It's been quite a week in this country as far as racism towards African-Americans goes. First we had Cliven Bundy providing all of his wisdom on the "negroes," and then Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling let his views be known about blacks via a secret recording, where he basically told his mistress (of mixed races, ironically enough) that he doesn't want her promoting blacks via photos on Instagram or bringing them to games.
Of course, one of the right-wing conspiracy kinds - Matt Drudge - decided to make this a partisan issue, and tweeted this message:
"GOT GAME: NYT informed the unwashed how Bundy is a Republican. Leaves out NBA Sterling is a Democrat..."
This information was then spread about right-wing websites like those lovely chain emails seem to do all too frequently. The problem with the claim? It's not true. It even earned a "Pants on Fire" grade from fact-checker Politifact, where the site concluded with this:
"Drudge said Sterling is a Democrat. County records show that he is a registered Republican and has been for many years. His donations to Democrats took place two decades ago and were modest even by the standards of that time. We rate the claim Pants on Fire."
This strategy by conservatives always makes me chuckle, because what they're essentially trying to do is say the following:
"Democrats always paint us as the racists! But, you see there? That one guy is a racist and he's a Democrat, so they're just as bad as we are!"
It's a faulty comparison. While there are most certainly racists from both parties, just because conservatives point out a handful of racist Democrats, while they spend a good chunk of time trying to take away voting rights of minorities, and some even going so far as to make comments like the ones Bundy and Sterling made, doesn't make the two parties equal on that front. That'd be like a married husband telling his wife, "Why are you so mad that I slept with all those women? You heavily flirted with that one guy that one time - remember? So, we're even!"
What many Republicans seem to fail to understand is they're not going to appeal more to women, minorities, young people, or the LGBT community if they simply point to a Democrat and say, "Did you hear what he/she said?" They're also not going to prove they're not sexist, racist, or homophobic by doing that either. Just because person A points a finger and proves person B is a racist, does not prove person A isn't one. If the Republican Party wants to appeal more to women voters, they'll have to respect them and vote for them to receive equal pay as men, to have reproductive freedom, etc. They can't just point the finger at a Democrat or two, whom perhaps voted the same way as the GOP on an issue pertaining to women's rights, and say, "They're just like us! So, vote for us!" They also can't look back to ancient history to appeal to minority voters. They can't say, "50 years ago, we voted in your favor! You should be thanking us!" If they want to appeal more to minority voters today, they'll have to change their ways. Also, they can't point at Democrats and say, "Well, they changed their minds. They don't genuinely support your rights. How can you believe them? Vote for us, because we've been consistent!" Again, that's not going to work. President Obama changed his mind on gay rights. Do these GOPers seriously think that the LGBT community would rather vote for a president who was always against them attaining equal rights than a president who changed his/her mind on the matter, and is now supportive of their equal rights? I don't think so...
The Republican Party has mocked President Obama's slogan of, "Change you can believe in," more than Cliven Bundy has made ignorant statements. However, the reason they're having problems rebranding the party and appealing to more voters is because they just don't seem to believe in change, and until they take that step forward, their voting appeal won't change either.
http://www.politifact.com/punditfact/statements/2014/apr/28/drudge-report/drudge-says-clippers-owner-democrat/
Of course, one of the right-wing conspiracy kinds - Matt Drudge - decided to make this a partisan issue, and tweeted this message:
"GOT GAME: NYT informed the unwashed how Bundy is a Republican. Leaves out NBA Sterling is a Democrat..."
This information was then spread about right-wing websites like those lovely chain emails seem to do all too frequently. The problem with the claim? It's not true. It even earned a "Pants on Fire" grade from fact-checker Politifact, where the site concluded with this:
"Drudge said Sterling is a Democrat. County records show that he is a registered Republican and has been for many years. His donations to Democrats took place two decades ago and were modest even by the standards of that time. We rate the claim Pants on Fire."
This strategy by conservatives always makes me chuckle, because what they're essentially trying to do is say the following:
"Democrats always paint us as the racists! But, you see there? That one guy is a racist and he's a Democrat, so they're just as bad as we are!"
It's a faulty comparison. While there are most certainly racists from both parties, just because conservatives point out a handful of racist Democrats, while they spend a good chunk of time trying to take away voting rights of minorities, and some even going so far as to make comments like the ones Bundy and Sterling made, doesn't make the two parties equal on that front. That'd be like a married husband telling his wife, "Why are you so mad that I slept with all those women? You heavily flirted with that one guy that one time - remember? So, we're even!"
What many Republicans seem to fail to understand is they're not going to appeal more to women, minorities, young people, or the LGBT community if they simply point to a Democrat and say, "Did you hear what he/she said?" They're also not going to prove they're not sexist, racist, or homophobic by doing that either. Just because person A points a finger and proves person B is a racist, does not prove person A isn't one. If the Republican Party wants to appeal more to women voters, they'll have to respect them and vote for them to receive equal pay as men, to have reproductive freedom, etc. They can't just point the finger at a Democrat or two, whom perhaps voted the same way as the GOP on an issue pertaining to women's rights, and say, "They're just like us! So, vote for us!" They also can't look back to ancient history to appeal to minority voters. They can't say, "50 years ago, we voted in your favor! You should be thanking us!" If they want to appeal more to minority voters today, they'll have to change their ways. Also, they can't point at Democrats and say, "Well, they changed their minds. They don't genuinely support your rights. How can you believe them? Vote for us, because we've been consistent!" Again, that's not going to work. President Obama changed his mind on gay rights. Do these GOPers seriously think that the LGBT community would rather vote for a president who was always against them attaining equal rights than a president who changed his/her mind on the matter, and is now supportive of their equal rights? I don't think so...
The Republican Party has mocked President Obama's slogan of, "Change you can believe in," more than Cliven Bundy has made ignorant statements. However, the reason they're having problems rebranding the party and appealing to more voters is because they just don't seem to believe in change, and until they take that step forward, their voting appeal won't change either.
http://www.politifact.com/punditfact/statements/2014/apr/28/drudge-report/drudge-says-clippers-owner-democrat/
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