Posted on 09/01/2004 10:24:15 AM PDT by buzzyboop
Talk about a "rising star" in the Republican party, he is one of them. I really liked his statement about "not just being allowed a seat at the lunch counter, but the ability (or right?) to own the lunch counter and create wealth to pass along to our descendent's..." (or something to that effect).
A couple of company reps I deal with are black and are strong republicans. I talk on occasion with one about politics and her parents are still strong rats but she said many of her friends are converts to the republican party.
As you see more minority entering the middle class and home ownership you will see more black republicans. Especially when they have to pay the high property taxes.
I had the honor of helping to elect a black republican delegate from my congressional district!
"Slavery was but a side issue in the War of Northern Aggression. The South was much more concerned about the erosion of states' rights and their ability to choose their own path."
***
I'm a Southerner (NC born and bred, the state that provided more Confederate troops than any other) and I have to say the whole slavery/Jim Crow era was an huge embarrassment to us.
You can couch this in States' Rights all you want but if it weren't for the slavery issue, there would have been no Civil War. The South was ready to destroy the Union to keep slaves -- even though our Declaration said that all men are created equal and that slavery was clearly unconstitutional. Let's not try to hide this huge ugly elephant in the room.
BUT...I'm not ashamed to be Southern. Hardly. There are many wonderful things about Southern culture, not least of which is food and hospitality. In particular for me is the finest pork BBQ in all the world they make in Eastern NC. The South nearly destroyed the country in the 19th century but I am convinced we will save the country here in the 21st.
Thanks for the post :)
Only one in eight (12%) in the entire South owned a slave. My guess is that your family were part of the 88% that truely believed the fight was to preserve States' Rights. On that point, you can remain proud.
WOW.........that's a great post Southhack!
I am a proud Christian for Bush, Black American female. I am proud to be an independent minded republican.
I am happy to see the Dims do not have a monolithic hold on so many of us anymore....and we are free to choose the party we feel is most in sync with our values. it is high time we were able to leave the plantation
BUMP!!
Glad to have you on our side my dear and welcome to the Free Republic. I sure hope more of the black Americans will follow your lead and join us.
Hi,
I totally agree with you. I am also a Black, female Republican who is very proud of Bush and the progress that he has made thus far. It is wonderful to know that he is a Christian man, not just by mere words but by his actions and his heart. Isn't it encouraging to see that many individuals within the Black community are becoming enlightened?
Joy
Zhangliqun,
I am a Southerner who was also born and bred in NC. I agree with your comments. There are a lot of wonderful, caring people in the South.
By the way, we do have the best pork BBQ! I absolutely love the South. I lived in three other states after undergrad, but NC stayed in my heart. These other states did not impress me. I missed that Southern hospitality and down-to-earth temperament that is so characteristic of North Carolinians. So, I moved back a few years ago. Also, the geography of NC is so beautiful. I love to brag about NC. *smile*
Joy
Speaking of the Civil War, that comment will start another one on this thread in a matter of moments.
Regarding your other comments, there are a few die hards here who cannot for the life of them recognize that the slavery issue was the knife edge that split the Union. Other economic and political factors were of course also important, but without slavery there would have been no abolitionist movement, without the abolitionists there would have been no Republican Party, no Republicans and Lincoln becomes an historic footnote as an objector to the Mexican American War and, reputedly, quite an orator. Finally, no Lincoln = no (or little chance of) secession.
At that point the legitimate debate becomes whether the southern States had every right to secede. Philosophically I tend to agree they did and that's coming from the great grandson of a Union Army veteran from the slave yet Union State of Kentucky. But the "War of Northern Aggression" and slavery are bones that some dogs simply won't give up gnawing on and "Best Barbecue" is another (pun intended).
"Only one in eight (12%) in the entire South owned a slave. My guess is that your family were part of the 88% that truely believed the fight was to preserve States' Rights. On that point, you can remain proud."
***
Owning slaves was only for the rich to I'm surprised the number is that high.
But the particular states' right all 100% were fighting for was the right to own slaves. Poor white Southerners surely knew they had no chance of owning one, but one thing they had in common with the slave owners was they didn't want a bunch free blacks running around. There were exceptions to this, of course, but only a tiny minority of Southerners had a problem with slavery.
The South is a very different place now. I went to public schools where the students were about 25% black and at least a third of my teachers were black too, and this was starting in the early 70's.
That's the funny thing about the South is that, once slavery and Jim Crow was over, the fact that we knew each other so well made it easier to just move on for the most part. I have overheard many black people say they in many ways prefer the South because you always knew where you stood -- if a white person didn't like you, they would let you know immediately (I know this to be true as I've seen it). If they didn't say anything, you could bank on it that you would have no problem with them.
Ironically, most of the racial tension these days seems to be in big cities, especially non-Southern big cities.
This is not to say everything is hunky-dory as there are always going to be problems of this nature (and any other) where ever you have people. Fear of those who are different and all that. But the stereotype of the cross-burning South is pretty much just that now.
"I am a Southerner who was also born and bred in NC. I agree with your comments. There are a lot of wonderful, caring people in the South.
By the way, we do have the best pork BBQ! I absolutely love the South. I lived in three other states after undergrad, but NC stayed in my heart. These other states did not impress me. I missed that Southern hospitality and down-to-earth temperament that is so characteristic of North Carolinians. So, I moved back a few years ago. Also, the geography of NC is so beautiful. I love to brag about NC. *smile* "
You better believe it! Lots of folks think we're bragging about the pork BBQ because we've never been anywhere else and don't know any better. If this describes anyone reading this, YOU NEED TO GO TO EASTERN NC.
They pit-cook a whole hog nice and slow from before the crack of dawn, marinate it in a tangy vinegar sauce and it's so melt-in-your-mouth tender you don't even need a fork! Have it with some sides of hushpuppies (deep-fried lumps of cornbread for those who don't know), cole slaw, boiled potatoes -- I'm back in Goldsboro already!
NOW...
...if we could only get rid of those (bleepin' bleepity-bleep-bleep-bleepin') FIRE ANTS!!!!
"At that point the legitimate debate becomes whether the southern States had every right to secede. Philosophically I tend to agree they did and that's coming from the great grandson of a Union Army veteran from the slave yet Union State of Kentucky. But the "War of Northern Aggression" and slavery are bones that some dogs simply won't give up gnawing on and "Best Barbecue" is another (pun intended)."
***
All states do have the right to secede, it's just that the Southern states chose a pretty sick and evil thing to secede over.
ON THE OTHER HAND, I'm all for secession if it will keep our BBQ unspoiled by you Yankees! (For that matter, I'm for secession from the other Southern states and the WESTERN half of NC too because none of them have any idea what they're doing with a hog either.)
I see that I was in error in arrived at the 12%. You are correct in that it is a high figure.
Statistics show that 1 in 8 Blacks currently in the United States can trace their heritage to American slavery. The 12% figure would only apply if one of every eight people living in the South owned a slave. We know that isn't the case because plantation owners had numerous slaves, therefore, the figure would be a LOT less than 12%. Guesstimate: 2%-3% ???
Thanks for catch. Sorry.
"Guesstimate: 2%-3% ???"
***
I'm no expert on the numbers but for whatever it's worth, that sounds about right.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.