Is it wrong to be a [black] republican[?]

[boobiemiles]

Man I got into it this morning. I said that I was a republican, and people jumped all over me. I went on to say the the republican party was the party that freed the slaves, and fought against the system of slavery during and after the Civil war. But nobody would hear it. They said that the democractic party is in favor of african american. But this only became the traditional basis of thought after LB Johnson signed the Civil Rights act. Why don't people remember their history. Are we all a victim of perception? I mean the south votes pro republican now. But I feel that I'm right and they are wrong.

[boobiemiles]

Sorry I meant Black Republican.

[SkinsHokieFan]

It certainly is not

If anything the Republican party does not take the black vote for granted anymore, and leadership oppurtunities in the Republican party are far greater for blacks then in the Democratic party

The Republican party would rather educate blacks then give hand outs, and eventually have no need for affirmative action because all of us would be judged by our abilities and not the color of our skin

[DarthSidious]

Don't let any dictate who you should be or want you want to be. If you want to be a Black Republican, then more power to you.

[BlueTalon]

I think the south voting Republican doesn't say anything about anything, racially. It's not the same south as it was 50 years ago.

And there's nothing wrong with being a black Republican. (or a balck one, either )

[AlexRS]

Of course they are wrong for getting on your case for being a Republican.

There are ways to disagree with other people's views without judging them, clearly they were not employed by whoever attacked you for being a Republican.

[DjTj]

Is it wrong to be a white Democrat? Not everyone orders their politics around the racial politics of the 60's.

...it all depends on what your priorities are. If your goal is to get as many blacks elected to Congress as possible and to organize with other black people to accomplish political goals, then you should be a Democrat along with the majority of other blacks.

If you have other political values or if you believe the majority of the black community is misguided in supporting Democratic policies, then you are certainly free to be a Republican.

Lynn Swann, Condoleeza Rice, and Colin Powell can't all be crazy...

...but Barack Obama and Harold Ford, Jr., or Al Wynn, Bobby Scott, and Anthony Williams can't be crazy either...

[Midnight Judges]

The thing is, you can't go back 100 years and hold a political party responsible for what they did because the two major parties have flipped sides on several integral issues over the centuries. The Democrat party and the Republican party are ever-changing. One thing that has stayed the same: the south has always been against civil rights, against affirmative action, against freeing the slaves, against integration, against equal rights, resisting change. Right now the South is Republican-dominated from a political standpoint.

You can be black and Republican, to say otherwise is ridiculous. I'm just saying that going back 100 years to hold a poltical party accountable is pointless because so much has changed.

[SkinsHokieFan]

Although Boobie, based on your posts that I have read from you, YOU are not a Republican

[Spaceman Spiff]

It certainly is not

If anything the Republican party does not take the black vote for granted anymore, and leadership oppurtunities in the Republican party are far greater for blacks then in the Democratic party

The Republican party would rather educate blacks then give hand outs, and eventually have no need for affirmative action because all of us would be judged by our abilities and not the color of our skin

Ding ding ding!!

Boobie, don't listen to anyone else, vote how you want dude. Honestly, I think one of the worst things about the Democratic party is how they take minority votes for granted. Its gotten so bad that minorities look at each other ****eyed if someone even thinks about voting other than democrat.

Dems love to talk about how they can think for themselves and are enlightened but they've done nothing but brainwash a group of people into voting for them without even thinking about it.

[HailYeah]

Political parties change throughout history. Ask yourself what the party stands for now, thats all that matters. Lincoln's Republican party is certainly not the Republican party of today. Same for Democrats. You can choose whatever party you want. I just wish it wasn't a strict two party system that rarely represents the majority of voters.

[Midnight Judges]

Ding ding ding!!

Boobie, don't listen to anyone else, vote how you want dude. Honestly, I think one of the worst things about the Democratic party is how they take minority votes for granted. Its gotten so bad that minorities look at each other ****eyed if someone even thinks about voting other than democrat.

