#BlackLivesMatter is wasting its time with Democrats

Leon H. Wolf, a conservative attorney in Nashville, Tennessee argues that "the movement would be better off if it engaged with Republican candidates".


                 

(The Washington Post)

"As a conservative who has advocated for criminal justice reform, I have a lot of admiration for the #BlackLivesMatter movement, which has been remarkably effective at raising awareness of the myriad ways that black Americans are treated differently — or, put more bluntly, treated worse — by law enforcement. Although I haven’t always agreed with their tactics or rhetoric, I have appreciated the movement’s tenacity and unwillingness to be mollified by platitudes and talking points from politicians who’ve attempted to co-opt them.

That’s why I think #BlackLivesMatter is wasting its time pressing Democrats for answers, or action. The party of big government can’t meet their demands."

Read the full article HERE.

J. Hunter — Look Away, Dixieland: The Party of Lincoln Should Not Defend the Symbol of the Confederacy

A black conservative wonders: How can some Conservatives claim to be the "Party of Lincoln," yet defend the Confederate Flag he fought against?

                  
                                           

(From Black & Red)

The black Chicago-conservative blogger writes:

 "Last week, disturbed, racist, Dylann Roof, shot 9 black Christians in South Carolina. The attack has led to Republicans facing myriad questions about gun control, racism and the tangential issues that arise when complex crimes like this occur. One of the foci of the tragedy is the Confederate Battle Flag that flies on the grounds of  South Carolina’s Capitol building in a Civil War memorial, and adorned Mr. Roof in many photos he took before the massacre. The Confederate Flag has long been a point of contention between Northerners and Southerners, liberals and conservatives, blacks and whites. That said, Republicans should take a firm stance against the Confederate Flag not just as a sign that we welcome blacks into our ranks, but because the flag symbolizes everything our Party is against.

In 2008, presidential candidate, Mike Huckabee addressed an audience in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina saying:

“You don’t like people from outside the state coming in and telling you what to do with your flag. In fact, if somebody came to Arkansas and told us what to do with our flag, we’d tell ’em what to do with the pole; that’s what we’d do.”

Michael Cooper of the New York Times reports that an independent conservative group used Huckabee’s comments to attack Senator John McCain (then, running for president; and an opponent of the flag flying over the state capitol), and praise Huckabee. The group ran an ad saying:

“John McCain assaults our values…Mike Huckabee understands the value of heritage.”

Using states’ rights to dodge questions of the flag’s morality, Huckabee said in 2008 that the decision to fly the flag over the capitol is one best left to the state and not to any president. He reiterated his position this year as he runs for president again, and the flag controversy resurfaces. Governor Scott Walker, expected to run for president, refused to answer what should be done with the flag. So far, only Mitt Romney (not running for president in 2016) and Jeb Bush say that the flag should be removed.

Are Republicans so clueless to the negative symbolism the Confederate Flag portrays–especially to blacks?"

Read more: https://blackandredblog.wordpress.com/2015/06/22/look-away-dixieland

Chidike Okeem — Conservatives and Ethnic Diversity

From the center-right online publication, ChangetheGame

"Whenever presented with the idea of ethnic diversity, mainstream conservatives often retort with the superficial expression, “We don’t necessarily need ethnic diversity, but we need diversity of thought.” The reason why this fraudulent aphorism is used is because mainstream conservatives like to present the narrative that their ideology has been unfairly shut out of all the cultural arenas of importance in America. While this is a glib rhetorical comeback, mainstream conservatives must understand that their own argument can be used against them. You cannot realistically champion diversity of thought while continuously dismissing any comment that does not align with right-wing talk radio orthodoxy as the leftist blathering of a RINO."

Read complete article here

Jonathan Haidt — The moral roots of liberals and conservatives

Psychologist Jonathan Haidt studies the five moral values that form the basis of our political choices, whether we're left, right or center. In this eye-opening talk, he pinpoints the moral values that liberals and conservatives tend to honor most.