So, my original plan was to write about how twitter was destroying politics. or maybe even discuss the recent "mosque" controversy. But like all great plans, sometimes they get derailed. Four days ago, I saw the above image of the South Caroline Senate president, dressed as a confederate general, and two African-Americans dressed in 1800's Gullah costumes. They were at a party hosted by The National Federation for Republican Women. Now, I immediately wanted to post, write and rage, but I thought, I'll give it a few days, see if anything shakes out, see if there are any facts I'm missing.
So, it's been a few days, and I find that I still want to post, rant and rage, but the object of my scorn may surprise a few. I'm not really upset with S.C. Senate President Glenn McConnell for dressing up as a confederate naval officer, or taking a picture with people in "slave garb". He's a South Carolinian Republican, this is honestly the type of behavior I expect from him. Some good old fashion nostalgia for days of "massa" and "cotton picking" is kind par the course for South Carolinian republicans. And although I was originally enraged at the two black people who dressed up, I have come to find out they are Gullah performers who attempt to educate people about the culture of blacks in antebellum South Carolina through song, and dance. They may not of known what they were getting themselves into (personally once I got there and saw white folks dressed up as confederate officers, I would of went back home for and enjoyed an episode of Law and Order). That being said their cause is noble they want to keep alive some traditions of our past.
Alot of my angst and anger is directed at black conservatives & black republicans. I was looking at the National Black Republican homepage, and there was no mention of this. I have seen nothing from Lashawn Barber or Armstrong Williams I even looked at Hip-Hop Republicans (who incidentally have pictures of Fredrick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln on their page) I waited to see if any of my black conservative friends on Facebook would say anything. Pin Drop. Silence. Nothing. Nil. Many black conservatives proudly display their conservatism as a way to say that there is no one black experience, they shine their GOP badges as they proudly "march to the beat of a different drummer". And they are right there is no one black experience, we are a diverse people, with many different needs, skills and outlooks.That being said, to my black conservatives, can you still in good conscious call this manifestation of the GOP the "Party of Lincoln?" Can you claim as the National Black Republicans do that Martin Luther King would of voted republican? Where are your outcries at such deplorable imagery, where is you chastening of your republican brethren? I'm all about diversity in political parties, and expanding the big tent of either party. There need to be black conservatives in the GOP because otherwise the republican party will always embrace their radical, racist, extreme right wing constituents. But if all you can do as a black conservative is: apologize for Obama, yell the loudest at Al Sharpton, gleefully declare Jesse Jackson a race baiter, and be the first to tell people to stop using "The Race Card". But remain silent at times when the Racists in your party raise their heads. Your silence is DEAFENING. You are proving to the world that while you may be "marching to the beat of your own drummer", it's just another shuck and jive.
Free Thinkers Are Dangerous.
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