Dems love to talk about how they can think for themselves and are enlightened but they've done nothing but brainwash a group of people into voting for them without even thinking about it.

So you think that Democrats don't actually do anything for black people that Republicans don't, rather, in your opinion Black people are simply "brainwashed" at an 89% clip as evidenced in this last Presidential election.

Dems are for affirmative action. Republicans are against it. Could that have anything to do with this?

[Shallow1]

What does ones race have to do with there political views? Can I be white and be a Dem? It sounds kind of silly when you turn it around don't you think?

[Spaceman Spiff]

So you think that Democrats don't actually do anything for black people that Republicans don't, rather, in your opinion Black people are simply "brainwashed" at an 89% clip as evidenced in this last Presidential election.

Dems are for affirmative action. Republicans are against it. Could that have anything to do with this?

Republicans want people to get things done on their own merit. Read SHF's post.

[HailYeah]

It certainly is not

If anything the Republican party does not take the black vote for granted anymore, and leadership oppurtunities in the Republican party are far greater for blacks then in the Democratic party

The Republican party would rather educate blacks then give hand outs, and eventually have no need for affirmative action because all of us would be judged by our abilities and not the color of our skin

to not being judged by the color of our skin. I think thats what we are all working for. But why is it that there are far greater oppotunities for leadership by blacks in the Republican party? Is it that they are qualified because of their ability? Or is it to attract black votes? Certainly they are not giving political handouts, that would be hypocritical, right?

[pseto]

this is a pretty good topic. i personally don't care about which side of the fence I sit, I make my decisions based on what I believe is right for me and my family. thus, i have tendancies for both democrats and republicans.

anyone know where i can find a good chart/comparison about the major differences between the 2 parties? I'd like to see where I stand most of the time.

[Air Force Cane]

boobiemiles-

are you African American?

if so, it may seem you are alone but you are not!

In Maryland Lt. Governor Steele is running for the Senate.

In Ohio, Secretary of State Ken Blackwell is leading the polls in the Governors race.

In Michigan we have a State Senator running for office.

In Pennsylvania, Lynn Swann will challenge the governor in the election next year.

All of them Black, all of them Republican.

[Midnight Judges]

Republicans want people to get things done on their own merit. Read SHF's post.

Right. And Democrats believe our Government should atone for 350 years of oppression and slavery and after we have atoned for our mistakes and you can prove there is an even playing field, everyone will be judged on their own merit. If you think all the damage from 350 years of slavery and oppression has been 100% wiped out and there is an even playing field right now, I would disagree.

[DjTj]

Okay, I made kind of a bipartisan post first, but I can't let this Democrat bashing slide...

It certainly is not

If anything the Republican party does not take the black vote for granted anymore, and leadership oppurtunities in the Republican party are far greater for blacks then in the Democratic party

...sounds suspiciously like affirmative action there...

The Republican party would rather educate blacks then give hand outs, and eventually have no need for affirmative action because all of us would be judged by our abilities and not the color of our skin

Are you suggesting that Blacks aren't being educated now? Or that we have race-based welfare programs? Both parties are for educating everyone, and welfare is handed out by income, not by race. Both parties want to see the day when affirmative action is not necessary anymore.

Ding ding ding!!

Boobie, don't listen to anyone else, vote how you want dude. Honestly, I think one of the worst things about the Democratic party is how they take minority votes for granted. Its gotten so bad that minorities look at each other ****eyed if someone even thinks about voting other than democrat.

Dems love to talk about how they can think for themselves and are enlightened but they've done nothing but brainwash a group of people into voting for them without even thinking about it.

There wasn't any brainwashing involved. A whole generation of blacks grew up while Republicans (or more accurately, Democrats who became Republicans) were trying to keep them out of schools, out of their neighborhoods, and out of their workplaces.

It didn't take black people a lot of thinking to figure out who was on their side during the Civil Rights Movement. A lot of the same issues are still on the table in the form of affirmative action, the legal standards for discrimination, and vote districting.

