GOP Should Lead the Celebration of Juneteenth
There is no issue where Republicans and conservatives have fumbled the ball more than on the issue of race. I was hoping that with the election of President Trump, the Republican Party would grab onto the race issue and tell the GOP’s longstanding support for civil rights. For too long, Democrats and the media have been selling the false narrative of their support of civil rights in one of the most amazing and effective hypocrisies in American history.
Unfortunately, Trump failed to serve as an effective messenger of the Republican civil rights message. When he hung that portrait of Democrat racist President Andrew Jackson in the Oval Office and then visited the Jackson gravesite in homage to the 7th President of the United States, I wrote a commentary entitled, “Trump blew it.” It was exactly what Trump should NOT have done.
Republicans should have jumped aboard the effort to replace Jackson on the twenty-dollar bill with devout Republican Harriet Tubman, the Negro civil rights and suffragette activist who personally led thousands of run-away slaves to safety in the northern Republican states.
It is a fact that Trump proved to be one of the better presidents for the blacks who have been relegated for generations to oppressed second class citizenship in those brutally segregated neighborhoods in the major cities run by longstanding Democrat political machines. Metropolitan America was largely characterized by one-party racist governance of the kind that dominated the old Confederate states until the mid-20th Century. To this day, we see the same deprivation of education, employment, public safety, equal justice and social mobility that was in both slavery and southern institutional racism. The momentum of those racist policies is still reflected in the oppression of the millions trapped in segregated ghettoes … slums.
At the time Trump came into office, the Republican Party was already in the process of removing the symbols of the Confederacy from places of honor in the south. Republican administrations began the process of removing Confederate battle banners from state flags in several states. In South Carolina, Republican State Senator Paul Thurmond, son of the former Dixiecrat U.S. Senator Strom Thurmond, led the successful call to remove the Confederate flag from the grounds of the State House during the administration of Republican Governor Nikki Haley. The State’s Republican Senator Lindsey Graham supported the effort.
Republicans led the fledging effort to take the icons of American racism – statues and monuments — out of places of honor – relegating them to historic setting, where we could reflect on their infamy without adulation.
During those times, I humbly proposed that Republicans should expose the Democrats racial hypocrisy by educating the public on the racist backgrounds of many of the Democrats’ most revered historic figures. If we demote the Confederate flags and statues, we should also demote honors provided to such hardcore racists as Andrew Jackson. But Democrats memorialize him anually throughout the nation in Jackson Day Dinners.
We should have criticized Democrats for honoring President Woodrow Wilson – a white supremacist activist. Democrat elite still gather at the Woodrow Wilson Center in Washington. And progressives at Princeton University honor him. That is where Wilson used his position as the school’s president to block blacks from attending.
Less appreciated is the fact that President Franklin Roosevelt was also a white supremacist whose New Deal was crafted by former and then-current members of the Ku Klux Klan to take jobs away from working Negroes and give them to unemployed white folks. He also believed that the offspring of a relationship between and Caucasian and Asian would result in “an unfortunate” human.
Democrats were the Party of institutional racism – de jure and de facto — for more than 100 years after the Civil War, the Emancipation Proclamation and the 13th, 14th and 15th Amendments. And the residual of de facto segregation and oppression of masses of black Americans is characteristic of the cities that remain under longstanding one-party Democrat rule to this day.
So, what about Juneteenth – the new national holiday?
Juneteenth is historically a day of Republican racial triumph over the Democrats’ long defense of slavery. Rarely in history has there been such a stark difference between the political parties on such a fundamental constitutional – and civil and human rights – issue.
Juneteenth occurred only because the Republican Party defeated the Democratic Party in a bloody Civil War that decided the issue raised in President Lincoln’s “House Divided” speech – whether America would be all slave or all free.
They say that Juneteenth is an educational opportunity. It brings to the public consciousness and conscience the true history of America’s original sin of slavery and racism. But we should not abridge that history by censoring out the malignant role of the Democratic Party. That is key to the TRUE history.
The Republican Party should memorialize Juneteenth – as well as Harriet Tubman and Frederick Douglass – in dinners, parades, awards and educational material.
