Conservative writers and talkers have made much of Harry Reid’s (D-NV) comments about then Senator Obama’s skin tone and speech patterns. (I’m not going to use the quote because the quote is already all over the media.) Rather then making political hay out of these words, I think it would be appropriate for Conservatives to take the high ground and focus on real ways to win.
Using Reid’s unfortunate verbal missteps, especially when it comes to race, is attempting an emotional and superficial tool of the Left. It won’t work for the right. There is a general understanding that because the right has principle and accountability, sticking a Conservative with their own words, puts them in full defense mode. When the shoe is on the other foot, those on the left can’t be pinned by racial or ethnic misstatements, because all the candidate has to say is “I didn’t mean it.” Why? Because those on the left are used to their candidates saying things that they never meant. Hillary Clinton said something that could have easily been construed as offensive, when she made a comment about Gandhi being a convenience store owner. In Clinton’s case these words didn’t detrimentally affect her, because her supporters were used to her saying things with no substance.
Attempting to cause a racial or ethnic phrase to stick to someone on the left shows a misunderstanding about the left.
Race in the mind of a liberal is as follows;
If someone supports left wing policies, then they can’t be racist. In contrast right wing policies are by nature unequal and racist. Reid and Clinton can therefore not be racists because they are liberal. Gingrich, Romney and even Giuliani are racists because they oppose liberal policies. Those who are not white and oppose liberal policies are dangerous because they don’t fit the mold, so they are open game for what ever attacks are necessary to discredit them. Even if it means accusing Justice Thomas of sexual harassment or calling Colin Powell or Condoleezza Rice any number of racist terms. Those in the middle, if they are Republicans who support liberal policies, are useful but aren’t to be trusted, because they are too close to the racist right.
The right can’t win anything by playing the racial/ethnic gotcha game. There are ways to win more non-white votes that don‘t involve using the left’s playbook. One day while, driving through Mississippi, I heard an ad that demonstrated the right strategy to win these votes. The ad had an older black voice speaking in an extremely “matter of fact” way. The voice asked those blacks who were listening, to look deeply at why they vote for the same congressmen (in this case all the names in question were those of men). The voice then asked “is there more opportunity for our people after years of Democrat control?” This message, from a voice of the same race, was poignant and direct. In the election that followed one of the long standing Democrat congressmen lost his seat. This ad didn’t play games, it didn’t attempt to scare the listener and it didn’t paint an image of helplessness. Opportunity and individual liberty are the winning phrases that connect with all voters. Racial or Ethnic games, along with portrayals of victimization and desolation are the tools of the left.
Identity Politics.
It’s time to redefine the misconceptions of who Conservative are.
The left would love to portray the right as all white, never experiencing hardship and wishing only to be surrounded by those of the same ilk. While the benevolent left are the diverse, understanding, working class folk. They get away with it because when they have people of various races, ethnicities or disabilities the left will bring as much attention to these individuals as possible. The right has diversity at many levels but makes no effort to bring attention to it.
When Hispanic Sonya Sotomayer was nominated to a seat on the Supreme Court, there was much attention placed on her diverse and meager upbringing. In stark contrast when African American Clarence Thomas was nominated for the same court, little attention was paid to his upbringing. Justice Thomas was raised by a poor Grandfather. Young Clarence slept in a chair at night. Yet the determined young man had the educational discipline to graduate from law school. Larry Elder, also African American, had a radio talk show for years. On his show callers would call and lecture him on his mischaracterization of blacks in America, assuming that with his Conservative stances he must be white. Elder also came from a humble background. The son of a janitor, Larry worked hard and earned a law degree. The Conservative movement is full of various racial and ethnic backgrounds. How about Hispanic Linda Chavez, Arab American Spencer Abraham, the son of East Indian parents Bobby Jindal and several other names, each with stories of perseverance and individual achievement.
The tent gets bigger when you consider those with disabilities. John McCain was injured in Vietnam and now struggles to do many basic movements like shaking hands. Charles Krauthammer is best known as a writer or the member of a news-panel who makes Liberals look silly, with his blunt, eloquent and factual rebuttals of left wing policy. Watching him on television with his ever-calm smugness, one might never know that he is a paraplegic. Stories like this are prevalent among those on the right but they are largely unheard.
Why are they generally unheard? The answer is at the root of Conservative versus Liberal perspectives on diversity. Conservatives want the best person for the job. If this person is gay, suffers from polio and was born a tribal refugee from Burma, none of that matters if the work at hand is done well. Liberals seek out diverse people to promote them as the first of their kind to achieve such a station. How many people voted for Barrack Obama because he would be the first black President? The left simply loves “firsts,” the first woman Speaker of the House, Secretary of State, Attorney General and the first African American Supreme Court Justice. The results of these “firsts” are mixed but in nearly every case these people were appointed because they were the “firsts.” By contrast Republican firsts are less noticed. First Indian American Governor, First African American Secretary of State, First black woman National Security Adviser and First black woman Secretary of State. That is because the “firsts” on the right were not touted as “firsts,” nor are they generally picked to be first. The first of any position may be a nice subscript in a history book, but it is their policies and service to the whole country that defines greatness.
Greatness is what the right must embrace and promote. Conservatives won’t win larger numbers of non-white voters by attacking Harry Reid on a stupid verbal fumble. They will win these voters by setting the right apart as the ideology of personal liberty and individual prosperity. The left has the upper hand on media “gotchas,” due to their vacillating morals. So the right must do a better job presenting a stark difference between themselves and those who promote victim status. It is time for the right to highlight the diversity within their ranks, who have made incredible strides, using hard work, individual accountability and espousing Conservatism.
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I truly wish that more of the conservative voices shared this point of view.
The double standard, as frustrating as it is, has been an irritation that true conservatives have always taken in stride... An unfair fact. Let it dominate your
Hannity really should keep that in mind while he campaigns to oust Reid. Reid is a moron. Reid is also prominent voice of the real left... SO IT HARDLY BENEFITS THE RIGHT TO OUST HIM DOES IT??