I continue to be mystified by the fact that the majority of African Americans continue to support the Democratic Party, the same party that has historically worked so hard to oppress them, while the Republicans have historically been the champions of civil rights—usually against fierce opposition of Democrats. If you don’t believe me, consider the following:
Democrats fought to expand slavery while Republicans fought to end it.
Democrats passed those discriminatory Black Codes and Jim Crow laws.
Democrats supported and passed the Missouri Compromise to protect slavery.
Democrats supported and backed the Dred Scott Decision.
Democrat Senator Robert Byrd of West Virginia is well known for having been a “kleagle” in the Ku Klux Klan.
Democrats passed the Repeal Act of 1894 that overturned civil rights laws enacted by Republicans.
Democrat President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s first appointment to the U.S. Supreme court was a life member of the Ku Klux Klan—Sen. Hugo Black, a Democrat of Alabama.
Democrat Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s choice for Vice President was Democrat Harry S. Truman—who joined the Ku Klux Klan in Kansas City in 1922.
Democrat Senators Sam Ervin, Albert Gore Sr, and Robert Byrd were the chief opponents of the 1964 Civil Rights Act.
Democrats supported and backed Judge John Ferguson in the case of Pleassy V. Ferguson.
Democrats supported the School Board of Topeka Kansas in the case of Brown V. The Board of Education of Topeka Kansas.
Democrat Public Safety Commissioner Eugene “Bull” Connor of Birmingham AL, unleashed vicious dogs and turned fire hoses on black civil rights demonstrators.
Democrats were who Dr. Marting Luther King Jr. and the other protesters were fighting.
Democrat Governor George Wallace stood in front of the Alabama schoolhouse in 1963 and declared there would be segregation forever!
Democrat Senator John F. Kennedy voted against the 1957 Civil Rights Act.
Democrat President John F. Kennedy opposed the 1963 March on Washington by Dr. King.
Democrat President John F. Kennedy had Dr. King wiretapped and investigated by the F.B.I.
Democrat President Bill Clinton’s mentor was U.S. Senator J. William Fulbright, an Arkansas Democrat and supporter of racial segregation.
Democrat President Bill Clinton interned for J. William Fulbright in 1966-67.
Democrat Senator J. William Fulbright signed the Southern Manifesto opposing the Supreme Court’s 1954 decision in Brown V. Board of Education.
Democrat Senator J. William Fulbright joined with the Dixiecrats in filibustering the Civil Rights Acts of 1957 and 1964.
Democrat Senator J. William Fulbright voted against the 1965 Voting Rights Act.
Southern Democrats opposed desegregation and integration.
Republicans enacted civil rights laws in the 1950’s and 1960’s—over the objection of Democrats.
Republicans found the HBCU (Historical Black Colleges and Universities) and started the NAACP to counter the racist practices of Democrats.
Republicans pushed through much of the ground-breaking civil rights legislation in Congress.
Republicans fought slavery, and amended the Constitution to grant blacks freedom, citizenship, and the right to vote.
Republican President Dwight Eisenhower sent troops into the South to desegregate the schools.
Republican President Eisenhower appointed Chief Justice Earl Warrant to the Supreme Court, which resulted in the 1954 Brown V. Board of Education decision.
Republican Senator Everett Dirksen from Illinois, not Democrat President Lyndon Johnson, was the one who pushed through the civil rights laws in the 1960’s.
Republican Senator Everett Dirksen from Illinois wrote the language for the 1965 Voting Rights Act.
Republican Senator Everett Dirksen, from Illinois, also crafted the language for the Civil Rights Act of 1968 which prohibited discrimination in housing.
Republican and black American, A. Philip Randolph, organized (against JFK’s objections) the 1963 March on Washington by Dr, Martin Luther King.
Roll Call Vote for the 1964 Civil Rights Act: House of Representatives: 64% of Democrats voted “yes” while 80% of Republicans voted “yes,” Senate: 68% of Democrats voted “yes” while 82% of Republicans voted “yes.”
