Conservative Republicans Have Become Racist

It's become clear that the modern Republican Party has become racist. The whole birther controversy demonstrates it. There's a reason why Donald Trump is leading the Republican pack for the party's presidential nomination. That's because the overwhelming majority of Republicans agree with Trump's doubts on whether President Barack Obama was born in the United States. And Trump's other complaints about Obama's college career are full of racist overtones.

But how is the birther nonsense racist? Well, let's look at the facts when this silly issue came about. When the question was raised around 2008, President Barack Obama released his "short form" birth certificate. This is a official Hawaii government document which is a birth certificate. It indicated that Obama was born in Hawaii. Not only was there that proof but the director of the Department of Health, Chiyome Fukino, has said she's seen the original birth certificate or the so called long form. To further prove that Obama was born in Hawaii, two Honolulu newspapers announced his birth. Here's the story from FactCheck.org.

You may be wondering if I've shown any racism yet. Okay, here it is. It should be clear that there was sufficient proof that Obama was born in the United States. Official birth certificate. Director of Department of Health vouching for his birth certificate. And newspaper reports announcing his birth. If we were talking about a white guy named John Smith, there would be no question from conservative Republicans. But we're talking about an African American who's father is Kenyan not a white Anglo Saxon protestant. So Trump demands the long form even though enough proof has been disclosed. Of course, it's partly done to please the conservative Republicans. But why? It's the Kenyan name. It's the dark skin. Again, do you really think conservative Republicans would be making this issue if Obama was named John Smith and white?

And the Republican leadership refuses to admonish those in their party who adhere to this insanity. House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) on Meet the Press (2-12-11)said it wasn't his job to tell the American people what to think. (Video below.) Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Virginia) refuses to put a stop to this nonsense. There is currently in the House a so called birther bill which demand proof of American birth for future presidential candidates. Guess who are the major sponsors. The reason why Republican leadership doesn't want to stop this craziness is because the majority of the party believes in it. That's why Boehner refuses to tell people in his party that Obama's birth is a non-issue. The Republican Party has become the party of the birthers. By the way, would Boehner tell party members it's wrong to pass laws that say mandate Jews wear the star of David? But I digress.

Now Donald Trump is questioning Obama's college credentials. Saying he's heard that Obama was a poor student at Occidental College, Trump questions how did he get into Columbia and Harvard. Okay, at this stage, one wonders what does this have to do with the problems of the country? That's because it has nothing to do with the problems of this country.

But is this proof of racism in the Republican Party? Remember Trump has risen in the polls because Republicans agree with his principles. He didn't get there by being a liberal. By challenging how Obama got into Harvard is raising the affirmative action card. To an angry white male who believes he lost a job to a minority, this is red meat. Because often, that angry white male will argue that the minority was not qualified. Trump is making an allegation that Obama wasn't smart enough to get into Columbia or Harvard. The alleged intellectual inferiority of African Americans is an old theme for racists.

What destroys Trump's attack is that Barack Obama was great at Harvard law school. Even assuming he received preferential treatment, he was the President of the Law Review. He graduated Magna Cum Laude. You don't get those prestigious honors without earning them. And by the way, did the Republicans question President William Clinton's academic credentials? Gee, what race is Clinton and what race is Obama? Below is Obama biographer David Remnick who debunks Trump's attack on Obama's academic accomplishments.

While Trump is one prominent Republican who espouses racist ideas, are there other Republicans that do so? Yes, not only does the overwhelming majority of Republicans question Obama's citizenship but there are other who have racial views of Obama. Former House Leader Newt Gingrich says Obama may follow a "Kenyan, anti-colonial" worldview. And where does he get this idea? I don't know, that's because Obama spent very little time in Kenya other than to visit. In Cincinnati, WLW radio talk show host, Bill Cunningham, continually emphasizes Obama's middle name of Hussein. Yeah, it's his real name. But did Bill ever emphasize Clinton's middle name or President George W. Bush's middle name? Again, this is more of the "he's not white European like us" garbage.

How about some racist Republican actions from coast to coast. Recently, Orange County Republican Central Committee member, Marilyn Davenport sent an email with a picture of Obama's head on a chimp. South Carolina GOP activist Rusty DePass said First Lady Michelle Obama to an ancestor of an escaped gorilla. Comparing African Americans to apes is another old racist theme.

When I was a teenager, I considered myself as a Republican. At the time, there were moderates in the party. Nelson Rockefeller. President Gerald Ford. Heck, even Barry Goldwater would be considered a moderate compared to the modern Republican Party. But this new Republican Party has left me. It's become hateful and racist.

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On Obama's academic accomplishments-

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