Posted on 08/12/2005 8:52:17 PM PDT by wagglebee
A new national organization of black Republicans is set to launch Monday, hoping to effectively represent the party's ideals in the African-American community.
The National Black Republican Association will make its announcement at a Washington, D.C, law firm.
"The creation of the National Black Republican Association is the product of the dreams and efforts of scores of black Republicans across the nation," said interim Chairperson Frances Rice, co-founder of a black Republican group in Sarasota, Fla. "Black grass-roots activists have always been involved locally and nationally within the Republican Party, but there was always agreement that we needed a national organization to represent the interests of Republicans in the black community. We also needed an organization that will effectively counter the disinformation concerning Republicans being perpetuated by the Democratic Party."
The mission of the new group is to be educate the black community on Republican ideals and to support the principles of the Republican Party. It hopes to "increase the number of black Americans who vote for Republicans, and are active in the Republican Party, by providing information, networking opportunities and resources for black Republicans nationwide," said a statement from the organization.
The NBRA also will identify black Republicans as potential candidates and will financially support those who run for office.
"These are exciting times for black Republicans," said Donald Scoggins, interim co-chairman and president of a black Republican group in Virginia. "One important aim of the NBRA is to empower the people by championing opportunity scholarships for black children and helping black Americans move into our Ownership Society. With the help of our supporters, the NBRA will change the political landscape, for the sake of our future generations."
Said NBRA Communications Director Christopher Arps: "We have witnessed the experiment of Lyndon Johnson's Great Society programs of the 1960s. Though a noble cause, these programs have unintentionally created a permanent underclass. The consequences of the Great Society has created conditions of teen pregnancy being too high, and too many of our young black men turning to a life of crime and drug abuse.
"These chronic problems are shouting for new leadership and new solutions. The NBRA will address those problems by supporting and electing African American candidates who support our traditional and faith based values."
African-Americans traditionally vote for Democrat candidates in large numbers. In some races, as many as 80 or 90 percent of black voters vote Democratic.
I just sprayed my monitor.
If you want on (or off) of my black conservative ping list, please let me know via FREEPmail. (And no, you don't have to be black to be on the list!)
Extra warning: this is a high-volume ping list.
Is there a white republican group?
Shh! You should not write that, you might hurt somebody's feelings and be labeled racist or something like that. After all, only whites can be racist.
Yes. And there are orange, purple, and gray GOP groups as well. Stupid questions deserve stupid answers.
Hey, rdb3. How are you doing these days? Hope you are healing well, and quickly. :)
Now, you so very smart maybe you can explain the paradox.
One hopes non-blacks will support the NBRA, too.
Gentle hint to All: their website's up and running, accepts memberships and donations, and doesn't ask...
That's the question.
Do we really want a Black Republican group? If blacks are going to be converted from the left, I'd prefer that it be because of the merits of the Party, not because there's a welcoming group of the same race.
I'll confess this worries me too. I would hate to see the Republican party become the Democrat party, in that it becomes an affiliation of separate interest groups instead of a unified party of ideas and principles that work for all Americans.
That said, I can see a need for an organization like this right now. I know MANY successful blacks who agree with Republicans on 80% of the issues, but won't vote Republican because of (distorted) history or fear. Maybe if this organization can be a reaching hand into the community, leading people to the Republican party, this would be a good thing.
I certainly wish this group well in any case!
I'm not sure I agree. I know the GOP has to start converting Blacks, but I'm much more comfortable with the GOP's outreach program than I am with a separate group. I think the best approach is to unify, not to set up competing groups who might have competing agendas.
Getting to the right place (unification) is more important than just getting more GOP votes in the near term.
Yep, I agree with you.
In the 2004 election, Bush defined the Republican Party as "the party of ideas", among other things. That was probably done to place the focus on the fact that the entire Kerry platform was that he wasn't Bush, rather than running on what he would've done as President (a smile just broke out on my face after writing that "would've done" hehe). I like to interpret that as meaning that Republicans aren't defined by the color of their skin, but by their ideas, attitudes, and overall outlook on life; A party of ideas rather than a club of different ethnicities.
Someone once said that love isn't two people looking longingly at each other, but two people side-by-side looking forward in the same direction. So too with races and politics, in my opinion. Instead of focusing on our differences, whether good or bad, let's stand together and optimistically look forward to a bright future.
Thanks Wagglebee for putting this up. Makes me glad to hear this...also check out:
http://newsmax.com/archives/ic/2005/8/1/140322.shtml
Yippeee, down with liberal Democrats!
Okay I am down here in Tampa, who can I contact to get involved and make this a reality in the sunshine state?
Thank you very much, and specifically for your service to our country.
...Like others on this thread, I do believe the merits of the Republican Party should be emphasized, but at the same time I agree that the message can be tailored to show the relevance and the vital role black Americans have played in the history of the party, in other words allow blacks to recognize that this is not yet another 'rescue mission' from the white man, that people like Fredrick Douglass and Booker T. Washington were pioneers of the conservative movement.
Your point is on target.
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