Going Negative

I hate complaining, but this has been on my mind these past few days. Those of you that have read my blog before have probably seen me celebrating life, thinking positive, contemplating the universe or just having non-destructive fun. But not today...

Some of you will say "duh" and think how late I am to realize the obvious. Perhaps that's because I am an optimist. Nevertheless, I am where I am.

I despise the Republicans! Not the people because that would be an over-generalization, but the party. Some thoughts...

1. On many occasions, they've attacked Obama on substantive issues. They've even exaggerated a little in making their point. I have no problem with this since this is how real arguments are made and disagreements are voiced.


2. On other occasions, they've played politics. They've opposed issues not because they've disagreed, but rather because they want to be contrary to whatever the Democrats and Obama are advocating. This bothers me only slightly more than the first. Inevitably people will pick sides in fights because there's strength in numbers. Politics is politics after all. It only becomes egregious when you sacrifice your true beliefs (i.e. soul) or knowingly and recklessly cause harm to others (see below) in the process. Otherwise, this just an unfortunate side-effect of a well-functioning process.


3. On yet other occasions, the deliberately and bold-facedly lie. The compromise ideals close to their hearts for political gain. The knowingly put politics ahead of the interest of those they are elected to serve and represent. This is horrible politics at its (near) worst! One recent examples of this include Republican governors rejecting extended unemployment benefits for their own, suffering people.

But this is not the worst! Nor is it the reason why I can't see my self voting for any Republican no matter how good he/she is for a long time to come...

The modern Republican party was built on opposition to the civil rights movement. The south used to be predominately Democrat up until 1960. During the civil rights movement, the Republicans stood firmly behind the American-apartheid system and have held the south ever since. See for yourself. Look at this map that I posted before and note how abruptly the south changes from before 1960 and after 1960. The change is startling.

But even that didn't bother me. As an optimist I look toward the future. Sure I remember the past for its valuable lessons, but not assign blame and the country has changed a lot since 1964. Not even the Republican party believes in the inequality they defended in the 1960s right?

But today as I look at the last category of attacks on Barak Obama I am appalled. They tell us (blacks) that we should aspire to be more. They tell us that society should provide "equal opportunity" without any special help and that we minorities should compete and take advantage of this. And yet, the minute the result is not to their liking, they attempt to use race to destroy us. Attacks on Obama are expected. A racial attack on Obama is an attack on me.

Even still this only bothers me a little. Why would I be bothered that there are racists in this country? I already knew that. After all, we may be on a path to a post-racial society but we certainly aren't there yet and I celebrate how far on the path we've actually come.

What really bothers me is the Republican leadership and other elected and party officials. They've thrown us under the bus as they've sat back and allowed, and in some cases condoned or stoked, these racial attacks and hatred. They see my life as political collateral damage. So what if Black-Americans are set back 20 years? So what if little Black have less hope as long as it helps them in the 2010 elections? Some things are worth standing up for. With their (in)actions, they've shown me what I and my life mean to them.

So I say Fuck Em. It'll be a very long time I'd consider voting Republican again even if Jesus himself was in the running.

BTW: I may have talked mostly about Obama, but the treatment of Sotomayor has been equally egregious and upsetting. Latinos are considered collateral damage as well. And it's not just Blacks and Latinos, but any ethnic group that they think will stir up their base and get them a few more votes.

I'll consider Republican arguments and candidates again when they clearly show that they value as a Black/American and when I hear them decry white-on-black racism and preferential treatments of whites at least as much as I hear them decry black-on-white racism and preferential treatment of blacks. Listening to them, you would think that Black America had enslaved Whites for 200 years followed by another 100 years of continued oppression.

OK, I'm done.