Earth to Rand Paul: You can talk about black history, just get it right
OPINION - Some GOPers, Sen. Paul included, love to bring up the fact that Abraham Lincoln 'freed the slaves'...
After giving a condescending speech/lecture to Howard University students that contained distorted nuggets of the GOP’s history with black people, Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) thought it prudent to whine to another black audience at Simmons College regarding the unfair treatment whites sometimes get.
“I think some think a white person is not allowed to talk about black history … which I think is unfair,” said Sen. Paul, who is possibly a 2016 presidential election contender.
I agree with this horribly-worded statement. It is unfair to not “allow” a white person to talk about black history. You do not have to be a member of a particular demographic in order to have knowledge of and have an intelligent conversation about said demographic. When speaking on any topic, however, it is wise to have your facts straight and to not underestimate the intelligence of your audience. Sen. Paul failed on both counts there.
Additionally, the GOP does not get points, a cookie or a gold star for the simple act of speaking to black people. Though Andrew Sullivan is depressed by “the sheer lack of any grace among some liberal commenters on what was an obvious outreach to African-Americans,” Republicans should expect and not be elated by their leaders talking to voters who don’t look like them. Sen. Paul spoke at a university. That in itself is not praiseworthy.
Lincoln freed the slaves…a long time ago
Some GOPers, Sen. Paul included, love to bring up the fact that Abraham Lincoln “freed the slaves” and he was (drumroll, please)….a Republican! When speaking to the Howard University audience, Sen. Paul referred to his party as the party of “emancipation,” clearly alluding to those Lincoln years.
Listen, we (we being most educated people 15 and over in the U.S.) know that Lincoln penned the Emancipation Proclamation and that he was a Republican. Such facts might wow an audience of seventh graders, but not intelligent students at an HBCU.
Also, if you’re going to harp on the fact that Lincoln was a Republican and that Democrats were in favor of Jim Crow South laws, have a nuanced conversation about that. Even if you want to gloss over the fact that the Republican party of the Lincoln era and the Republican party of today have little, if anything, to do with each other, the whole notion that Lincoln was this benevolent, equality-loving do-gooder is not quite the whole truth either.
Let’s not forget that this is the man who in a letter to New York Tribune editor HoraceGreeley wrote: “If I could save the Union without freeing any slave I would do it, and if I could save it by freeing all the slaves I would do it; and if I could save it by freeing some and leaving others alone I would also do that. What I do about slavery, and the colored race, I do because I believe it helps to save the Union.”
Legacy of Lincoln is complex at best
Well gee, this is awkward. Lincoln explicitly stated that freeing the slaves was a means to an end. So, when GOPers like to flaunt the whole Party of Lincoln notion, are they saying that they will occasionally do things that benefit minorities, but only when it is a political chip they must play? If that’s the case, then say that. For people who are gullible enough to get the warm and fuzzies at the mere mention of Lincoln’s name, those folks might want to take a cue from Ms. Jackson and ask, “What have you done for me lately?” Freeing my great-great grandparents is awesome and all, but that doesn’t make me want to go hug an elephant.
As far as Democrats and the Jim Crow South, we could go back and forth all day about Democrats who endorsed policies that were horrible to minorities and the same for Republicans. We could also go on and on about Democrats who created progressive policies regarding minorities and the same for Republicans. It is important to know history, and extremely important to understand history in the proper context, but 19th century and early 20th century name-dropping for the sake of making a good vs. evil dichotomy for Dems and GOPers is a waste of time.
Let’s talk about where we are right now and have that conversation couched within a 20/20 historical perspective.
So yes, Sen. Paul is right. White people can talk about black history, just know your subject.
Follow Demetria Irwin on Twitter at @Love_Is_Dope.
