# Blacks and the Democratic Party **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [October 10, 2012, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blacks-and-the-democratic-party/637272 "2012-10-10T01:19:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2012, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blacks-and-the-democratic-party/637272/41 "2012-10-10T13:42:45Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > Probably a greater sense of solidarity. Poor people for example are also hated by the Republicans and targeted for exploitation and abuse by them; but the only economic class is America that shows class awareness and solidarity is the wealthy. The poor (and for that matter middle class) eagerly vote for people who hate them and look at them as exploitable resources, or as outright vermin. You are aware, are you not, that not all blacks are poor? In fact, a lot more than 5% of blacks are not poor. Got a new hypothesis to test? > [@](#): > > And women for whatever reason have always been prominent among anti-woman groups, both political and religious. Emphasis added. IOW, let’s just hand-wave away any evidence that undercuts my hypothesis. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2012, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blacks-and-the-democratic-party/637272/42 "2012-10-10T17:07:52Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > I’ve never quite been able to grasp why this is so offensive. > [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > I guess it’ll have to continue escaping me. > [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](#): > > Same here. The reason is the same reason that any word becomes offensive. “Nigger” is not offensive because of some inherent quality of that sequence of letters, but because it has a history of being used in an offensive manner. It’s the same with “Democrat Party.” It has a history of being spoken with a certain tone of voice and in a context that makes it a term of disparagement. It has picked up a connotation through usage. There’s no mystery here. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2012, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blacks-and-the-democratic-party/637272/43 "2012-10-10T17:20:05Z")
> [@Omg\_a\_Black\_Conservative](#): > > I thought of putting this in elections, but it’s better off here. With due respect to the OP’s wishes, I am moving this to Elections. It’s largely about political parties and I think it’ll find the most interested audience in Elections rather than GD. > [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > Omg a self-pitying OP! > [@Naive\_Evian](#): > > Grow up. No more of this, thanks. This is not appropriate for a debate forum. > [@Smapti](#): > > and whose presidential candidate presumably spent the first 31 years of his life believing[blacks can’t get into heaven?](http://christiandefense.org/mor_black.htm) You might want to take a second look at George Romney’s view and actions on race and civil rights. ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2012, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blacks-and-the-democratic-party/637272/44 "2012-10-10T17:36:18Z")
At 46, Stacey Dash looks amazing…now what were we talking about? ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2012, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blacks-and-the-democratic-party/637272/45 "2012-10-10T17:37:45Z")
I asked my wife, who’s a black person who supports the Democratic party, and she said this (paraphrased): She supports the Democrats largely because she thinks that: a) their policies are better for America and for black people, and b) the modern Republican party has more racists and does little to address the racism in their own party. I’m just guessing, but I bet that’s pretty close to why most African-Americans support the Democratic party over the Republican party. I imagine the very angry responses of many black people to other black people that might support the Republican candidate (especially over Obama) are due to just more passionate versions of a) and b) above. ---
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2012, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blacks-and-the-democratic-party/637272/46 "2012-10-10T18:13:43Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > The reason is the same reason that any word becomes offensive. “Nigger” is not offensive because of some inherent quality of that sequence of letters, but because it has a history of being used in an offensive manner. It’s the same with “Democrat Party.” **It has a history of being spoken with a certain tone of voice and in a context that makes it a term of disparagement. It has picked up a connotation through usage**. There’s no mystery here. Would you say the same thing about “Tea Bagger”? ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2012, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blacks-and-the-democratic-party/637272/47 "2012-10-10T18:17:23Z")
> [@HurricaneDitka](#): > > Would you say the same thing about “Tea Bagger”? Well, when _I_ say “Tea Bagger” I definitely mean it as a term of disparagement and ridicule. Is that what you wanted to know? ---
**Author:** ![magellan01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@magellan01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/magellan01)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2012, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blacks-and-the-democratic-party/637272/48 "2012-10-10T18:43:01Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > The reason is the same reason that any word becomes offensive. “Nigger” is not offensive because of some inherent quality of that sequence of letters, but because it has a history of being used in an offensive manner. It’s the same with “Democrat Party.” It has a history of being spoken with a certain tone of voice and in a context that makes it a term of disparagement. It has picked up a connotation through usage. There’s no mystery here. Nonsense. Just because a word is spoken in a condescending manner doesn’t mean that it becomes taboo. To even compare “Democrat” with “nigger” shows a colossal amount of ignorance about both words. You may be surprised to learn that one of those words has an ugly history attached to it. The other just points to general simple-mindedness. