What It Really Means To Be A Republican

I’m black. I’m a woman. I’m also a Republican. No, I’m not parroting everything my parents believe. My parents are actually Democrats. No, I’m not a white woman posing as a black woman, pulling a Rachel Dolezal. No, this message isn’t being paid for by the RNC. As someone that was once rabid liberal, I know what the other side thinks of the GOP, and I know how wrong they are. Below I’ll address several misconceptions about what Republicans believe and stand for.
The Black Community – As a republican I oppose affirmative action because I’m not racist. I don’t believe that being black is a disability. I don’t believe that black people are any less capable than their white counterparts, and or that they need exceptions made for them to succeed. If someone needs to rely on anything but their qualifications to land an opportunity, they themselves are being cheated, as well as the more accomplished candidate that was overlooked in the name of “diversity.” Affirmative action belittles achievement, and gives precedence not to the person that worked the hardest, but the person with the most impressive sob story.

Poor People – Who’s motives should be challenged? The party that promotes policies that create jobs and opportunities, or the party that promotes policies that get people laid off, businesses shut down, and costs increased? Why does believing in poor people and their competence mean hating them? And why does championing legislation that make the poor dependent on the government mean “compassion?” It doesn’t. Who cares more about a person? The parent telling them to take control of their life and start making wiser choices, or the partner that encourages someone to quit their job, move in with them and entrust them with their wellbeing?
The LGBTQ Community – Many Republicans either support gay marriage or don’t think the government should be involved in marriage at all. But believing in a biblical definition of marriage doesn’t mean that someone also believes that on the third day God created the Remington bolt-action rifle so that Man could fight the dinosaurs and the homosexuals. While any Republican that actually understands American conservatism values the rights of the individual, many oppose gay marriage because they don’t want their churches forced at gunpoint to perform weddings that conflict with their beliefs, or risk losing their tax exempt status.

Women – Why are Democrats praised as the party for women as they continue to harp on false, nonsensical statistics like the “wage gap?” Why do they insist that we elect a grossly under qualified woman that has lied and cheated her way to the top if women and men are equals? If women and men are equal, why should we overlook this woman’s borderline criminal past? Why shouldn’t she be treated with the same scrutiny as any of the men running against her? And why does opposition to abortion mean a hate for women? Why does an expectation that women make sexually responsible decisions that don’t result in the termination of an innocent life mean “misogyny?” Hint: it doesn’t.

I won’t pretend that some Republicans aren’t stupid, racist, sexist or homophobic but with any movement or ideology, human error is inevitable- and this is evident on the left as well. If feminists insist that anyone that makes them look bad isn’t a “real” feminist, then the political right should also be afforded the luxury of being judged on what it stands for rather than by its token nut jobs.