my theory on black and gay Republicans

[ButterflyBlood]

let's imagine a stereotypical TV show high school (as someone who graduated high school fairly recentely I know it's nothing like that at all, but it works for this analogy). You have the cliques, the jocks, the preppies, ect. and the "nerds". Now let's say you have one of the nerds. He's not much different than the other ones who are harassed by jocks and "popular kids", but he's extremely good at schoolwork, and has wealthy parents who give him lots of money and a really nice car. So the jocks, preppies and the like decide to take advantage of him. They have him lend them his car, take them to parties, lend them money, do their homework, ect. In exchange they let him hang around them, but not really as a friend. Sure he goes to the same cool parties as them, but he's really just the designated driver who stands in the corner the whole time, he buys them stuff and they promise to pay him back but never do, and while they might let him sit at the "cool" table to lunch the only thing they talk to him about is whether he completed their homework for next period. They aren't really his friends, and deep down inside, he knows this. But why should he care? He's hanging with the cool kids! and because of this he can pretend he's cool and it's worth taking their abuses.

Same thing here. The Republicans like to have token black and gay Republicans to pull them out and say "See? We're not bigoted!" So this makes the black and gay Republicans feel special and respected, when in reality they aren't, but they can pretend so. And whenever they turn a blind eye when the GOP endorses a Constitutional Amendment to ban gay marriage or a Trent Lott moment happens, it's much like one of the jocks stuffing the nerd inside his locker, or giving him a wedgie, or any typical bullying. And then at the end the day he approaches him and says "don't take what I did personally, I was just joking around. By the way, could you lend me your car for my date tonight, and some money for it too because I'm broke? While I'm gone you could do my latest English assignment." And he does.

[chimpymustgo]

1. We real cool.

Very good analysis, Butterflyblood.

[Muddleoftheroad]

2. Or you could look at this issue more objectively

Many African-Americans are socially and culturely conservative. They are religious folks and have this in common with many conservatives. Most of my people that I have talked with oppose not just gay marriage, but most gay rights as well.

You'd be surprised how conservative they actually are.

[Kimber Scott]

4. I agree with you and it's wrong to compartmentalize

anyone based on race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or any other label. All Blacks aren't liberal anymore than all Protestants are fundamentalists.

[noiretextatique]

10. MOST black people are DEMOCRATS, even if they are conservative

and that's not a label...that's a fact.

[Kimber Scott]

15. Most, but not all...

unfortunately I live with one. My husband's Black and a Republican. I don't take anything for granted anymore!

On edit:

I don't mean I unfortunately I live with my husband! I mean, unfortunately, he's a Republican. But, he's not rich, not selfish and he doesn't hang out with anybody. I think he just thinks he's a Republican. Lately, he's been saying he's a "Moderate." No party affiliation intended. (He thinks they all suck.) In any case, he gets pretty offended when people think his political beliefs should be based on his skin color.

[Terran]

25. That's the single most significant fact here.

I agree, that African-American culture is somewhat conservative (a fact lost on nearly all whites, who only see pop culture stereotypes), but not in the way the neocons are conservative. They are often conservative because they have a long history of having to be cautious to survive and prosper. Family is extremely important to them, but again, for reasons somewhat different than for many whites, I feel. I think it's clear that if this style of conservatism translated into party affiliation with white conservatives, then a majority of African-Americans would be republican. And yet...they're not, by a long shot.

If anyone wonders how I dare assert such things, I am a white man in my 18th year of partnership with an African-American man, and about half of our friends are African-American too. As well as interacting with his large family and a couple of ther families over that long stretch. And because of this, I disagree strongly that Blacks are anti-gay. African-Americans don't view these issues the same way whites do, I feel, but white leftists mistake their views for homophobia.

Dirk

[Muddleoftheroad]

30. For now

The gay marriage issue has a huge potential to change that. And, no, I am not happy about it. Gay rights are just another Civil Rights issue.

[Solomon]

3. Bullseye! Dead On! Right on the Money! Hit the Nail On the Head!

Bigtime.

