This country will never truly move forward until this county heals the old wounds, which yes are centered on race. Race, as it has historically been known in the US, is a construct of legalistic and social making. Known as the “unthinking decision” race was codified into law and order during the infancy of the colonies.

The central conversation of race is so deeply rooted in our collective historical memory that it refuses excavation, but what I've seen in the classroom recently gives me faith that the future may hold an honest dialogue about these central issues.

However, politically: as long as one of our two parties hangs onto the legacy of the southern strategy and can ignore the actual concerns of blacks there can and will not be any movement. Perhaps as conservatism goes into bankruptcy in the coming years a new ideal will form which can free the Republican party from its tarnished past. But until then Black Republicans must ask themselves if 80% of the black community is just crazy in their distrust of said party?

The problem is that rather than thinking about what the party could be for blacks, the party (and far too many black Republicans) think the problem is with blacks. No thank you.

In the end the Republicans bought their racial problems to themselves. Don't expect black folks to come half way when the offending party won't move an inch.

I thought you were gone, but since you're not let me help you. This conversation is a long standing conversation between me and D (and others) and it is about dishonesty.

I don't know what color you are and don't care. In fact, color means nothing me until it is used against me. I too wish for a perfect world were it doesn't matter, but such isn't the case. I have been moved to speak out for mine at times during this campaign – sorry you haven't or uncomfortable in others doing so.

Your party affiliation is also your choice and means nothing to me until you use color as the black conservative Republicans have in conjunction with promoting the Republican party platform which is not inclusive of African Americans sugar coat it is as you wish (you too D).

It is not my desire to go in to detail to inform you about a series of conversations that you apparently haven't been privy to because by your own admission, you haven't been around because you're so tired of the race thing, but D represents as black conservative but has never ever been offended by anything that is a clear affront to African Americans and only repeats the meme of the conservative right (with hardly an intelligble position might I add).

I wish race didn't matter, but it does, America won't let you forget it.

May I suggest, in the future that you get the background before you insert yourself into an ongoing conversation.

I am offended for D. C’mon all – we are better than this. What can we possibly expect to achieve by this statement? See . . . that is what I get for coming back to read when i said i would drop off for a while.

Blessings to you msmartin.

Or, hell, if you're close enough, I'm in DC Monday-Friday.

“The Republican Party has lost a true champion in the passing of Jesse Helms, but it could be no more fitting that we begin the celebration of his life on Independence Day. His patriotic spirit and dedication to the tenets of our great Party will be remembered and idolized long after our mourning has ended, as will his contributions to the state of North Carolina, the United States Senate, and the many charitable causes he supported. We keep his family in our prayers and keep his conservative ideals with us always.”

Part of that “spirit” and “dedication” is clear in one of Helms' many racist comments:

“The Negro cannot count forever on the kind of restraint that's thus far left him free to clog the streets, disrupt traffic, and interfere with other men's rights.” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesse_Helms

Or this little gem:

“Crime rates and irresponsibility among Negroes are a fact of life which must be faced.” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesse_Helms

That last one made in 1981.

What a great party for Black people!

I would just say that we should approach our relationships and our goals with respect to both Jesus and Dr. King—as well as Gandi, John Brown, Walter Ruther, Mother Jones and others. Don't know all these names–do a google, educate yourself, expand your horizons.

We need to question these hierarchies–and if they cannot be rationally justified, then we should work to dismantle them and erect something better in their place.

Meritocracy is fine–but we need truely equal opprotunity to compete on a just playing field from the start.

To settle for less is, well, something that a Tom would want.

(”Aunt Jemimah don't like Uncle Ben” Does anyone here remember where this line comes from?)

I'm black. I'm conservative. The two are not mutually exculsive. If people can't deal with that, that's on them.

Nothing about this discussion is helping to win the War on Terror, lower the price of gas, or fix the economy.

There are much more important things that we could be discussing besides the sins of conservatism and why black Republicans/conservatives don't do what other blacks think they should.

If everyone is as tired as the “politics of the past” as they claim to be, start with letting this go.

But if Democrats go too far on affirmative action or some other issue that unnerves White men, Black Republicans are barking louder than anyone.

Colin Powell called out his party for this. No other Black Republican has had the courage.