Black Republicans

[lpetrich]

Mia Love calls for GOP to embrace voters of color in Washington Post - Vox

Mia Love and Tim Scott want the GOP to reach out to minority voters. The party is doing the opposite.
Prominent black Republicans want their party to embrace communities of color, but the party seems unlikely to do so.


In an op-ed published in the Washington Post on Wednesday, Love argues that the Republican Party’s failure to attempt substantive outreach in communities of color has hurt the GOP and American politics in general.

“We have especially failed to bring our message to, and connect with, women and racial minorities. And we have effectively written off cities as Democratic strongholds,” she writes. “Our nation is poorer for it.”

Last month, Love gave a fiery concession speech criticizing President Donald Trump and calling for the Republican Party to improve its relationship with voters of color. And her op-ed comes less than a week after South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott — the only black Republican in the Senate — wrote a letter to the editor published in the Wall Street Journal that defended his decision to vote against Thomas Farr, a controversial judicial nominee Democrats accused of supporting the suppression and disenfranchisement of black voters.

In his letter, Scott urged the party to “stop bringing candidates with questionable track records on race” before the full Senate.

“While our nation has made significant progress over the past 50 years, there is no doubt we still have work left to do,” Scott wrote, responding to a recent WSJ editorial that aimed to deflect criticism of Farr by highlighting Democrats’ own record on race. “What this means, regardless of the obvious issues the Democratic Party has on race, is that the Republican Party must strive to do better.”

Also, "Other critics argued that Scott’s opposition would give more power to Democrats’ accusations that the GOP is racist." So all they are doing is whining "Don't call us racist!" Republican ideologues also like to talk about how pro-Democratic black people are in the "Democratic plantation". So much for accepting responsibility for one's actions, something loudly proclaimed to be a conservative principle.

Which goes to show how much the Republican Party has become the party of Jefferson Davis. They seem willing to accept whatever minority members are willing to put up with their race-baiting and vote suppression, members like Ben Carson, but that's as inclusive as they get.

 

[Patooka]

But Abraham Lincoln was a Republican, therefore the Republican Party can never ever be racist again. Your argument is invalid.

 

[Jason Harvestdancer]

Every single black Republican is called an "Uncle Tom" by the Democrats, proof that the Republicans are the racist one.

 

[Tom Sawyer]

Every single black Republican is called an "Uncle Tom" by the Democrats, proof that the Republicans are the racist one.

Not all of them. Some are called Aunt Tomina. It was really misogynistic of you to assume that we would be excluding women from our bigotry.

 

[JohnG]

The Republican party appears to represent white christian America. By represent, I mean co-opt.

The Democrats appear to be attempting to represent everyone (including WCA) which is no easy task. It's much easier to pick a narrow (but majority) group and focus on that identity group.

Well played, Republicans, and a special tip of the hat for accusing Dems of "identity politics" while doing exactly that.

 

[Jason Harvestdancer]

Every single black Republican is called an "Uncle Tom" by the Democrats, proof that the Republicans are the racist one.

Not all of them. Some are called Aunt Tomina. It was really misogynistic of you to assume that we would be excluding women from our bigotry.

I stand corrected.

 

[Rhea]

Every single black Republican is called an "Uncle Tom" by the Democrats, proof that the Republicans are the racist one.

Citation needed

 

[Underseer]

Mia Love calls for GOP to embrace voters of color in Washington Post - Vox

Mia Love and Tim Scott want the GOP to reach out to minority voters. The party is doing the opposite.
Prominent black Republicans want their party to embrace communities of color, but the party seems unlikely to do so.


In an op-ed published in the Washington Post on Wednesday, Love argues that the Republican Party’s failure to attempt substantive outreach in communities of color has hurt the GOP and American politics in general.

“We have especially failed to bring our message to, and connect with, women and racial minorities. And we have effectively written off cities as Democratic strongholds,” she writes. “Our nation is poorer for it.”

