Read Thomas Sowell

Read Thomas Sowell in Townhall, today. He lampoons Republicans for their historically ham-handed attempts to appeal to the mythical "black vote". And he is anything if not blunt about it.

Why would anyone who wants liberalism go for a Republican imitation when they can get the real thing from Democrats? Republicans do not have a snowball's chance in hell of winning the votes of liberal blacks.

He reminds us, starkly, that conservative blacks have not had an easy time of it in the Republican party. I don't remember this incident, but if it happened today I would be outraged:

Back in 1997, when black Republican Congressman J.C. Watts denounced people like Jesse Jackson and then D.C. mayor Marion Barry as "race-hustling poverty pimps," House Speaker Newt Gingrich took it upon himself to apologize to Jesse Jackson.

To apologize for what another man said is to treat that man as if he were your child or your servant. Gingrich then added further insult by inviting Jesse Jackson to join him in his box for the Clinton inauguration for his second term as president.

Any wonder why J. C. Watts bailed out of the House? That was pretty stupid, Newt. Sowell asks,

Did they think that conservative blacks who might have considered becoming Republican candidates were more likely to do so after seeing how J.C. Watts had been treated?

Sowell's point here is that pandering to Jesse Jackson and liberal blacks who are going to vote Democrat in lockstep anyway is a waste of time and, sadder yet, a waste of conservative black political power. Now, Sowell warns Ken Blackwell, a solid, pro-life conservative who has fought for lower taxes and is seeking the Republican nomination for governor of Ohio,

Mr. Blackwell would do well to watch his back.

This is worse than sad. A black conservative Republican columnist has to issue a warning to a black conservative Republican politician to guard his back against white conservative Republicans. It's enough to make one weep with frustration.

If you would like to read more of Mr. Sowell's views, and I think you should, you can find a good starting point with this list of Sowell's columns.

UPDATE: Here is Ken Blackwell's website,

Blackwell for Governor.
He needs your help . . . your help, unfortunately, in protecting him from rascist fatcat Ohio Republican political hacks.

TAGS: Thomas Sowell, conservative black Republican columnist, Ken Blackwell, conservative black Republican politician