GOP message and the black community

Editor's note: Adrienne Ross recently spoke in Cape Girardeau at the Cape County Republican Women's Club.

By Adrienne Ross

Every race, creed, and gender would state emphatically they are not a monolithic group. They are comprised of individuals who have various personalities, priorities and preferences. Black Americans surely are no exception. However, who can deny the fact 95 percent of black Americans reserve their votes for the Democrat party?

That's an astounding statistic and seems to belie the claims of anti-monolithism. This has been the case for decades. Thus, it begs two questions: "Why?" and "What should Republicans do about it?"

I grew up believing Republicans were white people who cared about white people -- rich white people. They were, therefore, racist. Blacks were Democrats -- and were supposed to be Democrats. Democrats were people like my family: people who cared about the little guy, were compassionate, and believed in lending a helping hand to those in need.

I don't remember anyone sitting me down to tell me this was the truth, but for as long as I could remember, this simply was the truth.

Because I was apolitical until recent years, I did not possess the knowledge or interest to counter these givens. It was not until I was over 30 years old that I began to feel convicted about my complacent attitude toward what was going on in this nation. Until then, not only had I not voted, but I was not even registered to vote.

In 2004, however, everything changed. It was then I asked two friends why blacks were Democrats and not Republicans. Until then, I had absolutely no information about what the parties represented. All I knew was Republicans were racist and Democrats were compassionate. After the conversation with my friends, I realized I actually knew nothing at all.

I discovered that I had been duped, bamboozled, hoodwinked. I was no Democrat -- and I certainly still was black! So what was that all about?

To my amazement, I soon came to see I was a conservative, both fiscally and socially. Not only that, but I realized many of the black people I knew were no more Democrat than I. Many of us embraced the same values that are inherent within the Republican party.

If this is true, why, then, has the Republican party not been able to capture the black vote? Why have we not even wholeheartedly sought the black vote? I am convinced the reason is deeply rooted in the fact we on the political right are simply not consumed with race.

The left uses race as a weapon. They race-bait to play on the emotions of a community already understandably hypersensitive about race.

Republicans promote the planks of the platform, which are good for all people. They find no need to pinpoint different groups of people, and they certainly do not choose to exploit them. This is America, and a platform that supports individual liberty, personal responsibility, limited government, low taxes, a strong military defense, and a respect for God and life empowers everyone, so it need not highlight minorities in particular.

Sounds good, and it is good -- but it is not working to appeal to all people, which means the GOP has a problem.

So should the Republican party specifically target the black community? I asked this recently when giving a speech to the Cape County Republican Women's Club.

While some tripped over the word "target," I wasted no time sharing my perspective: Yes! Why? Because if the conservative message is right for America -- and it is -- it is downright essential for black America.

The black community is dealing with ills and issues that are detrimental to its own future and the future of America. Our situation is dire. We cannot afford to allow the left to play us as silent fools out of fear of stepping out of our comfort zones. Too much is at stake. Furthermore, Republicans have an open door to reach into the black community because of these pressing needs.

While current (June) unemployment in the nation is 7.6 percent and 6.6 percent among whites, it is 13.7 percent in the black community. Among black youth, it is 43.6 percent, up from 42.6 percent in May, up from 40.5 percent the month before, and up from 33.8 percent the month before that.

Unemployment in the black community has consistently bypassed that of white Americans. Nonetheless, when President Obama did a jobs bus tour in his first term, he did not even enter the black community, and he garnered some criticism from black members of Congress as a result.

Republicans, however, do want to deal with unemployment, incentivize small business and lower taxes -- which will help abate unemployment.

The Obama administration wants to overtax and punish success in a way that severely hurts the black community. Republicans who can articulate how conservative policies will aid this community will find themselves speaking to an audience with hungry ears.

Another open door is education. Education is a key to success, and Republicans want to create an environment where all can succeed, which is why they encourage school choice. The left, largely due to their unholy marriage to teacher unions, fight against this opportunity to empower these students, often poor black students.

President Obama himself opposed the D.C. voucher program, despite the fact it was successful and parents were satisfied. Clearly, Democrats are more interested in playing politics with people's children and their futures than in doing the right thing.

Black parents want success for their children also, and too often these children are not thriving within the public school system. I should know: I am a public schoolteacher and have been so for 17 years.

Why do Democrats, while claiming to possess such compassionate hearts, fight something that would be so beneficial to those who need it most? The need for educational options is an open door for Republicans. They need to walk through this door into these communities, and they need to bring this message with them.

These are just two issues that provide an opportunity for Republicans to reach out to the black community.

Yes, we need the black vote, but this is not just about votes. It's about values. It's about believing we have a message that will progress every community in this country we love. It's about the furtherance of American exceptionalism. Saying, "Hey, our message is good for everybody; we don't need to target anyone!" sounds great, but it's naive. People want to know what you can do for them. And the conservative message is powerful because it answers that question by showing people what they can do for themselves. It is the message of liberty.

Republicans must learn to be outspoken, present the facts, and refuse to back down. The accusations of racism, thrown like a boxer's lethal one-two combo, must be combated. In fact, Republicans need to go on the offense and initiate a few punches of their own.

The Democrats cannot counter, for history is not on their side. The Republican party is the party of Lincoln, the anti-slavery party, the party of civil rights. The Democrat party is the party of Jim Crow, the KKK and discrimination.

Republicans are electing more and more minorities, including women, and some formerly liberal minority politicians are switching to the Republican party. So the Republican party has both the present and the past on its side. It can ensure an equally bright future, also -- but only if it adheres to its principles and articulately promotes them, particularly among those who, like me, have been fed a false narrative.

Yes, the Republican party must not ignore its power to effect positive change. It is important for America, and it is essential for the black community within America.

It's time for the GOP to be courageous and have this conversation. It's time they bring the elephant out of the room and into the open where everyone can see it.

Adrienne Ross lives in Hudson, N.Y., and recently completed her 17th year of teaching English language arts for the Hudson City School District.