Last month, Love gave a fiery concession speech criticizing President Donald Trump and calling for the Republican Party to improve its relationship with voters of color. And her op-ed comes less than a week after South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott — the only black Republican in the Senate — wrote a letter to the editor published in the Wall Street Journal that defended his decision to vote against Thomas Farr, a controversial judicial nominee Democrats accused of supporting the suppression and disenfranchisement of black voters.

In his letter, Scott urged the party to “stop bringing candidates with questionable track records on race” before the full Senate.

“While our nation has made significant progress over the past 50 years, there is no doubt we still have work left to do,” Scott wrote, responding to a recent WSJ editorial that aimed to deflect criticism of Farr by highlighting Democrats’ own record on race. “What this means, regardless of the obvious issues the Democratic Party has on race, is that the Republican Party must strive to do better.”

Also, "Other critics argued that Scott’s opposition would give more power to Democrats’ accusations that the GOP is racist." So all they are doing is whining "Don't call us racist!" Republican ideologues also like to talk about how pro-Democratic black people are in the "Democratic plantation". So much for accepting responsibility for one's actions, something loudly proclaimed to be a conservative principle.

Which goes to show how much the Republican Party has become the party of Jefferson Davis. They seem willing to accept whatever minority members are willing to put up with their race-baiting and vote suppression, members like Ben Carson, but that's as inclusive as they get.

Holy shit is that delusional.

Ever since Nixon, Republicans have been using the Southern Strategy. The Southern Strategy assumes that Southern voters are racist fuckwads and that the Republican party can get Southerners to reliably vote for them by using racist dog-whistles meant to appeal to racists.

The fact that the Southern Strategy works and that most Southerners switched parties because of the Southern Strategy proves that most Southerners are racist and that they vote based on which side they perceive to be more racist.

The only way the Republican party is going to attract minority voters is by completely reversing their electoral strategy and attacking racists instead of being as racist as possible. Doing this would indeed attract minority voters, but it would also drive away the vast majority of their current voters, who are all either racist, or comfortable putting racists in positions of power where they can do as much harm as possible to various minority groups.

Honestly, that's splitting a mighty fine hair if you insist on making a distinction.

 

[Worldtraveller]

I get that the GOP wants more votes, but I think they are already doing a pretty good job of "bring[ing their] message to,... women and racial minorities."

That's why they aren't getting many of their votes.

 

[Don2 (Don1 Revised)]

Every single black Republican is called an "Uncle Tom" by the Democrats, proof that the Republicans are the racist one.

I've never used that phrase before to refer to someone, let alone all of them.

Could you please provide some kind of link so we can figure out the source of your hyperbole?

 

[Koyaanisqatsi]

I get that the GOP wants more votes, but I think they are already doing a pretty good job of "bring[ing their] message to,... women and racial minorities."

That's why they aren't getting many of their votes.

Precisely this. And it's what is clearly killing them off and we're all the better for it.

 

[Koyaanisqatsi]

Every single black Republican is called an "Uncle Tom" by the Democrats, proof that the Republicans are the racist one.

I've never used that phrase before to refer to someone, let alone all of them.

Could you please provide some kind of link so we can figure out the source of your hyperbole?

Aside from the fact that he can't/won't, he doesn't really need one. Even if they did, it would not be racist of a Democrat to call a black Republican "Uncle Tom." The epithet is famously one of misguided servility/loyalty; of someone who is a member of an oppressed group that betrays that group in favor of the group's oppressors. There's even a psychological syndrome with the name that:

refers to a coping skill where individuals use passivity and submissiveness when confronted with a threat, leading to subservient behaviour and appeasement, while concealing their true thoughts and feelings.

 

[southernhybrid]

I have a lot of black female friends and not a single one has ever referred to a black Republican as an Uncle Tom. One of them told me that she doesn't understand why a black person would vote for a party that has tried to suppress the black vote and promote polices that often hurt minorities. In fact, I've never heard any black person refer to any other black person as an Uncle Tom.

