The following opinion was written today by ESPN sports analyst and journalist Stephen A. Smith, an outspoken African-American TV personality and co-host of the First Take program which analyzes sports headlines as well as an occasional hot-button social issue:
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Please understand, that when the subject of Blacks in America being a disenfranchised community is broached, the reasons are simple: We’ve disenfranchised ourselves. If it’s been since 1964 that our community hasn’t given more than 15% of our vote to the Republican Party, it is my belief that we’ve stripped ourselves of any potency, whatsoever. Why? Because the Republican Party knows they’re not getting our votes, why cater to us? Conversely, if the Democratic Party knows they have our votes on lockdown, why to would day cater to us?
The answer would be, neither caters to us. Because one party knows they have us and the other party knows they don’t. Therefore, no one’s catering to our needs, our desires, what we deem important. Instead, they’ll go in another direction, leaving us to fend for ourselves and scream to the wind while others have their concerns met and the attention of or politicians are aimed in a different direction: preferably a constituency they perceive as still being up for grabs, with the potential to swing the proverbial pendulum in their direction.
This is not to be interpreted as speaking out against our President or anyone Liberal or Democratic. Remember, I’m a registered Independent. I’m not taking sides here.
This is, however, the reason why I speak out to the Black community about ostracizing Black Conservatives, treating the conservative populace as if our ethnicity is stripped because of one’s ideological position. It’s simply not beneficial to our community — and to America as a whole — to come across as if we’re so one-dimensional, devoid of expanding our mind and thoughts. As is rationale and reason go out the window. We need to be more open-minded. More receptive to the facts and history both sides present as opposed to emotions disseminated in an effort to influence us.
Then, and only then, will we be better off. Whatever direction we take, be it Democrat or Republican, Liberal or Conservative, will be fine with me.
Until then, we are lost. As a Nation. But even moreso as a people.
And not even because we’re oblivious to facts. But because we CHOOSE to be.