# If you are a Republican, you are a racist -- or might as well be **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [February 9, 2004, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-are-a-republican-you-are-a-racist-or-might-as-well-be/228229 "2004-02-09T05:21:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2004, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-are-a-republican-you-are-a-racist-or-might-as-well-be/228229/21 "2004-02-09T19:02:58Z")
> [@athelas](#): > > Democrats were the anti-slavery party in the Civil War. Obviously, they’re all now pro-slavery. This is a typo, isn’t it? _Republicans_ were the anti-slavery party in the Civil War. The Republican party’s entire platform in 1856 was “No slavery in the new territories.” The Democratic party, as the Democrat-Republicans, was founded to protect the rights and interests of southern slaveholding landowners (although that wasn’t the whole of their platform). Blacks had little interest in the Democratic party until FDR, and southern whites didn’t go ga-ga for the Republican party until the sixties, as a reaction against JFK and LBJ. And the Democratic party has its own racist aspects. As long as lots of blacks are an impoverished underclass getting by on Great Society swag, Democrats can count on their bloc votes. Middle-class blacks don’t guarantee their votes to either party, and wealthy blacks vote for their bank accounts and against new taxes–which translates as Republican. Democrats know they have a job as long as lots of black folks are on welfare, and encourage this perverse relationship. Sorry, **Evil Captor** , but racism knows no specific party allegiance. Even the Green party cares more about snail darters and spotted owls than black employment. ---
**Author:** ![athelas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5e9695/32.png) [@athelas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/athelas)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2004, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-are-a-republican-you-are-a-racist-or-might-as-well-be/228229/22 "2004-02-09T19:30:08Z")
Gah! Yes. Of course. Make that: Democrats were the pro-slavery party during the Civil War. Therefore, all Democrats today are pro-slavery. :o ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2004, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-are-a-republican-you-are-a-racist-or-might-as-well-be/228229/23 "2004-02-09T21:02:17Z")
Let’s see: by and large, contemporary Republicans must be racist because of Nixon’s 1968 election strategy, and use of racially-tinged campaign techniques by some Republican candidates for office, most notably Bush I in 1988? I can’t see that this argument (to use the term generously) has a leg to stand on. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2004, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-are-a-republican-you-are-a-racist-or-might-as-well-be/228229/24 "2004-02-10T00:39:41Z")
> [@xtisme](#): > > My father, who is a conservative/republican and also of hispanic/indian decent would be facinated to know that he is a racist…and that all republicans are racists too. In other news, did you know all hispanics are theves and lazy to boot? :rolleyes: > > Doesn’t this kind of shit belong in the pit?? > > -XT This sort of thing is posted in GD all the time. Guess liberals aren’t bright enough to tell a topic for a rant from a debate, huh? :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2004, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-are-a-republican-you-are-a-racist-or-might-as-well-be/228229/25 "2004-02-10T00:52:41Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > Let’s see: by and large, contemporary Republicans must be racist because of Nixon’s 1968 election strategy, and use of racially-tinged campaign techniques by some Republican candidates for office, most notably Bush I in 1988? What about Bush II in 2000? Distributing [disinformation flyers](http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/bal-te.md.turnout04nov04,0,2250241.story?coll=bal-local-headlines/) to predominantly black neighborhoods in Baltimore, spooking folks to vote on the wrong day, sounds like a racially-tinged campaign technique to me. > [@](#): > > The unsigned flier read: “URGENT NOTICE. Come out to vote on November 6th. Before you come to vote make sure you pay your parking tickets, motor vehicle tickets, overdue rent and most important any warrants.” > > “Of course all of us know this is an effort to stop people from coming out to vote,” said Cummings, who noted the election is Nov. 5. “We don’t know exactly who put this out, but you must agree it is an interesting combination. We are very clear we will not allow this to happen.” ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2004, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-are-a-republican-you-are-a-racist-or-might-as-well-be/228229/26 "2004-02-10T01:02:42Z")
And you got that it was Bush who did this from exactly which dark orifice, rjung?? Too funny for words. I am tempted to post this same thread in a week or so but reverse parties…just to see what reaction I’d get. I’m most interested in what reaction rjung would give. Does the word “hypocrite” mean anything to you? Not casting aspersions here, just asking if you know what it means. 😃 -XT ---
**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:** [February 10, 2004, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-are-a-republican-you-are-a-racist-or-might-as-well-be/228229/27 "2004-02-10T01:20:41Z")
> [@rjung](#): > > What about Bush II in 2000? Distributing [disinformation flyers](http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/bal-te.md.turnout04nov04,0,2250241.story?coll=bal-local-headlines/) to predominantly black neighborhoods in Baltimore, spooking folks to vote on the wrong day, sounds like a racially-tinged campaign technique to me. Well your own quote says the source of the fliers is unknown. Is it your contention that the OP is correct? Look, accusations can fly back and forth about racially charged campaign tactics. I also remember a political ad in 2000 which implied Bush was responbsible for the dragging death of the James Byrd Jr. in Texas while Bush was governor. As for the OP, I’ll give **EC** credit for taking my challenge from another thread to open this topic for debate. But all that has been presented is two articles from explicitly partisan publications about “code words”. Sorry, but I don’t have an secret decoder rings, so I don’t buy into that accustation. AA often has ended up producing quotas as anyone who remembers the Bakke case from the late 70s remembers. ---
