Please break down why you think so.
Posted on 12/13/2003 7:49:56 AM PST by areafiftyone
Please break down why you think so.
Why?
There are some here who feel that this is a "waste," but refuse to indicate why. They'd rather ignore the possibility of increasing 5% of the black electorate to 7% or 10% or 15% over the next few years.
Those who would refuse to try because "it's too hard; they're all gonna vote Democrat anyway," would rather that I and other conservative blacks not be here in the first damn place.
My message to them: "Tough. I'm here, damn proud to be here, and I ain't going no damn where. And I'm gonna do my level best to bring others like me into the fold, no matter how much you don't like it."
And to everyone else, my message is simply, "Thank you."
I appreciate the help; I appreciate the support; and I am glad to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with each and every one of you.
The never-ending battle continues...
Black conservative ping
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So tell me, how would you try to reach black audiences? Do you truly think that the place to reach them is in forms of media that they do not use?
Outreach is outreach. Pandering is talking down to those audiences. Pandering is insincere platitudes. Are you telling me that blacks are not concerned with the messages from the Administration?
Please, enlighten me.
What I tell you?
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Some here would rather we weren't here to begin with. Note some of the comments from the seldom-heard-from crowd...
Geez, we have got to get off this negativity concerning minority outreach programs.
I don't disagree with you. However, we can reach out all we want, but the vast majority of folks to whom we are offering our hand are all but certain to refuse to take it. At the risk of being shocking, day-to-day life here in the greater Los Angeles area, especially over the past decade, has taught me that large numbers of A-A's are among the most hate-filled, paranoid, racist, people around. In addition to that always simmering hate for whitey, with good historical reason they see big government simultaneously as their protector, safety net, and advocate. In other words, most are intrinsic socialists.
I know I paint a bleak, harsh picture — and I know what I'm saying is not true of all "persons of color." But anyone who doubts its truth need only listen to C-SPAN callers with easily identifiable accents. Here in Los Angeles, I have lived through the Rodney King and OJ Simpson cases, as well as a number of similar cases that did not receive nationwide attention. I have heard the breathtaking venom spewed by A-A callers to talk radio. I have personally both witnessed and experienced their racism first-hand. So I am deeply disheartened and discouraged about race relations in this country.
President George W. Bush and his First Lady have set a terrific example for the Republican Party as regards reaching out to A-A's (BTW, A-A is intended as an abbreviation only). He has appointed more A-A's to more senior positions than any president in history. He has reached out to minorities of all backgrounds and political persuasians. Wherever he and the First Lady go, they are genuine and warm with all people. Some of his policies, while angering many on the hard Right, should be more than acceptable to minorities. Yet he is likely to improve the number of A-A's who vote for him in 2004 only marginally, if at all.
Yesterday, after the President announced the appointment of Antonio Jackson to be HUD secretary, I emailed the news and Mr. Jackson's photo to a long-time co-worker who happens to be a middle-aged black woman. Her only reaction was that minorities are "always" appointed to be HUD secretary. Even prior to the 200 election, I made a point of reaching out to her and other black people in my life to show them how Bush is genuinely trying to embrace A-A's. In a number of very solid respects, this is truly the "blackest" administration ever, yet the best reaction I've ever gotten was a shrug. To the A-A's I know, people like Powell, Rice, Page, now Jackson, Larry Thompson (formerly #2 at Justice), Michael Powell, and all the others, are nothing more than house n---ers. Very, very sad. And, as I say, very discouraging.
And to everyone else, my message is simply, "Thank you."
I appreciate the help; I appreciate the support; and I am glad to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with each and every one of you.
Hey, I'm glad you're here. FR is a better place because of you.
Thanks Mhking.
I hear ya, but I can't honestly support you here in good faith. My voting for Pubs is strictly selfish.
As far as joining the Pubs, fuhgedaboudit. If FR has shown me one thing it is that those like me who have my particular background aren't really welcome in the GOP. Count the threads about this subject and you can best believe that you will get those posts saying that I ain't worth it. If more and more like you and I started voting Republican, then that must mean that there's some pandering goin' on 'round durr.
Besides, I don't go where I'm not wanted. As I told someone else higher in the thread, he or she does not have to worry about me "darkening" their political door.
Lastly, I don't want to cause any political "white flight." So for all of you who don't want me within your party or who don't think that any effort should be wasted pursuing younger American blacks who look like me, chin up. Your party won't be crashed as far as I'm concerned. Do me a favor and keep voting for the GOP. I'll just be happy to remain in stealth mode. Can't sit in the restaurant but I can get my food from the back door. No matter. I still get fed.
Ya heard?
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