The GOP and C-PAC’s continued infatuation with minstrel shows
18th March 2019 · 0 Comments
By Raynard Jackson
NNPA Columnist
Having just concluded the nation’s month-long celebration of Black history, the Republican Party and the conservative movement had one of the most disastrous months in my lifetime.
I have warned anyone who will listen that race will be the most dominant issue as we head into the 2020 election cycle, and the [Republican] party and conservatives are totally ill-prepared and incapable of dealing with this issue of race.
The Republican Party and the conservative movement have done NOTHING – let me repeat NOTHING – to show that they are serious about engaging the Black community in any meaningful way.
Put another way, if the Republican Party and the conservative movement were accused in a court of law of wanting “meaningful” engagement with the Black community, would there be enough evidence to convict them? The answer is a loud, unequivocal NO!!!!!!!!!!
They continue to promote and showcase minstrel shows like Diamond & Silk and the Black community’s version of Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Candace Owens.
Political sycophants like Lynn Patton “willingly” allow themselves to be used as props and pawns all in the name of getting a condescending pat on the head by their overseers. Congressman Mark Meadows was WRONG for the stunt he used with Patton. Let me repeat HE WAS DEAD WRONG!
I know Meadows and he is a very decent guy and I know first-hand that he wants to see more Blacks involved with our party, but again, what he did was wrong and stupid, not racist!
The blame is to be placed on Patton. She should have had the “integrity” to tell Meadows that she would not allow him to use her as a prop but instead would be willing to submit for the record her account of her personal relationship with the Trump family.
Memo to Black Republicans: STOP trying to explain Patton’s situation away. She was willingly used as a prop! End of sentence. Lynn, you are NOT a martyr, you simply got used. Admit it and move own.
In order to have credibility within the Black community, you must call out foolishness when it happens and stop trying to explain it away by giving cover to those who offend us. There is no explaining away what Meadows and Patton did!
As if the above minstrel shows were not bad enough, it gets worse.
My longtime followers are well aware that the Republican National Committee (RNC) has for several years tried to copy my Black Republican Trailblazer Awards. They are far too incompetent to successfully imitate me, despite them suing me in court over the very event that, even they admit, I created. To read more click on this link: http://thyblackman.com/2016/02/01/the-rncs-continued-disdain-for-ol-blacks/comment-page-1/.
So, last week the RNC had its perverted knock-off of my Trailblazer and, as is par for the course, they turned it into another minstrel show.
The venue was at a nightclub. Yep, you heard me right, a nightclub. They took what was supposed to be a very solemn event that was supposed to recognize Black Republicans that met three criteria:
Made significant contributions to America, significant contributions to the Black community, and significant contributions to the Republican Party.
Their honorees were jokes and in no way met the criteria for the award.
Not only was it at a nightclub, the owner is a Black liberal who contributes thousands of dollars to the Democrat Party. What are the odds of Maxine Waters hosting an event at the Washington Times conference center, owned by conservative Republicans? Hmmmmm.
Kamilah Prince, the Black Republican staffer who oversaw the event, should be immediately fired for sheer incompetence. And if her incompetence wasn’t enough, they hired a white band to provide the entertainment. I am not kidding – a WHITE band for a Black history event!!!!
Can you imagine Soul Train having a country music artist on its program or the Grand Ole Opry having gangsta rapper Ice T perform?
Only a Black Republican would do something this stupid!
Memo to white Republicans: Having a Black staffer is not the same as having a credible Black staffer.
You had a Black female literally showing her ass at the event like some hoochie mama. Check out the video: https://dailycaller.com/2019-/02/28/rnc-trailblazer-black-conservatives/.
Now juxtapose this with the honorees I have saluted at the “real” Black Republican Trailblazer Awards: http://www.bafbf.org/events/.
February 2019 gets better. C-PAC continues to provide an annual stage for Black Republican minstrel shows like Diamond and Silk, Candance Owens and other Blacks who will say the most ignorant and incendiary things.
I remind you that C-PAC is the same conservative group that spewed the most racist attack on former RNC chairman Michael Steel last year. Steel was the first and only Black to lead our party.
C-PAC even had some no-name Black, Maj Toure, who said he was both using the conservative movement both using the conservative movement and being used by it. “If you can’t be used, you’re useless.”
Former British Prime Minister, Winston Churchill said, “To every man there comes a time in his life when he is figuratively tapped on the shoulder and offered the chance to do a great and mighty work, unique to him and fitted to his talents. What a tragedy if that moment finds him unprepared or unqualified for the moment that could be his finest hour.”
In my hypothetical court question above, the Republican Party and the conservative movement has been found unprepared and unqualified for the moment that could be its finest hour when it comes to the Black community.
This article originally published in the March 18, 2019 print edition of The Louisiana Weekly newspaper.