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2012, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blacks-and-the-democratic-party/637272/49 "2012-10-10T18:48:54Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > Well, when _I_ say “Tea Bagger” I definitely mean it as a term of disparagement and ridicule. Is that what you wanted to know? Agreed. Same goes for “Republican” these days. ---
**Author:** ![Damuri\_Ajashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/898d66/32.png) [@Damuri\_Ajashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Damuri_Ajashi)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2012, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blacks-and-the-democratic-party/637272/50 "2012-10-10T19:12:09Z")
> [@Omg\_a\_Black\_Conservative](#): > > There is, as far as I can tell, no other group within the U.S. that is expected to be as monolithic a voting bloc as are Blacks in reference to the Democratic party Because some black people don’t think slavery and segregation were mere accidents of history. They also believe that the Republican party is the ideological heir to the slavers and segregationists. Tax cuts just aren’t enough of a draw for them in light of that history. > [@](#): > > nor is there any other group in which single persons in that group are so derided from deviating from the “norm”. This is not like a Boston Yankees fan gets beer thrown at him in a Boston sports bar. The norm isn’t just an accident of history. The norm developed because the Republicans invited the racists and segregationists to join their party and they have never left. They have learned how to behave in polite company and how to push their point of view without saying “nigger” but we are constantly reminded of where the racists in this country have found their political home. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2012, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blacks-and-the-democratic-party/637272/51 "2012-10-10T19:18:18Z")
> [@magellan01](#): > > Nonsense. Just because a word is spoken in a condescending manner doesn’t mean that it becomes taboo. To even compare “Democrat” with “nigger” shows a colossal amount of ignorance about both words. You may be surprised to learn that one of those words has an ugly history attached to it. The other just points to general simple-mindedness. Using Democrat instead of Democratic was a deliberate and intended slight, not simple mindedness. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2012, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blacks-and-the-democratic-party/637272/52 "2012-10-10T19:29:48Z")
> [@magellan01](#): > > Nonsense. Just because a word is spoken in a condescending manner doesn’t mean that it becomes taboo. I did not imply such a thing. I said it was used in a disparaging manner. When a word has been used disparagingly enough times, it becomes a disparaging word. > [@](#): > > To even compare “Democrat” with “nigger” shows a colossal amount of ignorance about both words. Are you aware of the concept of analogy? Or perhaps differences in degree? As for not being able to compare things, that leaves me speechless. > [@](#): > > You may be surprised to learn that one of those words has an ugly history attached to it. There’s good, there’s bad, and there’s ugly. It’s a continuum. > [@](#): > > The other just points to general simple-mindedness. It isn’t simple-mindedness. It’s actually very shrewd. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2012, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blacks-and-the-democratic-party/637272/53 "2012-10-10T19:52:42Z")
> [@Gangster\_Octopus](#): > > At 46, Stacey Dash looks amazing…now what were we talking about? Hard to believe she was 29 when she was in _Clueless_. And 33 by the time the spin-off TV series ended. ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2012, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blacks-and-the-democratic-party/637272/54 "2012-10-10T21:52:34Z")
> [@HurricaneDitka](#): > > Would you say the same thing about “Tea Bagger”? How in the seven hells could you not know the answer to this before you asked it? You People Are Weird. ---
**Author:** ![Starving\_Artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Starving\_Artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Starving_Artist)\ **Post date:** [October 10, 2012, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blacks-and-the-democratic-party/637272/55 "2012-10-10T23:43:12Z")
> [@Naive\_Evian](#): > > I would say you meant “Democratic,” but it is a common tactic of immature conservatives to use “Democrat” inappropriatively. Grow up. [Ahem…](http://www.google.com/search?as_st=y&tbm=isch&as_q=&as_epq=Vote+democrat&as_oq=&as_eq=&imgsz=&imgar=&imgc=&imgcolor=&imgtype=&cr=&as_sitesearch=&safe=off&as_filetype=&as_rights=&biw=480&bih=268&sei=wAZ2UPH6G5LiyAGo6IGgBQ) ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2012, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blacks-and-the-democratic-party/637272/56 "2012-10-11T00:44:27Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > You are aware, are you not, that not all blacks are poor? In fact, a lot more than 5% of blacks are not poor. > > Got a new hypothesis to test? What hypothesis are you talking about? I never said blacks were poor. > [@John\_Mace](#): > > Emphasis added. IOW, let’s just hand-wave away any evidence that undercuts my hypothesis. Again, what are you talking about? ---
