How did the Democratic Party, which historically advocated slavery and segregation — and which in 1964 opposed voting rights for African-Americans — become the party of preference for the very people whom it long attempted to suppress? Anyone searching the web for “The DNC’s Bold Lies” will find a detailed article by Jeffrey Lord offering a partial explanation.
On the Democratic National Convention site (www.democrats.org), follow the links “About” to “Our History” and read the first sentence: “For more than 200 years, our party has led the fight for civil rights, health care, Social Security, workers’ rights and women’s rights.” Follow the link “Issues” to “Civil Rights,” and read the first sentence: “Democrats have a long and proud history of defending civil rights and expanding opportunity for all Americans.” Both statements are demonstrably untrue.
The Democrats advocated slavery in all six party platforms between 1840 and 1860. They advocated racial segregation in most of their party platforms from 1868 to1948. They opposed the 13th, 14th and 15th amendments to the Constitution, which officially ended slavery and gave legal and voting rights to black Americans.
Later, in response to increasing violence against blacks by the KKK, Republican congresses and presidents enacted several civil rights laws. These made it a federal crime to prevent blacks from holding office, serving on juries, or voting — and prohibited discrimination against blacks in public accommodations. After gaining control of both Congress and the presidency in 1892, the Democrats repealed all of these laws.
Lincoln’s preliminary Emancipation Proclamation, issued Sept. 22, 1862, was openly opposed by most Democrats. A century later, President Lyndon Johnson received the support of Senate Republicans to break a Democratic filibuster (led by a former KKK leader) of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
The claim of 200 years of Democratic civil rights leadership completely ignores its “long and proud history” of active racial discrimination. The Democratic Party possibly could have claimed it had learned its lesson in 1964 — and subsequently reformed itself. But the quotations on the DNC site ignore more than a century and a half of its overt racism.
Any argument which begins with lies is almost certainly nothing but propaganda. A party truly championing civil rights would not need to resort to this revision of its history.
Are there similar lies on the RNC site? Find out. Voters should be extremely skeptical about every pronouncement from either party, and they should do as much research as possible to uncover the truth. Political parties lie to hide unpleasant truths and to mislead voters because lies and propaganda are generally effective.
Dave Parker
We just have one vote apiece Mr Parker,if we choose to use it.Most of the people who suffer the aforementioned ill effects of politics don't even vote.They choose not to vote of their own valition.Even if we the voters do make ourselves knowledgeable of both parties and we do vote,our will,or vote if you will can still be overturned as it was in 2000.
ReplyDeleteOh thank you, thank you, thank you Dr. Parker.
ReplyDeleteThat history was never taught to me in my Maryland school and it wasn't until a few years back that I questioned it and read the DNC's history. I was amazed.
Everyone should know the facts before they vote.
Again, thank you for writing this explanation and Joe for posting.
Media cover up.
ReplyDelete5:33 So you are saying your would vote for a party that lies to you and has an abysmal record of civil rights abuses??
ReplyDeleteMartin Luther King Jr was a republican but how may people know that!
ReplyDelete7:44-absolutely not.I put a great deal of thought into who I vote for & try to do the right thing.In the end I just hope my vote counts.
ReplyDeletethat's cause they are so stupid they elieve it when someone tells them anything.
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteIt's was idea that simply would not work back then as now.
11:48 - then if you care about this country - your freedoms and having a strong and prosperous country then you better vote for Romney.
ReplyDeleteYes, Dr Martin Luther King was a Republican as were most blacks in his era. At that point in time they hadn't forgotten that it was the Democrats who passed the discriminatory Black Codes and the Jim Crow laws.
ReplyDeleteRepublican President Dwight Eisenhower pushed to pass the Civil Rights Act of 1957 and sent US troops to desegregate schools and appointed Chief Justice Warren to the Supreme Court which resulted in the 1957 decision (Brown v. Board of Ed.) ending school segregation.
All this and Mr Parker's letter is why everyone should be offended at Biden's "they want to pull ya'll back in chains" remark. The fact is it was the Democratics who fought tooth and nail anti discrimation legislation and desegregation and now they are doing everything they can to hide and change history.
I don't know why they think they can fool us because they can not. Most people are smarter than they think.
This is ridiculous, because the Republican and Democratice parties have flipped positions thanks to Nixon's infamous "southern strategy." You erally think the South became largely republican since the mid1960s because of their love of civil rights? Give me a break.
ReplyDelete8:04 you are a fool, the south became republican because of their beliefs in God and this country. Which the demon-crats seem to want to run down and dump at every turn!
ReplyDelete9:29 Afraid you are the fool here. The south became Republican when LBJ signed the Civil Rights Act. If you had a southern grandfather what party did he belong to?
ReplyDeleteYou know, you people are just full of it. Democrate or Republican. Who cares. Neither party gives a dam about plight of middle class, the poor, Blacks in America, or any other group/monorities in this country. I'm voting for the individual to whom I know will move this country forward. There are ways around the two Houses. Both parties are full of liar, cheaters and obstructors. I'm voting for the individual. To he with Congress Dems and Repubs.
ReplyDeleteAnd, the rest of you need to stop using black history and civil rights issues as a tool to change black voters minds. I personally do not want ronmey to be the next president of the U. S. He knows nothing about the average Americans struggle nor will he make it better for us with paul ryan as his running mate.