Isn’t is interesting in consideration of today’s narrative about Republicans in general and Tea Partiers in particular to learn that it was Democrats who historically opposed racial equality, not Republicans? Until mid-last century most of the Democratic party favored segregation. In the 40’s and 50’s things began to change and by the early 60’s a significant majority of the Democratic party and their representatives opposed segregation. In fact, Democrats have done a remarkable job overcoming their racist roots.
Nevertheless, a large enough percentage of Democrats in the US legislature still opposed equal rights at the time that they nearly defeated landmark Civil Rights legislation … the 1957 Civil (Minorities’ Voting) Rights Act and also the 1964 Civil Rights Act for which Martin L. King, other Civil Rights leaders, the Republican party, and millions of Americans fought so hard. In fact, Southern Democrats (sometimes referred to as Dixiecrats) voted against the 1964 Civil Rights Act 92 to 11! That’s nearly THREE times the total(!) number of the votes against it by the entire Republican party! (Yes, some Republicans did oppose the Civil Rights Act but it was a fairly small minority of the party.)
Think about that for a minute. Only 46 years ago 90% of the Southern Democrats in the US legislature voted AGAINST the landmark 1964 Civil Right Act and came scary close to defeating it! Yet the narrative today and what, incidentally, our kids are being taught via distortions in The Media, schools and from Democratic leadership is that it’s Republicans and Tea Partiers who are and, by extension, always have been against Civil Rights. That makes NO sense whatsoever based on actual history. Sorry, but truth is truth.
Yes, Republicans tend to be against excessive welfare, believing that it makes people dependent on the government for their lives which in turn effectively robs them not only of their self-respect but of their will to succeed that is uniquely possible for all Americans. That doesn’t make them racist … because, if for no other reason, the use of welfare is not limited to African Americans. It’s a stupid argument to say Republicans are racist on that basis. As for racism, it’s the Republican party that has fought the hardest against it. The facts of history prove it unequivocally. (Ref the link at the bottom for more proof of that.)
Look at the history of the Democratic party in all aspects of Civil Rights and be reasonable for a minute. Fact is, NEITHER party nor Tea Partiers can be considered racist as groups now. Indeed they DO have racists among them and I’d estimate that the numbers are ballpark equal between the two political parties. Neither party has a right to call the other racist and the Democrats can rationally be called hypocrites (or worse?) for many of their recent claims about which party protected and protects Civil Rights the best/most.
And to say that Tea Partiers are racist because Rand Paul who, in general, supports the Tea Party movement recently said he doesn’t like one aspect (ie, States’ Rights) of the 1964 Civil Rights Act is nutty on many levels. First and foremost, States’ Rights and racism are two distinctly different issues. Supporting one DOES NOT automatically mean you support the other. It’s a nonsense argument. Second, it is Democrats who’ve been historically opposed to integration and related Civil Rights. Check out the link below.
Who filibustered vigorously AGAINST and nearly defeated the 1957 Civil (Minorities’ Voting) Rights Act? Democrats! It was, in fact, a historically RECORD filibuster! Who filibustered vigorously AGAINST and nearly defeated(!) the LANDMARK 1964 CIVIL RIGHTS ACT? Democrats! Good grief folks! How can you fall for Democrat leadership’s nonsense claim that they’ve always been THE party that protected Civil Rights? Maybe they do now … but so do Republicans who always have done so.
If you need more proof, the following link provides it. The Republican bias obvious on the website may be annoying to Democrats but I encourage you to block it out and pay attention to the actual voting record of Democrats over the years. After reading it perhaps you’ll understand why Republicans and Tea Partiers get a little annoyed at today’s narrative about being racist. BTW, I’d be the first to say that Democrats’ history does NOT mean they’re still racist as a party. In easily provable fact, they’re not.
http://www.black-and-right.com/the-democrat-race-lie/
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