Here is why Mr. Powell’s endorsement of Obama matters: It is not that his indorsement will sway a huge number of voters. Rather it is an indication that the GOP has already lost a huge number of voters. Black Republicans are going to be voting for Obama in large numbers, and not because of race. Rather because we as a party have been too slow and too timid in denouncing racist remarks made by those who claim to speak in our behalf. The remarks are not nearly so numerous as portrayed by the MSM, but there have been some real ones, and it only takes a few to really upset people. And honestly, even one is too much. There is no point in complaining about hypersensitivity. It is a cop-out anyway; during the early 1990s soldiers and veterans took great offense at some of the slights coming from the Clinton administration. I know, I was one of those offended. Should the feelings of soldiers be considered more delicate than the feelings of Black Republicans and Independants? Clearly no! There is also no point in complaining about unfair media coverage. We are not only too slow to denounce racists who claim to be our supporters, we are too weak in responding to charges of racism. When the Democrats or liberal reporters accuse us of racism or imply that we are racisits, too often we just shrug it off. This is a mistake. It allows some people to assume we must accept the charge as true, and it leaves others thinking that we do not care enough to fight back. We need to stand up to these charges or they will stick whether they are true or not. Finally, we need to dispense with any idea that winking at racism helps us by appealing to those Southerners who came over to the GOP from the Dixiecrats. In practical terms it probably does not help because Black Republicans out number Dixiecrats. In moral and ethical terms, it is not even a question; we should not be making an accomodation with evil in the form of racism any more than Obama should be making an accomodation with evil in the form of Bill Ayers. It is that simple. If Dixiecrats leave the party, let tham go. Maybe they can go dirty up the Democrats instead.
We may very well loose this election, with real consequences for our country, in part because we were to slow and too timid in denouncing racism. If we want to win elections in the future, and if we want to be the party that we say we are, we must take a strong consistant stand against racism.
Hank
PS: Full disclosure: I am white, and I am voting for McCain on foreign policy issues. But I understand why other people, especially Black Republicans, will be voting for Obama. We really shot ourselves in the foot here.
