Black Republicans.

[qwlauren35]

I think this is a major example of institutionalized racism. Even though the Republican Party is the Pro-Life party, the Bible Belt party, the party of Christian Conservatives, people say bad things about black Republicans.

They're voting against the issues of the race.
They're tokens.
They're puppets.

Somehow, it is not okay for a black person to decide that the Republican party platform fits their values, especially their social values.

We are supposed to be unquestioning Democrats, even when Democrat social values conflict with our own.

Think about how we bash Clarence Thomas. Are we bashing him because he's conservative? Or because he is a conservative black man? How many people called Condaleeza Rice and Colin Powell tokens and puppets? OF COURSE they are supposed to support the president who appoints them. But so many people couldn't respect that.

Are you guilty? I know I am. I think it hit me when George Takei called Clarence Thomas a man in blackface. On one hand, I feel the need to be offended, on the other hand, I am angered at Thomas' positions on voting rights, and MORE angry with Thomas than with the other conservative judges. "He's supposed to know better."

I think from today on, I will accept Justice Thomas as a conservative judge, and despise him for that alone, but no more so than any other conservative judge. I will not treat him as a "black" conservative judge, and suggest that he has no right to his opinions because of his race.

Anybody feel me on this?

[randys1]

1. I despise Clarence Thomas, but I dont judge him, for the same reason or similar.

As a white person I have NO BUSINESS judging any non white person about ANYTHING

If you commit murder, the law will take care of it, you dont need me.

So there is simply no way I am qualified to judge someone who's shoes I couldn't find, let alone put on and walk in

[Behind the Aegis]

2. It isn't limited to African-Americans.

Gay republicans (the Log Cabin Republicans) and Jewish republicans get the same treatment. To a lesser extent, I have similar attacks on Latinos, and even more rarely, women, who are republicans.

What I find interesting is your comment, "We are supposed to be unquestioning Democrats, even when Democrat social values conflict with our own." Which "Democrat" social values conflict with African-Americans?

The attacks on minorities, especially AA, gay, and Jewish ones, for being republicans, IMO, demonstrates a need by some in the majority (of any majority) for minorities to be of a 'hive mind'. We are supposed to stay with acceptable parameters and when members of our community dare to step out, then the entire group is suspect. Of the three groups primarily targeted, all three are almost exclusively democratic and have shown this in election after election, except those groups, especially gays and Jews, are often singled out for "costing us the election" or "not being out in force enough." Now, we are seeing the concerns of AA folk being labeled "wedge issues", and as someone who has been to this rodeo, this is just the beginning!

[qwlauren35]

5. Social Values.

I'll be blunt, many African-Americans are homophobic. But that's not the one that is the strongest. A large number of African-Americans are pro-life. They aren't usually political about it, or radical about it, but it's a very strongly held belief, and the fact that the Democratic platform is pro-choice is very uncomfortable for them.

Now, on top of that the Republican party is seen as "upholding Christian values". This means a lot to some African-Americans. So, having prayer in schools, in public meetings, etc. means a lot to them. Again, they don't tend to get political about it, but it's how they feel.

We have seen some church pastors choose to suggest that their congregations vote Republican. I think we saw a lot of it when Reagan was running, but I don't remember.

There were a lot of conservative African-Americans who were holding their noses to vote for Obama because he wasn't conservative.

I also have black gay Republicans in my family. I harass them. perhaps because I don't understand them. But I think it's the "low taxes" thing.

[Behind the Aegis]

6. Thanks for the clarification.

I admit I was a bit perplexed by the statement in relation to other things being said.

I agree with your analysis. I will say they are actually voting their conscious. I actually know more than a handful of gay republicans, which always leaves me scratching my head. In my family of Jews, only two have voted republican (it backfired on one, so now he knows better), and a few are libertarians (republican-lite, IMO), the rest are democrats; sadly, though, they don't always vote.

Most of the conservative African-Americans I know are older (or around my age 46), though they are far and few between. Most of the youngers ones I encounter seem to be marginally to very strong democrats.

Again, thank you for answering my question.

[JustAnotherGen]

3. I'm with you

You posted something the other day re: black folks in the Victorian era -


Your grandparents were the 'contemporaries' in many ways of mine.

We were ALL republicans once. I prefer to think of black Republicans as folks looking out for their financial interests - and that's their primary concern.


ETA - and it's nothing personal but I'm giving money to Doug Owen's campaign. I tend to resist giving money out of state - but this guy? Knowing that 15K democratic registered voters stayed home last year and that's how Mia Love got that seat? I'm giving!
http://fox13now.com/2015/07/21/doug-owens-announces-he-is-taking-on-mia-love-again-for-4th-congressional-district/

[Behind the Aegis]

4. "folks looking out for their financial interests" pretty much sums it up.

That also applies to other minorities, but the only one it serves as a double whammy is the Jews. The one group which should really be questioned about their republican support are those who aren't well-off, yet vote republican. From what I have seen, and I am sure there may be things I haven't seen, the vast majority of poor individuals who vote republican are overwhelmingly white. There is a disconnect to me when I meet a gay person who is hardcore republican. It just doesn't compute, even with the softer approach to GLBT issues some republicans have seemingly taken.

[onpatrol98]

7. I actually feel you on this one...

I think my moment happened with Maya Angelou. I have always admired her spirit. But, when she initially supported Hillary Clinton, she was verbally attacked by some black people...called horrible names and I was soooo sad. I kept thinking, what's the point of freedom...if she can't be free. I am not a republican. But, I don't mind black republicans. I don't think our community has a chance in the world, until we're EVERYWHERE.

