More Young Blacks Ready to Embrace GOP

Boston Globe ^ | August 22, 2005 | Kaitlin Bell

[West Coast Conservative]

Adam Hunter, an ambitious law student with bright eyes, an easy smile, and plenty of charisma, seems practically destined for politics.

A half century ago, his grandfather helped register blacks living in rural South Carolina to vote. Hunter's father, born on a tobacco farm and taught in segregated schools, was inspired by the civil rights movement to join the Democratic Party. His parents have both headed the local Democratic committee in their New Jersey town, and Hunter himself worked as a campaign volunteer before he was old enough to vote.

Hunter, 22, is a first-year law student at Howard University, a historically black campus with a long record of liberal activism. He has political ambitions of his own -- but not with the Democrats.

Instead, Hunter, who as an undergraduate headed Howard's chapter of College Republicans, sees himself as part of a younger generation of African-Americans. He is ready to cast aside traditional loyalties to the Democratic Party and forge his own political identity.

''My father and I are not that different, ideologically, but if you look at the time period we grew up in, that's where we're different," Hunter said. ''My foundation doesn't make me beholden to the Democratic Party. To me there's nothing more undemocratic than the idea that you have to vote for a Democrat or don't vote at all come Election Day."

Hunter is one of a growing number of young African-Americans leaving the party of their parents and grandparents in favor of the GOP -- or choosing not to have a political affiliation at all.

[weegee]

PING

[teenyelliott]

Unfounded Loyalty: Why are most blacks in America Democrats?

Very interesting read.

Seems the tide is turning against the demonrats among the black community. About time.

[flixxx]

I am not even sure the shift is so much related to racial issues, but more related to educational and economic issues...this report (from Boston of all cities) combined with the Union setbacks have go to be driving the Dems nuts.

[wideawake]

"Democrats have had a decades-long hammerlock on the black vote, stemming largely from the civil rights battles of the 1960s."

Again, I don't understand why the Democrats are considered the heroes of the civil rights movement.

[mvpel]

Hunter's father, born on a tobacco farm and taught in segregated schools, was inspired by the civil rights movement to join the Democratic Party.

Looks like Hunter's father was suckered by the party of Klansman Robert Byrd:

Republicans and Civil Rights
In the 26 major civil rights votes after 1933, a majority of Democrats opposed civil rights legislation in over 80 percent of the votes. By contrast, the Republican majority favored civil rights in over 96 percent of the votes.

[mhking]

Black conservative ping

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.

[misterrob]

Wow, the Glob actually ran this article????

Wait, I just saw pigs floating by my office window...

[Puppage]

"Democrats have had a decades-long hammerlock on the black vote, stemming largely from the civil rights battles of the 1960s."

With more republicans than rats voting for the Civil Rights Act of 1964. So, why did they EVER have a lock on the black vote?

[RetiredArmy]

What? Blacks actually believing the RINOcrats instead of the lying socialist democrats, who stood in the doors, shut them out, voted against them, have a KKK member in the senate they adore? What? Can't believe it. Did they actually read the congressional record and see it was the old Republican party (before they became the RINOcrats) who voted in the civil rights bill and the voting rights bill, with Senator AL GORE, SENIOR and Klinton's mentor, Full-of-it, who led the charge against blacks!!! /sarcasm still on, I am never finished.

[Brad from Tennessee]

The Republican posture toward African Americans, which some might see as "tough love," has been to assimilate--through the same process all minorities follow--blacks into the mainstream. Once in the mainstream blacks may remain democrat or become republican. The Democrats work to keep blacks on the "plantation" as Baynative calls it where they are beholden to the massas of the welfare state and reciprocate with a 90 percent block vote.

[mvpel]

It's worse than that - Democrats actually filibustered the Civil Rights Act in an effort to block its passage.

[metalmanx2j]

President Johnson was in the spotlight...same with Kennedy. Most people tend to look at the presidential actions, not congress's.

[softwarecreator]

it's time for blacks with dreams of self fulfillment to take stock of their future

Right.  Enough of the handouts.  Enough of the "Blame-Game'.  They need to get off the sinking liberal ship and start getting their lives back on the track of being productive members of society.  The libbies don't WANT minorities to improve themselves.  Why should they?  If minorities do become self-supportive they don't need the lefties ... can't have that now can we?  You would have thought African Americans would have realized this fact a generation ago.

[Puppage]

It's worse than that - Democrats actually filibustered the Civil Rights Act in an effort to block its passage

I didn't know that..shame on me. Thank you for the education,

[Pyro7480]

Instead, Hunter, who as an undergraduate headed Howard's chapter of College Republicans, sees himself as part of a younger generation of African-Americans.

Man, that must have been a hard role!

[MEGoody]

Hunter's father, born on a tobacco farm and taught in segregated schools, was inspired by the civil rights movement to join the Democratic Party.

Since it was the Democrats who fought against civil rights, why in the heck would Hunter's father have joined them?

The stupidity of the human race never ceases to amaze me.

[TNCMAXQ]

Does my heart good to read these stories. Makes me think there is more hope for the future.

Plus as I've said before, you have to admire these folks for the risks they are taking. Black conservatives have too often been threatened and harassed by the left.

[wideawake]

So, why did they EVER have a lock on the black vote?

My thesis is that FDR won over the bulk of Americans to the Democrats with his socialist New Deal, and that - plus the fact that the South was heavily Democrat - is why so many black Americans were Democrats in the first place.

What kept them Democrats was not the civil rights movement, but LBJ's socialist Great Society - a New New Deal especially for black Americans.

Pandering handouts kept black Americans Democrats - not the Democrats' lukewarm showing on the 1963 Congressional calendar.