Black Republicans Today

Recently here in Houston, a billboard has caused a commotion over both Republicans and Democrats claiming Martin Luther King, Jr as one of their own. The Democrats, so very comfortable in taking the black vote for granted, have a difficult time believing that MLK was indeed a Republican, as was his father. Most blacks were Republican in the South at that time in our nation's history.

In my lifetime I have witnessed some remarkable events. I am a Baby Boomer, born in 1955 in Biloxi, Mississippi. The Deep South, as it was called. Our home was in Ocean Springs, just a drive across a drawbridge from Biloxi on the beach of the Gulf of Mexico. Ocean Springs was a small community and did not have a hospital. Today it is hard to imagine such a statement if you take a drive through Ocean Springs.

My parents came to Ocean Springs from neighboring small towns in southern Indiana. They married young and moved South when my father inherited a dry cleaning business from an Uncle in Ocean Springs. Several years later, I was born there as was my sister who is 16 months younger than me. My father decided the dry cleaning business was not for him and we moved to New Orleans when I was three. I grew up in Louisiana, the majority of my youth in Shreveport. My youngest sister was born there in 1962. It was during my graduation from junior high into high school that desegregation was implemented in our school system.

When my parents moved to Mississippi, the Democrats ruled the South. My mother was told she would not be able to register as a Republican. It is simply how things were. She was 20 years old.

There is no need to repeat all the claims by both parties of the history of the black voter. Yes, it is a bit ironic that Abe Lincoln, a Republican president noted for signing the Emancipation Proclamation is so frequently quoted by our first bi-racial President. It is most interesting, however, that in today's political atmosphere, more black Americans are coming forward and becoming politically active as Republicans. Here in Houston we know it has struck a nerve as it has received media attention that a billboard proclaiming MLK was a Republican was put up during the July 4th weekend. The placement of the billboard, at Loop 610 and MLK Blvd, is in a heavily traveled spot. The billboard was the project of a local radio talk show host, Apostle Claver T. Kamau-Imani. He is a conservative working to educate black Houstonians of the history of the Republican party as it relates to them. His web site is Raging Elephants.org and carries the subtitle of "leading America's 2nd Emancipation". After a press conference, spotlighting Apostle Claver standing firm up against the local leader of the New Black Panther Party when the demand was made to take the billboard down, more press attention was brought to the local newspaper. One columnist, a young woman who is known to rail against Republicans and conservatives in general, wrote three columns about it. Three. She was in total denial of the history of the Republican party. To be expected, I suppose, given her age.

And, yes, the billboard owner took down the billboard after a couple of days, due to political pressure. See, free speech is only for black Democrats, not black Republicans.

For far too long, Republicans have not fought back against the re-writing of history. It is good to see progress being made. Slow but sure. Democrats are such hypocrites and take the black vote for granted. This will change, too. Just this past week, Sen Barbara Boxer insulted the head of the Black Chamber of Commerce, Harry Alford, by assuming he agreed with her positions simply because she was a Democrat and he was black. She was very wrong. He struck back but could have been even stronger in his objections to how he was being spoken to by her. He was too polite. It will take less politeness from Republicans in today's political atmosphere, I believe. Democrats are too arrogant. And, the likes of Barbara Boxer are no rocket scientists either. Yesterday, Sen Dick "Gulag" Durbin said the reason Washington D.C. has such a high abortion rate is that the majority of its citizens are black. Wow. Imagine if a Republican had said such a stupid statement. Both Democrats have shown their racist true natures.

My city is fortunate to have many emerging black conservative leaders. My state is showing positive signs, too. Michael Williams, Texas Railroad Commissioner (an agency misnamed) is running for the U.S. Senate seat soon to be vacated by Sen Kay Bailey Hutchison. I proudly support his candidacy.