Death of a Black Republican

Uncle Ruckus-Black White Supremacist on the show The Boondocks


Death of a Black Republican

Someone said in an earlier post or comment on this blog that Black people are constantly brainwashed into believing that welfare is wrong and we should not take it. Some actually believe this to be true.

It is particularly painful to have a member of my family be Republican because in recent history they are the people who openly and happily attacked Black people. The Democrats- the party of slavery have- at least sprayed on crocodile tears as of late. My immediate family isn’t Democrats either but at least we could understand why they would fall for their pitch. So much of the trickery perpetuated by fellow Black union leaders, church clergy are in the name of re-electing Democrats. We can even now point to a Black Democratic President- sending Black youth to war, defending police brutality and paying off the banks while hundreds of thousands of more Black homes go empty and families are on the street to see who that party stands for. But to be a Black Republican is seen as all together different. Either buffoonery or betrayal.

A Republican family friend Cameron uttered phrases I never thought I would hear from someone unless he had a sheet over his head.

He would say, “What’s wrong with the Black community is the father don’t take care of their children” or “Slavery is over we need to pull ourselves up by our bootstraps”, “Our problem is that Black women complain too much etc”. He would never acknowledge the Prison Industrial Complex that tears apart families daily. Usually this was directed towards Black women “on welfare”. He would not acknowledge the government who gives handouts of corporate welfare in the millions.

At the same time Cameron picked my mother and my sister and me up when our car broke down and drive us all around to work in school. Always on time at 8:00am for two weeks. The car discussions would start off careful and quiet but usually an argument ensued and then died down as we jumped out of the car. He also lent and gave my mother money several times when he didn’t have much himself. It was so perplexing and frustrating to deal with someone who politically had so much contempt for Black people and yet was so generous to our family. He didn’t blame my mother for wanting a “handout” from him. Why would he blame other people? We would ask him too. He would say, “You all are different”.

Yesterday my mother and I were in the car and she said Cameron had fallen on hard times but was willing to clean out our garage for free. As we talked about him she said, “Cameron’s changed. You shoulda heard him. He said, “You know what, food stamps is the only thing that’s gotten me though this hard time. I used to be embarrassed about it. Now I’m like shit I paid for this money working all my life. And the banks their getting all the welfare anyway!” “ Alright Cameron!”.

A revolutionary once wrote, “To a feather many people react differently but to a hot iron everyone acts the same.” Capitalism digs its own grave it can’t help but show its true colors- to oppress, attack, war, and rob the working class. It can not help but recruit members to the ranks of those against capitalism. Socialists could not have told Cameron what he saw and experienced himself. The hot iron burned him as it burns all those others out of their homes, out of work and wanting and willing work. How can you “lift yourself by your bootstraps” if you have no boots? Capitalism killed another Republican- he has left the party. But in its place what will he join? Hopefully with those of us just like him. Who have no illusions in justice, equality in this capitalism or its government. Those like him who believe humanity and who fight to make it a reality.