I forgot Bingo!

[comsymp]

5. So how do you explain female or disabled Republicans?

etc., etc.?

[pnb]

6. Alternate theory

There are blacks and gays in this country who don't actually define themselves the way you seem to want to and come up with their reasons for political affiliations for exactly the same reasons as us straight white folk.

I imagine many of these people are also insulted by people thinking that their race or sexual orientation alone should define their political beliefs. I know that the black woman I'm married to is one of those insulted by that type of thinking.

[noiretextatique]

9. you mean: there are actual black and/or gay republicans?!?!

i agree with you...there is no one-size fits all theory that explains anything or anyone. i think my late republican uncle would have been utterly apalled and disgusted by bush, inc.

[chimpymustgo]

11. But is your wife a Republican?

Black Republican does not necessarily mean independent thinker. More along the lines of twisted thinking. I think Butterfly's analogy is darned apt.

[pnb]

23. Thank you for helping to make my point

My wife is not Republican, she is actually pretty much apolitical but if ask her questions about specific issues, she leans more towards the Libertarian side with some Liberal ideas.

That is all besides the point though. Your comment obviously shows that you beleive that someone's "blackness" should ALWAYS be the overriding reason for one's political affiliation...which quite honestly is a disgusting, condescending judgment. What you in essence are saying is that whatever beliefs my wife (or any black person) might have on social issues, monetary policy, etc., should go right out the window because she is a black woman.

Do you think all whites should then be Republican? or Democrat? or anything else merely because of their skin color? If not, than you are a racist if you think others shouldn't do the same.

[Gulf Coast J]

7. I'm a white, male college graduate from Texas...

Please tell me why I'm not a Republican. I'd love to hear your theory.

[ButterflyBlood]

8. cause you're a leftist

I'm a straight, white, Christian male, and I'm as far left as they come.

[southpaw]

12. What do you call a Rupublican...

... who isn't a rich, white, male Christian?



Answer: SUCKER!!!!

[Bucky]

14. Paul Wolfowitz, a sucker? Gail Norton a sucker? Clarence Thomas?

At least what Clarence Thomas is rhymes with "sucker". But sorry, I don't believe people lose their ability to think wrongly just because they're in some arbitrary and over-hyped demographic category. Stoopidity transcends all human variables.

[smirkymonkey]

19. That's it in a nutshell!!

It's not that anyone thinks that african-americans, gays, poor, disabled, women, jews, etc. should think a certian way, it's just that by being in one of those groups and supporting the republican agenda would make you somewhat self-loathing. Or just greedy and hateful.

I just don't understand aligning oneself with a group that hates you. Could you understand a Jewish Nazi?? I just couldn't vote for member of a party that wants to exclude me and deny my rights just because I wanted a bigger tax cut or because some group that I don't "approve" of might be getting a fair shake somewhere.

[Bucky]

13. Poppycock

Your theory explains why humans join up with other groups of humans. We have a built in need to be accepted into groups. Singling out blacks and gays as nerdy losers and Republicans as universally popular and cool to hang out with is grotesque, inaccurate stereotyping.

There are plenty of gays who are Republican for a variety of twisted reasons. Sure, for some it means hanging out with wealthy people, but for many more it's from a genuine (albeit wrongheaded) philosophical viewpoint. I've met a few black Republicans, too. They tend to be financially or vocationally successful and pretty damn selfish in their economic views. Just like... ta-daaaa... most other Republicans. From my experience, the motivations really don't change all that much based on what color you are or what gender you favor fucking with.

[eridani]

16. Arundhati Roy on the subject

http://www.thenation.com/docprint.mhtml?i=20040209&s=roy

The best allegory for New Racism is the tradition of "turkey pardoning" in the United States. Every year since 1947, the National Turkey Federation has presented the US President with a turkey for Thanksgiving. Every year, in a show of ceremonial magnanimity, the President spares that particular bird (and eats another one). After receiving the presidential pardon, the Chosen One is sent to Frying Pan Park in Virginia to live out its natural life. The rest of the 50 million turkeys raised for Thanksgiving are slaughtered and eaten on Thanksgiving Day. ConAgra Foods, the company that has won the Presidential Turkey contract, says it trains the lucky birds to be sociable, to interact with dignitaries, school children and the press. (Soon they'll even speak English!)

