If you Republicans are wondering why you had only 38 African-Americans out of 2080 delegates to your recent convention in St. Paul, while the Democrats had an all time high of 1500 at their convention in Denver (including the first African-American transgender delegate), just look in the mirror when you take your pointed hoods off. While I know there are some good Republicans who are appalled and ashamed about this sorry state of affairs, you need to own your failure to stop the negative behaviors that were going on in your party apparatus.
If there was any question that the Republican Party stands for racism and bigotry and has for decades, Rep. Lynn Westmoreland's (R-GA) recent 'uppity' statement should have removed all doubt.Party of Lincoln? More like the party of Jefferson Davis.
Now that the McPalin campaign is showing signs of going down in flames, their party's economic mismanagement chickens are coming home to roost sooner than they planned. Since their 'Guns, God and Gays' attacks aren't resonating with the public any more, and people are more 'scurred' of the economy than McPalin bellowing 'terrorist' at every speech, the only thing left in the GOP electoral dirty trick bag short of suppressing votes is hatin' on black people.
So why would any rational, proud, free thinking African-American (or any other person) consider joining this party? I said rational, proud, free thinking African-Americans, not sellouts.
While I agree that African-Americans aren't monolithic in our thinking and need to be engaged in both parties, the historic agenda of lifting up all African-Americans come first, not selling out your people for your own personal gain.
And no, Condoleezza Rice, Clarence Thomas, Alan Keyes and Thomas Sowell don't count as African-Americans. They can shuffle on back to the conservative plantation and serve their massas like they have for the last decade or so.
But back to the post. Ever since Richard Nixon and the GOP concocted the 'Southern Strategy', GOP pols keep showing us their inner Klansman and keep making racist statements on a seemingly monthly basis.
That GOP racism keeps them in a perpetual state of barely disguised hostility that has them consciously and subconsciously acting in negative ways toward minority communities. Their arrogant, non-compassionate governance style generates policies, procedures and campaign tactics that are insensitive and harmful to minorities as well.
Even non-whites within the party, in their zeal to be 'more conservative than thou' are infected by the racism of the predominate ethnic group in the GOP. New Mexico's Bernalillo County GOP chair Fernando C. de Baca had to resign after making the now infamous 'Hispanics consider themselves above Blacks and won't vote for Obama' statement.
So no, you Republicans can't hide or spin this. Racism became part of your party's DNA when you clutched the Dixiecrats to your bosoms after the 1964 elections. If you'd been paying attention to my party's history with the Dixiecrats, you would have been leery of being associated with them. You wanted to win one for the conservative movement so badly you threw away your moral compass to do so.
Until the good Republicans get control of your party and turn it back to the principles that made it the 'Party of Lincoln', you will continue to see the numbers of African-Americans in your party ranks precipitously dwindle.
So if the white sheets fit GOP boys and girls, wear them.
