Many people watching and listening to my national TV and radio appearances this past week seem to have gotten the impression that any support for Obama from me — or any other black conservative, for that matter — is due solely to race. Unfortunately, they have misinterpreted my opinions if they somehow think there is a concrete Obama vote coming from me or that I believe the black community should all rally behind and vote for Obama because he is black. Let me take a few moments to elaborate on what my comments really mean — or rather, what they don’t:
I do not condone Harvard Professor Cornel West, who turns blackness into a political ideology. The Illinois senator used to be accused by people like West of “not being black enough.” But apparently he’s now black enough and can identify with black America — which means what? Can he not identify with or represent white America?
I do not support those who blindly follow anyone only because they have more pigment than a white person. If Sen. Obama creates bad policy, you can bet I will be first in line to critique — standing up for my fellow conservatives who feel they cannot speak for fear of being pegged as a racist.
I do not believe the color of my skin translates into a choice of the color of my support — red or blue. Acknowledging the historic nature of this election does not render an unconditional brotherhood of support where all other issues aside from race are ignored. Instead, it recognizes movement — even two years ago, no one expected a black freshman senator from Illinois to win against a well-known white female politician.
Simply put, I am a conservative American who happens to be black. The color of my skin does not translate into a political agenda — a black, blue or any other colored agenda. I recognize the historical context under which this election is operating. But this does not mean I will restrict myself from commenting on policies that I believe are unhealthy for America — and not just black America, because above any gender, any ideology, any race … I am American.
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