I did know one black male Republican many years ago. Richard was raised in a military family and he was an educated person, but he made some of the same racist remarks about black people that some white people do. He worked with my husband and we socialized with him a few times. He was a decent person but held some pretty negative stereotypical ideas about his own race. I don't know if he was typical of black Republicans or if he remains a Republican today. But, if Republicans want to attract more black voters, they need to do some self reflection, then change some of their policies, as well as start criticizing the openly racist members of their party. They haven't just lost black voters. They've lost other minority and female voters as well. If the party is to survive, it needs to make some drastic changes.

And, as an off topic side note, the term Uncle Tom never should have become a pejorative in the first place. The term came from Harriet Beecher Stowe's novel, "Uncle Tom's Cabin", which was about the horrors of slavery in the south. Stowe was an abolitionist and Tom was actually a very brave, heroic character. Look it up. I don't think most black people like the term period, and those who do use it, probably have no understanding of the history of the term.

 

[Bronzeage]

Speaking as a southern white man, I have no idea why a black person in the US would find any appeal in the Republican Party, as it exists today. None to the black people I know well enough to know their opinions on this sort of thing, have any explanation for it.

I have never heard the term "Uncle Tom" applied to black Republicans, but I won't repeat the term which was used.

 

[marc]

The term came from Harriet Beecher Stowe's novel, "Uncle Tom's Cabin", which was about the horrors of slavery in the south. Stowe was an abolitionist and Tom was actually a very brave, heroic character. Look it up. I don't think most black people like the term period, and those who do use it, probably have no understanding of the history of the term.

I read the book once some years ago. If I remember correctly near the end Uncle Tom chose not to escape, so he could convert his owner to Christianity. Maybe that is the origin of the prejorative? The choice to stay working for the ‘master’ in exchange for some imagined benefit?

I actually was at Stowe’s house when they were celebrating her birthday. It is right next door to Mark Twain’s house.

 

[Mumbles]

Mia Love calls for GOP to embrace voters of color in Washington Post - Vox

Mia Love and Tim Scott want the GOP to reach out to minority voters. The party is doing the opposite.
Prominent black Republicans want their party to embrace communities of color, but the party seems unlikely to do so.


In an op-ed published in the Washington Post on Wednesday, Love argues that the Republican Party’s failure to attempt substantive outreach in communities of color has hurt the GOP and American politics in general.

“We have especially failed to bring our message to, and connect with, women and racial minorities. And we have effectively written off cities as Democratic strongholds,” she writes. “Our nation is poorer for it.”

Last month, Love gave a fiery concession speech criticizing President Donald Trump and calling for the Republican Party to improve its relationship with voters of color. And her op-ed comes less than a week after South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott — the only black Republican in the Senate — wrote a letter to the editor published in the Wall Street Journal that defended his decision to vote against Thomas Farr, a controversial judicial nominee Democrats accused of supporting the suppression and disenfranchisement of black voters.

In his letter, Scott urged the party to “stop bringing candidates with questionable track records on race” before the full Senate.

“While our nation has made significant progress over the past 50 years, there is no doubt we still have work left to do,” Scott wrote, responding to a recent WSJ editorial that aimed to deflect criticism of Farr by highlighting Democrats’ own record on race. “What this means, regardless of the obvious issues the Democratic Party has on race, is that the Republican Party must strive to do better.”

Also, "Other critics argued that Scott’s opposition would give more power to Democrats’ accusations that the GOP is racist." So all they are doing is whining "Don't call us racist!" Republican ideologues also like to talk about how pro-Democratic black people are in the "Democratic plantation". So much for accepting responsibility for one's actions, something loudly proclaimed to be a conservative principle.

Which goes to show how much the Republican Party has become the party of Jefferson Davis. They seem willing to accept whatever minority members are willing to put up with their race-baiting and vote suppression, members like Ben Carson, but that's as inclusive as they get.

Right.

Here's the thing.

