South Bend Tribune: The Republican Party has a lot to offer black voters

[Larkspur]

This is an op ed, not an editorial.

http://www.southbendtribune.com/stories/thisday/opinion.20050914-sbt-MICH-B5-The_Republican_Party.sto

I read Les Payne's column, "Klan triple murder and the rise into power of the GOP" (Tribune, Aug. 23), and my first reaction was extreme anger. Anger at the fact that The Tribune would publish a column like this, but even angrier that Payne, a Pulitzer Prize-winning author, has actually deluded himself into believing what he wrote.

I am a black man, and I am also a Republican, and I can assure you, I get much more racism from Democrats than I have ever gotten from other Republicans. The approach of the Democratic Party towards African-Americans, in my view, is inherently racist. To assume that one party, one ideology, should be the only option for a race of people is insulting.

Why is it that because my skin is brown I must agree with where the Democratic Party is now in order to validate my race? Why can't liberals such as Payne accept the fact that being black doesn't force me to be pro-abortion, anti-death penalty, and pro-gay marriage? Because my hair naturally curls rather than lying flat doesn't mean that I believe that government social and welfare programs are the best way to fight poverty. The fact that my eyes are brown rather than blue doesn't mean that I naturally think that war is never the answer.

In fact, I can remember one war in particular that benefited my ancestors very much, and if history serves me correctly, it was a war fought by some Americans for the freedom of those they had never met.

Oh, and I almost forgot, I'm pretty sure the president was a Republican.

I don't buy the argument that because the South votes Republican it must be because they are racists and that since Republicans stand for racism they will always hold the South. It seems to me that liberals love talking about big ideals, and the value of every person, but they have no problem talking about their opponents as if they are one-dimensional people.
<SNIP>

[tives12]

1. I really hate the term "black".

If you've read the Autobiography of Malcolm X or have seen the movie, you know what I'm talking about.

[bluestateguy]

6. I always had a hard time figuring out why "Negro" was such a bad word

I don't like the term "African-American" because it suggests a sort of deviation from the norm, that they are somehow not mainline Americans.

[tives12]

8. That does make sense.

There may be a stigma attached to the word "negro". It does sound similar to the other "N" word. But since right now "African-American" is politically correct...now I know that this would be impossible to do...but why not call caucasions "Caucasion Americans" or something similar? We have so many different nationalities in the US right now that it would make sense to do that.

[Tomee450]

17. When I was growing up,

I always heard whites referring to themselves as Polish American, Irish-American, English, etc. No one ever thought they were not mainline American. Why should blacks be thought of differently? The terms Negro,Colored, Nigras etc. originated with white people. The black population accepted the terms Black and African American because they originated with black people. It was they who decided what blacks would call themselves.

[Clark2008]

33. And it's not even accurate.

My fiance is white, but he was born in South Africa and moved to the United States when he was a kid.

He is African-American, but he's not 'black.' Like Theresa Heinz. :)

[bluestateguy]

2. I've never actually met a black Republican

I've seen them on TV, but never actually met one in real life.

[Southsideirish]

7. I have and they are usually embarrassed to admit it. They do it to get a

government job when the "thugs" are in power. Its a joke. As soon as the Dems are back in control they run back and become Democrats again.

[bobbieinok]

20. I know some.....they are Pentecostals + believe only repubs are christians

are moral

they get this message from their ministers, their teachers, televangelists, etc

the message is never in the 'I want to convince you about this' mode; it's always in the 'this is a fact known to everyone, even democrats' mode

[racaulk]

14. I actually met a gay black Republican once

I lived in North Carolina at the time, and he voted to put Jesse Helms in the Senate twice. I really don't know how this guy could hate himself any more than he apparently does.

[BronxBoy]

21. It's difficult to meet them

Because they have a tendency to disappear when the Black race needs them.

[FreedomAngel82]

24. Same here

I live in Tennessee. I'm sure they are out there? :shrug: Maybe I just don't get out much or maybe I just don't care what political party someone is apart of. And I hate the term pro-abortion. It's pro-choice honey. Please, don't repeat rightwing talking points (to the author). And hmm who was it who gave his people the right to vote in the first place? Oh that's right. A DEMOCRAT!

