Speak Out!
What’s Wrong with Diversity of Thought?
Sun, 10/26/2008 - 19:49 | Community
A New York Times article addresses the issue of being young, Black and Republican in today's political landscape:
“There was something annoying about the idea that if you were black, you had to be Democrat,” Mr. Ivory said. “The blog started out as a means to vent.” While some blacks lean conservative on issues like abortion and gay marriage, Web sites like Mr. Ivory’s raise issues important to blacks that many Americans are concerned about: health care, affordable housing, the economy, the environment and education. Many black Republicans believe that conservative policies are more beneficial to the black community than liberal policies. Being black and Republican, however, can still be very lonely. Kimberly Brown, 26, a personal trainer in Chicago, said she lost about 100 friends from her MySpace page after she revealed that she was Republican. “I think it’s just ignorant,” Ms. Brown said of the reaction. “We need to be at a point in time where there is such a diverse inclusion of African-Americans that the African-American roots for their favorite team based on their preferences, not based on the existence of one person playing on the ball field,” said Mr. McCallister.Why do some in the Black community (and many outside the community) expect political activism among Blacks to be monolithic?
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Comments
Excellent question, I’ve been
Excellent question, I’ve been engaged with the political process since 2004 election, even though I voted in the 2 previous presidential elections. This election I’ve taken a look at all of the political parties (Democrat, Republican, Green, Libertarians, Independent, and Constitution). I do not believe that one person or one political party has all the answers and I feel that one political party SHOULD NOT have ABSOLUTE power.
My local news paper reached out to me and I got involved with giving my opinion on this election on a local, State, and National level. I felt that Ralph Nader and Bob Barr should have been allowed to debate with Obama and McCain. There names were on the voting ballot but they were being silenced. I went on record supporting a few issues that both Nader and Barr were bring up and I took so much heat from black folks in my community. Then when I gave my opinion about what I didn’t like about Obama, OMG few people would listen to the content on my criticism.
I live in Michigan, and the facts are that President Elect Obama ignored my state during the primary election process and I felt that President Elect Obama didn’t do enough to reach out to the residents of my state. I was trying to encourage residents not to give up your vote so easily. I WAS NOT SAYING don’t vote for Obama, I was saying don’t just give your vote away, let him come and earn your vote. Also for the record, I was not a “Hillary or McCain” voter.
I’m now very encouraged to see my Governor Jennifer Granholm working with President Elect Obama. I feel that they both have something in common. Obama and Granholm both are inheriting a big mess which was created by there predecessors. As far as your question Tavis, I feel its sad because some of the same folks in my community who gave me a tough time for not falling in line and questioning things now want to listen to the issues after the votes have been counted.
I believe there are two types
I believe there are two types of Republicans. You have the ultra conservative, and those would be the ones who can relate to Sarah Palin, and then you have the moderate Republicans, which is a category that I used to believe John McCain belonged in. I used to have much respect for John McCain because I truly saw him as someone who was a good leader and who was fair. Although I have never voted for a Republican, John McCain would have been one that I may have considered. But during this election campaign, we have seen a totally different John McCain. I cannot for the life of me understand why he chose Sarah Palin as his running mate. Should he get elected, my biggest fear would be that something would happen and Palin would have to take over as president. She does not even understand what the role of the Vice President is, so I can just imagine what type of president she would be.
Not only that, during this campaign, McCain has not really been able to articulate what his economic policy is. He and Palin have spent the bulk of this campaign criticizing Barack Obama and making all sorts of false accusations about him. Frankly I don't see how anybody black can honestly want to vote for McCain because he has not shown any evidence in this campaign that would suggest that he wants to help improve the state of black America. In fact he and his campaign have been invited to do interviews on black media, and they have refused.
I don't think there is anything wrong with blacks being Republicans. In fact I wish that we could get to the point where we did not identify with one particular party at all and just looked at who the best candidate is no matter what his/her party affiliation. Unfortunately the Republican party does not really seem to have a platform that appeals to the average black Americans and don't seem to really want one. This is particularly true with the ultra right wing conservatives. I think that as black Americans we need to make politicians be they Democrats or Republicans begin to fight for our votes and our support. The Democrats have been better at this in my life time, but because the Republicans have not really tried, I believe that many Democratic politicians have become complacent in that area because they know that most of us are going to vote for them anyway. This is something that will never change until we make it change.
As far as the election is concerned, it is definitely the most exciting in my lifetime thus far, and I am extremely proud of the fact that Barack Obama has a good chance of becoming the first black president of this country. I don't understand how anybody black can vote for McCain over Obama. I'm not saying that we should be voting for him simply because he is black, because Lord knows if he was an Alan Keyes, I would not give him a second thought, however I do think that his message is one of hope to us as African Americans, but we have no clue as to how McCain feels about us. I would like for a black Republican to explain to me, why they think John McCain would be a better president for black Americans than John McCain would be.
In the early 1800s,
In the early 1800s, Republican would have been the way to go for me because they were more for working for equality including blacks and whites alike throughout the land so that everyone could come up together. They wanted to abolish slavery during that time. Now the Republicans have taken on the roll of the (superior conservative) type while the Democrats are about (helping) build equality so that everyone (liberal) can earn their wealth equally. I guess I don't understand how an African American defines Republican.
Many black Republicans
Many black Republicans believe that conservative policies are more beneficial to the black community than liberal policies.
This is something that I can say I agree with. Most Republicans have conservative values/policies that are centered on what I believe in. I think Democrats and Republicans can learn from each other. In the future, whether it is Congress, or the House of Representative, etc... there should be a check and balance of and even number of Democrats and Republicans under the same roof when it comes to decision-making for this country. No one party should have a dominate voice over the other. In this way, both parties would be forced in becoming bi-partisan in working out important issues that overshadow this country's stagnation of going nowhere fast. Both parties have something to offer at the table. It is within their struggle for power that always leaves (us) the American people, out in the cold. If the influential people will finally learn that “the common grounds” are better suited for change, than fighting like children, we might survive the chaos or we will continue to see our world crumbling under our feet.