If republicans know there is nothing in the world they can do to get your vote. Why should they make the effort? And, if democrats know that there is nothing they can do to lose your vote? Why bother? They'll trot out whatever meme works.

I get so sick of the "They 'gonna' take away your right to vote!" Somehow other groups don't have to have this fear...but us...they trot this out before every big election. They don't do it for white audiences, Asian audiences, heck pick an audience. It doesn't bother my parents. They have more history. But me...it burns me up. Am I not intelligent enough to know what I need to do to vote? Is there something about my complexion that I missed that makes me susceptible to not being able to go early to a poll or do an absentee ballot? If there are boatloads of African Americans not voting, why assume it's because we need hand holding? Why not assume your message stinks? It hasn't resonated. I assume people have seen politicians of all political stripes come and go, and couldn't see where it made a difference in their individual daily lives. So, go out and tell them why you're different. If it resonates, they'll go vote.

Every other ethnicity gets to be who ever the darn well they want to be. Why not us? It doesn't have to be me. But, I don't mind if it's you. Freedom is sweet. From time to time, I wander past Fox and they'll have some black republicans on that absolutely make my skin crawl. (A sheriff or deputy sheriff comes to mind at the moment...) But, I flip right on by. I don't want my sons to feel chained to a political party because of some past deeds well done. I want them to intellectually decide what political party will benefit them right now. To my mind, that's the democratic party. But, tomorrow, we may come out with some new party...with some new agendas that benefit them. The young black republican female in Utah that won. I didn't mind. She was breaking through barriers in her own way. How do I know that she won't get an opportunity to do a good thing for PoC in her own way? I just can't know. How do I know that there isn't a young black female who will one day be a strong democratic leader because she looked up and saw this young woman and was inspired?

Of course...I'm not in Utah, either.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

8. I thought a lot of the animus for...

I thought a lot of the animus for Clarence Thomas among African Americans and others was because he became an outspoken opponent of affirmative action after he was a beneficiary of it and using his own sister as a foil in attacking the welfare system...

I never got the animus toward Condi Rice and Colin Powell... They never publicly took public stances that put them on the wrong side of issues important to African Americans. I can specifically remember Colin Powell giving voice to his support for affirmative action at one of the GOP conventions and getting booed.

[MrScorpio]

9. They're self-hating, opportunistic panderers.

Their only job is to put a black face on white supremacy.

I like to keep it simple.

[MADem]

13. Yes. They are well-compensated to do this, too.

They are given special entree to the corridors of power. They gain benefit that others cannot access.

I suppose they are no different than anyone using a physical feature to get ahead...but it's kind of an undignified thing to do. We don't call people who do that kind of thing 'that word' here!

I wonder if they are easy in themselves when they do this. Do they think about their price? Do they think about what others think of them? Or do they pull a JC Watts, and just walk away--he was on the track to bigger and better things within the RNC, but he couldn't stomach that shit anymore so he went to the private sector. He still keeps a hand in, but he does it as a critic as much as anything else.


J.C. Watts on GOP minority outreach: ‘I’ll believe it when I see it’
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/she-the-people/wp/2013/06/10/j-c-watts-on-gop-minority-outreach-ill-believe-it-when-i-see-it/

[JI7]

15. not just black republicans, look at Jindal and he is far worse

[craigmatic]

10. I do. Sometimes we let this party shit go to our heads. Loyalty should be to our ethnic group first.

[YoungDemCA]

11. Forgive me if I have this wrong, but aren't there quite a few black Republicans in the military?

Particularly in the officer ranks.

[JustAnotherGen]

12. My dad was one in 1968

Officer - he was sick of seeing young draftees getting teir heads blown off.

72 and after he was not one. I think my parents were the lone NYers who voted for Mondale!

Oh and I have a treasure trove of Nixon 1968 memorabilia he gave me before he passed away.

His dad and uncles though - my grandfather voted Republcan in 1960 - LBJ in 64 - Nixon 68 - then remained a Senocratic for the rest of his life. Prior to 1964 he was a staunch Republican. His Harding memorabilia I have too. If you get a chance - look up Hardings election and platform. Interesting man with positive intent.

[MADem]

14. I didn't know any GOP military officers of color (and I served with many black/latino officers).

Democrats across the board, those who were my close friends, anyway. My acquaintances? You never know, but I'd guess the same.

Of course, you shut up about that stuff--that's not gossip for the wardroom, or while in a duty status. You just don't talk about your affiliations, particularly if you are working on senior military staffs--it's just not good for the career. You put that to the side, and if you are a professional, you support the Commander in Chief. Even if it's an idiot like Reagan or Bush.

It's part of the job.

Your vote is your own, though. Even if you don't talk about it at work.

[heaven05]

16. NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I cannot stand someone who knows the racist vicious nature of the RW party of this country, and as an AA joins their cause anyway. There is no way in hell that I will ever, I don't give a damn who doesn't like it, I will NEVER give a pass to Clarence Thomas, Condi Rice or Colin Powell. Although I do hold the Generals military service in very high regard. Politics are a different thing. Clarence Thomas wants to take away voting rights, civil rights and human rights from AA. I'm supposed to say oh he's just a conservative. No. He is an enemy of POC. Always has been. Condi Rice has the same blood on her hands as dimson, cheney, woo, rumsfeld et al. Period. I did not like that the General was lied to enough to make his U.N. statements, along with photos....