[gratuitous]

3. "Talking about their opponents as . . . one-dimensional"

It would appear that the writer got one thing right. Keep voting for Col. Sanders, Mr. Chicken. One of these days he'll quit butchering you.

[CottonBear]

4. This black man must have never lived in the South that I know:

"I don't buy the argument that because the South votes Republican it must be because they are racists and that since Republicans stand for racism they will always hold the South. It seems to me that liberals love talking about big ideals, and the value of every person, but they have no problem talking about their opponents as if they are one-dimensional people."

He must have never heard of the "Southern Strategy either."
The Republican party is comprised of old time Dixiecrats (think Strom Thrumond, Jesse Helms and Trent Lott.)

Of course, not all Southerners are racists. There are racists everywhere in the USA. However, politics in the South revolves around issues of race and class.

[FreedomAngel82]

25. Also don't forget what Johnson said

When Johnson signed the 1965 voting rights act he said: "We're (democrats) going to lose the south for a long time." Hmm, I wonder why he would say that? And I have a video from the 2000 dnc convention and it's an introduction video to Jesse Jackson and it shows him going up to a white man who owns a restaurant and asking him if he can be serviced and the white guy says he isn't going to give him service and he didn't have to explain why. Oh no they aren't racists. :sarcasm:

[ebal]

46. loosing the south

That's always an interesting topic on the federal level, but at the state and local it doesn't seem like it had much change.

Take Georgia Governors for example, before the 2003 election the previous republican governor was in 1871, that's a 132 straight years of the Democratic party winning:

http://www.answers.com/topic/list-of-governors-of-georgia

# Wilson Lumpkin Democratic 1831-1835 (Lumpkin County)
# William Schley Democratic 1835-1837 (Schley County)
# George R. Gilmer Whig 1837-1839
# Charles J. McDonald Democratic 1839-1843
# George W. Crawford Whig 1843-1847 (Crawford County)
# George W. Towns Democratic 1847-1851 (Towns County)
# Howell Cobb Union Democratic 1851-1853 (not Cobb County)
# Herschel V. Johnson Union Democratic 1853-1857 (Johnson County)
# Joseph E. Brown Democratic 1857-1865
# James Johnson Democratic 1865-1865
# Charles J. Jenkins Democratic 1865-1868 (Jenkins County)
# Brig. Gen. Thomas H. Ruger U.S. Military Governor 1868-1868
# Rufus B. Bullock Republican 1868-1871
# Benjamin Conley Republican 1871-1872
# James M. Smith Democratic 1872-1877
# Alfred H. Colquitt Democratic 1877-1882 (not Colquitt County)
# Alexander H. Stephens Democratic 1882-1883 (Stephens County)
# James S. Boynton Democratic 1883-1883
# Henry D. McDaniel Democratic 1883-1886
# John B. Gordon Democratic 1886-1890 (not Gordon County)
# William J. Northen Democratic 1890-1894
# William Y. Atkinson Democratic 1894-1898 (Atkinson County)
# Allen D. Candler Democratic 1898-1902 (Candler County)
# Joseph M. Terrell Democratic 1902-1907 (Terrell County)
# Hoke Smith Democratic 1907-1909
# Joseph M. Brown Democratic 1909-1911
# Hoke Smith Democratic 1911-1911
# John M. Slaton Democratic 1911-1912
# Joseph M. Brown Democratic 1912-1913
# John M. Slaton Democratic 1913-1915
# Nathaniel E. Harris Democratic 1915-1917
# Hugh M. Dorsey Democratic 1917-1921
# Thomas W. Hardwick Democratic 1921-1923
# Clifford Walker Democratic 1923-1927
# Lamartine G. Hardman Democratic 1927-1931
# Richard B. Russell Jr. Democratic 1931-1933
# Eugene Talmadge Democratic 1933-1937
# Eurith D. Rivers Democratic 1937-1941
# Eugene Talmadge Democratic 1941-1943
# Ellis Arnall Democratic 1943-1947
# Melvin E. Thompson Democratic 1947-1948
# Herman E. Talmadge Democratic 1948-1955
# Marvin Griffin Democratic 1955-1959
# Ernest Vandiver Democratic 1959-1963
# Carl E. Sanders Democratic 1963-1967
# Lester Maddox Democratic 1967-1971
# James E. Carter Jr. Democratic 1971-1975
# George D. Busbee Democratic 1975-1983
# Joe Frank Harris Democratic 1983-1991
# Zell B. Miller Democratic 1991-1999
# Roy Barnes Democratic 1999-2003
# George E. "Sonny" Perdue III Republican 2003-

