It was the Republican president Abraham Lincoln who signed the Emancipation Proclamation to ‘free’ the slaves. They were the Republicans who worked hard to pass the Thirteenth Amendment to outlaw slavery, the Fourteenth Amendment to guarantee equal protection under the law and Fifteenth Amendment to secure vote for African-Americans. They were again the Republicans who tried hard to get voting rights for women. As early as 1896, it was the Republican Party who stood as the first major party to favor women’s suffrage. Finally women got their voting right under the Nineteenth Amendment. But here also the Republicans play an important role. Legislatures of twenty-six states out of thirty-six states that voted to ratify were Republicans. This is what one of the Republican pamphlet says.
The truth of the matter is that circumstances have been forcing the American leadership to adjust to the circumstances. Otherwise, it is the same old lynching mob that is portraying itself as the ‘savior’ of the Americans of Color.
So it is not surprising that Bush Jr., ‘proud heir’ of ‘Republican heritage’ has added new chapters as ‘shepherd’ of minorities –” African American, Latinos, Asians-Americans and women. Note how generous he is in hiring members of minorities. “His cabinet includes several firsts, including the appointments of Colin Powell, the first African-American Secretary of State; Condoleezza Rice, the first African-American woman to serve as National Security Advisory Advisor; Elaine Chao, the first Chinese American to serve as Secretary of Labor, Gale Norton, the first woman to serve as Secretary of the interior, and Secretary Ann M. Vneman, the first woman secretary of Agriculture.’
Then there were others from minority pool that was hired by ‘compassionate conservative’ Bush though they were not the ‘firsts.’ “HUD Secretary Alphonso Jackson (former HUD Secretary Mel Martinez); Secretary of Education Rod Paige; Secretary of Transportation Nom Mineta; and Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham.”
The list of hiring of servants of Color does not end here. The Republicans proudly publicized other servants of Color who were hired for ‘high level position.’ A servant is a servant whether he works in the kitchen or works as a driver. They are “SBA Administrator Hector Barreto; GSA Administrator Steve Perry; Surgeon General Dr. Richard Carmona; NIH Director Dr. Elias Zerhouni; White House Counsel Judge Alberto Gonzales; Roger Ferguson, vice Chairman of the Federal Reserve; Michael Powell, Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission; Kay James, Director of the Office of Personnel Management; and Steve Perry, Administrator of General Services (GSA).
Why are these ‘firsts’ and ‘seconds’ Americans of Color hired by the Bush administration? One reason is ground realties, stupid! The demographic map of the United States has changed diametrically in thirty years. At present, every third American in the United States is American of Color. Out of 280 million Americans, about one hundred million are African-Americans, Latinos, Asians and Native Americans. The largest communities of Color are African American and Latinos –” 40 million each. The white ruling elite did not want this to happen. It was happy and contended with 10 percent Americans of Color. It tried but failed. History charters its own way. More than forty million children have been lynched by abortion in the last three decades. In other words, an entire generation is murdered legally. Most of them were children of Color. In reality Roe v Wade, U.S. 113 (1973) has proved a weapon of mass destruction for American of Color. This planned genocide also generated unintended consequences for the white ruling elite. This loss of an entire generation created a population vacuum, which American ruling elite had to fill in. To feed trillions of dollars economy, human hands are still required. To monopolize 25 percent of world economy, human hands are still required.
What were the alternatives before the white ruling elite? Only one – importation of ‘human cargo.’ So the floodgate were opened to let the immigrants flood in. The first priority was white Europeans. They did not immigrate. They were happy in their own countries. Europe that was destroyed by American ruling elite in WW1 and WW11, applying tactics of ‘dual containment’ was on its feet again. So Latinos were allowed to come in. They were thought to be the least threat to the American racist system. Language barrier was thought an asset to exploit the Latinos for centuries. The American ruling elite forgets one fact. A self-contained community does not need a ‘foreign language’ to communicate. So Latinos develop their own self-contained communities. Now they pose a threat to the United States itself, says the author of ‘clash of civilizations’
This ground reality –” one hundred million Americans of Color force both Democratic and Republicans to coop them. Because neither party can ignore them. So slick Clinton had a cabinet that looked like America. So president Bush showcases his cabinet members of Color. There is no change of heart on the part of the American ruling elite. Only the ground realities have changed and as a result the American ruling elite is forced to change its tactics. In the past, it could ignore the Americans of Color. Now it cannot. So it has co-opted them. In the past the Americans of Color was carrying the White man burden. Today, they are doing the same. In the past, it was the whip that forced them to carry the White man water. Today, it is the hug that lured them to carry the White man water. Hug of the White man is more harming for the Americans of Color than the whipping. Hug brings yawn. On the contrary, whipping opens eyes. It shows the true color of an oppressor.
In addition, Bush hired Americans of Color to discredit them in their own community, to use them do the dirty work, to pit themselves against each other and so on.
So when the Bush administration claims that African-American delegate representation is up 65 percent, Hispanic 100 percent and Asian American nearly 40 percent do not believe it. These are only numbers. Ask the Republican leadership what is the percentage of Americans of Color in the Republican Party? Two percent- five percent? Republican party is still a White man Club. When Bush administration claims that unemployment rate among African American is down by 1.5 percent, do not believe it. When Bush administration claims that minority-owned small businesses are thriving, do not believe it. When Bush administration claims that African-American fourth graders are catching up, do not believe it. When Bush administration claims that Hispanic achievement gap for fourth-grader is narrowing, do not believe it. The reason is that Democratic and Republican parties are inherently anti- Americans of Color. If Americans of Color are progressing against all odds and bumps, credit goes to them. It is a nightmare for the leadership of both parties that Americans of Color become a viable entity economically and politically.
What the Americans of Color should do when Democratic and Republican leaders are anti-Americans of Color and they use the leadership of American of Color to implement anti- minority policies? More participation in the political process is the answer. Complete control of Democratic Party is the answer. Any desertion from Democratic Party to Republican Party or any third party will be suicidal for the Americans of Color. Americans of Color are only one third of the population. Any split will minimize their political weight. Let the White ‘Reagan Democrats’ desert the party. No member of the Americans of Color should accept any post either in Republican or Democratic administration unless these two demands are met. 1. Amnesty for 11 million undocumented immigrants. 2. Increase in minimum wage.
Both parties have slapped on the face of Americans of Color. None has nominated an American of Color as vice president. Teach them a lesson, especially to the Democrats. Stay home. As the New Yorkers did in the last mayoral election. This is one way of participation. Democratic white leadership is more dangerous than the Republican leadership. Remember it was the first ‘African American’ president Clinton who signed one of the most anti-immigrant laws in the American history. It was again president Clinton who punched on the stomachs of millions of poor Americans by ending the welfare benefits. It was again Clinton who ruled eight years on the Republican agenda. Time has come that Americans of Color should demand and get their fair share. It is long overdue.
