By Bob Parks ——Bio and Archives--March 11, 2008
American Politics, News | CFP Comments | Reader Friendly | Subscribe | Email Us
Dear Mr. Parks: Evidently you neglected to read all the way through my piece. To save you the trouble of going back to it, here is how it ends: "Her [Rice's] ascension, though nowhere near as momentous a breakthrough as the election of Obama or Clinton, would be a breakthrough all the same. In this connection, a kind word for George W. Bush may be in order. By appointing first Colin Powell and then Rice to the most senior job in the Cabinet, a job of global scope, Bush changed the way millions of white Americans think about black public officials. This may turn out to the most positive legacy of his benighted Presidency." Also, it's "Democratic president," not "Democrat president." Finally, I feel constrained to ask: Where is the "racist slander" in my piece? Or was that headline put on your post by an overeager editor? Sincerely, Hendrik HertzbergNo, Mr. Hertzberg. I read your piece. I do understand when one writes as much as we do, sometimes remembering what you wrote can be a challenge. To answer your question "Where is the 'racist slander' in my piece?", please allow me to remind you of what you wrote about a veep candidate Condoleezza Rice: "Her nomination to a constitutional executive office would cost McCain the votes of his party’s hardened racists and incorrigible misogynists." In my experience as a Black Republican, I have yet to meet those "hardened racists" you speak of. In fact, since becoming a Republican in 1995, conservatives I have come in contact with have been the most supportive people I have ever met. Conversely, the most intolerant people I come in contact with are liberals (white and black) who denigrate me for having the audacity to exercise my freedom of political thought. If you think I'm exaggerating, I invite you to read some of the comments on my YouTube pages by progressives who use the n-word more than Quentin Tarantino. When it comes to racism in the Democrat (I'll get to that momentarily) Party, history speaks for itself. For many of my readers, this is review…
– After the Civil War, 23 blacks (13 of them ex-slaves) were elected to Congress, all as Republicans. – In 1850 Democrats passed the Fugitive Slave Law. – That Democrats in 1854 passed the Kansas-Nebraska Act that overturned the Missouri Compromise and allowed for the importation of slaves into the territories. – Disgusted with the passage of this Act, free-soilers and anti-slavery members of the Whig and Democrat parties founded the Republican Party, not just to stop the spread of slavery, but to eventually abolish it. – That on July 4, 1867 in Houston, 150 blacks and 20 whites formed not the Black Texas Republican Party, but the Texas Republican Party. – Blacks across Southern states also founded the Republican parties in their states. – Republican President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation during the Civil War. – In 1865, the 13th Amendment emancipating the slaves was passed with 100 percent of Republicans voting for it and only 23 percent of Democrats voting for it. – The 14th Amendment was passed giving the newly emancipated blacks full civil rights and federal guarantee of those rights, superseding any state laws. Every single voting Republican voted for the Amendment, while no Democrat voted for it. – Congress passed the 15th Amendment in 1870, guaranteeing blacks the right to vote. Every single Republican voted for it, with every Democrat voting against it. – During 1872 congressional investigations, Democrats admitted beginning the Ku Klux Klan as an effort to stop the spread of the Republican Party and to re-establish Democratic control in Southern states. Blacks, who were all Republican at that time, were the primary targets of violence. – Between 1870 and 1875, the Republican Congress passed many pro-black civil rights laws. But in 1876, Democrats took control of the House, and no further race-based civil rights laws passed until 1957. In 1892, Democrats gained control of the House, the Senate and the White House, and repealed all the Republican-passed civil rights laws. That enabled the Southern Democrats to pass the Jim Crow laws, poll taxes, literacy tests, and so on in their individual states. – The first black Democrat was not elected to Congress until 1935, from the state of Illinois. – The first black congressional Democrat from a Southern state was not elected until 1973. – Only 64 percent of Democrats in Congress voted for the 1964 Civil Rights Act, while 80 percent of Republicans voted for the Act.Now I know what your going to say. You'll remind me of the "Dixiecrats" and close with the fact that today's Democrat Party has"grown". Tell that to Barack Obama. Between Bill Clinton, Hillary's campaign aides, including Geraldine Ferraro, it's clear that playing the race card is what it always comes down to with Democrats. It's humorous to watch Democrats get all offended when they get accused of racism, after having the nerve to ask Barack Obama (who is presently the frontrunner) to step aside so Missie Hillary can get the nomination she should rightfully have. It's humorous to watch Geraldine Ferraro get all offended for being taken to task for her words, when SHE implied that Obama wouldn't be where he is if not for his being Black. Democrats have a long and distinguished history of devaluing Black people. Deal with it. I came up with the title of that column; not some editor you probably assume writes for me. And as for the use of the word "Democrat" I ask, are they Democrats or Democratics? I know it's a play on words that's irritating to liberals. And as for Republicans being "incorrigible misogynists", tell that to Mrs. Spitzer. Thank you for your response.
Support Canada Free Press
View Comments
Bob Parks is a is a member/writer of the National Advisory Council of Project 21. Bob’s websites are Black & Right and youtube.com/BlackAndRight