Harold Keller / L’Observateur / November 15, 2000

It never ceases to amaze me how the black voters are in bondage to the Democratic Party. I could understand if 90 percent of the African-Americanvotes went to Vice President Gore if he were to run against David Duke. Butfor the big majority of them to be afraid of Gov. George W. Bush blows mymind.

While speaking to a black educator, I asked him why he was so much against Bush? He replied, “We can’t afford another Clarence Thomas on the Supreme Court.” Wow! Not to want an intelligent, conservative African-American, whoworked his way to the highest court in the land, is something I cannot understand. I imagine Colin Powell, Ms. Rice (who gave one of the keynoteaddresses at the Republican convention), Allen Keyes (who ran for the presidential nomination in the Republican primaries), and Congressman J.C.Watts are resented by the majority of their race. The only thing they can beaccused of is talking more American, than black and white.

I am sure that some of the readers will immediately think I am a racist. Letme set the record straight. In God’s ministry of Get High on Life, I counselmany blacks whom I love, respect and, in many cases, enjoy lasting relationships with them. I attend a predominantly black church and thosepeople love, respect and support me, as I also love, respect, and support their cause, which is to reach out to the people society has neglected.

Being white, I was once challenged by a black brother who told me, “You’ve never been black.” He was telling me that I couldn’t relate to their problems. Idisagree, but that’s OK.

On the other hand, I can relate to the Democratic Party because I once was a Democrat but am now a Republican. I’m living proof that the Republican Partyis not only for the rich. Do I vote strictly Republican? No. I vote for whom Ithink is the candidate who shares my values. Most of the time, especially innational elections, the Republicans fit the bill.

Sunday morning, the front page of a big-city newspaper had a picture or Xavier University students, led by Mayor Marc Morial, waving a sign that read, “The Black Vote Equals Power. Vote Democratic.” I wonder what the reactionwould be if a group of whites held out a sign that read, “The White Vote Equals Power.” It would certainly be branded as a divisive method to separateAmericans according to race. The national Democratic Party hassuccessfully done that.

HAROLD KELLER writes this column as part of his affiliation with the Get High on Life religious motivational group. He may be called at 652-8477.

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