by Jonathan Webb

Created on: December 17, 2008   Last Updated: December 18, 2008

Neither party has a hold on the racist vote and it is laughable that people still call Republicans racist. It is easy and convenient to throw a generalization out there without looking at the facts. Of course, why would anyone look at the facts when it proves them wrong? Let's look at those tricky facts to see the truth.

Which party had the first African-American man to serve as Secretary of State? The Republicans. Which party had the first woman to serve as National Security Advisor? The woman also happened to be African-American and the party was the Republicans. Which party had the first African-American woman to serve as Secretary of State? Once again that would be the Republicans. Which party had the first Hispanic to serve as Attorney General? The answer is the Republicans. Which party currently has in its cabinet the first Chinese-American and first Asian-American woman to serve in that capacity? That would be Elaine Chao as Secretary of Labor and as you might have guessed she is a Republican. This is too easy.

The Republicans just elected the first Vietnemese-American to congress from Louisiana. Louisiana also has an Indian-American as its governor who just happens to be a Republican. Rod Paige was also the first African-American to be the Secretary of Education. This appointment took place under a Republican administration. So, let's get this straight. All of these examples, and there are many more, point to a racist party? Makes a lot of sense doesn't it? Hopefully the sarcasm is coming through loud and clear.

People can yell and complain all they want about the Republicans being racist and the Democrats being so open and welcoming. But, when push comes to shove all that matters is action. Talk is cheap and politicans do a lot of it all the time. The men and women who actually do something in life let their actions speak. They are not worried abou what the news may say or what people will think about them. They strive to do what is right and surround themselves with the best people.

Republicans have been able to move past that racist label by their actions. The label is still there by people who are ignorant of the facts, but that is ok. The short list above only tells some of the story. I left off Spencer Abraham, an Arab-American who served in Bush's cabinet. What about Edward Brooke, the first African-American to be elected by popular vote to the U.S. Senate? Do you see my point? Name after name is available, as it is on the Democrat side. The Republicans have struggled over the years but the party is very diverse and no longer all white. For all the bad stuff people say about Pres. Bush there is one thing they can't say. He did not have an all-white cabinet. His cabinet was as diverse as any presidential cabinet in American history.

The Republicans will just keep plugging along electing, appointing, and allowing people of all races to be a part of government. The Democrats will talk about it and tell us the Republicans are racist. We will open our eyes and actually pay attention and see that this is not true. After all, which party has a current member of the U.S. Senate who is a former klansmen? Not the Republicans.

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