**Author:** ![hansel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6bbea6/32.png) [@hansel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hansel)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2004, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-are-a-republican-you-are-a-racist-or-might-as-well-be/228229/28 "2004-02-10T01:53:24Z")
When I first saw Evil Captor’s assertion of this in another thread, I thought that there might be an interesting argument to make, if one could find certain patterns of party-wide strategizing on the part of Republicans that constitute a continual appeal to implicitly racist positions or encoded racist positions, and that such a strategy continues today. Backed up with a lot of historical data and clear, cogent analysis, one could argue that support for the Republicans, in this case, is implicitly support for racism, and that any right-thinking Republican should do some soul-searching and serious reconsideration of their support for that party. Missed it by miles, Evil Captor. Given what I know of Nixon’s Southern Strategy, and a few other things like the Republican’s wholesale embracing of southern Democrats disgusted by the Democratic party’s abandonment of its good 'ole boy southern establishment, it’s not a crazy argument to attempt. But boy it’s an ambitious one, and it takes a whole lot more evidence than the OP has put forth. You’d be lucky to make a convincing case of it in a book, I think, and even then there’d still be a lot of room for doubt. ---
**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:** [February 10, 2004, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-are-a-republican-you-are-a-racist-or-might-as-well-be/228229/29 "2004-02-10T02:19:09Z")
You don’t need to look outside the Democratic party for former Klansmen (Robert Byrd) or farther back in time than a few months ago for a “code-worded Southern Strategy” (Dean and his Rebel Flag comments). So, I guess that just leaves the Greens and Libs as the only non-racists in the country. At any rate: “Some Republicans are racist, therefore all Republicans are racists” is as valid a statement as it would be if you substitute Democrat for Republican-- ie, neither statement is valid. Now I’ll wait for the argument that “OK, both parties have racist elements, but Republicans are **more** racist”… ---
**Author:** ![hansel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6bbea6/32.png) [@hansel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hansel)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2004, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-are-a-republican-you-are-a-racist-or-might-as-well-be/228229/30 "2004-02-10T02:33:30Z")
> [@John Mace](#): > > Now I’ll wait for the argument that “OK, both parties have racist elements, but Republicans are **more** racist”… All I’m saying is that it wouldn’t be a crazy argument to attempt if you could back it up rigorously… really rigorously. Both parties have a history that would allow one to attempt such an argument, though it would take different forms for each. It would be interesting to see it done well, actually. To put it another way, there’s a prima facie case for the OP that the OP fails to take anywhere beyond that superficial level. Too bad. And yes, there’s a prima facie case for the Democrats, too. ---
**Author:** ![Scylla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a5b964/32.png) [@Scylla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scylla)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2004, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-are-a-republican-you-are-a-racist-or-might-as-well-be/228229/31 "2004-02-10T02:41:01Z")
Ok, I admit it. As a Republican I am a racist. But at least I’m not a racist who supports slavery, like those slaveholding racist Democrats. As a Republican my racism stops short of slavery. ---
**Author:** ![RexDart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b77776/32.png) [@RexDart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RexDart)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2004, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-are-a-republican-you-are-a-racist-or-might-as-well-be/228229/32 "2004-02-10T02:57:17Z")
> [@John Mace](#): > > You don’t need to look outside the Democratic party for former Klansmen (Robert Byrd) or farther back in time than a few months ago for a “code-worded Southern Strategy” (Dean and his Rebel Flag comments). Former Missouri governor Mel Carnahan, a Democrat who gets almost deified in this state following his tragic death in a plane crash, was in minstrel shows back in the 60’s. Hell, even Archie Bunker didn’t go in for that 😉 > [@](#): > > So, I guess that just leaves the Greens and Libs as the only non-racists in the country. Whoo-hoo! Of course, as a libertarian, we have the best and most thorough anti-racist principles, since any form of collectivism is rejected out-of-hand. > [@](#): > > And the Democratic party has its own racist aspects. As long as lots of blacks are an impoverished underclass getting by on Great Society swag, Democrats can count on their bloc votes. Middle-class blacks don’t guarantee their votes to either party, and wealthy blacks vote for their bank accounts and against new taxes–which translates as Republican. Democrats know they have a job as long as lots of black folks are on welfare, and encourage this perverse relationship. DING DING DING DING!! Democrats are purely collectivist thinkers, and have assembled a party that is a patchwork quilt of voting “blocks”. So long as the Dems keep so many blacks enslaved to welfare, they’ll need to keep voting for their masters in the Democratic party. So long as they perpetuate the notion that blacks and other minorities cannot succeed without help from their Democrat overlords, who will make them a gift of success because they figure the blacks couldn’t possibly be good enough to make it on their own, they’ll have a steady supply of votes from a solid 10-12% of the electorate. How incredibly racist!! See how this cuts both ways, **Evil Captor**? As long as both major parties continue to be race-conscious to such a great degree, and to pander for votes along racial lines, people will continue to be exploited by politicians whose real purpose isn’t so much sinister and nefarious but more along the lines of “how can I keep my power?” ---
