I don’t intend to pursue this — I think the Internet goes downhill when someone (like me) insists on arguing endlessly until they “win”. I don’t feel that I need to “win” this point.
I will say this: You both are making good points. Strictly speaking, I think you are Right on this matter.
But I wonder —
Do you realize that the great mass of undecided voters don’t care about your nuanced and logical and correct explication on this matter? The man in the street isn’t listening to you and does not realize how correct you are.
The man in the street believes that the GOP is the party of the racists. He knows this “fact” because the media tells him it is so. And Ron Howard would agree. That whole Trump MAGA thing? Well, the man in the street is told that this is a racist dog whistle.
Your well constructed argument is not persuasive to the man in the street in the times in which we live.
I do understand why you disagree with my point, but I will gently say again that if we seek to persuade people that the GOP is NOT the party of the racists then perhaps reminding them that the 1964 Civil Rights Act (which meant so much to Martin Luther King) was only passed because the Republicans supported it over Democrat opposition.
As a point of persuasion that Trump is not the leader of a racist political party, I think this has some merit in today’s political climate. And politics is really about persuasion.
I would also add that activists like Ron Howard ask loaded questions like “When was America great?” because he’s hoping — really, really hoping — that some lamebrain Republican will pick some year which just happens to fall in the time period was slavery was legal, or Jim Crow was in force or Blacks were kept off voting rolls in some states. Just pick a year like “1950” and he’s ready to pounce all over that, you dirty racist!!
If you highlight a major piece of civil rights legislation which the GOP supported and which the Democrats did not support, then — as a tool of political persuasion for the man in the street in 2018 — I think it’s not the worst argument.
But, again, I grant you — for the true political aficionado, you really are more correct than I am. I do see that.
I appreciate where you are coming from. I recognize the problem that you address with respect to contemporary public perception & attitudes, and do address many aspects at my Conservative resource center. It is certainly not my intention to ignore the PR problem to which you direct attention.