STAR PARKER SCRIPPS HOWARD NEWS SERVICE
The credibility of black conservatism
January 15, 2005
Armstrong Williams' poor judgment in not revealing being compensated by the Department of Education to promote No Child Left Behind is unfortunate. With his stepping into the line of fire and acknowledging his errors, we'll be able to get this behind us and move on.
What impact, if any, will this incident have on the ongoing credibility of black conservatism?
Liberals, particularly black liberals, will claim this incident simply confirms what they have known all along. For them, black conservatives by definition are individuals on the make and on the take.
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An increasing number of blacks understand that their future lies in mending their communities, restoring traditional values, rebuilding the black family and helping inner-city black men get control of their lives and aspire to become husbands, fathers and breadwinners, rather than players.
The support for school choice is as strong in the black community as in the white community. As the national dialogue on Social Security reform proceeds, I am confident that increasing numbers of blacks will get the simple message that personal ownership rather than taxes and government will build black wealth and autonomy. I am far more concerned with the ongoing destruction that occurs every day in the black community that directly reflects the politicization of African-American life that has been going on for the last 50 years.
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This week we remember and commemorate the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. We must remember that King's message was that eternal truths and values transcend race. Love, family, responsibility and education are values toward which every human being must aspire. Armstrong Williams made a mistake. But the message that he received funds to promote – fixing our schools and system of education – was right.
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Find this article at:
http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20050115/news_lz1e15parker.html Parker, a nationally syndicated columnist, is president of CURE, Coalition on Urban Renewal and Education (www.urbancure. org) and author of "Uncle Sam's Plantation."