Dear ##########:
I am a black Republican, and I am supporting Katon Dawson for Republican National Committee Chairman.
My support for Katon is not based solely on the fact we both come from South Carolina. I’m supporting Katon because I know first-hand what he’s done as state chairman to make the South Carolina Republican Party more inclusive, and what he’s done as a private citizen to oppose racism in our state.
A few years ago, my wife, Linda, and I were volunteering for the York County Republican Party. We were doing all the things that make the party run – the little things that often go unnoticed – like putting up yard signs, making get-out-the-vote calls, and going door-to-door for local Republican candidates.
One night, Katon stopped in at our regular county party meeting. We got to talking and he told me that our county needed strong representation at the ’04 National Convention, and he urged Linda and me to run to serve as delegates. We did, and we won.
Time went by, and Katon kept in touch. He saw talent in me that I hadn’t seen in myself. He constantly encouraged me, and encouraged me to step up and take on leadership roles in the Party. In 2004, I ran for 2nd Vice Chairman of the State Party and won. Then, in 2007, I ran for York County GOP Chairman and became the first African-American to hold the position.
Katon knows that growing a party begins at the grassroots level. He knew that if we were going to be a strong state party, we had to have strong local organizations as our foundation. (And he knows that to have a strong national party, we must have strong state parties in place.) I believe what separates Katon from the other candidates for chairman is that he has done the day-to-day work of growing a party. He knows what it takes to win, and is fully aware of the personal investment and sacrifice required to build a party from the ground up.
Katon left no stone unturned on his way to building a stronger state party. Under his leadership, minority involvement increased dramatically. Katon sent a clear signal when he chose Ron Thomas, an African-American, to work as his first Political Director, and his commitment to an inclusive party has paid off.
In 2004, Republicans in Lexington County elected an Indian-American woman, Nikki Haley, to serve in the State House, making her one of only two Indian-American Republicans in any State House in the country at the time. This year, South Carolina elected its first black Republican, Tim Scott, to the State House since Reconstruction, and in May, my peers honored me by electing me to serve on the Republican National Committee.
Katon’s success in making the South Carolina Republican Party stronger by making it more inclusive is clear. Unfortunately, what may not be as clear is Katon’s commitment to inclusion and his opposition to racism as a private citizen. Allow me to set the record straight on something you may have heard about.
A few months ago, a local newspaper wrote an article about a country club where Katon was a member. The article pointed out that the club did not have any minority members. There was some confusion about whether or not it was club policy or a longstanding deed that prohibited minority members — none of that really matters. What matters is this: Katon Dawson tried to change the club’s practices to allow minority members. When he realized that things were not likely to change, Katon resigned his membership.
Sadly, Katon’s opponents are trying to use the fact that he was a member of this country club to disqualify him from serving as RNC Chair.
It shouldn’t. I believe it won’t.
I see what Katon did as evidence of his commitment to including and involving people from all walks of life and all races. Katon took a stand for what was right. He stood up in front of his friends at the club and told them what they were doing was wrong, and when they refused to change, he decided to leave. I’m not saying that Katon deserves a medal for the courage he showed that day, but I do think this one incident revealed the depths of Katon’s personal commitment to inclusion.
What our Party needs to move forward is principled leadership, and I can tell you from personal experience that Katon has the character, integrity, and vision to move our Party in the right direction.
I sincerely appreciate your time, and I encourage you to join me in supporting Katon Dawson for RNC Chairman.
Sincerely,
Glenn McCall
[Emphais mine]
There is a decision making process that is involved in joining any organization. I will have to tell you that I would be aware of it if Blacks were not allowed to join a club I was about to join.
I don’t know this guy. I’m not going to trash him. I’ll let his actions speak for themselves. Part of those actions for better or worse, are that he joined a ‘No Blacks Need Apply’ organization.
That’s nice.