I am black. I am a Southern Maryland resident also. I am also very conservative. I remember asking my mother when I turned 18, " mom, you are more familiar with this, what party should I register with?" " Son, you should register with the Democrats, cause they are more for blacks and minorities". Well, as much as I love my mother, I later found out, through life's trials and tribulations, that she was wrong.
Now, I know what some of you are thinking, and allow me to defend myself before you tear my head off. The Republican Party, to me, was a strange and confounding thing. Some of the questions I had about this political system of ours was, " Why are there only TWO parties? Why does one support minorities and the right to choose, while the other wants to hold blacks down and insure that rich people continue to get rich?" So finally pulled my squad car into a public library and researched the subject. Up until then, I just voted the way that the rest of my family voted, that was, until my SGT, who was a hard-core Reagan supporter explained some things to me. Here is what I found out, personally about the Republican Party:
1) They stand for Rights and Freedom. ( Both parties do, but here's the difference ) The 'Pubs feel that the Constitution is a LIVING DOCUMENT. The words written on that paper, are sacred and the rules and rights they grant, are inherent to each and every CITIZEN of the United States of America. The Democratic Party thinks that they Constitution is outdated and needs to constantly be modified and updated, sort of like the software on my Ipod. WRONG...
My Opinion: I like the rights and liberties that the Constitution gives me. I don't have to talk, if I don't want to. I have a right to own a gun ( as long as I am not a felon ) I don't have to implicate myself in a crime, and I have a right to vote, these things weren't given to us by men, these RIGHTS were granted to us by GOD, only recorded by men. I'll explain it to you like this, Moses didn't write the ten commandments, he just brought them down the mountain. God wrote the ten commandments, and was even nice enough to wrte them in stone for us." You can't let a man take away ( or modify ) what God Himself has granted. It's just not right.
2) After the slaves were freed ( Lincoln didn't free them on purpose, contrary to what we were taught. He just needed more soldiers, but I'm not mad, in the end, my ancestors were freed, and that's that ) they could finally hold public office. A combined total of 17 BLACK MEN were elected to congress and the senate, all of which belonged to.... that's right folks, the Republican Party. (Fact)
My Opinion: If the 'Pubs were that bad, and really had it "IN" for us, why the H E double hockey sticks would newly freed black men, run and get elected on their ticket? No brainer here folks.
3) In a day and age when the numbers of black men who are dead or in jail are skyrocketing, the Republican Party preaches self respect, responsibility and contribution to society. Standing up for yourself and others, and holding yourself to a higher moral and ethical standard. Now, how.. in ... the.... hell..... could.... that.... be.... a... bad... thing.... for ..... black... men... such.... as.... myself... and.....others? Hell, that's a good point for ALL men, not just black! So where is that a bad thing?
My Opinion: Getting an education and supporting your family. Becoming a contributing member to society. Hey, all people aren't PROMISED a good life, you are just promised a CRACK at MAKING a good life for yourself. But no one is going to HAND anything to you. The Constitution has never promised that, and hopefully, never will. It's up to you to get up off your duff, and get to it.
Now, enough of my party speech, but I could go on and on as to why I think I like being conservative and not liberal. I think you guys get the point.
Obama? I don't like the guy. Am I proud that a Black man has made it as far as he has, you bet your bottom dollar I am. I am very, extremely proud. But I don't agree with a damn word that comes out of the man's mouth. Nothing. And for that, in my eyes, he is a danger to America. He is going to derail and alter, change and set askew, everything that our founding fathers, our ancestors and our God, has set in motion. ( I don't like McCain either, but the lesser of two evils? Yup ) I can't turn this country, I won't, turn this country over to a man, who wants to take away our right to defend ourselves, who wants to take 50% of what my kids will make, and GIVE it away, who will give the enemies of our great country, rights they do not have, in a country they want to destroy, who will watch this country go bankrupt by killing hope of using energy reserves, while his millions in the bank collect hefty interest. I cannot forsake all that I have fought for, on foreign lands, and here at home, to perish in a puff of smoke, just because I elected a president based on the color of his skin.
By doing that, by voting for this man, who does, look like me, I will have commited the greatest sin of all, turning my back on what I love the most, the red, white and blue.
Vote John McCain in November. He ain't perfect, but he's all we've got.