Our image,the public and what I think about both.

Hello everyone. First of all I would lke to thank you for welcoming to your home and secondly I would like you to excuse for posting a topic so early, but I thought I had some things on my mind!

I think we need to reform. Not our ideas or who we are but other people's perception of us. I think people should know that the republican party is a party for ALL Americans not just the rich white,and the powerful, and I think the more people know this, the better.

I am tired of the stereotypes and accusations. I am tired of the fighting and the name-calling. Most of all though I am tired of being called un-american and I tire of calling others un-american.

As Condoleeza Rica and Colin Powell show, if you work hard within this party you will be accepted. We need to highlight those cases...

I am not pretending to have all the answers. However I am hoping we can invigorate discussion on this. I am also not pandering to others. I am hoping to highlight our best sides, and I know it is something we can do!

Maybe holding community relations meetings, fundraising for people in trouble where we don't normally stick out, talking to schools, SOMETHING. I had to learn about this party from the internet. Can you believe that? Everyone around me is a Democrat. The internet was the only outlet I had for positive Republican commentary. I learned here that republicans care, are compassionate, laugh, hurt , cry, get scared, love, etc. just like regular people. Perhaps if I had someone to talk to about it before things might have been different. My ethnicity was another obstacle because I am a minority, and sadly it is hardwired into us from an early age that minorities just don't do Republican. Why? I don't know. It's how the "system" works. The system needs to change though. We are the people to change it.

Hmm thats interesting James. Now how do we as the republican party influence the teachers? If we can reach them we can get to the kids correct?

It is true. Kids today are the most apathetic politically now than at any time in history partly because they are kids and paertly because they are in mortal fear only of missing the next episode of Road Rules (I am speaking about the 15 to 18 year old age group.)

MTV and other media outlets, which frankly don't give a hoot about the well being about the well-being of their young audience, (sorry I had to inject some criticism in there) is suddenly left-wing democratic. It is a politics of laziness that has enslaved young people. However there is a way around it, to get them to think. Highlight the fact that the musical culture is destructive maybe? show tyhat there is a high correllation between youths who live popular music fantasies and AIDS, death rape, etc. Once you show them they are hurting themselves, they see that "the man" that is oppressing them is actually staring at them in the mirror and forces them to reform. Just a few ideas.

There is no solution to the problems that you describe, nor even any set of measures that can be cobbled together as a strategy or remedy against them. What we can do is to try to inform and persuade others, win minds, and win elections.

Those who control and manipulate the unfavorable and hostile images fastened onto conservatives know that it is a large part of their power. The best approach -- the only sustainable approach -- is to not let yourself be ground down or defeated, but to have a sense of optimism and hope.

Reagan had a marvelous ability to keep great difficulties and vicious criticism from getting him down or drawing him into a defensive attitude. Reagan's cheerfulness under fire drove his enemies and the media nuts, gave heart to his supporters, and swayed the impressionable. In other words, Reagan had courage -- and we need to as well.

Re: other people's perception of us.

I remember Geroge Will debating a liberal when they were trying to put word in his mouth. George Wills appononet (some liberal driveling on about a topic I din't remember) kept saying "I'm sure you'de agree . . . what you really think is . . . aren't you just saying" that kinda thing.

George Will: "I can assure you *I* am the worlds foremost athority on what I think"

It was amazing. I've used that line a lot.

The point is NEVER LET THEM DEFINE YOU.

You really are the worlds great athority on what you think and no matter how much jesse and wierd al sharpton drone on and on, they still can't define your core values.

I like you already. You're new yet had the spine to put your thoughts out there and see what happens. Not many are willing to do that and you're to be commended.

I'm not sure which minority you are speaking of as it isn't exactly clear from your post. Doesn't matter really.

I think there are several groups that tend, as a group, to vote with the Democrats.

To me the reason for this is seated in a cultural mindset and changing a deep seated culture is not an easy thing to do. Like yourself, Bill Cosby went out on a limb. Recently and voiced his displeasure with the current mindset of African Americans. Many were shocked and displeased.

Fortunately Cosby has the status to ward off too much criticism and I think some blacks are actually thinking about what he said.....effectively he stated we need a cultural change if we want to get ahead and quit blaming others.

While Cosby may not be a Republican, what he said runs contrary to the historical thinking. The Democrats and some minority leaders have over the years exploited the "minority victim mindset" and many minorities are quite comfortable adhering to it. "Poverty Pimps" have made a name and money for themselves pushing the victim agenda.
Republicans, like Cosby, ascribe to a mindset, loosely stated, that says "you control your destiny and you can be anything you want." You CAN live the American dream.

If you happen to live in a blighted area where no one lives that dream, where welfare perpetuates itself, crime is high, drugs are rampet, step outside your culture and you're branded an Oreo....suck up to whites or some other group....and trying to get "educated" is part of that suck-up, you live to see what you can ripoff from the system, the man, it's difficult to see anything else.

Contrast, say Asians, and I'm speaking in very broad terms here, value education and consistently repeat the mantra that the way to get ahead is to be educated. It becomes a self fulfilling prophecy and many Asians do indeed raise their socio-economic standing in the world.

The answer to your question is not black and white, if you'll excuse the pun. I've used how groups look at education as an example, but there are other issues and how people as a group look at an issue varies among different groups resulting in shades of grey....particularly when we looking at individuals. Hence, not all blacks stay in the ghetto/poverty, not all Asians are Rhodes Scholars.

Those individuals who break out of the stereotype, such as the those you mentioned in your post, yourself, a Bill Cosby, etc. need to speak up.

Most people, with a few exceptions, can't state that because they aren't part of "the group." ....you're white you don't know what it's like, you're a man you wouldn't understand (what it's like to be a woman), you're a yadda yadda yadda. Point is, again, the change needs to come from within the minority group.

What Republicans or any other group can do is try to speak with a positive voice.....to try to plant in the minds of the group that there is another world out there unlike the one painted by the poverty pimps and Democrats.
YOU can do it.

And, it's not just a matter of saying it, but follow the words with deeds that help create and foster an environment where change becomes possible and that environment is safe enough for people to take risks.

Your post here is a perfect example. You're new, you didn't know what your post would bring......but you obviously, based on what you saw, felt safe enough to take that risk and speak your mind.

God Bless you and much success on quest for a better way.

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