More minorities are rising in the Republican Party. This is, and was always, inevitable. Black skin has never been synonymous with a progressive mind.
The New York Times today published an article noting that 32 black people are making serious runs for Congress. I wasn't sure if I wanted to post this article or not. So instead, I decided to write about it. I didn't want to post it, because I didn't want people to think that I am saying, "see, we're not a bunch of racists, because we have a few black folks joining our leadership." The argument that we were racist is offensive, baseless, and contemptible as a Democratic Party political ploy. Rarely do I dignify it with a response.
Rather, my point is the opposite. We were never racist, but mistakes were made. Republicans were the dominate party among blacks until the 1960's. Because of certain mistakes, especially Barry Goldwater's opposition to the Civil Rights Act of 1964, we lost the black voter. But we never lost the general debate. If we would stick to the debate over basic theory, most black folks would inevitably come back to the party, as long as we stick to that argument.
As a matter of basic logic: just because a theory is misused, doesn't mean the theory itself is bunk. Just because some racists use the language of freedom, doesn't mean freedom isn't the right idea. It only means that the idea is being abused.
Often you have to explain this to progressives. Literally, it is a constant cycle with them: I say I believe in the Constitution and the American theories of law, they say, "well that's what all the slave-owners said, and those are the arguments they used to oppress people." After explaining to them that this response is not logical (as explained in the previous paragraph) I then explain that, under American Constitutional theory, the rights wealthy white men enjoyed should be expanded to all people--not taken from all people.
The Civil Rights movement was this effort. When progressives try to pervert this into a movement for socialism--they start losing the debate, and therefore lose their black constituents.
When Republicans stick to
our core arguments, we win. When we depart we lose (which the party does far too often). In several elections this year, Constitutionalists Republicans are doing very well so far. A purification effort is ongoing. Incumbents, RINO's (Republicans in name only) and party insiders are struggling and losing. Even John McCain is getting beat in his own primary. In Kentucky, Rand Paul is winning. In Florida, Marco Rubio is winning. And the list goes on. Formerly unbeatable establishment Republicans are facing the kind of defeat that the entire party got in 2006.It is no coincidence that black Republicans would emerge at the same time. At heart, a message that opposes income redistribution, class warfare, race-baiting, and skirting personal responsibility will always win among people hungry for freedom. Especially after the continued failure of government planning--e.g. the housing projects, affirmative action and others.
The Power of Jealousy
One of the driving forces of a free society is jealousy. The Soviet Union fell, largely because the people were jealous of the west. Capitalism offers a chance--a possibility at happiness. For most, this outweighs government's promises and "guarantees" of social equality and special treatment. Similary, oppressed black Americans were jealous of white people's freedom to earn money--not their money itself. In a famous race-issue case, Clarence Thomas quoted Frederick Douglas as saying,
The American people have always been anxious to know what they shall do with us . . . Everybody has asked the question, and they learned to ask it early of the abolitionists, "What shall we do with the Negro?" I have had but one answer from the beginning. Do nothing with us! Your doing with us has already played the mischief with us. Do nothing with us! If the apples will not remain on the tree of their own strength, if they are wormeaten at the core, if they are early ripe and disposed to fall, let them fall! I am not for tying or fastening them on the tree in any way, except by nature's plan, and if they will not stay there, let them fall. And if the Negro cannot stand on his own legs, let him fall also. All I ask is, give him a chance to stand on his own legs! Let him alone! If you see him on his way to school, let him alone, don't disturb him! If you see him going to the dinner table at a hotel, let him go! If you see him going to the ballot- box, let him alone, don't disturb him! If you see him going into a work-shop, just let him alone,--your interference is doing him a positive injury . . . Let him fall if he cannot stand alone! If the Negro cannot live by the line of eternal justice, so beautifully pictured to you in the illustration used by Mr. Phillips, the fault will not be yours, it will be his who made the Negro, and established that line for his government. Let him live or die by that. If you will only untie his hands, and give him a chance, I think he will live. He will work as readily for himself as the white man.
Whole speech here.
Years ago, I read a book called "The Promised Land," which was about the American black migration north in the 20th century. It is clear why black people were forced to bond together as a community. This was due to the evils of many people in American society across the board. At that point, blacks were forced to vote together as a block, to deal with the most fundamental issues of civil rights.
But today, a black middle class is growing. Blacks were never a homogeneous group, but they did share similar interests. Today, they are increasingly independent. They inevitably will express their own ideas and interests. The Constitution protects their rights to acquire and accumulate wealth. How odd it would be, then, if they turned from civil rights to socialism, which completely rejects the concept of "economic rights" or free markets.
sidenote: I put "economic rights" in quotations, because the Constitution makes no distinction between economic rights and social rights. A personal hero of mine, Federal D.C. Circuit Court Judge Janice Rogers Brown, who is a black female from a large, poor, share-cropping family in Alabama, said this about the progressive Supreme Court of the New Deal: "The court drew a line between personal rights and property rights or economic interests . . . Rights were reordered and property acquired a second class status. If the right asserted was economic, the court held the Legislature could do anything it pleased . . . With the advent of "economic rights," the original meaning of rights was effectively destroyed."
Quote can be found here.
When I served in the military, I served with and under many black people. I learned how proud they are of their heritage, especially the civil rights era. However, many progressives think the civil rights era was about them. They think that the era was their ideological victory, and that society would soon adapt their way of thinking. They looked forward to a total abolishment of the Constitution and a new era of socialism.
Unfortunately, many black people don't think this is what it is all about. Many think that it is about extending the rights, formerly reserved to the privileged class, to everyone. They are still Christian, conservative and love America. Many actually think the founding fathers had a lot of things rights. I think people like Thomas Sowell, Clarence Thomas and Janice Rogers Brown may be considered to be pioneers one day. But maybe not, since we don't judge people by their race, for better or worse.
Marco Rubio, who is assured to be the Flordia Republican Party's nominee for Senate, is a perfect example of the future. He is a Constitutionalist Republican, whose parents fled Castro's Cuba to get to America. In a country of immigrants who fled oppression, all individual rights will likely be treasured. Therefore, even among minorities, people like Rubio are likely to dominate the landscape.
If its about politics, Republican lose. We deservedly lost black folks a long time ago, and they will not join us if all we offer is that we are not Democrats. But if its about policy, ideas, and philosophy, and we Republicans stick to our values, we will win the debate. The people will soon follow.
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