**Author:** ![Omg\_a\_Black\_Conservative](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7ba0ec/32.png) [@Omg\_a\_Black\_Conservative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omg_a_Black_Conservative)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2012, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blacks-and-the-democratic-party/637272/57 "2012-10-11T01:00:36Z")
Too many responses so I’m not even going to answer them all. > [@The\_Second\_Stone](#): > > 19 out of 20 blacks who vote will vote for Obama. Heck, one out of 20 chickens might run to Colonel Sanders, not knowing any better. I’m not sure what this is supposed to mean, really. > [@](#): > > I don’t automatically disrespect a black person for being a Republican, maybe they have their reasons. I usually wait until I hear them before deciding whether they are sell-outs or sincere in embrace of evil. Colin Powell and Clarence Thomas are sell-outs who got plenty in exchange for the sale of their souls. No respect. Condoleeza Rice, true believer and incompetent at her job, but I don’t think she sold her soul. And this is what I’m getting at in my OP. The idea seems to be that if you’re Black you have some sort of racial duty to vote for the Democrats. I didn’t know that racial identify was somehow a defining factor in whom you vote for nor do I understand where this idea came from. Why, exactly, is this standard not applied to other racial groups? And to the guy who complained about the use of the word “Democrat”, grow up. There was no malice behind the use of the word. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2012, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blacks-and-the-democratic-party/637272/58 "2012-10-11T01:10:26Z")
The democrats used to be the party that supported exclusion and oppression of blacks, largely as a rebellion against the GOP and Lincoln. But once LBJ supported the civil rights act, all those people became republicans. All the talk of welfare, crime, Obama being foreign, etc is largely a dog whistle race call. Add in the fact that a lot of blacks tend to struggle more economically, there are social and economic reasons to vote democrat. If a black person wants to support the GOP that is up to them to decide. Gays seem to have the same issue (the GOP is hostile to their rights and interests, at least socially). But gays are about 75% democrat, blacks are closer to 90% democrat. I don’t know if there is any other demographic as heavily slanted as black voters. Jews, gays, evangelicals, etc. aren’t 90% one side or another. What I am confused by is the Cubans in Florida. I think Florida Cubans are heavily republican, but mostly because JFK didn’t overthrow Castro in the 60s. That was 50 years ago. Then again, historically the GOP has been more hostile to communism than the dems, so I guess I can see why. ---
**Author:** ![brickbacon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/898d66/32.png) [@brickbacon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brickbacon)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2012, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blacks-and-the-democratic-party/637272/59 "2012-10-11T01:34:40Z")
> [@Omg\_a\_Black\_Conservative](#): > > I’m not sure what this is supposed to mean, really. It means that there will always be a small percentage of people that will act against their own self-interest, even to the point where they willingly hasten their own demise. > [@Omg\_a\_Black\_Conservative](#): > > And this is what I’m getting at in my OP. The idea seems to be that if you’re Black you have some sort of racial duty to vote for the Democrats. No, many feel you have a duty to NOT vote for a party that welcomes people who actively hate you for the color of your skin, institutes policies that work against people who look like you, and makes what you look like a liability. As was pointed out before, this is not a liberal/conservative thing. It’s recognizing that one party has thrown their lot in with people who do their best to propagate negative sentiments against minorities for political gain. Now, I understand that you disagree with that perspective, but I would think it should give you pause that so many people with a similar vantage point completely disagree with you. Being a Black republican, you’re in a smaller minority than people who believe in ghosts, witchcraft, or creationism. That’s why it’s so funny to me that you think the rest of us have something to answer for. We’re not brainwashed. We just choose not to chicken voting for Col. Sanders. > [@Omg\_a\_Black\_Conservative](#): > > I didn’t know that racial identify was somehow a defining factor in whom you vote for nor do I understand where this idea came from. Why, exactly, is this standard not applied to other racial groups? Because other racial groups have not always been the target of structurally racist political party. IMO, Blacks should not vote for the GOP because the GOP campaigns on policies, and courts voters that make it harder to be Black. You seem to be of the opinion that your fate is not tied to the esteem and success of those who look like you. Maybe that has been your experience, but the vast majority of Black people recognize that that is a foolish presumption given our history. ---
**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2012, 7:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blacks-and-the-democratic-party/637272/60 "2012-10-11T07:46:50Z")
Lee Atwater, who headed the elder George Bush’s election campaign and designed the Willie Horton ad in 1988, characterized the Southern Strategy this way in 1981: “You start out in 1954 by saying, ‘Nigger, nigger, nigger,’ ” said Atwater. “By 1968, you can’t say ‘nigger’ — that hurts you. Backfires. So you say stuff like forced busing, states’ rights, and all that stuff. You’re getting so abstract now [that] you’re talking about cutting taxes, and all these things you’re talking about are totally economic things, and a byproduct of them is [that] blacks get hurt worse than whites.” They call it dog-whistle politics, but another term might be foghorn politics: most everyone gets the message. Clip2: Rant by Bob Herbert: “The Ugly side of the GOP”. > **[Opinion | The Ugly Side of the G.O.P. (Published 2007)](https://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/25/opinion/25herbert.html)** > > Last week the Republicans showed once again just how anti-black their party really is. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blacks-and-the-democratic-party/637272.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/blacks-and-the-democratic-party/637272.md?page=4)