...it's a little bit condescending to suggest that blacks are uneducated or brainwashed. They know exactly what they want and a majority think they're getting it through the Democratic Party.

[Spaceman Spiff]

Right. And Democrats believe our Government should atone for 350 years of oppression and slavery and after we have atoned for our mistakes and you can prove there is an even playing field, everyone will be judged on their own merit. If you think all the damage from 350 years of slavery and oppression has been 100% wiped out and there is an even playing field right now, I would disagree.

Right, atone for things that we had nothing to do with.

I don't think its all been wiped out, nor will it ever be. But if you can logically explain to me how affirmative action vs own merit creates a level playing field, please do.

In order to have an even playing field, we must first create one. Hiring people that aren't qualified for the job because people feel sorry for them and need to make a quota is naive and only perpetuating the problem.

[Spaceman Spiff]

...it's a little bit condescending to suggest that blacks are uneducated or brainwashed. They know exactly what they want and a majority think they're getting it through the Democratic Party.

Think they are, but are they really? I love how Kerry went around on his campaign the last week to black churches just to make sure he had their votes in his pocket.

I'll agree, my post may have sounded condascending, but why do some blacks get pissed when someone like boobiemiles wants to buck the trend?

[SkinsHokieFan]

Okay, I made kind of a bipartisan post first, but I can't let this Democrat bashing slide...

...sounds suspiciously like affirmative action there...

Are you suggesting that Blacks aren't being educated now? Or that we have race-based welfare programs? Both parties are for educating everyone, and welfare is handed out by income, not by race. Both parties want to see the day when affirmative action is not necessary anymore.

There wasn't any brainwashing involved. A whole generation of blacks grew up while Republicans (or more accurately, Democrats who became Republicans) were trying to keep them out of schools, out of their neighborhoods, and out of their workplaces.

It didn't take black people a lot of thinking to figure out who was on their side during the Civil Rights Movement. A lot of the same issues are still on the table in the form of affirmative action, the legal standards for discrimination, and vote districting.

...it's a little bit condescending to suggest that blacks are uneducated or brainwashed. They know exactly what they want and a majority think they're getting it through the Democratic Party.

I should be much more clear

I am not suggesting that blacks are brainwashed or uneducated. A simple look at numbers shows though that they vote in such overwhelming numbers for Democrats, that Dems no longer have any incentive to cater to them (if I that makes sense)

As far as leadership posts in the Republican party, all smart Republicans know that demographics are trending against the party, and in order to be a major party 20 years from now, they must recruit and put in positions of responsibility talented minorities. If not, the party will be done

[Kosher Ham]

S&T = Black Republican. I dont seem to have a problem with it.

I do know what you are talking about though. I have had my share of debates with people about why I primarily vote republican.

[DjTj]

Think they are, but are they really? I love how Kerry went around on his campaign the last week to black churches just to make sure he had their votes in his pocket.

I'll agree, my post may have sounded condascending, but why do some blacks get pissed when someone like boobiemiles wants to buck the trend?

At the very least, they are getting majority-black voting districts drawn and black candidates elected at a much higher pace than they had before Clinton. That's at least one tangible benefit of supporting Democrats over the past decade.

...and people get pissed because they are passionate about their politics. It's like if you were a member of an evangelist church and told them you were a Democrat. If the black Democratic voting bloc is brainwashed, they aren't any more brainwashed than the religious right, the environmentalists, or any other interest group. They simply have their priorities focused in a very narrow area, so they support the party that advocates for those narrow priorities.

[Art Monk Fan]

If your goal is to get as many blacks elected to Congress as possible and to organize with other black people to accomplish political goals, then you should be a Democrat along with the majority of other blacks.

I think you have this backwards. If you want more blacks elected, then, as a group, blacks need to diversify and increase their representation in all available parties. "Pooling" the vote in one party only further marginalizes blacks as a whole -- the Republicans don't even try and the Democrats take them for granted.