(portions published
in the
Letters to the Editor
The Plain Dealer
Dear Editor,
Sam Fulwood III’s December 21, 2002 commentary “Blacks matter little to Republican Party” was a welcomed and necessary reminder that “the controversy (over Sen. Trent Lott) has nothing to do with black people, race relations or public policy... [but rather] has been political theater for, by and about white Americans and their feelings about a party that looks and acts like an exclusive all-white club.”
The fact that over 90% of African-Americans vote for Democratic candidates is the most damning evidence against the Republican Party. The victims of racism can best identify its presence. If the GOP is truly “color-blind” or “inclusive,” why then does such an overwhelming majority of African-Americans consistently reject its agenda and candidates? The most alarming example of what Mr. Fulwood referred to as the GOP’s “amazing insensitivity on racial issues” is the insistence of many conservatives on the importance of “minority outreach” efforts. It is as if they believe that African-Americans are either ignorant or incapable of deciding what is in their own best interests. The Republican Party’s message is getting out and minorities hear it loudly and clearly. The implication that they are not can be considered nothing other than racist.
Milton Alan Turner