Ever since Republican President Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation (fiercely opposed by Democrats) Republicans have been the champions of civil rights in this country, most of the time against the opposition of Democrats, so the question remains as to why African Americans would overwhelmingly align themselves with a party that has been recorded as their oppressor for the past 150 years.
Excellent question, Frank, with well-made points. I think that since the 1960s, there has been an attempt by the Democratic Party to paint Republicans as racists who want to keep down minorities. The infamous "Southern Strategy" ultimately hurt Republicans more than it helped. However, I hope that Obama will nudge more African Americans to look at the candidate in the future and not just the party attached to the name. As a conservative (not just a Republican), I want equality for all, and the opportunity to do whatever you want to in this great country. If I truly cared about skin color, I wouldn't make NB my home.
As a black moderate republican from Northern Virginia I decided that I would most likely vote for Deeds as are many of my female neighbors because he is pro-choice. However, the commercial that Creigh Deeds is running about McDonnell's 20 year old thesis has really turned me off. It turns me off because it is a sad commentary on Deed's inability to articulate his own vision for Virginia, and his ideals for how he will move the Commonwealth forward in a productive way that puts people back to work, and lessens the burdens of Government.
Whether or not Bob McDonnell is a conservative, pro-life, pro-family guy has never been in dispute to my knowledge. I for one, was not surprised by his thesis. However, we have to ask ourselves as Virginia voters if we want to vote for someone (Deeds) who feels he has to tear the other guy down based on something that person wrote over 20 years ago. The other thing I hate is that once again the black vote will be prevailed upon by national democratic leaders (including the president) to save the sorry, lackluster democratic candidate from himself. I think Gov. Doug Wilder is right on this rebellion against his party.
When will black democrats stop allowing themselves to be used in such a way?
I continue to be mystified by the fact that the majority of African Americans continue to support the Democratic Party, the same party that has historically worked so hard to oppress them, while the Republicans have historically been the champions of civil rights—usually against fierce opposition of Democrats. If you don’t believe me, consider the following:
ReplyDeleteDemocrats fought to expand slavery while Republicans fought to end it.
Democrats passed those discriminatory Black Codes and Jim Crow laws.
Democrats supported and passed the Missouri Compromise to protect slavery.
Democrats supported and backed the Dred Scott Decision.
Democrat Senator Robert Byrd of West Virginia is well known for having been a “kleagle” in the Ku Klux Klan.
Democrats passed the Repeal Act of 1894 that overturned civil rights laws enacted by Republicans.
Democrat President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s first appointment to the U.S. Supreme court was a life member of the Ku Klux Klan—Sen. Hugo Black, a Democrat of Alabama.
Democrat Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s choice for Vice President was Democrat Harry S. Truman—who joined the Ku Klux Klan in Kansas City in 1922.
Democrat Senators Sam Ervin, Albert Gore Sr, and Robert Byrd were the chief opponents of the 1964 Civil Rights Act.
Democrats supported and backed Judge John Ferguson in the case of Pleassy V. Ferguson.
Democrats supported the School Board of Topeka Kansas in the case of Brown V. The Board of Education of Topeka Kansas.
Democrat Public Safety Commissioner Eugene “Bull” Connor of Birmingham AL, unleashed vicious dogs and turned fire hoses on black civil rights demonstrators.
Democrats were who Dr. Marting Luther King Jr. and the other protesters were fighting.
Democrat Governor George Wallace stood in front of the Alabama schoolhouse in 1963 and declared there would be segregation forever!
Democrat Senator John F. Kennedy voted against the 1957 Civil Rights Act.
Democrat President John F. Kennedy opposed the 1963 March on Washington by Dr. King.
Democrat President John F. Kennedy had Dr. King wiretapped and investigated by the F.B.I.
Democrat President Bill Clinton’s mentor was U.S. Senator J. William Fulbright, an Arkansas Democrat and supporter of racial segregation.