Most black people can distinguish between serious people like Tim Scott, Mia Love, or Michael Steele (who I've met a couple of times, he's actually a cool guy), and grifters like Paper and Plastic, or Candace Owens. Serious politicians versus snake-oil salespeople.

Granted, some people will simply dismiss all of the above as coons.

Here's the main problem - the GOP is currently led by white supremacists who openly promised to use state power to harm nonwhite people. I don't know why the serious politicians stick with the party - maybe they hope to reform it, or to drive them out. In that case, I wish them luck, but I feel no need to join them.

As far as Scott's claims giving some sort of "power" to the claim that the GOP is racist - again, that ship sailed a long time ago. I had that figured out long before Scott said anything, so he's not the reason. And this is the major problem - the GOP, in general, looks for escape hatches, instead of directly confronting their white supremacism. They need to shift to the latter.

 

[lpetrich]

Black conservatives to GOP: Reach out to black voters - ABC News

Then, as ballots were still being counted, the president held a post-election press conference and said, “Mia Love gave me no love. And she lost. Too bad. Sorry about that, Mia.”

Days later the first African-American Republican woman who was elected to Congress conceded defeat in a midterm decided by less than 1,000 votes.

“I felt sad that the president would publicly say these things about her,” said Williams said, echoing the sentiment of many black conservatives.

During an interview on "The View," Love said she was surprised by the remarks. She said Trump’s remarks noted the GOP’s issues with minority outreach. People of color “need to feel like [outreach is] more than just transactional. They need to feel like there’s a relationship there.”

“The Republican Party traditionally has underestimated the black conservatives and African-American vote” said Alveda King, director of civil rights for the unborn for Priests for Life. “The thought [is] maybe, well, they aren't going to vote for us anyway, so let’s not waste any money on that.”

I recall from somewhere someone grumbling that the mainstream news media didn't cover a recent convention of black conservatives.

I think that a problem is with conservatism itself. According to  Conservatism, "The central tenets of conservatism include tradition, human imperfection, organic solidarity, hierarchy, authority, and property rights." Also Hierarchy (Conservatism) | tutor2u Politics and Why are Conservatives always associated with hierarchy and inequality? | MyTutor.

Since conservatives tend to believe in hierarchies, it may be hard for them to avoid believing in ethnic and racial hierarchies. Thus, it may be hard for conservatives to be ethnically and racially inclusive. I'm not saying that it can't be done, only that it is not a trivial task. Conservatives like to pride themselves on how they are the mature ones, how they think that our lives should not be ruled by impulse, and so forth. So they should look at the impulse within themselves to believe in hierarchies even where there shouldn't be hierarchies.

Even outside of that, different conservatives have believed that different sorts of people deserve to be on top. Kings, nobles, priests, generals, businessmen, ...

 

[Mumbles]

Another quick note: black conservatives are a dime a dozen.Much of the NAACP, old folks that attend church all the time, many Tyler Perry fans, hell Louis Farrakhan.

Republicans, who consider themselves conservative (Y'all are really just trollers who can't run a government at this point, but that's another issue) should consider why black/Jewish/Native/etc. conservatives repeatedly call them bigots.

 

[ideologyhunter]

We are on a 23-year countdown to the demise of Caucasian Numerical Dominance -- by 2042, there won't be a racial majority in the country. Expect all the Breitbart-style racial torque to get noisier and weepier as this happens. The GOP will either have to abandon Trump-Bannonism or fall completely apart. Not only racial demographics but an aging GOP demographic confronts them. This is about the only positive thought about our politics I can muster, but it's a potent thought. It's also so damn long -- in my lifetime, the Supreme Court will be anti-progressive, a major barrier to creating an equitable political and economic landscape.

 

[Jolly_Penguin]

The Democrat Party needs to be careful not to fall into the trap being set before them too. Don't become the party that merely panders to minorities to get votes. Become the inclusive party of all and counter the bigots of the alt-right on that basis.