Shame on Republicans for failing on race issues

Remember your first date? You really liked him. You had a great time. Heck, you thought he might even be the one.

He promised to call you the next day. You waited and waited. The call never came.

This is the feeling of this African American and thousands of others just like him. The Republican party says they care — but they never call.

During the 2008 Republican Convention, there were more than 2,000 delegates, but only 39 African American delegates. This, from a party that talks about outreach to the black and Hispanic communities. They ought to be ashamed.

I will assume they have to finish building the fence to keep the Hispanics out, and for good measure, they have to deport all the parents of Hispanic elementary-school children. Then, to top it off, they call the first Hispanic nominee to the U.S. Supreme Court a racist. That’s from a white Congressman from the South. I will assume that their commitment to broaden the party could be considered somewhat suspect.

I am proud to be conservative and black. However, given my treatment by the Republican party, this brings me more sadness than anything. I realize we have a new chairman of the Republican party who is African American. However, some people would call that appointment “window dressing.” I won’t.

The Republican party was the anti-slavery party, the party of Martin Luther King and the party of Abraham Lincoln. What happened?

Instead, they have become a party that is all white and Southern — and doesn’t look like America. This country, which has a black president, consists of all the colors of the rainbow. This is a place to be proud of because of that. The greatness of this country comes not because of its white people, but because of all people: Black, white, brown, red — the colors of the rainbow, should we say. African Americans who became Republicans have had to pay a steep price because we put principle over race.

When I became a Republican, people whom I considered friends had stopped speaking to me. I was referred to as Uncle Tom and a traitor to my race. I was not prepared for this hostile treatment, but I have been reminded that Dr. King and others gave their lives so that I could vote — not so that I could vote Democratic.

This country loves to give second chances, kind of like God does. This is a country that will continue to become more diverse. What will the Republican party do? You see, people don’t mind being used, but they mind being discarded.

I could never become a Democrat again, in part because I am a conservative, I’m a Christian and I’m pro-life, and there’s no room at the inn.

The conservatives that I have been privileged to know are decent, God-fearing people who want the Republican party to reflect those same values. They want a party that means what it says, and not just during election time. We want a party that, when I call Washington State Republican Party chairman Luke Esser, it won’t take two years for him to call me back.

They want a party that treasures and appreciates diversity. Is it going to happen? We will see.

What do we say to the Hispanic man who just wants a better life for his family as he crawls under the fence? More tax cuts? What do we say to the black child who is dropping out of school to help his mother pay the bills? More tax cuts?

In my reading of the Bible, nowhere does Jesus say “More tax cuts.” However, he does say to help one another. That will always be more important than any tax cut.

Federal Way writer Walter Backstrom is a columnist for the Kent Reporter. Reach him at wkbackstrom@aim.com.