We black Americans had a lot to be proud of in 2008. That was the year Barack Hussein Obama, an Illinois community organizer turned state Democratic senator, became the 44th president of the United States. And he accomplished this feat on the strength of his character, not the color of his skin. By the same token, Michael Steele, another prominent black American, was selected as the chairman of the Republican National Committee. Again, by the strength of his character, not the color of his skin.
But the honeymoon period is over for both of these men. They are now being asked to put up or shut up. President Obama seems to be following through with his campaign promises. He is taking deliberate strides to clean up the mess made by his predecessor, President George W. Bush. But I’m beginning to have doubts about Michael Steele. He recently got punk’d by conservative talk radio host Rush Limbaugh, who is being touted as the de facto leader of the Republican Party.
On the Saturday, February 29th episode of D.L. Hugley Breaks the News, Steele garnered enough nerve to take Limbaugh to task. He told Hugley’s audience that Limbaugh “is an entertainer” and that some of his comments can be considered “incendiary.” But when I tuned my television set to CNN’s Anderson Cooper 360 that following Monday, I learned that Michael Steele had issued an apology to Limbaugh, thus joining a long line of other Republicans who had once been critical of Limbaugh.
Politics isn’t for punks. But when Michael Steele backed away from the remarks he made about Rush Limbaugh, he became one. That doesn’t bode well for a black American who is trying to attract moderates and liberals to the Republican Party. The same could be said about the possibility of him attracting black Americans and other persons of color. Many of us feel Steele missed a golden opportunity to assert himself as the true leader of the Republican Party, not Rush Limbaugh.
And he said just that on Hugley’s show. But the next day, Limbaugh told his listeners that Steele is the leader of the Republican National Committee, not the Republican Party. While I’m not a conservative, or a Republican for that matter, I find it quite appalling that Limbaugh made this distinction.
Yes, Limbaugh is correct in saying that Steele is the leader of the Republican National Committee. But since trends within the Republican Party reveal that its leader is indeed the chairman of the Republican National Committee, then Rush Limbaugh owes Michael Steele an apology. Limbaugh may even want to kiss the ring adorning Steele’s left hand.
Because Michael Steele is now the leader of the Republican Party, I think Rush Limbaugh and other conservative Republicans need to start giving him the respect he deserves. I think they are unwilling to do so because they can’t see beyond the color of Michael Steele’s skin. Even though they selected him as chairman, they still view his leadership as inferior at best. If they respected his brand of leadership, they would be doing everything in their power to squash these misguided reports about Rush Limbaugh being the Republican Party’s de facto leader.
I respect Michael Steele for his willingness to step into the boxing ring to pit his knowledge and skills against the Democratic Party’s best. But do I think he will succeed in attracting more persons of color to the Republican Party?
No.
Michael Steele and members of the Republican Party fail to see the racial politics that are driving persons of color to the hills. They also fail to understand the liberal nature of our ongoing struggle for civil rights. Even though Abraham Lincoln, a Republican, issued the Emancipation Proclamation, most Americans of color know that today’s Republican Party would rather remain silent and idle on the federal protection of civil rights. And because so many of their members have become wealthy from their manipulation of a capitalistic system, they are being reputed as the party that serves as the protectorate of white privilege.
What do you think? I look forward to reading your responses.
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From THE PURPOSEFUL WRITER by Jeffery A. Faulkerson, MSSW
www.purposefulwriter.blogspot.com
Posted By: J. A. Faulkerson
Wednesday, March 4th 2009 at 11:06AM
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