Yes, we all have much to be thankful for- relative peace and prosperity (look at Ukraine, too many to name countries in Africa, worldwide poverty, Haiti, et al) and know that we are doing okay in the USA. Of course, some states are better places for us to live than others. Taking a page from Dave Chappell, just know where you live and why certain folk vote their resentments rather than their best interests. Chappell’s partial list -fear of the immigrant, artificial fear of street crimes (while living in rural America), fear of losing privileges formerly enjoyed by white people, the grievance list goes on, explains large numbers of Trump followers.

“Georgia on my mind” is playing on a loop in my head. I woke up today thinking now that the midterms have been mostly decided, all eyes are once again on that key state; to give the Democrats a clear majority, or once again, result in a 50/50 split in the upper chamber.

That Senate runoff race between Rafael Warnock, Democrat, and Herschel Walker, Republican, has trained a spotlight on the virtues and vices of Black men. Some are dismayed that the contest between these two men has conjured up ghosts from the past, when caricatures, labels and negative images of Black men were all too common- thus, taking our eyes off the prize: power.

Much has already been said about both men: comparisons and contrasts of their political agendas, i.e., who is more left or right of center, sharply divided concerns about their “readiness to serve,” their manners of speech (who is the most articulate in the use of standard English), personal lifestyle choices (the ordained theologian versus the more profane former football player), or who might be the independent thinker versus who might simply carry water for one or another political ideology.

There are many pro and con arguments about each. Warnock is not without flaws, and Walker’s campaign has endured what some might describe as a high tech media lynching for spotlighting his flaws.

These two Black men have been scrutinized under a public microscope that has left all of us with bruises to our psyche, opening old wounds, and inflicting new ones. For instance, the abortion issue is particularly divisive in the Black community, as is spousal abuse and family values in general.

This public conflict reminds me of the disagreements between other high profile Black leaders: Malcom X versus Martin Luther King, W.E.B. DuBois versus Marcus Garvey, or even Stokely Carmichael versus John Lewis about tactics and strategies to help Black folk, e.g., use of violence versus non-violence, to name just a few disputes amongst the thought leaders of their time.

It can be argued that all of these people were, to some degree, while carrying the torch for Black leadership, gave us clear choices about who to follow- to better our position in the larger body politic, in American society -at-large, and to propel Blacks onto the proverbial stage for making policy to benefit the majority. History will determine if Warnock or Walker will rise to greatness, or perpetual scorn.

Using that one criteria- who can best continue to pull the Black community further along in a direction that would benefit most of us- then which candidate will be best?

MLK has too often been relegated to being a pacifist, but he was actually a revolutionary who very cleverly used erudite language to persuade and sway the minds of many- forcing all of us to think about how we could and should best serve our own interests. I quote him here:

“The question is not if we will be extremists, but what kind of extremists we will be. The nation and the world are in dire need of creative extremists.”

Putting aside the peccadillos of Walker, the pontifications of Warnock, or any other factors in their individual characters and credos, can we trust one over the other to be a creative extremist who will work on behalf of the Black folk in Georgia, Black folk in the country, or Black folk throughout the world?

Listen to their rhetoric. Look who is endorsing them. Follow the money. Then select one to send a donation to, and if you live in Georgia, which one to vote for on Dec. 6.

VOTE, Vote, vote.