Republicans need to remind America that it was the GOP congressional majorities that ended slavery. The GOP was responsible for the passage of the Civil Rights Acts of 1957, 1960, 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965 – the latter of which was authored and introduced by the Republican Minority Leader in the Senate, Everett McKinley Dirksen. It was Democrats in Congress that fought against all of the aforementioned legislation – including mounting a filibuster.
A complete history would remember that Martin Luther King vote Republican as part of his fight against Democratic Party institutional racism in the south and in northern cities, such as Chicago. He never found cause to march or protest against Republican-led governments.
For too long, Democrats and the media have canceled all references to the Republican contributions to civil rights and equal justice.
They present false historic narratives that are guilty of the sin of omission. Juneteenth and Martin Luther King Day should be days of major Republican celebration.
And for those who would call all this “ancient history,” let us remember that the greatest examples of institutional racism are where black citizens protest and riot – the major Democrat-controlled cities.
President Lincoln once said that you cannot fool all the people all the time. In terms of our racial history, it is time for the Republican Party to stop letting those on the left – Democrats, the media and academia – fool ANYONE any longer.
So, there ‘tis.
Larry,
You say, “To this day, we see the same deprivation of education, employment, public safety, equal justice and social mobility that was in both slavery and southern institutional racism. The momentum of those racist policies is still reflected in the oppression of the millions trapped in segregated ghettoes … slums.”
Yet on this very blog, there have been several articles on how Critical Race Theory is an affront to the white washed history of America. But yet you plainly confirm that racism has played, and continues to play a role in American life.
Very disappointed in you. You can’t have it both ways.
We all know that slavery existed Ben. If we want better race relations we should shut up about it. Digging up the past does no good
Dan, really?
What happened to “ if we fail to learn from our past we are doomed to repeat it?”
This is a whole new take from a conservative reader.
So, just be quiet about things and they will go away? I’m sure that’s how the insurrectionists feel also.
Ben what political party would ever introduce a bill to bring back slavery or Jim Crow? I don’t think that any would. But the commiecrats keep chasing that bullshit. And a lot of idiots like you believe it
Dan asks;
Ben what political party would ever introduce a bill to bring back slavery or Jim Crow
Answer; Republicans.
Yes, abolutely! Don’t talk about sundown laws, or redlining black neighborhoods, or lynchings as late as the 1960’s, because that would be devisive. Don’t talk about blacks getting killed almost daily by police, or getting pulled over for no reason (driving while black). Forget about the drug laws that put blacks in jail, while most whites manage to get away with a fine or a “stern warning”. Just the other day, I heard about a black woman selling her house, and the appraisal came in $60K lower than she thought it should, and when she asked a white friend to show the house to the appraiser the next time, it went $100K over what she thought it was worth. But we don’t want to publicize anything like that.. Yessir, we don’t want to stir up any trouble…
Critical race theory? That’s really an academic topic, not a real thing, just a scary label from Republicans… but we certainly don’t want people to know what real slavery was really like… better to let them think of the old Disney movies, with banjo-strumming and singing… or Shirley Temple movies with polite genteel servants who are tap dancers and were ALWAYS treated like family by their owners… and whose kids played with the little white kids, and the families didn’t get broken up and sold off…
Just for a quick response. You forget to mention that virtually all those terrible things done to blacks were under racist Democrat governments. End of subject. I do not respond to you more because you lack knowledge, reading comprehension and display a sophomoric approach to debate. Sarcasm instead of substance. Insults instead of intelligence. There are a lot of people who do not know a lot … but you are among those who do not even suspect much. I suggest you do more researching and reading and less obsessive writing so that you do not put your ignorance on full display so much.
Let’s talk about the native Americans who were slaughtered under the American flag. George Armstrong Custer led his troops into Indian villages and slaughtered women and children while the men were away hunting and gathering food. Or bond children of the white race being in forced servitude. And of course many of them were pimped out. And Irish immigrants being brutally attacked while getting off the ships in New York. Yes, that place was a shit hole even then. And the list goes on. But the blacks want to be liked while they burn and loot. Ok. If they try to destroy my home I’ll share my ammunition with them. How’s that for reparations?
