LETTER: Examine both parties’ records

To the editor:

I would like to respond to Joe Kotynek’s letter to the editor, “A Fact-Based Response,” in which he cited two cases where he believed that a republican had made a racist statement, and thus said that Republicans as a party are a group of racist bigots.

First, I would like to point out that his evidence is anecdotal at best. One can also point to Democrats who have had racist leanings. Robert Byrd, current senior senator from West Virginia, is a former KKK member and recruiter, something I consider to be far more serious than a few questionable statements. The bottom line is that one can find racists in either party, and that one should examine the records of both parties before we pass judgment on which party is more supportive of race issue.

Here are how the parties came down on the major breakthroughs in race relations:

1. Abraham Lincoln, a Republican, issued the Emancipation Proclamation.

2. During the 1960’s, Lyndon B. Johnson would have been unable to pass legislation such as the Civil Rights Acts of 1964 and 1965 if he had to rely on Democrats. In fact, a Democratic coalition – lead by Al Gore’s father – known as the “Dixiecrats”, was the main opposition to key civil rights legislation, and the bills would not have been passed without key republican support. Not only were Democrats the main opposition to the 1964 Civil Rights Bill, but they filibustered it! That’s right – Democrats filibustered the Civil Rights Act of 1964. That is the epitome of racism.

3. Richard Nixon initiated the “Philadelphia Plan,” which is the first affirmative action plan that implements hiring goals for minorities. This is the basis for modern-day affirmative action.

4. The first time amnesty has ever been extended to illegal immigrants was by Ronald Reagan in 1986.

Based on the evidence, it seems to me that Republicans either played a key role or were solely responsible for every major, important advance in race relations in the United States.. So can you liberals stop painting us conservatives has racist bigots? If one wishes to have a fact-based response, one should look at what each party has done for race relations in the country, because anecdotal evidence and stereotypes do not paint a fair picture of the situation. And that’s a fact-based response!

Peter Griffin