[Outer_Limit]

36. Politics in the North revolve around race and class as well

There's plenty of racism above the Mason-Dixon line

[LiberalFighter]

37. He is only 27 years old. Wouldn't have much life experiences

[lateo]

40. Indeed...read my post here...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=2089230&mesg_id=2090713

[bballny]

5. for him to deny

the southern strategy is ridiculous. It is well documented and to equate Lincoln with today's republican party is ludicrous. Some people just refuse to look at history.

[FreedomAngel82]

26. It's the same people

who believe we're a Christian country and have been one since day one. :eyes:

[tsuki]

39. Then time we started acting like one. Just a random

thought. ;)

[TwilightZone]

9. Bush is not Lincoln

And the Republican Party of today doesn't even remotely resemble that of Lincoln's era.

Who does this guy think he's fooling? Edit: himself, apparently.

If he honestly believes that the Republican Party is less racist as a whole than the Democratic Party, he's deluding himself.

Oh, and look...the L word. We're not Democrats; we're liberals. Yes, Mr. Rove. Whatever you say, Mr. Rove.

Lastly, does he think that all white people have blue eyes and flat hair? :eyes:

[FreedomAngel82]

27. Good point

Good point with his comments. Hmm, sounds kind of racists don't you think? :eyes: And where is the republican black cacus? Hmm.

[napi21]

10. I think this guy needs to check when the South switched from Dem to

Pub. It happened when they were forced to integrate their schools! Let Blacks vote! Open their restaurants and stores to EVERYONE!

I'm white, and I moved to the South in 1987. Racism and bigotry is very much still here! Sure, the schools are integrated, and stores are open to all, but I can see and FEEL the prejudice in the air all the time!

You can see it also in all the elected officials of Ga. Atlanta has almost all black officials, there are very few in other areas of the State.

[FreedomAngel82]

28. Oh yes

My family moved to Tennessee in 1987 from North Carolina. I'm a highly sensitive person so I can feel emotions extremley and sometimes you can really feel it. My high school was pretty cool about things. Never any racists problems. Two of the most popular guys in my school were black twins. Everybody I knew adored them.

[txaslftist]

11. Yep. Republicans have a lot to offer blacks...

...prison, poverty and penury.

Go for it.

[CAcyclist]

12. Forgot His High School History ,Too

I doubt this is a black man writing this letter, especially so soon after Katrina. It's easy to forget how pathological at lying the Republicans are when you yourself would never consider lying or perpetuating a fraud.

[FreedomAngel82]

29. You never know though

I've seen stranger things.

[Kurovski]

13. BWAHAHAHAHAHA!! HEEHEEHEH!!!

WHOO-WHOO-HOO-HOO-HEHEHEHE!! *sigh*

This guy oughta' write for The Daily Show. I could almost hear Stephen Colbert delivering some of those precious nuggets of irony.

[NorCalDem]

15. I'm more of a black man than this goon!

and I have white skin! He's a raving lunatic, ignore him!

[iconoclastic cat]

16. These opinion pieces, as well as pundits, come out of the woodwork

whenever * is accused of being racist.

[Supersedeas]

18. Got to hand it to the RW Propoganda Machine: when they go into full

damage control mode...they get EVERYBODY on board.

[hadrons]

19. check the bottom of the op-ed ....

Marcus J. Barlow is a member of the St.Joseph County Republican Party. He lives in South Bend.

The guy's a shill writing this on the behalf of his Repuke masters

[BronxBoy]

22. You think....

he's getting Armstrong Williams rates???

[Kurovski]

43. No, he's small potatoes, while Armstrong used to appear on

THE TEEVEE from time to time.

