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Yes, in actuality most African Americans,when it comes to "hot button" family issues (Gay rights,etc.), can be described as conservative,but they tend not to fall within the ambit of conservatism on other political and economic issues. Much of the resistance to conservatism is the association of this movement, in its most recent incarnation in the Republican Party, with the embrace of Dixiecrats, ex-segregationists and states rights whites and the ascendancy of the Right wing of the Republican Party after the success of the Civil Rights Movement in the South. Most blacks do not identify with these people. And some of the black poster children of Republican conservatism are backed by white conservative think tanks or advocacy groups. But, in reality, aspects of the conservative movement have much to say to our people:it's plain common sense, just like the recent mission of Bill Cosby, who basically stated openly what we say amongst ourselves all the time. We seem to lose heart when we speak of these matters in the wider culture for fear that it willl play into the hands of racists and those not supportive of the black cause in general. As much as I am uncomfortable with some right wingers, the steady drum beat of "victimization" talk of many traditional black leaders is hard to take also. We desperately need more vociferous conservative and moderate black voices in our political discourse. We need this to help keep our "leadership" honest so that we can have a broader base upon which to envision solutions to our ills and our future development.
"Que Ps Phi 'til the day I die!"
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