Tarrant County could make a difference with Alisa Simmons
By: Vincent Hall
Although Malcolm X may have lacked the theological splendor of Martin Luther King, his plainspoken prophecies and preachments were often well received. On April 3, 1964, just four years and one day before the assassination of Dr. King, Malcolm traveled to the Corey United Methodist Church in Cleveland, Ohio. He delivered a speech that will never be forgotten.
“The Ballot or the Bullet” is prophetic prose, so much so that 137 leading scholars ranked it seventh among the top 100 speeches delivered in America during the 20th century.
And while his words and logic may be considered “antiquarian shibboleth” to some, the words and wisdom Malcolm imparted are as pressing and poignant today in Texas and across this nation as they were 62 years ago.
Here in Texas, from the gubernatorial race to the local races for animal control officers, what Malcolm reiterated about the power of the ballot will make all the difference in how we spend the next 20 to 50 years.
One local race that proves how potent and significant the right to cast a ballot is, is right at our back door. Tarrant County Commissioner Alisa Simmons, one of the most courageous warriors on the national political scene, is taking on Tarrant County Judge Tim O’Hare.
Judge O’Hare seems to be armed with every bullet imaginable to make sure that minority voters can’t cast a ballot. Fox 4 News covered the story involving a major reduction of polling sites for the upcoming General Election.
“The polling sites (almost 100 of them) were shuttered in September, when the Tarrant County Commissioners Court voted 3-2 to close the sites, leaving the county with 224 polling sites for the 2026 midterm elections.
Proponents of the move, including Tarrant County Judge Tim O’Hare, say the county would save $1 million in taxpayer money. Low turnout at certain sites during the 2024 elections was also cited as a reason for the potential closure.
Many speakers during the September meeting called the cuts unfair to minority groups. Commissioner Roderick Miles gave an impassioned speech ahead of the vote.
“The government is by the people and for the people. That’s everybody,” Miles said. “The people who have cars, the people who have money for bus fares, and the people who don’t. They all need to have the ability to vote.”
Commissioner Simmons, who first appeared on my radar as a fierce justice fighter at the Arlington NAACP, was one of the two votes against closing so many locations. She has an uphill climb, but some believe that the attempts to suppress voters in Tarrant County could, in essence, work to her benefit.
Malcolm X was right, and we should heed his call to action. Call your parents, your family, your friends, and yes, even your enemies, and tell them that they need to get out and vote. And by the way, when we take Malcolm’s words and apply them to our present demographics, we are duty-bound to implore Latinos and likeminded White people to vote with us. It’s in their personal best interests. In 2026, 50 years after the Ballot or the Bullet speech, we should adapt Malcolm’s motive, mission, and mindset. By now, because you are an intelligent crowd, you are wondering what Malcolm X said about the bullet. Don’t worry about it, because there’s no reason to choose or use the bullet if you have never fully used the ballot…Just VOTE!!!
A long-time Texas Metro News columnist, Dallas native Vincent L. Hall is an author, writer, award-winning writer, and a lifelong Drapetomaniac.
