I realize that I have much company within Black America in regards to my steadfast determination to deny certain things before what many term “mixed company.” Of course, a portion of this discipline flows from a vow never to marginalize the Black image before White America. It is truly a peculiar and somewhat tricky burden to carry at times, a responsibility that I will lighten with this post.

The alluded to burden that I have silently carried for far too long is the fact that I do not find many of the tenets and principles supporting Conservatism repugnant. I am sure that if outsiders viewed many of my political viewpoints, they would argue that I am a closeted Conservative. Private conversations with other African-Americans inform my belief that I am not alone.

I adhere to the following principles that Conservatives have seemingly trademarked for political reasons. The populace I am alluding to harbor the following beliefs.

·      They are fiscally conservative

·      Adhere to a moral compass that overrides reckless behavior

·      Harbor a constant belief in socially responsible individualism

·      Believe that we should suffer the consequences of poor decision-making

The ideological underpinnings of Conservative politics are neither foreign concepts nor burdensome to Black America. Black preachers propagate these concepts several times a week to their African-American congregations.

Alas, Black Americans have not poured into the Republican Party as reasonable-minded people would expect.

I am sure that Conservatives are confused by the refusal of the vast majority of African-Americans to join their ranks. Black America’s repudiation of Conservatism flows not so much from concerns with political policy. The staunch refusal of Black America to migrate to “the party of Lincoln” communicates their refusal to join a political party filled with individuals whose political beliefs rest on pillars of white supremacy and racial bigotry. It is Republican Party leaders’ refusal to denounce the presence of those who carry such ilk that guarantees marginal success in recruiting Black America.

I pride myself on not grouping all Whites under a large political canopy that makes them a monolithic population of racial bigots whose sole priority is the oppression of Blacks. Such a judgmental characterization is not an accurate depiction of White America. However, one has to fight against using such a conclusion when square-dealing White Conservatives refuse to identify and publicly repudiate the racial bigots and White supremacists that are their political brethren. This failing sits at the core of why the Republican Party will continue to fail to make significant in-roads into Black America.

Although I do not doubt the desires of segments of the Republican Party to secure a more substantial portion of the Black vote. I do doubt their willingness to expel white supremacists and bigots to make their party more appealing to Black voters.

If I were a betting man, I would place my wager on the Republican Party remaining analogous to a political Frankenstein with often mismatched parts haphazardly put together in a desperate attempt to retain access to political power. To the chagrin of those seeking to add a little color to this political Frankenstein, they must understand that the vast majority of Blacks will continue to resist all overtures from the Republican Party until the leadership of that party disavows the white supremacists and racial bigots who call the Right, home.

Dr. James Thomas Jones III