tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1677108722778516534.post7911401287061393597..comments2023-09-27T03:58:56.646-06:00Comments on Bessemer Opinions: Back on TrackJoehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10842576168520693461noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1677108722778516534.post-23322702597741944422008-01-23T12:17:00.000-06:002008-01-23T12:17:00.000-06:00What about Mike Huckabee's endorsements by black p...What about Mike Huckabee's endorsements by black pastors....just kidding. Not a real fan of Huckabee or any of the Republican candidates, or the Democratic candidates for that matter. And I will agree wholeheartedly that the Republican candidates fail to address black groups directly and that is, I think, the main reason that they will fail to garner a large percentage of the black vote. It makes them look like they don't care about the opinion of the black voter.<BR/><BR/>Republicans nowadays are indeed afraid to speak to black groups directly. I think they realize that there is a lot of animosity towards Republicans from that audience (ex: Mike Epps, a black comedian, recently said on a T.V. special that Republicans should do everyone a favor and kill themselves. The crowd went wild.) and therefore they think that they will not get a fair shake from that crowd and can not come out of that event with any benefit. Of course you could view it as they are scared to own up to honest criticism from a black audience. Until the candidates actually come out and state why they are so reluctant to do such engagements it just us guessing but it does come across as them not really caring.<BR/><BR/>On the flip side I see Democrats doing a lot of talking to various minority crowds but failing to actually take any action (doing a lot of debating is not action but just more talking). I know several people in both the black and Hispanic communities that crossed over and voted straight Republican in '04 because they felt pandered to rather than listened to by the Democratic candidates.<BR/><BR/>Both parties have moments in their history in which they can be proud in regards to race relations, but both have even more moments in which they should be ashamed of.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1677108722778516534.post-33130755470326160842008-01-23T11:29:00.000-06:002008-01-23T11:29:00.000-06:00I admit I paint the republicans with a broad brush...I admit I paint the republicans with a broad brush and that racism exists among democrats. But the republican party does not address issues of importance to blacks in their debates, rather they tend to hurt insults at Hispanics (as well as gays). In addition, how many debates have the republicans held at historically black colleges or sponsored by black groups?<BR/><BR/>And please don't bring up Mike Huckabee's endorsements by black pastors as an embracement of republican values by the African American community.Joehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10842576168520693461noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1677108722778516534.post-459166521001674462008-01-23T10:59:00.000-06:002008-01-23T10:59:00.000-06:00In regards to the comment about racism in the Repu...In regards to the comment about racism in the Republican party:<BR/><BR/>Last November I visited my family for the big feast. This is a mostly Republican group with a small scattering of Democrats (including myself). In this group we had two homosexuals, one African-American, and three people of a mixed race. The only negative looks (exaggerated rolled eyes aimed at one of the homosexuals) came from a guy with John Kerry and union stickers on his truck.<BR/><BR/>At another family gathering (made up of wholly Evangelical, right-wing republicans) we had a man from Vietnam with his white wife and their half dozen kids. No cross words were said and no looks made at them.<BR/><BR/>That same week I heard a very liberal, homosexual acquaintance make several very racist comments aimed at African-Americans. Also, just two days ago another Democratic (Edwards supporter)acquaintance made a racial slur in reference to the wait staff at a local restaurant.<BR/><BR/>I hear more racist statements coming from Democrats nowadays that Republicans (not that I haven't heard them in the past). So to label all elements of the Republican party as racist is a very bigoted thing to say. <BR/><BR/>Racism crosses all political parties and is a very damaging thing. It is not something to be used in another us vs. them debate to try to bolster the moral superiority of one the of parties.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com