But he may one day be rewarded with a job up to the big house, iff'n he watches his "Ps" and "Qs" and remains in master's favor.

[FreedomAngel82]

31. Good notice

Of course. I wonder if he's another Armstrong Williams.

[freestyle]

42. He is really ignorant of Indiana's Klan history.

The largest membership was in Indiana, not in the south. Does he think they all just went away and didn't pass any of that baggage on to their children?

[paineinthearse]

23. You snipped out the most important part, info about the author.

"Marcus J. Barlow is a member of the St.Joseph County Republican Party. He lives in South Bend."

[Mountainman]

30. Well if you are a wealthy African American then the Dems have nothing to

offer you but to care about those who are not so well off. But even wealthy African Americans can be as hard hearted as as wealthy whites.
The argument that somehow the repukes have something to offer to working class people no matter what their color is complete propaganda.

The writer of this piece is only thinking about getting more African American votes so that the repukes stay in power and he can grow his wealth much easier. He cares nothing about those poor people in NOLA. What did the repukes have to offer them but to wait in the stadium and convention center dying of thirst and hunger.


I get a little tied of reading this argument. "Them damn Democrats are so busy keeping the n.....s down, they ought to vote Republican."

Truman said it best. "If you want to live like a Republican, vote for a Democrat."

[Arkana]

32. Well, if you're rich, Mr. Barlow, then of course you'll vote Repube.

It has nothing to do with race. It's not like voting for Colonel Sanders as a chicken, because they leave you alone as long as you have money.

[msgadget]

34. But, he's absolutely correct regarding this:

"If it is my generation that has inherited the civil rights movement, then that should mean that I should be judged not by the "color of my skin but by the content of my character." When I walk into a room, there should be no assumption of what I believe, where I live, or how I vote."

He has the right to vote for and believe in whomever he chooses. We all have that right.

[newblewtoo]

35. GOP going all out ...

In Florida, a record black vote turnout in Democratic precincts in 2000 nearly tipped the election to Al Gore. In 2004 it was exactly the reverse. A tepid black Democratic turnout, combined with the 13 percent of the black votes Bush received, double what he got in 2000, helped him win Florida outright and avoid a repeat of the election debacle of 2000.

Republican gains among blacks were even more dramatic in Ohio, where Bush garnered nearly 20 percent of the black vote. To put that in perspective, if Bush in 2004 had only gotten the same proportion of the Ohio black vote as he did in 2000, his margin of victory over Democratic presidential contender John Kerry would have narrowed from 118,000 votes to 25,000 votes. Given the large number of provisional ballots filed in Ohio, the Democrats almost certainly would have challenged the election certification. It would have been Florida 2000 all over again.

link:http://www.alternet.org/columnists/story/23690/?comments=view&cID=18758&pID=18611


Racism and bigotry need know no party or color. The above link is meant as food for thought. I am not paranoid but there are lots of people out there.....watching.

edited to close tag

[LittleClarkie]

38. This person should ask himself

who around him has been making cracks about LA evacuees waiting for their welfare checks. Who among the people he meets thinks that they had nobody to blame but themselves for not leaving. He should ask himself if the Republican leadership would have moved faster if the people in danger looked like that pretty white girl in Aruba.

[freestyle]

41. True, if you are rich, think you will be rich, or are a bigot.

The republicans do offer a menu of bigotry to choose from. You can seek to control women's reproductive rights, make GLBT people second class citizens, or introduce the equivalent of poll taxes.

But wait, there's more. You can also send people to kill and die based on lies, do anything to increase corporate profits, work for multimillionaire heir protection, and destroy the environment.

Of course, we are all free to believe as we will. That is not the issue. The issue is that the republican agenda is bad for almost all people. They only serve the narrowest slice of the country, and prey on peoples hopes and fears to gain power.

[MountainLaurel]

44. Kinda-sleezy Rice has a brother?

Who knew?

[AmandaRuth]

45. yeah, the ruthug party is offering alot like

the elimination of minimum wage laws
the elimination of any laws pertaining to job security/hours/overtime
the non-renewal of the voting rights act
the elimination of those pesky rules against discrimination in the work place
not to mention discrimination in housing

but hey, at least those gays can't marry