconsinites be able to make an informed decision and truly have their vote count!
