Black Republican Sophia Nelson Has A Major Epiphany About The Lack Of Diversity Within Her Political Party...About A Decade Too Late In My Book
Black Republicans really need to improve their talking points if they are really serious about attracting black folks to the GOP. I'm sick and tired of hearing them talk about the "principles" and "values" of conservatism while belonging to a party that ignores African Americans as leaders and staffers within that political party. I knew things were bad for Black Republicans, but I didn't know they were that bad.
Check out these GOP gems, Ms. Nelson recently dropped in an op-ed piece for The Washington Post -
"The GOP convention was embarrassingly devoid of people of color -- among more than 2,000 delegates, only 36 were black."
Damn, that's not an embarrassment, that's gross neglect! What in the hell ran through the minds of the 36 black folks present? And I find it very interesting that Black Republicans kept dead silent about that sad state of affairs within their own party's convention. Before any Black Republican dared open their mouth to criticize Barack Obama, they should have been throwing a few barbs in the direction of their own party.
Nelson argues that John McCain basically conceded the black vote to Obama, but she also reveals that McCain also failed to hire African Americans to work on his campaign, all but assuring that African Americans would never be a priority for McCain or the GOP during this past election. She states;
"I knew of only one high-level black adviser or spokesperson on his full-time paid campaign staff."
Who in the hell was that person? I would love to know because I don't recall seeing or hearing a black spokesperson for the McCain campaign. Cross-eyed Ron Christie must have gotten a kickback because he was drinking the hell out of the McCain/Palin kool-aid and never once made a mention about the lack of diversity with the GOP or McCain's campaign staff. And Tara Wall of The Washington Times, who loves to act like she's non-partisan on television, but was looking like somebody stole her purse on election night, was another Black Republican looking the other way in terms of the lack of GOP diversity.
Where were Black Republicans on the failures of President Bush during Hurricane Katrina and why didn't they challenge McCain to discuss how he would prevent such a disaster from happening again? And why were Black Republicans so silent on the obvious race-baiting of the McCain/Palin campaign. And Nelson should have a little chat with RNC Chairman hopeful and fellow Black Republican Michael Steele, that if he still thinks that McCain should have smeared Obama more with Reverend Wright, then expect to continue to lose the attention of black folks.
Further, Nelson could challenge her fellow Black Republicans to not sit around whistling "Dixie" while white Republicans toss Black Republicans like Colin Powell under the bus for making a well-thought out decision about who they will support for national office. If Joe Lieberman can decide to support a Republican, than Powell can decide to support a Democrat.
Read Nelson's post and then come weigh in on this subject back here. I am really interested in what Black Republicans are going to do next. It's important for black folks to keep all their options open.
