I work daily with many African-Americans. What I hear is the faint sound of ice cracking. These are not Bill Cosby upper middle class Buppies, either, but just ordinary folks, who are sick of Jesse Jackson's jive and who do experience acceptance in the workplace and the world at large. If you have that kind of relationship, ask a young Black American sometime when was the last overt act of racism s/he encountered personally. The answer I usually get is "Its out there" but trouble coming up with much of a concrete example.
There are many in the older generation who will vote democrat till they die, even if Jesus himself was running on the GOP ticket. So be it. But I sincerely hope and pray that GW makes a concerted campaign, directly and through the Black media, and tells the good news of 21st century America under beneficent republican leadership.
Re#109 Thanks for the anecdotal evidence. The ice is indeed cracking. What blows me away is that for Blacks (and Hispanics), so so many share core GOP values--family, faith and hard work for success. Methinks more and more will convert. Here's hoping a lot more do so soon in the '04 election. I want to see very sad presstitutes come November....