Originally published in The Frontrunner September 13, 2004
Copyright 2004 Bulletin News Network, Inc.
In
a USA Today (9/13) op-ed, HUD Secretary Alphonso Jackson writes, "While
speaking before the Congressional Black Caucus on Saturday night, John
Kerry made the baseless, inflammatory claim that the Republican Party
would try to suppress black votes in the coming election. Kerry is
white, and he was applauded for his words.
Addressing
the mostly black National Baptist Convention in New Orleans last week,
I was booed for about 30 seconds. And I'm black. Why the difference?
Kerry is a Democrat, and I'm a Republican. And for far too long, the
Democrats have had a monopoly on black votes in this country. ... For
the past four decades, the Democratic Party has tried to convince us
that being black and of modest means is a dead-end road. In that vein,
America's 'black political leaders' have built their careers on an
ideology of black victimization. They tout the belief that if blacks
want to succeed in this country, there is only one path: reliance on
the government. They're wrong. America is a place where you can be born
into a low-income household but still lift yourself up, and it doesn't
matter what color you are. I'm living proof. ... Republican policies
are good for black Americans. With an honest look at our party, perhaps
the facts can drown out the boos."
Article originally appeared on (http://brownwatch.com/).
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