It is a staggering thought indeed when one considers that more than 9 out of every 10 black voters supports the Democrat Party. More specifically, some reports have blacks’ support of Democrat President Barack Obama at upwards of 96 percent going back to 2008.
It is no secret that, as a voting bloc, black Americans have been solidly aligned to Democrat candidates for over 50 years and there appears to be no end in sight to that continuum. This reality is quite concerning to me, personally, because I am of the opinion that no single demographic should ever be in the position of being beholden to the agenda of only one political party or entity. At least, not in America, where the freedoms we enjoy today also encompass freedom of thought (or does it?)
As a conservative who is black, I represent the 4 percent (or so) of black voters who happen not to ascribe to the platform or ideology of the Democrat party. But the expression of that ideological freedom comes at a price which, more often than not, is to be ostracized by others within the “black community” for being guilty of the “crime” of – wait for it – making up my own mind; an offense which, in the courtroom of black popular opinion, warrants the political equivalent of the death penalty.
This begs two very important questions (in my mind anyway):
1. What is freedom if not the ability to exercise the prerogative to think for one’s self without fear of repercussion or reprisal from those who might disagree?
and
2. Why must black voters always be considered a ‘bloc’?
By definition, a ‘bloc’ is comprised of individuals. A bloc cannot exist apart from the men and women who individually make up that bloc. As a family, to be a part of a bloc might very well be a good thing. Why? Because there is an almost innate commonality of values, ideals and interests that would be of benefit to you personally, whether it be directly or indirectly. In politics, however, to be recognized as or desire to be a part of a “voting bloc” is not the goal, because to be regarded as such is to accede one’s individual values and priorities to those of the collective, which, unlike a family, may or may not be in your best interest.
You see, the thing that bonds a family together is not merely that its members are related by blood, but by a common worldview, goal and purpose which, to one degree or another, will benefit the family either as a whole or one or more of its individual members. Sometimes those views will differ, but that doesn’t warrant disowning or disavowing the family member. True evidence of a fruitful, strong and secure family unit is that, as situations warrant, the individuals who comprise that unit have the freedom to make their own choices and decisions without fear of rejection or reprisal. Now, I’m not suggesting that black liberals and black conservatives all gather ’round the campfire singing Kum-Bah-Yah. Not at all. I’m simply making the point that commonality of race does not, nor should it, imply a commonality of ideals. Or, as the saying goes, “Don’t judge a book by its cover.”
The acceptance by black Democrats of this prevailing mindset, that blacks should be viewed in terms as the “black vote” (collective) as opposed to “black voters” (individual), has resulted in a debilitating lack of awareness of the true level of political power inherently possessed by such a large bloc of individuals.
For more than half a century the Democrat party has propagated the lie that what is good for the black collective is good for the black individual – because you’re black. Caucasians don’t vote based on this paradigm. Neither do Asians. And yet, blacks have so bought into this myth – to the tune of 96 percent – that they feel obliged to tear down, humiliate, castigate and even punish other blacks who are of a more conservative ideological persuasion – and all because they are of a different ideological persuasion.
This type of rejection is nothing new. I can handle that. But, what irks me more than anything is that there are tens of millions of black voters who have yet to realize that the real power of their vote lies not in remaining loyal to the Democrat party, but in breaking away from it. In suggesting that I’m not speaking merely in terms of blacks switching from one party to another, but from one ideology to another.
Polling data has consistently shown that when questioned individually black voters, for the most part, are pro-life, support school choice, are advocates of welfare-to-work initiatives and are in favor of lowering taxes. The platform of the Democrat party is in direct opposition on each of those issues. However, to the astonishment of many, including myself, the pull to cast one’s vote in the interest of the “black collective” is so strong that it inhibits these individuals from voting as individuals, ideologically speaking, once they enter the voting booth.
This mindset has to change.
If even 10 percent of blacks who identify themselves as Democrat would resolve to vote based on their own individual values and ideals, it would be the equivalent of a political tsunami the ramifications of which would be felt for years to come; and not only politically, but culturally as well. Democrats have held black voters captive for decades, and yet, they keep going back for more. It’s as if blacks suffer from a mass case of Stockholm Syndrome in that they just can’t seem to break themselves away from the harmful influence of their captors who, in this case, just happens to be the Democrat party and its minions.
Black voters must be willing to say “No!” to the “voting bloc” mentality and have the courage to vote based on their existence as an individual; to do what is in the best for him or her individually, not the collective, which perceives blacks only as representative of some monolithic entity engaged in political group-think based solely on racial identifiers.
To do so is power. Real power.
Think about it.
DBH
