By Raynard Jackson
BlakPAC Blogger
Imagine the Chicago Bulls of the NBA during the early Michael Jordan
years. He was their top draft pick in the 1984 NBA draft. Jordan’s early
years were filled with many, lows before he experienced the joys of
winning six NBA championships.
During the Bulls’ down years, can you imagine Jordan’s first two
coaches, Kevin Loughery or Stan Albeck, reaching out to student
basketball players from the University of Illinois to ask them how to
correct the Bulls’ problems on the court?
Do you think the Bulls would have gathered together five guys who
played basketball at the local recreation center to get their thoughts
on what the Bulls needed to do? The guys at the rec center always
dreamed of playing professionally, but for whatever reasons, never got
close to fulfilling their childhood dreams.
I am sure that Jordan and his teammates would have openly rebelled,
if this had happened with them. I am also quite sure they would have
been greatly insulted and would probably have all sought to play for
other teams.
As improbable as this scenario is for most people to believe, this
happens all the time within the Republican Party when it comes to the
rare engagement with the Black community.One need look no further than Trump’s meeting last week with a few
unknown Black Republicans. The meeting was with members of the Black and
Latino communities. I am focusing only on the Blacks in attendance,
simply because I have more first-hand knowledge about the Black
community.
There was not one Black who attended the meeting that had any
presidential campaign experience! Not one attendee had any real campaign
experience. Not one attendee displayed any institutional knowledge of
or experience with seasoned Black Republicans.
In essence, those Black Republicans in attendance were like the
basketball players from the rec center mentioned above. They may have
fantasies of playing in the big leagues, but they have no real
experience to play on that level. Yet, they are being asked to advise a
presidential candidate. Really? I mean, really?
Memo to Republicans: This is offensive to Black Republicans who have
dedicated their lives to being a professional political operative. I
challenge my readers to find any example of a presidential campaign
meeting with a group of Whites under the same scenario. No presidential campaign would ever allow a group of Whites to meet
with and advise a candidate, who have absolutely no political or
presidential experience whatsoever.
Yet, they feel it is appropriate to approach the Black community in
such a manner, simply because they are not serious about the Black vote.This is yet another example of Republicans trying to do the right thing, but doing it the wrong way.
So, what should the party and the Trump campaign be doing?
If the party wanted to prove to Blacks that they are serious about
real engagement with the Black community, they would be meeting and
engaging with people like Odysseus Lanier, Ron Langston, Allegra
McCullough, and Fred McClure, and George Farrell, to name a few.
Lanier is a founder of one of the largest Black CPA firms in the
country and a lifelong Republican. He is also an alumni and former
chairman of the Board of Trustees for Alabama A&M University, a
major historically Black university.
Langston served former President George W. Bush as the first National
Director of the U.S. Minority Business Development Agency. He is
considered one of the nation’s foremost experts on small and minority
business.
McCullough served former president George W. Bush as Region 3
Administrator for the U.S. Small Business administration. She was then
promoted to the position of Associate Deputy Administrator, Government
Contracting & Business Development for the same agency. She is
considered an icon to the small and minority business community
nationwide.
McClure was a top aide to former president George H.W. Bush and for
many years was rated as one of the top lobbyists in D.C. He now runs the
presidential library of the former president.
George Farrell is the founder of BlakPAC and is responsible for the strategy and GOTV that elected Republican Florida Governors Jeb Bush, Charlie Crist, and Rick Scott. Prior to his emergence in Florida, Democrats ruled the statehouse.
These are just a few of the top Black Republicans that many of the
Blacks and party leaders involved in this election cycle seem to have
forgotten. If you play in the NBA or Major League Baseball (MLB) and you
don’t know who Spenser Haywood or Curt Flood are, you should be banned from playing in those respective leagues.
Without Haywood or Flood, you would not have free agency or players
being paid the millions of dollars they are making today. Likewise, how
can you call yourself a Black Republican and not acknowledge the
contributions and the political acumen of the people listed above.
How can any serious presidential campaign have absolutely no
engagement with Black Republicans like Lanier, Langston, McCullough,
McClure or Farrell? Unless and until the Republican Party reengages with Blacks
like those listed above, on every level, no one, let me repeat NO ONE
will ever believe that party leaders are serious about the Black vote.
When all is said and done, there is more said than done!
www.BlakPAC.gop
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