Democrat President Bill Clinton interned for J. William Fulbright in 1966-67.
Democrat Senator J. William Fulbright signed the Southern Manifesto opposing the Supreme Court’s 1954 decision in Brown V. Board of Education.
Democrat Senator J. William Fulbright joined with the Dixiecrats in filibustering the Civil Rights Acts of 1957 and 1964.
Democrat Senator J. William Fulbright voted against the 1965 Voting Rights Act.
Southern Democrats opposed desegregation and integration.
THE REPUBLICANS:
ReplyDeleteRepublicans enacted civil rights laws in the 1950’s and 1960’s—over the objection of Democrats.
Republicans found the HBCU (Historical Black Colleges and Universities) and started the NAACP to counter the racist practices of Democrats.
Republicans pushed through much of the ground-breaking civil rights legislation in Congress.
Republicans fought slavery, and amended the Constitution to grant blacks freedom, citizenship, and the right to vote.
Republican President Dwight Eisenhower sent troops into the South to desegregate the schools.
Republican President Eisenhower appointed Chief Justice Earl Warrant to the Supreme Court, which resulted in the 1954 Brown V. Board of Education decision.
Republican Senator Everett Dirksen from Illinois, not Democrat President Lyndon Johnson, was the one who pushed through the civil rights laws in the 1960’s.
Republican Senator Everett Dirksen from Illinois wrote the language for the 1965 Voting Rights Act.
Republican Senator Everett Dirksen, from Illinois, also crafted the language for the Civil Rights Act of 1968 which prohibited discrimination in housing.
Republican and black American, A. Philip Randolph, organized (against JFK’s objections) the 1963 March on Washington by Dr, Martin Luther King.
Roll Call Vote for the 1964 Civil Rights Act: House of Representatives: 64% of Democrats voted “yes” while 80% of Republicans voted “yes,” Senate: 68% of Democrats voted “yes” while 82% of Republicans voted “yes.”
Ever since Republican President Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation (fiercely opposed by Democrats) Republicans have been the champions of civil rights in this country, most of the time against the opposition of Democrats, so the question remains as to why African Americans would overwhelmingly align themselves with a party that has been recorded as their oppressor for the past 150 years.
Sounds like the Republican Party is the party of the people and the Democrats have a 100 year history of being oppressors.
ReplyDeleteExcellent question, Frank, with well-made points. I think that since the 1960s, there has been an attempt by the Democratic Party to paint Republicans as racists who want to keep down minorities. The infamous "Southern Strategy" ultimately hurt Republicans more than it helped. However, I hope that Obama will nudge more African Americans to look at the candidate in the future and not just the party attached to the name. As a conservative (not just a Republican), I want equality for all, and the opportunity to do whatever you want to in this great country. If I truly cared about skin color, I wouldn't make NB my home.
ReplyDeleteAs a black moderate republican from Northern Virginia I decided that I would most likely vote for Deeds as are many of my female neighbors because he is pro-choice. However, the commercial that Creigh Deeds is running about McDonnell's 20 year old thesis has really turned me off. It turns me off because it is a sad commentary on Deed's inability to articulate his own vision for Virginia, and his ideals for how he will move the Commonwealth forward in a productive way that puts people back to work, and lessens the burdens of Government.
ReplyDeleteWhether or not Bob McDonnell is a conservative, pro-life, pro-family guy has never been in dispute to my knowledge. I for one, was not surprised by his thesis. However, we have to ask ourselves as Virginia voters if we want to vote for someone (Deeds) who feels he has to tear the other guy down based on something that person wrote over 20 years ago. The other thing I hate is that once again the black vote will be prevailed upon by national democratic leaders (including the president) to save the sorry, lackluster democratic candidate from himself. I think Gov. Doug Wilder is right on this rebellion against his party.
When will black democrats stop allowing themselves to be used in such a way?