The Problem of African American Republicans

Why do I have such a visceral reaction to black republicans?

Because, they are ideologically, economically, intellectually and sociologically naïve. There are two arguments for African Americans to join the Republican Party values and value.

I’ll take the latter first. The value argument essentially states that in a two party system it is more efficient to divide the party affiliation among African Americans between democrats and republicans. This division they hope will force both parties to address the issues of the African American community. The problem is the only way African Americans (12% of the population and concentrated geographically disproportionately around major urban centers and in the south) can achieve the “swing vote distinction is by bringing to bear the full weight of the population in voting situations on one side of an issue. Splitting the African American voting population along party lines simply nullifies the potential for a swing vote making it easier for either party to neglect or ignore the very issues that need to be brought to the table on our behalf. With anywhere from 3-8% of the African American vote the Republicans will have effectively killed the Democratic advantage without having to attend to the concerns of African American voters. The objective of the Republican Party is not to advocate the issues of concern to African Americans but instead to secure a voting majority that will secure a victory against their opponents. If you have a few percentage points from each minority voting block then you can effectively nullify the traditional advantage democrats have enjoyed among minority populations without having to give much to those populations because they comprise such a small amount of the overall vote share. Therefore, those African Americans that join the Republican Party are either hopelessly naïve or insidiously self serving.

As for the question of values: the Republicans have played on the traditional conservative cupidity of the African American population; claiming that their brand of conservatism is our brand of conservatism. Those African Americans who have been duped through the rhetoric of Christian conservatism forget that these are the same Christians, with “conservative values,” that burned crosses and hung black people from trees; the Dixiecrats (you know the filibustering guys from the 1940’s Strom Thurman and crew) became the Republicans. The very same Christians that are in the white house throwing money into a few churches (read Jesse Peterson) are the very same that wouldn’t give a dime for drug rehab, after school programs, etc. Why the change of heart? The Republicans who are supposed to be for “states rights” and “small government” are extending the reach and control of the federal government right past states and cities and reaching their controlling fascist hand into the very heart of the community – the black church.

This is why I have such little patience for LaShawn Barber, Armstrong Williams, Jesse Peterson, The Conservative Brotherhood, Project 21 and every other either naively stupid or insidiously self serving African American that promotes a Republican agenda. Now none of this is to say the Democrats are any better.

If you really want to be taken seriously as a voting population develop your own platform, your own agenda, your own PAC, your own political mobilization and policy structure and deal with the powers that be as equals and not as hand to mouth house niggers.