[First published in September 7, 2005] In response to my endorsement of Secretary Rice for president in 08, I received this comment: “It will NEVER happen — the GOP would NEVER support an African American for President (well, maybe Idi Amin). Look at all the blacks in Congress – all Dems.
Dream on . . . .”
At the outset, I should say that I am not a Republican, although I strongly support the Bush’s foreign policy. As I pointed out in one of my blogs, I’m a freedomist (link here). Nonetheless, as a matter of promoting nondiscrimination and racial tolerance, I’m troubled by the mythology about Republicans in general and as a Party being anti-Black. This myth has been fostered and nurtured by liberals for over fifty years, especially by the leftist Black leaders. Lets look at the record. If one favors reparations for slavery, which most Black leaders do, then it is appropriate to recall that it was the Republicans — Lincoln — that ended Black slavery. It was a Republican Congress that passed the 13th Amendment outlaying slavery, and passed the 15th Amendment that established the voting rights of all adult males regardless of race.
Until the 1950s and 60s, it was the Democratic Party and Democrats that with their control of the southern states refused to accord Blacks the voting rights that constitutional was theirs, and supported a system of discrimination that made southern blacks third class citizens.
And it is a myth widely believed, even by some Republicans, that it was the democrats that passed President Johnson’s Civil Rights Act of 1964. The act begins:
To enforce the constitutional right to vote, to confer jurisdiction upon the district courts of the United States to provide injunctive relief against discrimination in public accommodations, to authorize the attorney
General to institute suits to protect constitutional rights in public facilities and public education, to extend the Commission on Civil Rights, to prevent discrimination in federally assisted programs, to establish a Commission on Equal Employment Opportunity, and for other purposes.
In effect, it was the Republicans that got this passed. Yes, the R-P-U-B-L-I-C-A-N-S. Republican Everett Dirksen, used his power as minority leader to midwife the bill through Congress, and had to overcome a 83-day filibuster by Democrats.
On the various versions of the bill, the distribution of votes were thus (D= democrats, R=republicans):
Original House version: D=153-96, 38 percent opposed; R=138-34, 20 percent opposed.
Senate version: D=46-22, 32 percent opposed, R=27-6, 18 percent opposed.
Senate version voted on by the House: D=153-91, 37 percent opposed; R=136-35, 20 percent opposed.
Proportionally more Democrats opposed the Civil rights Act than did Republicans. On the final bill voted on by the House and Senate, 113 Democrats voted against the bill, while 41 Republicans did. Moreover, as one can see from the votes, the bill would not have passed at all were it not for the support of Republicans.
You would never know this from the way this has been covered by the media since.
Then also note this. It was Republican Bush, the senior, who appointed Clarence Thomas to the Supreme Court, with vigorous resistance from liberal Democrats. It was the House Republicans that elected J.C. Watts, Republican from Oklahoma, to be Chairman of the House Republican Conference. It was President George Bush that appointed General Colin L. Powell as the Secretary of State and Condoleezza Rice as National Security Advisor, and with Powell’s resignation, Rice to replace him. He also appointed Roderick R. Paige as the Secretary of Education; Alphonso Jackson as the Deputy Secretary to Housing and Urban Development; Claude Alien as the Deputy Secretary of Health and Human Services; Leo S. Mackay, Jr, as the Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs; Larry D. Thompson as the Deputy Attorney General; and Stephen A. Perry as Adminstrator of General Services Adminstration; Roderick R. Paige as the Secretary of Education; Alphonso Jackson as the Deputy Secretary to Housing and Urban Development; Claude Alien as the Deputy Secretary of Health and Human Services; Leo S. Mackay, Jr, as the Deputy Secretary of Veterans Affairs; Larry D. Thompson as the Deputy Attorney General; and Stephen A. Perry as Adminstrator of General Services Adminstration; and Janice Rogers Brown to the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia (which many consider one of the most important courts in the nation — her confirmation had been blocked by Democrats). Not even Clinton, who Black leaders called their first “Black President, appointed so many Blacks to high position.
The comment hat started all this also said “Look at all the blacks in Congress – all Dems.” Yes, and almost 90 percent of Blacks vote for democrats. Two things explain this. One is that Blacks have bought the liberal line about only Democrats supporting their rights. Second, the Black leadership and organizations are almost all on the left, as are blacks in general. Often poor, not well educated, and susceptible to leftist slogans about the rich, the White Republican establishment, the anti-black rapacity of White businesses, many Blacks have come to see themselves as victims, the Democrats as their protectors, and vote that way. That virtually all Black Representatives are Democrats does not reflect on Republicans, but on the power of mythology, liberalism, and its propaganda.
Link of Day
” How Americans Voted [in 04]: A Political Portrait” By Marjorie Connelly
She points out:
A majority of Protestants, particularly white and Hispanic Protestants, supported Mr. Bush. Black voters, regardless of religion, continue to support the Democratic candidate overwhelmingly, giving almost 9 in 10 of their votes to Mr. Kerry. Jewish voters also remained firmly in the Democratic column, though Mr. Bush expanded his share to 25 percent this year from 19 percent in 2000.
Links I Must Share
” Sniping and griping” By Mark Steyn: ” Anyone watching TV in recent days will have seen plenty of “reprimitivized man,” not in Liberia or Somalia but in Louisiana. Cops smashing the Wal-Mart DVD cabinet so they can get their share of the booty along with the rest of the looters, gangs firing on a children’s hospital and on rescue helicopters, hurricane victims raped in the New Orleans Convention Center. [RJR: Yes, we now hear that Bush is responsible — I’m waiting for the Islamicist follow up — It is Bush and the Jews]
“The Suicide Solution” By Christopher Dickey: “To stop the spread of the suicide disease, in other words, we have to stop the spread of the occupation disease. [RJR: He means we should stop occupying Muslim countries, and misses entirely the importance of the war on terror and the democratization solution]
“Iran’s strategy in Iraq” By Arnaud de Borchgrave: ” “If Iran wanted, it could make Iraq hell for the United States.” So said Iraq’s deputy Foreign Minister Hamid Al Bayati last February. Well, Iran not only wants to, it already has.” [Read this to realize that war with Iran probably cannot be avoided, unless the internal democratic movement is successful]
“Feingold Flirts With Anti-War Platform” By issuing an early call for a timetable to withdraw U.S. troops from Iraq, Sen. Russ Feingold could emerge as the Democrats’ anti-war candidate of 2008, in the tradition of Eugene McCarthy and Howard Dean” [RJR: Not a candle’s chance in a hurricane of his being nominated over Hillary]
DemocraticPeace Blog 