Ben … Do you read my commentaries before you respond … or do you just read the headline and then respond. Of course America was deeply racist. We had slavery. We had 100 years of de jure racism in the old south and de facto racism in the cities — that lingers to this day. But what is always overlooked is who were the bad folks. Since the 1850s to today, institutional racism has been the product of the Democratic Party. The problem with the left’s attempts to bring history forward is that they are creating an inaccurate and propagandized version of history. .Critical Race Theory as a curriculum is the same fraudulent, incomplete and biased history. I would love to see our kids educated on racial history and contemporary racism, but what we get from the left in the media and academia is indoctrination.
But , but Larry, you said you would not be responding to me anymore. What happened?
Of course I read your story, I even copy pasted portions of it.
Again, you seem to be advocating for the same things as CRT. I am all aboard. As I have said in the past, I fully support teaching the racist history of America. Teach our students the evils of Democrats holding slaves and the racist origins of our Country. I say, tear down the statues of Democratic slave holders that were erected to remind blacks of their place in our society. Replace them with Republican emancipators to celebrate freedom! This is an absolute win/ win for our culture as a whole! However, It seems as if Republican voters waving their confederate flags are the ones holding this up.
By all means, we should NEVER forget Democratic slave holders and the traitorous Democratic Confederacy lost because their beliefs were so vile. I simply have no issues teaching our children this. It seems Your fellow Punching Bag bloggers do.
If you think CRT is biased, this is a golden opportunity for republicans to present a comparable comprehensive lesson for our children. For some reason, with the exception of you, there doesn’t seem to be any contributors on your side of the aisle.
I do take exception to the idea that higher education has a liberal bias, simply put, students from all races and creeds come together to learn and the white children find out that the biases their parents indoctrinated in them weren’t based in fact. Besides, Facts are naturally liberal leaning, that might be why you’re confused.
Ben you’re a fool. I have known lots of republicans and have attended the meetings and rallies and have never heard anything about reviving Jim Crow or slavery. And you being a damned fool, you don’t realize that America has constitution protections in place to prevent that shit. You commiecrats do nothing but stir the pot with your outdated race card and unfortunately many people of color fall for your damned lies. Are you a black guy or just another bleeding heart asshole looking for a problem that doesn’t exist? People like you are a stink on America. So stfu with your false race opinions. You’re just another dumbass that fans the flames of racial division in this country.
Dan, you obviously didn’t read Larry’s column.
My thoughts echo’d his. He seems to think that race and racist have played a significant role in the suppression of people of color throughout our history, including present day. I agree with him. He sees it as a problem, as do I. Larry says America is deeply racist, I agree. Two polar opposites of the political spectrum agree that racists have worked hard to suppress opportunities of people of color. We both agree that historically Democrats have been on the wrong side of history, we both want to teach America’s children of the evils perpetrated on people of color.
Where we disagree is confederate flag waving republicans of today seem to not want that history taught. Dan, You seem to be backing up my assertion that republicans seem to be standing in the way of educating our children of the racial horrors of our past. Why is that?
Ben to answer your questions, I don’t think that we should put any of our history away. We learn from it. But I don’t apologize for slavery because that was before my time. And I don’t own a confederate flag. And I rarely see one being displayed even during my travels through the Deep South. Myrtle beach stores used to be loaded up with them. But not so anymore. My gggrandfathers fought for the south and I don’t apologize for them. And I damned sure don’t apologize for being white. I have Indian ancestry but I proudly identify as white. My brother had our DNA checked and found 12% African. That explains why I love watermelon
There you go again, Ben. I never said contemporary America is deeply racist. I do not believe that racism is pervasive among the public. You obviously never read my commentary, “American Ain;t Racist.” As I have written …. billions of times every day, people of all backgrounds work, play and love together. We serve each other in retrial establishments. We live next door to each other (at least outside the segregated urban ghettoes). We come to each others rescue. We do favors. We marry each other. Out kids play together. We worship together. and as soldiers we fight and die together. Just a personal note … my black grandson dies in Afghanistan six years abo and half dozen of his white Marine buddies travel to his grave every Memorial day. What we have in America is the residual of centuries of Democrat Party institutional racism in the segregated communities. If you are an honest student of history, you would that every one of Martin Luther King’s crusades was in opposition to Democrat laws and practices. We can best deal with the residual of racism by being more precise of where it exists …. why … and who is responsible.
Larry,
Again, you are not upsetting me by blaming Democrats of the past for the pervasive racism of today.