**Author:** ![holmes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e95f7d/32.png) [@holmes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/holmes)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2004, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-are-a-republican-you-are-a-racist-or-might-as-well-be/228229/33 "2004-02-10T03:09:32Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > My father came here from El Salvador with absolutely nothing. > > As a Latin, he was certainly part of a racial minority, as, I suppose, am I, although I was born here and grew up here in the US. > > My support for the Republican party is not in the least grounded in any appeal that racism might hold. I believe there are absolutely legitimate arguments to be made against affirmative action, and when I applied to college, I deliberately identified as caucasian as opposed to Hispanic, because the thought of receiving preferential treatment based on my ancestry was abhorrent to me. I should point out that we were in no wise wealthy; my college attendance was possible only by working on campus in a sub-minimum wage job cleaning the deep-fat fryers every morning. And yet, somehow, my downtrodden economic status and ancestry still leaves me generally a Republican supporter today. > > How that that fit in with your theory? > > - Rick Bricker, not to get too personal, but do you “look” latin? I only ask because I’ve heard other ‘minorities’ say something similar…you know, they passed for white, as not to take a handout…forgetting that the ability to pass for white in and of itself opens many a door that those who can’t find…closed. Sorry for the hijack, but i thought that your statement was interesting and in many ways representative of the “leapfrogging” that many “caucasian minorities” are able to do in a generation… Of course if you’re darker than a brown paper bag…forget it. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2004, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-are-a-republican-you-are-a-racist-or-might-as-well-be/228229/34 "2004-02-10T03:26:36Z")
> [@holmes](#): > > Bricker, not to get too personal, but do you “look” latin? I only ask because I’ve heard other ‘minorities’ say something similar…you know, they passed for white, as not to take a handout…forgetting that the ability to pass for white in and of itself opens many a door that those who can’t find…closed. > > Sorry for the hijack, but i thought that your statement was interesting and in many ways representative of the “leapfrogging” that many “caucasian minorities” are able to do in a generation… > > Of course if you’re darker than a brown paper bag…forget it. A fair point. I have dark hair, but am fair-skinned. ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2004, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-are-a-republican-you-are-a-racist-or-might-as-well-be/228229/35 "2004-02-10T04:19:15Z")
Lol…dark skin and hair here (and a black goatee)…but green eyes (from my mothers side). If you squink I suppose I could pass for ‘white’…with a really good tan of course. 😉 My dad though…naw, you’d have him out picking lettuce at a guess. But he must be a racist, as he’s a republican and all… To me, this whole thread is like the “Hitler is a vegatarian, so all vegatarians must be Nazi Facists!!” Lets get those damn vegatarians!! Have at em boyz… -XT ---
**Author:** ![Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e36b37/32.png) [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airman_Doors_USAF)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2004, 11:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-are-a-republican-you-are-a-racist-or-might-as-well-be/228229/36 "2004-02-10T11:12:50Z")
Does anyone have any idea whether **Evil Captor** is going to come back to defend this load of crap or not? I seem to recall him telling me to “come back when I have an argument”. I guess he’s taking his own advice. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2004, 11:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-are-a-republican-you-are-a-racist-or-might-as-well-be/228229/37 "2004-02-10T11:18:20Z")
I think **Airman** ’s response to the OP was right on. I do think it’s true, however, that the Republican party has chosen to get voting help from some rather unsavory people. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2004, 11:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-are-a-republican-you-are-a-racist-or-might-as-well-be/228229/38 "2004-02-10T11:20:20Z")
That does NOT mean, I hesitate to add, that all Republicans are racists by any means. I do think you’ll find more of this in the GOP than the opposition, though. If there’s a comparable group in the Democratic party, it must be on a different issue. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2004, 11:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-are-a-republican-you-are-a-racist-or-might-as-well-be/228229/39 "2004-02-10T11:21:33Z")
HASTEN to add. This is what I get for studying for Jazz Guitar and posting at the same time. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2004, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-are-a-republican-you-are-a-racist-or-might-as-well-be/228229/40 "2004-02-10T13:28:43Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > I think **Airman** ’s response to the OP was right on. I do think it’s true, however, that the Republican party has chosen to get voting help from some rather unsavory people. You mean “unsavory” like Al Sharpton and Bill Clinton? Regards, Shodan [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-are-a-republican-you-are-a-racist-or-might-as-well-be/228229.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-are-a-republican-you-are-a-racist-or-might-as-well-be/228229.md?page=3)