Page 7 - Florida Sentinel 10-28-16 Online Edition

An Analysis
The Lasting Effects Of Not Voting
HILLARY CLINTON Secretary of State Democratic Nominee
BY IRIS B. HOLTON Sentinel City Editor
The General Election of 2016 will be reflected in his- tory as a game changer. It will depict a country that either continues to move forward, or, one that has gone backwards one hundred years or more.
The decision rests in the hands of those who will choose the next President of the United States.
Some people have said they will not vote in this election because they don’t care for ei- ther candidate. Perhaps, those who feel that way should re- think their positions.
This election is greater than the face of the candidate seeking to hold the office. It will have lasting effects on the country for years to come. It will impact not only your chil- dren, but generations in the future will feel the backlash.
Hillary Clinton is seek- ing office. And, her campaign has been shrouded in accusa- tions and innuendos. How- ever, she has a common sense approach to serving as Com- mander-in- Chief of the coun- try. She talks about making this country better for all peo- ple and not just one segment.
Her opponent, Donald Trump, has operated a cam-
paign that’s not only built on proven untruths, but he has systematically shown his con- tempt for women and mem- bers of practically every minority group in the country. And, his plan is to unceremo- niously eject people from the country.
If you support ejecting a certain group of people, then you have that right. But, ask yourself who will be next. If he is successful in that venture, then will he eject Blacks, His- panics, Italians, Asians, and other minorities as well?
Once that door swings open, who will have the power to close it?
This country has already seen a spike in racial incidents. But, if he is elected with his tunnel vision of what makes America great, then racial inci- dents would take place faster than they could be recorded.
And, if that is not enough to think about, then think about d-i-v-i-s-i-o-n. That sin- gle 8-letter word covers a mul- titude of territory. It will become the word of choice to describe the gap in pay, social status, rights, and opportuni- ties given between women and men, Blacks and whites, the elderly and the youth.
In short, electing Trump would erase all of the positive gains we have witnessed and enjoyed since the ending of slavery.
If the fact that women couldn’t vote until 1920 doesn’t get your attention, then think about those who died so that you could take an active role in the voting
process. And, if that is still not enough to get you to the polls, then think about your grand- children having to endure what your grandparents had to survive.
Remember, history has a way of repeating itself if we fail
to learn the first time around. This election is far greater than choosing someone to occupy the Oval Office for the next 4 years.
So, if you don’t vote, then you are actually voting Trump by remaining silent.
DONALD TRUMP Republican Nominee
Local
Meeting Set To Discuss
Property For C. Blythe
Andrews, Jr., Library
Hillsborough County has scheduled a public information meeting for Thursday, Nov. 3, to gather input into the pur- chase of property adjacent to the C. Blythe Andrews, Jr. Li- brary. The open-house format meeting will be held from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the library, 2607 E. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. in Tampa.
The .27-acre parcel, currently occupied by a single-family dwelling, is located immediately east of the library. The pur- chase is part of a project to build a larger facility that will re- place the current library. The total cost for the property is approximately $152,000, and will be funded through the Cap- ital Improvement Program.
Staff from Real Estate & Facilities Services and Library Services will be available at the meeting to answer questions and hear comments.
At approximately 8,500 square feet, the current library is considered too small for the number of customers who use the facility. The new building is currently under design. Construc- tion is expected to begin in 2017. For more information about the library project, go to the County Projects page under the Government tab on the County’s website, HCFLGov.net.
Questions about the meeting may be directed to Citizen En- gagement at (813) 272-5275. For hearing and speech impaired assistance, call 711.
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2016 FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY PAGE 7-A