Yes, we all know you had a black grandson that died in an unnecessary war started by republicans. It’s akin to “my daddy served”. Just stop it. I know very well how racist the military is. In fact, I didn’t really even understand racism existed until I got to boot camp. It was racist 30 years ago when I served and according to my son who just finished his service, it’s racist today Racism in the military is one of the biggest obstacles they face, along with fat kids and sexual assault. The military is trying hard to weed out the white supremest, if they are successful there aren’t going to be to many white guys left.
Let’s educated our children about the evils of racism! You and I both believe it’s very important. I guess now all we need is for a Republican to put forth a document that explores the history of racism and the continued impact it has on people of color today. I’ll be patently waiting. ( more sarcasm, it’s one of my many services I proved free of charge)
I find your inability to read or comprehend a problem in carrying on an intelligent dialogue. I am NOT blaming past Democrats for the issues of institutional racism today. I have made it clear that I am blaming current Democrats for the residual of racism that is found in the Democrat-run cities TODAY. Are you suggesting that the conditions in the segregated communities in our major cities is not due to current racist policies?. The policing you on the left condemn is mostly found in Democrat cities — as is unequal education, poor housing, high unemployment, unsafe streets. Are you blaming the resident of the ghettos for the oppression? You say you never saw racism until you entered the military. I have to assume that you must have been raised outside any of the major cities… because if you were raised in a major city and did not see the racism of the Democrat regimes you are either hopelessly uninformed or a liar. Are you really saying that there is no racism in Democrat cities?
Larry, I grew up in the 10th largest City in a Midwest state. Approximately 80,000 people back in the day. An international city, a true melting pot of a place. As a tall guy I was pigeon holed into playing basketball. A majority of my friends were black and Puerto Rican. We just played. We went from hood to hood and neighboring cities to find pick up games. Afterward we would all gather at my parents house and they would welcome them with open arms. I knew most of my friends were poor ( none of us were well off), but I had no idea the hardships they faced because of the color of their skin, or their social and economic situations. So , no, as a teen, nor as a young man, there was no racism in my life.
I will offer you this Larry, as with all recent wedge issues, republicans will be on the wrong side of history when it comes to teaching race. Just as you were with the drug war, gay marriage, and transgender rights censoring the arts, ect..So will you be on voting rights and teaching about race.
I have two recent newsworthy pieces for you. The first by Steve Bannon who essentially said, CRT is a great issue for us! If we can publicize it effectively, it can win us a lot of political seats!” The issue isn’t the teaching of CRT, but it’s another wedge issue for republicans to use for political gain.
The second being, General Milley totally dismantling Matt Gaetz on CRT in the military. It was nice to see an educated and worldly man smack down a smug Republican pedophile.
Dan, no one asked you to apologize, or feel guilty. What we are asking is America stops pretending like racism no longer exists. Or that the problems today are not the result of systemic racism. I think that’s the point that Larry is trying to make.. and of course that Democrats are totally to blame. But at least we have an admission that there are serious problems today as a result of racism pst and present. I’ll take that admission.
Ben blacks are more racist than white people
Dan, do you have any proof of this? Statistics? Anything to support your opinion ? Something other than your outdated bigoted views?
Yes Ben. I’ve experienced it
Dan, that’s antidotal. An Experience just that. If experiencing something made it true for everyone, then African Americans would surely say the exact opposite, that whites are more racist than blacks.
I asked for facts, not for you to share your hurt feelings, snowflake
Yes, Democrats before the 1960’s were racist. Democrats held power in the South, where everyone was racist. But what happened? How did the South and rural states become Republican strongholds? Larry, you love to bash Democrats with 50-year old history, but always leave out one fact – all those racist Democrats became Republicans. Nixon and Reagan had their “Southern strategy” and like a con-artist snake-oil preacher converted all those racists to the Republican faith. Like, in a span of a couple of years. Democrats were moving toward racial justice in the 60’s, and the racists who didn’t like it are today’s Republicans. If you’re going to bash a Party for being racist, look at them TODAY.
