Before I begin, let me just say that I do not identify with this party because I believe it is without faults. The political system is set up in such a way that the existence of a benevolent party is almost as possible as walking on water. However, due to my life experiences, as well as the way I read and interpret history, I believe there have been misconceptions made about Republicans that continue to be fed today. Let me also say that I have plenty of brothers and sisters on all sides of the political spectrum. It is important that we have differing views; it’s what makes us unique.
I should also explain what I mean by a minority. I am referring to anyone currently living in the United States, or striving to become a citizen of this great country, who is not white. I hate to single out a group of people, but non-white Americans take up about half of the general population (depending on which poll you look at). That means if there are political misconceptions amongst this group of people, they are worth addressing for they have massive implications. Although, these misconceptions are derived from multiple aspects of reality, they are rooted in a misunderstanding of history and a mischaracterization of the principles on the part of the Republican Party.
The party began in 1854 as an anti-slavery faction, and was heavily supported by the historical abolitionist, Frederick Douglass. The first Republican president was Illinois’ very own Abraham Lincoln, the author of the Emancipation Proclamation (the piece of legislation that freed slaves). When people today look back upon the Civil War era, they believe that due to the social dynamics of today, that the south must have been the conservative Republicans and the north must have been the liberal Democrats; after all, the southern confederates fought to keep slavery and the northern unionists wished to end it. However, open the first few pages of any history book of the war and you will see that it was the Democrats in the south and the Republicans in the north. This is not to slander the Democratic Party, for it stands for many significant causes today. This is to just point out how a flawed understanding of history has led to misconceptions.
The most basic principle of the Republican Party is that the government should be smaller than what it is. This means that individuals have more power in their own lives. The bigger a government is the more power a few have on behalf of the many. At the heart of liberalism is the idea that there needs to be a big government that controls multiple aspects of our lives. It is this exact ideology that forces people to leave Latin American countries, countries within the African continent, as well as many European nations. So this begs the question; why do many of these individuals support democratic candidates? The reason is actually very simple; Democrats are a huge proponent in pushing social welfare benefits and expanding the funding of these programs. I believe the most sincere fault of the Republican Party, the party I identify with, is that we have created a negative connotation to receiving government-assisted benefits, and often times have attempted to defund or eliminate them. This is a huge mistake. The party needs to recognize that when people start behind the line in life, sometimes they need a helping hand. Maybe the benefits do not to be as vast as they are today, but we should all be able to agree they are necessary for many people, including those who are fleeing to America for a better life.
The idea of government does not stop at the federal level, it expands to state legislature as well. The belief is that states should have the ability to determine what is best for them, and the federal government is used as a safety net during times of crisis. This means that the laws of a state will be shaped by the culture that the people within that state wish to create, all in resonation to the constitution of course. This gives people more choice in where they want to live. This is something that many minorities do not see today. People flee Cuba because they don’t want to live life like everyone else, following the same patterns day after day. African Americans, due to their created dependency on welfare, have been restricted to certain neighborhoods in some of the most crime-infested cities in the country. I have seen this first hand. They live life without choices, and it is because of how big our government has become.
People see the Republican stance on immigration to be xenophobic in many ways. Do not allow Donald Trump’s wall to scare you into believing all republicans are like this. Ronald Reagan, the poster child for the Republican Party, said that anyone who is willing to work and pay taxes should be allowed to come to America. Many Hispanics loved Reagan during his time as president. In Florida, Marco Rubio and other Hispanic government leaders have really grabbed the attention of many Hispanics in their communities. These are people, who for the most part, have fled to America for opportunities. That being said, the Republican position on immigration is more practical. You cannot just let anyone in without knowing whom he or she is or why he or she wants to come. This is why we need border patrol and a legalization process. Meaning, you should not be allowed to just walk over, but if you pass a simple background check, you should be allowed to come. There are many Republicans, including the speaker of the house Paul Ryan, who are disgusted with the “path to citizenship” we have in place. Many believe that it is a way to keep the “others” out of the country, and this is not a basic principle of republicanism.
At the core, the American Dream is the idea that someone can start from nothing and make something of themselves in order to build a better foundation for their family. This is why a mother flees Mexico with her three children, or a father leaves Rwanda with his family. This is why Martin Luther King, Jr. identified as a Republican (according to his son), because rather than allowing someone else to determine the destiny of people, we should empower individuals to live flourishing lives on their own. Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness is why people come to America. This is why I am a Republican. I believe in these core principles. I have lived life watching a father raise two boys out of poverty, put them through college, and enjoy the fruits of his labor close to retirement. My father is a black man, more hard working than any other man I have ever seen. He believed in these principles, for he saw the potential future that his family could live. The best part is, when he takes his final breath someday, he will be able to say that he did it. As we prepare to vote in this upcoming election, think about your dreams in life, and analyze which party would give you the ability to make those dreams a reality.
