One of the greatest shows in all of sitcom history is probably “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air”.  Remember Carlton Banks (played by Alfonso Rebiero)? He was the quintessential Black Republican!  He was rich, out of touch with his consciousness, and surrounded by white people who loved to sing Tom Jones.

Growing up in the 90s, I always thought Carlton’s antics were hilarious-but I never realized the insidious message that I internalized about Black Republicans until I became one, and became the object of peoples’ subtle and not so subtle disapproval.  Whenever people find out that I am a Republican, they are usually shocked because of my dreadlocks, and my conscious vibe.  After finding out that I recently switched political parties, one of my co-workers befuddled asked, “But…but…you have dreadlocks in your hair, you talk about BLACK HISTORY, and you listen to my problems??”

The reason why he was shocked is because I don’t fit the stereotype of a Black Republican. The image that usually comes to mind when one thinks of a Black Republican is someone who is out of touch with their “blackness” and trying hard to emulate “White America”.  Carlton Banks went to private school.  He rarely ever danced to Hip Hop, and always had that ever popular awkward Carlton dance where he would snap his fingers and sway his arms from left to right. Carlton spoke proper English, and didn’t hang out with “no brothers”.  He looked down at Will’s more ghetto friend Jazzy Jeff.  He didn’t listen to Rap, wore khaki pants, and polo shirts and was rarely, if ever on the basketball courts. He was usually playing golf, tennis, or swimming in his pool with his white friends. He was a prominent member of the Republican club in school. He didn’t have what Harry Reid (currently the poster child for racial sensitivity) would call “typical negro dialect.”
 
In contrast Will Smith’s character was oh so cool, comical, conscious, and down to earth.  He fit the prototypical image of a regular brother whose funny and ‘down with the cause’ vibe made everyone feel comfortable and safe.  

So, is there an “image” problem for Black Republicans?  Of course!  That’s without question. Now, if we’re serious about getting more Blacks to the join the side with family values, educational choice options, and economic principles for success, we have to confront our issues as Black Republicans.  Many young, conscious, educated Blacks are leaving the Democratic Party and becoming Independents because they realize how much Liberals have monopolized the Black community. There’s a huge constituency of intellectuals that we can convince to join the “right side”.  The only problem is most people wouldn’t want to identify themselves as a Carlton Banks.  Neither would I. 

One of the first things we can do as Black Republicans to tap into this constituency is to start talking about Black Conservatives like Booker T. Washington, Frederick Douglas, Madam CJ Walker, and Mary McLeod Bethune.  We can contrast their solutions for Black America with the current Black “leaders” (Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton) who are simply opportunists who don’t care about urban revitalization. 

We NEED to have to an identity.  It’s not enough to parrot mainstream conservatism and expect it to resonate with our people.  When I first became an avid Conservative- I began to parrot mainstream conservatism and honestly lost my identity.  I slowly began to realize that there’s rhetoric on both sides.  What solutions are we bringing to the table?  The Tea Party Protestors aren’t thinking about the inner city.  They’re fighting for their own causes and they have every right to do so.  What are we doing to help Black America? We’ve come a long way and the last thing most Black People want to do is join a Party they think will make them lose their identity.

This is why leaders like Michael Steele are vital.  He’s trying to modernize and soften the image of the GOP.  Some may say he is “compromising principles” I say he’s reaching across the aisle and drafting pragmatic solutions.  We can criticize him, and Obama (like I’ve done), but what are we doing that’s solution-oriented in nature?

Times are changing, the issues are evolving.  Talking about “limited government” is one thing. However, enlightening people about the dangers of confiscatory government regulation and how that can effect job creation is something else. As Black Republicans, we shouldn’t be afraid to talk about Racism.  It’s not dead.  We can acknowledge racism and condemn it, without becoming the liberal establishment victims that typical leftists prey on. There are many people who want us to look the other way and sometimes we do for fear of reprisal. We know how much we’re readily rejected by people who look like us, so we’re scared to rock the boat with White Conservatives.  So, we look the other way when we know something is racist and wrong. There are also some who want us to forget our history, heritage, and culture so we can make them feel more comfortable around us.  If the shoe was on the other foot, would you have respect for people you perceived to be that way?

If we don’t curtail our strategies, we won’t be able to get Black people to open their ears to the conservative solutions we may have for the inner city.  Don’t be afraid to be yourself. I have to constantly remind myself of that.  You may not please everyone as a Black Republican, because we’re called “RINOS” on one side, and then we’re called “Uncle Toms” or “Aunt Jemimas” on the other side. Who the hell cares?  I’ve found that most people respect people who are honest and true to themselves. And guess what?  We can agree to disagree.  Frederick Douglas said it best when he said, “I prefer to be true to myself, even at the hazard of incurring the ridicule of others, rather than to be false, and to incur my own abhorrence.”