You are at least admitting that Trump was racist, but seem to miss the fact that the ENTIRE REPUBLICAN PARTY is racist. From gerrymandering districts, to reducing polling hours… purging voter rolls in black neighborhoods, limiting voter registration, restricting the IDs used that give black voters one or two extra steps before they can vote. Making vote-by-mail harder, even screwing with the frickin’ Post Office delivery. Fines for giving water to people in long voting lines. Not allowing Sunday voter registrations because it’s become a tradition in Black churches… Voting is central to our Consitution and our Democracy, yet these laws have been proposed by Republicans in almost every state in the country. There is almost no voter fraud (yeah, I know, Chicago Democrats from a thousand years ago when you were relevant, blah blah blah), and yet Republicans have siezed on that to prevent MILLIONS of Democrats, mostly from minority areas, from voting.
There’s tje “Caucasian American Caucus’, or whatever it was Greene called it… Some, like Johnson, Greene, Gaetz, and McConnell are overtly racist in both speech and action, others just follow the racists in lockstep without saying it. And still more, like you, Larry, and other writers on this website, cater to people who are overtly racist, even as you deny it. I don’t see you replying to any of your regulars saying, “whoa, hold on, that’s a pretty racist statement, WAY over the line… tone it down or get kicked off”…
Ben I see racism everywhere with people like Maxine Waters and many others who call themselves black leaders. Al Sharpton sees a klansman behind every bush. And I suppose that the BLM thugs have a right to roll into private communities and threaten people. You never called them out for looting and burning. Screw the bastards. They cause racism and are the main cause of it. By the way, are you black? That would explain a lot I know that my views are considered racist but I don’t give a fuck. I’ve never done anything against people of color but I’ve witnessed racism from them many times. That being said, they and all of you leftist morons can kiss my white ass.
Dan,
I can be what ever you want me to be. If it helps to make you feel better about yourself, to boost your low self esteem, I will be a queer black guy. You can spew your bigoted views at me. I find it comical.
BLM advocate for black live, women advocated for women’s rights, I can not for the life of me understand why you’d be upset about that? Well, I mean, I know why you are, but it’s illogical.
Mr Sharpton told me to let you know that you can put your hood back on.
The commiecrats are weaponizing blacks to bring division in America. And idiots like you and sharpton are right up in the middle of it. You talk about people being for this group or that group. That’s ok. But what about equal rights for whites? You idiots will never silence us
Yes, Democrats before the 1960’s were racist. Democrats held power in the South, where everyone was racist. But what happened? How did the South and rural states become Republican strongholds? Larry, you love to bash Democrats with 50-year old history, but always leave out one fact – all those racist Democrats became Republicans. Nixon and Reagan had their “Southern strategy” and like a con-artist snake-oil preacher converted all those racists to the Republican faith. Like, in a span of a couple of years. Democrats were moving toward racial justice in the 60’s, and the racists who didn’t like it are today’s Republicans. If you’re going to bash a Party for being racist, look at them TODAY.
You are at least admitting that Trump was racist, but seem to miss the fact that the ENTIRE REPUBLICAN PARTY is racist. From gerrymandering districts, to reducing polling hours… purging voter rolls in black neighborhoods, limiting voter registration, restricting the IDs used that give black voters one or two extra steps before they can vote. Making vote-by-mail harder, even screwing with the frickin’ Post Office delivery. Fines for giving water to people in long voting lines. Not allowing Sunday voter registrations because it’s become a tradition in Black churches… Voting is central to our Consitution and our Democracy, yet these laws have been proposed by Republicans in almost every state in the country. There is almost no voter fraud (yeah, I know, Chicago Democrats from a thousand years ago when you were relevant, blah blah blah), and yet Republicans have siezed on that to prevent MILLIONS of Democrats, mostly from minority areas, from voting.
There’s tje “Caucasian American Caucus’, or whatever it was Greene called it… Some, like Johnson, Greene, Gaetz, and McConnell are overtly racist in both speech and action, others just follow the racists in lockstep without saying it. And still more, like you, Larry, and other writers on this website, cater to people who are overtly racist, even as you deny it. I don’t see you replying to any of your regulars saying, “whoa, hold on, that’s a pretty racist statement, WAY over the line… tone it down or get kicked off”…
“At the time Trump came into office, the Republican Party was already in the process of removing the symbols of the Confederacy from places of honor in the south.”
Huh? That started under Obama, and Trump put a halt to it. Republicans fought that tooth and nail, until the murder of George Floyd and the Black Lives Matter protests. At that point, if the government didn’t take them down, the people would.
The process accelerated again under Biden, but there are still Republican holdouts fighting it.