Hello all! I know its been a minute...thank you for bearing with me!
There are so many things I could be writing about right now. It's been a fantastic week (and month) for news! But when I saw this tagline, I had to say something: "Romney to attend NAACP convention" (thegrio.com)
The GOP is no stranger to this annual event. The NAACP convention is an important stop on the campaign trail for those who are trying to court the Black vote. Not surprising, Black Republican voters were out to spread their message. The National Black Republican Association attended the 2008 NAACP Convention in Cincinnati and was well received by many of the attendees. Read about it here. Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) attended during his run for president against then Sen. Barack Obama. Sen. McCain looked very comfortable among his fellow Republicans of Color. That doesn't surprise me at all. Sen. McCain has always struck me as a genuine individual. I thought he handled his address to the convention goers well, considering he was in a decidedly "pro-Obama" crowd. His remarks were centered around education, an issue that has been a central focus of African Americans since our ancestors' arrival in this country. Sen. McCain received a standing ovation, seen by media outlets as "polite" or "tepid".
Times have certainly changed since the 2008 election. Since President Obama won the White House, racism has made its presence explicitly known, sexism has made a 50's style comeback, and homophobia (or what I like to call "sexualityism") has taken prejudice to a whole other level. The current presidential race has taken a very divisive and ugly turn, splitting the country along racial lines.
Gov. Romney has is work cut out for him.
The former Massachusetts governor will walk into the 2012 NAACP National Convention in Houston, Texas in July to convince Black voters that he is the right man for the job against a president that can truly understand what it means to be Black in America. I can't help but feel a little skeptical. He has some serious damage control to do on behalf of his party. I believe he waited waaaay too late to rally new Black voters. That's not to say that Black voters are not throwing their support behind the assumed GOP nominee. The African Americans for Mitt Romney Facebook page has only about 280 likes as of today, however, I see that number growing as we get closer to November. Further, he doesn't strike me as the most charismatic.
Whatever Gov. Romney decides to say I wish him luck, in a manner of speaking. He is going into very hostile territory at a time where I believe many of the attendees will be looking for solutions instead of the Obama bashing that as become a regular fixture on all GOP fronts. Rhetoric is not going to fly here.
To my brothers and sisters attending the convention, I trust you all to be the dignified representatives that I know you will be. If you are still on the fence, make him address your concerns. Make him answer your questions. Make him earn your vote!
Look for my continuing coverage of this story during the 2012 NAACP Annual Convention in Houston, TX., July 7-12, 2012.
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