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A letter published in my local fishwrap recently. (14 year old puts a smackdown on a pulitzer prize winning race baiter)

PARMA — Recently I read a column by Leonard Pitts in the newspaper attacking Glenn Beck for a statement he made on remembering the true history of the civil rights movement. I felt like the column misrepresented history.

When the Republican party was founded in 1854, its purpose was to outlaw slavery. After Republicans gained power they passed the 13th Amendment (1865), which outlawed slavery. While 100 percent of Republicans voted for its passage, only 23 percent ofDemocrats did so.

Next, Republicans introduced the 14thAmendment (1868), which guarantees citizenship to African Americans. No Democrat supported it, although 94 percent of Republicans did. Next,Congress passed the 15th Amendment, giving the freedom to vote to African Americans. This amendment was ratified (1870) with no Democrat support.

Congress passed other civil rights bills that were later repealed when Democrats took control of Congress. Finally, two of the most famous bills passed, the Voting Rights Act (1965) and Civil Rights Act(1964). Without Republicans who brought similar bills up year after year, these bills may have never been put up for a vote. These bills would not have passed without Republican support; although Democrats held a clear majority, only 63 percent of Democrats voted for the bills while 83 percent of Republicans did so.

Another interesting piece of history is that by 1880 several African American congressmen had been elected from southern states and all of them were Republican.

Republicans are not rewriting history, Democrats are!

The true Republican party has not changed. The party still holds the same values as it did in 1854. The Republican still loves liberty and equality for all. Though the issues have changed, the true Republican party still fights for individual liberty and Glenn Beck belongs to the “We” who stood and stands for liberty and equality for all.

—Amber Donihue, age 14