"Black and Missing" in the GOP

The Afro ^ | 3/14/12 | Afro Staff

[YourAdHere]

As the Republican presidential campaign trail ensues, there is something obviously missing from GOP campaign activities and primaries—Black people.

A look at last month’s GOP presidential primaries reveals that older Whites dominated the electorate.

According to an analysis by the National Journal, 89 percent of voters in Arizona were White, while Blacks represented just 1 percent. Meanwhile, Hispanics made up about 8 percent of the vote.

The findings are a stark increase compared to the numbers found in the same state during the 2008 general election. That year, 75 percent of voters were White, while 4 percent were Black and 16 percent were Hispanic.

A similar increase was shown in this year’s Ohio primary. In the Buckeye state, a whopping 96 percent of voters were White, compared to 83 percent in the general election four years ago.

Aside from the primary elections, it is also apparent that Blacks are considerably absent from many GOP campaign activities.

While it is no secret that African Americans have long voted Democrat, the question at hand is whether the GOP is concerned with the obvious racial disconnect.

Michael Steele, former chairman of the Republican National Committee said in a recent interview with writer Kam Williams that there are a couple of things that the party can do to attract more African Americans.

“One is to own up to our own failures as a party, when it comes to making investments in the Black community when it counted, like the Civil Rights Movement,” Steele said during the interview.

He explained that while Republicans had been the architects of landmark civil rights legislation during the Reconstruction Era, the party hesitated when it really mattered in the 1950s and ‘60s, resulting in a longstanding riff between the GOP and Blacks.

Steele added that Republicans should also, “Show up in the community prepared to have meaningful discussions about issues that actually matter to [Blacks] like job creation, in way that makes sense.”

“That’s why my very first official act as Chairman was to host a town hall meeting in Harlem. To me, that was a very important step to take,” he said.

The National Black Republican Association (NBRA) has also continuously worked to close the gap. Their organization aims to return Blacks to their Republican roots and enlighten them on GOP ideals and values.

In the meantime, the AFRO wants to know if you spot more than one Black person at a GOP event. Email your submissions to Blackfolkspotted@afro.com.

[fieldmarshaldj]

“One is to own up to our own failures as a party, when it comes to making investments in the Black community when it counted, like the Civil Rights Movement,” Steele said during the interview."

This is not only a falsehood, it is an unforgiveable, outrageous lie.

[rdb3]

Considering the response, “if they can’t figure it out, that’s their problem”, that is the opinion of some posters here, I can’t really blame blacks for not taking the time to, “figure it out”.

Yeah, but don't waste your time trying to figure out why it's like that.

I don't.

25 years ago, we had Ronald Reagan, Johnny Cash, and Bob Hope.
Today we have Obama, no cash, and no hope!

If you can't appreciate the pure beauty of the violin after hearing this, something's wrong with your ears.

Or you can get raw with these strings.

How about this gamechanger from America's Got Talent (which they SHOULD have won).

And finally, this, dedicated to the one and only rdb2, whose eyes are growing dim.

Either way, the violin is sweet yet LETHAL.

Do it!