Sirius XM radio host Joe Madison is currently on a hunger strike. His intention is to abstain from solid food until The Freedom to Vote Act is passed into law. “I’d rather lose a few pounds than lose my right to vote,” Madison has tweeted. “I’d rather fight for something than live for nothing.” These remarks indicate that he understands that his very existence may hang in the balance.
“I call it basically starving for voting rights,” Madison stated as he began his fast. “And I repeat just as food is necessary to sustain life, the right to vote is necessary to sustain democracy. Yes, my life matters. My health matters, but our right to vote matters more.” “My spirits are high, but I’ve done this before. This is not my first rodeo. I’ve been on hunger strikes with Dick Gregory over the years. That experience taught me a lot.” “The roadmap was first, a lack of fear. Second, he taught me how to meditate, and that’s extremely important. (laughing) I laugh because food is everywhere. When all of a sudden you abstain from something, you realize how prevalent it is.”
Dick Gregory was an American stand-up comedian and civil rights activist. He also ran for U.S. President in 1968 as a write-in candidate of the Freedom and Peace Party. He is best known for being arrested multiple times and going on hunger strikes to call attention to various injustices. In this SOUNDCLOUD / Joe Madison Remembers Dick Gregory Madison shares his thoughts regarding Gregory’s fearless character and his hilarious ride to Gregory’s funeral.
Actually Madison is known for his ability to put everything on the line. Back in 2015 he hosted a record-breaking marathon talking for 52 straight hours on his Sirius XM show which was officially registered with the Guinness World Record Organization, this widely followed broadcast followed the procedures of documentation down to the letter. His efforts to “keep on talking” raised over $200,000 for the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. So there should be no surprise at what lengths Madison will go to advance a good cause.
Right now Joe Madison is pushing The Freedom to Vote Act, a piece of legislation that promotes equity for all Americans and thwarts the assault on voting rights taking place in the individual states. This new bill with the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Act (already in place) will give all Americans an unimpeded right to vote. Frankly it is not clear right how this bill will fare in this politically split Congress, but President Biden has made it a priority, whatever that means.
The John R. Lewis Voting Right Act is named after John R. Lewis for the six decades that he fought tireless to expand and protect the rights of Black voters and other voters of color. In Across That Bridge Lewis describes his close relationship with Martin Luther King Jr. and the more than forty arrests and physical attacks he received striving for racial equality. Lewis was elected to Congress in 1986 and served 17 terms in the U.S. House of Representatives.
This legislation is so important that the family of Martin Luther King Jr. is calling for a “no celebration” of MLK Day. Martin Luther King III (the oldest son of MLK) announced a gathering in Phoenix on January 15, 2022. All public demonstrations will be peaceful, because MLK like Mahatma Gandhi, taught non-violence. The question is whether Joe Madison will be around to enjoy the righteous outcomes because right now he is putting his life on the line.
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  #51 THU GEM 6/16/1949 Joe Madison |
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  #48 WED PIS 2/21/1940 John R. Lewis |  #43 WED LIB 10/12/1932 Dick Gregory |
John R. Lewis was born on a Wednesday in the zodiac sign of Pisces. Mercury is the ruler of his INNER self and Jupiter governs his OUTER self. Individuals with the #48 WED PIS Dayology signature view things in a different way. In some cases they are viewed as hazy and delusional; in other cases, they are seen as creative with mystical or idealistic tendencies.
Joe Madison was born on a Thursday in the zodiac sign of Gemini. Jupiter is the ruler of his INNER self and Jupiter governs his OUTER self. Individuals with the #51 Dayology signature tend to be smart and witty. They have a large circle of friends because their humor and natural charm. Actually they are engaging even to people who may not necessarily agree with them.
Dick Gregory was born on a Wednesday in the zodiac sign of Libra. Mercury is the ruler of his INNER self and Venus governs his OUTER self. Those with the #43 WED LIB Dayology signature are usually quite aware of their social standing, whether they find themselves at the top or the bottom of the heap. Most will ask the questions but some will try to change the system.
These three individuals worked for social justice, but in different ways. Joe Madison is a talk-radio host; John R. Lewis was a U.S. Senator and Dick Gregory was a popular comedian. The planetary ruler that binds them is Mercury. Madison’s Gemini Sun Sign is governed by Mercury. Lewis and Gregory were born on Wednesday ruled by Mercury. Mercury types are attracted because they are searching for the answers to specific questions. In this case Madison looked to both Lewis and Gregory as examples for peaceful resistance. Despite the fact that Dick Gregory was a teacher to Madison, he is actually closest to Lewis through a Mutual Reception.
As “The Black Eagle” Madison can be heard Mondays through Fridays from 6am to 10am on channel 126, XM Sirius. He is recognized for his strong sense of conscience and social activism. He is continually rated as one of the 100 Most Important Talk Radio Hosts, often in the top 10. His guests include an impressive list of newsmakers, advocates, policy experts, and leaders in various fields. And his avid callers are asked to “keep a lid” on the profanity, even though it is understandably the only form of self-expression left to the utterly frustrated among us.
UPDATE – After 74 days Sirius XM radio host Joe Madison announced the end of his hunger strike. When asked if the strike was worth it, he answered “YES, today an entire generation knows more about the Senate filibuster… They now know the major differences between Republicans and Democrats. They now know that our democracy is fragile.”