That's how New Racism in the corporate era works. A few carefully bred turkeys--the local elites of various countries, a community of wealthy immigrants, investment bankers, the occasional Colin Powell or Condoleezza Rice, some singers, some writers (like myself)--are given absolution and a pass to Frying Pan Park. The remaining millions lose their jobs, are evicted from their homes, have their water and electricity connections cut, and die of AIDS. Basically they're for the pot. But the Fortunate Fowls in Frying Pan Park are doing fine. Some of them even work for the IMF and the WTO--so who can accuse those organizations of being antiturkey? Some serve as board members on the Turkey Choosing Committee--so who can say that turkeys are against Thanksgiving? They participate in it! Who can say the poor are anti-corporate globalization? There's a stampede to get into Frying Pan Park. So what if most perish on the way?

[TomSeaverr]

17. Most Black people are conservative

But they are Democrats, because they know damn well if it was up to the repugs they would have things the way it was in the 60's.

[Solomon]

18. Nobody could have said it any better.

(bowing solemnly and silently)

[Disturbed]

21. Log Cabin Republicans

Just a thought. Perhaps some Gays &/or Blacks, Latinos, Asians etc. (uh any ethnic person could also be Gay or Lesbian), actually embrace most of the Paleo-Repubs doctrines and feel that they can change the Repub. party in social issues? There are Republicans that are not anti-abortion for example.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

28. Wow. Double wow.

THIS is Insight with a capital I. :wow:

[eridani]

29. Since Tom Friedman is so hot on outsourcing to India--

--why doesn't the NYT outsource his column to Arundhati Roy?

[Deja Q]

20. Such perfidious turncoats have always existed...

Blacks selling out their own during America's slave trade, Jews helping Hitler... this stuff is hardly new.

I have no time for them. Not until the mainstream Neocons prove with act, rather than blather with word, compassion, humanity, fairness, and other worthy traits for people of all diversity. (There are exceptions, there are Republicans who ARE good people... It's too easy to glibly group everybody...)

[cubswin23]

22. Isnt what you just said bigoted?

Bigotry is a confusing thing apparently to many people. Once a person is singled out for any reason by defenition is bigotry. Why cut own a whole group of people just for thinking different that you do. Democracy is supposed to be about ex[ressomg yor opinion, no matter what you think. Bigotry should be reserved for people who want to shut anyone up for whatever reason.

[SmokeyBlues]

24. Shannon Reeves

Want a first-hand honest account of how the GOP treats its negroes once the glow wears off, just ask Shannon Reeves --who at one time was the highest ranking African American in the California GOP--about the verbal abuse he received just for saying that there are times when he feels and is treated like a second-class citizen at party functions/conventions.

And what's really revealing about how Black Republicans relate to each other is that only one other Black Republican sorta-kinda came to his aid. Being from the South, I know many Black Republicans and even have a few in my extended family. But they are the traditional Republicans, such as Arthur Fletcher and Benjamin Hooks, who pretty much like their traditional white counterparts were conservative primarily concerning fiscal matters.

Today the GOP is dominated by movement Republicans who are in cahoots with religious fundies. These are the bastards that want everybody to think and behave like them (supported by their negro water boys like Colin Powell and Armstrong Williams and Ken Hamblin and Ward Connerly), and these are the bastards who must be sent scurrying like the varmint they are, never to regroup and control this country again.

Just my opinion.

[KamaAina]

26. I used to think this way, too

Then I realized that anyone who makes less than $200K a year, and votes Repukkke, is a blithering idiot.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

27. Yet another theory -- forgive me if already expounded

Supply and demand. They (correctly) perceive a demand by the Right on "Tokens" to brandish and prove they're not bigoted. Since most people have some dignity, it's hard to find tokens. Supply lower than demand = BIG BUCK$$$.