I have known a few African American Republicans in my life. Some I considered my colleagues. They showed intelligence and a respectable demeanor.
They were African Americans; they identified with their heritage, they were authentic, their political views didn’t cause ethnic amnesia.
We enjoyed civil discourse about the social and political landscape of America. We respectfully disagreed.
They were not arrogant, self righteous, or self-appointed saviors of democracy. We understood that a democratic system of governance relied on opposing opinions with discourse to come to workable solutions.
With that being the standard, I am perplexed by the tone, demeanor, the diatribe of Black Republicans in today’s political arena.
The political jostling to be seen, gaslighting their history and heritage, and making wacky statements just to gain media attention: this is the character of Black Republicans serving themselves, oh my bad, serving their constituents.
Mark Robinson, candidate for Governor of North Carolina, told Blacks, “Nobody owes you anything for slavery.” The statement will certainly get a nod from the anti-reparations’ bloc; not certain it will secure their votes.
Sen. Tim Scott, former presidential candidate, coined an arcane phrase, “woke Supremacy,” it’s an equal evil as white supremacy, he asserts. He voted against seating Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson on the Supreme Court.
I am careful not to broad brush Black Republicans. We have the right to be independent thinkers; being an African American by virtue of melanin, history, and heritage, does not compel them to identify with our struggles against systemic racism.
Ben Carson, Sec. of HUD during the Trump administration, believes that systemic racism ended with the civil rights movement.
These idiots savants: Byron Donalds, Burgess Owens, Mark Robinson, Wesley Hunt, Daniel Cameron, and of course, Justice Clarence Thomas validate that intelligence doesn’t inure to common sense nor wisdom.
Byron Donalds refused to sign a letter denouncing white supremacy, voted to overturn the 2020 election results, and along with Burgess Owens and Wesley Hunt, voted to restore a Confederate monument to Arlington National Cemetery.
Jim Crow oppression kept the Black family together, Donalds claims; he infers it was good for family stability.
Justice Clarence Thomas voted to kill affirmative action and cast the deciding vote to gut the Voting Rights Act. Thomas believes that the court overreached its authority with the Brown v Board decision to desegregate public schools.
There was nothing in the Constitution to support it, nor did it align with tradition buttressed his position.
There’s more.
Robinson disparages Black culture, the Black Panther movie – “trash” Halle Berry, Mariah Carey, and Issa Rae dress like whores and suggests that former First Lady Michelle Obama is misgendered.
Enough!
I find it disheartening that African Americans, who by virtue of grace, and their determination, have ascended to positions of authority only to suffer amnesia, that is they forget where they came from.
Daniel Cameron, Kentucky’s AG during the police killing of Breonna Taylor, declined to file charges; the shooting was justified. AG Garland subsequently brought federal charges against the four Louisville Metro police officers.
These Black Republicans possessed the intelligence to achieve, but they lack the power of critical thinking that connects the dots.