The Power of Positive Thinking

Blogger and conservative activist Bob Parks isn't hopeful about the GOP's attempts at outreach.

In 2000, blacks faced a dilemma. Activists and Democrat politicians accused Republicans of racism. Over 90% of blacks voted for Democrats. But after the heated presidential election, Republicans controlled all three branches of government. In other words, blacks essentially had no political influence within the federal government.

After years of calling Republicans racists without less than a sliver of evidence to back it up, blacks demanded that the Republican Party reach out to them! Talk about nerve.

Ten years later, blacks find themselves on the same corner. After constant, baseless charges of racism, fourteen black Republican congressional candidates are making a game of it and many may actually win. The question is, how will this affect the Republican Party’s image in the black community?

Not much, seeing how many of these black Republicans will win in majority-white districts. What should the GOP do about it? If I were chair of the Republican National Committee, I’d say fuggeddaboudit.

I’ll venture to say that most black Republicans weren’t born that way. It took some life-altering revelation and a good amount of cojones to put oneself into the pariah column. Remember, blacks may be the only group in this country not allowed to have a diversity of political opinion. It’s Democrat or be damned. If you become a Republican, you can (and will) be ostracized by friends and family and be called racist names by the political left with impunity.

For that reason, GOP “outreach” in the black community is an exercise in futility that also puts the Republican Party in a position of weakness. Why would you be expected to reach out to a group that has consistently maligned your character?

Of course, the problem with this argument is that the GOP will die as a political party if it doesn't figure out a way to get votes from people who aren't older white evangelicals. If the GOP doesn't invest in outreach, the party's assets will soon be worthless, and the GOP will go bankrupt.

Parks continues:

Let’s keep this in mind: almost every elected office in almost every black district in the United States is held by a Democrat. If Democrats are so great, the black community should be a utopia. Instead, it’s rampant with crime, poor schools, high unemployment, and the liberal message that unless you can rap or play basketball, you won’t amount to anything in racist America. So, here’s a check. Vote for us.

Let’s hope the Republican Party doesn’t try to top that.

It is precisely because these communities are affected by the problems Parks cites that the Republicans must make aggressive efforts to reach out to these communities. If Republicans don't offer to help fight these problems, it will only be a matter of time before these problems move from urban America into suburban America, or at least the parts of suburban America that don't already face these maladies.

I understand Parks' cynicism, but to quote a certain governor of Massachusetts, it's time to put that cynicism down.

UPDATE: Eugene Robinson on the GOP and outreach.