I registered as a Democrat because it was the thing to do. Most of my family members were (and are) Democrats, and I heard that Democrats were the “party for black people.” Moreover, nearly all the persons that I know of that support the Confederate flag are proud Republicans. And since registering as a Democrat (basically, by default) before the 1988 presidential election, I now know that I was right not to become a Republican. As a black man, how can I trust the Republican party?
I can honestly say that I am not an advocate of only a two-party political system. I often think about changing to an Independent or other nominal party. But, if I ever had the slightest notion to affiliate myself with the Republican Party, the 2004 presidential election may have irrevocably destroyed any thought of my switching my allegiance to the GOP.
Reports of what I deem to be a not-so-well-hidden Republican conspiracy to suppress the black vote during that election were rampant. Florida governor, Jeb Bush, used his old tricks of making lists of potential felons. This was his modus operandi to disenfranchise thousands of blacks in the 2000 election. Out of the 90,000 people on that list, reportedly 80 percent were deemed not to be felons. In 2004, outrage in the black community resulted in Bush publicly rescinding the list, but the list was still available to his staff. Moreover, in Florida and other states there were reports of: police blockades of major roads in black communities that made it difficult for people to get to the polls; threats to be jailed for outstanding parking tickets, utility bills and/or rent; people impersonating plainclothes police officers outside of polls asking for identification; and, real election officials unlawfully asking for additional identification. As an American, these actions are truly disgusting and reprehensible to me.
And then, there are the more blatant examples of a right-wing Republican conspiracy to disenfranchise voters in the 2004 election. The Secretary of State of Ohio during 2004, Kenneth Blackwell, advised boards of elections to reject any new registration application that was not on 80-pound card stock. No matter that the Cleveland newspaper, The Plain Dealer, engaged in public service by having voter registration forms printed in their newspaper. State officials knew that a substantial percentage of the newly registered voters were black. Moreover, in Nevada, a private firm, Voter Outreach of America, was hired by the Republican National Committee to register new voters. Reportedly, supervisors ripped up and discarded registration forms of those registering as Democrats. And, again, many of the unsuspecting victims of the fraud were black. National Republican sentiment can probably be best exemplified by John Papageorge, a Michigan State Representative at that time, when speaking about Detroit which is more than 75 percent black said, “If we do not suppress the Detroit vote, we’re going to have a tough time in this election.”
Now how can any Republican expect to get the support of a substantial number of black Americans when they resort to such chicanery and anti-American values? How can Republicans really expect most blacks to trust the G.O.P.? How do they expect black Americans, or any American for that matter, to have faith in government when they have shown that they will attempt to usurp the will of the people by bending, if not outright breaking the law and spirit of the law? And regarding felons, why is it that they don’t have the right to vote, especially after they have served their time? The law to prevent felons from voting has its origins during the post-Civil War era with all of its racist undertones. These despicable attempts to suppress votes and undermine our system of democracy go hand in hand with Republican ideologies. These ideologies flirt with oligarchic, plutocratic, fascist and other governmental systems that survive by using manipulation and exploitation. To consistently vote for the “haves” and vote against the “have-nots” is immoral. That’s why I, like many black Americans, do not put much faith or credence in groups like the Christian Coalition that align themselves with the GOP. If Republicans can legislate laws that enable them to horde all the money and resources, or send them overseas to protect their interests, while millions of Americans are in need, then the Christian Coalition—which consists of thousands of Republicans—should stop using the Lord’s name in vain.
Lastly, there are the underreported instances in which persons wearing John Kerry paraphernalia were thrown out of campaign rallies for the 2004 Republican presidential ticket. Three teachers were threatened with arrest for wearing T-shirts that said, “Protect our civil liberties.” Moreover, there were two persons arrested at the West Virginia State Capitol during a rally because they were wearing T-shirts that said “Love America, Hate Bush.” These accounts of trying to silence American citizens’ rights to free speech is, well, incredulous.
The whole way of Republican thinking is perverse and hypocritical. Though I realize that there are many problems within the Democratic Party, including some of the same perverse issues that pervade the GOP, I almost feel like it’s mandatory to vote for a straight Democratic Party ticket in every election. After looking at history (where, in my estimation, Republicans seem to vote vociferously against measures that will help blacks nearly 100 percent of the time), Republicans seem to have done everything in their power to make sure that mass blacks will never trust the Republican party. After being one of the millions of victims in a hijacked presidential election in 2000, then hearing numerous reports of Republican attempts to disenfranchise voters—of whom a disproportionate number were black—in the 2004 election, how can any black American affiliate himself or herself with the Republican Party in good conscience? After seeing Republicans blatantly attempt to quell free speech, how can anyone align him or herself with the GOP? For a party that espouses to stand atop the pedestal of moral values (if not Christian values), the Repub-lican Party and its supporters lose their footing and fall into the mud of selfishness, deception, and sometimes downright racism, when they fail to sincerely atone for the sins of their heritage. Forthrightly addressing social and economic problems that not only exist in many black neighborhoods, but other poor communities as well, will be the only solution for baptizing this nation of its sins. This is the only way to build the great legacy of true freedom, opportunity, equality and justice for all, upon which America stands.
