GOP Is The New Black?

I have to be honest, law school has been kicking my butt this semester. I am working on two real life cases and once I finally drag myself out of clinic, all I have time to do is come home, eat, and go to bed. So unfortunately, I have not been following the news as much as I usually do. However recently this story caught my eye.

I read an article posted by Mary Benton describing her reaction when she first saw the "GOP is the New Black" billboard in Texas (you can read it here). She says that she was lucky that the billboard didn't cause her to have a fender bender. To be honest, her post really didn't alarm me, but I was surprised by many of the comments left on her blog. It wasn't until then that I realized that a lot of African Americans were personally offended by this billboard. One of my friends on her facebook page even stated how disgusted she was that this billboard was going up in her home town. Disgusted? Really?

I am really confused as to why everyone is up in arms about this. I admit, I do consider myself to be a moderate conservative but that DOES NOT mean that I vote on solely partisan grounds in elections. Surprisingly, I actually take the time to read about the candidates before I vote. But I guess that's just too much work for some people...

Anyway, back to the topic. It's a campaign season. Both parties are interested in getting their people elected. How many political commercials have you had to sit through prior to this most recent election? So if we know that politicians are willing to put in a lot of extra work to get another vote, why is this so shocking?

Was it shocking that the GOP was actually going after the "black vote"? Or was it offensive to people that there are African American people who consider themselves to be part of the GOP? This is an honest question because I really don't know.

I have often been the victim of eye rolling, disrespect, rude comments, and exclusion whenever I mention my support for a GOP politician. I'm black, I'm from the South, I grew up in a single parent home, how can I support a party that has done nothing for me? Well if you feel the GOP can and has done nothing for you, then you are right to vote for someone else. However I take the time to read and educate myself prior to casting a vote. And I'm sorry, it's going to take a lot more than a politician identifying him or herself as a Democrat for them to get my vote!

Did you guys see this billboard? Have you heard others talking about it? What is the big deal?

An Example of Why You Should Think Before You Speak

The media has been buzzing about famed talk radio host Dr. Laura Schlessinger and her use of the N-word during a phone conversation with a black caller. The woman called in to Dr. Laura to express her frustration with her white husband's friends and family and their insensitivity towards her race.

What was Dr. Laura's advice to her? Black people are too hyper-sensitive about racism. I will admit, there are times when things are blown out of proportion. But that is not always the case. I am just curious as to how this woman who has never experienced what it is like to be black can say with complete confidence that this woman is too sensitive about her race. Then as if she hadn't already made her point, she goes on to say black people use the n-word with each other all the time and then said the word 6 different times. When the caller expressed her anger with Dr. Laura's use of the word, she repeated it, told her not to get all NAACP on her and then hung up. Don't get all NAACP?!?! How can a well educated, intelligent woman possibly think a comment like that is ok in any situation?

During the call she repeatedly referenced Obama in the White House and how black people put him there because he is black and that we now complain about racism more than we did before a black man was president. Dr. Laura is ignorant. The fact that Obama is black is not why he was elected president. Just ask Jesse Jackson how successful his presidential run was and last time I checked he is black. Obama is not president because black people voted for him. He is our president because AMERICANS voted for him. That may frustrate her but it is a fact.

Dr. Laura repeatedly said during the call that she didn't understand. That's the only thing she was right about. She doesn't understand. The reality is that she is a white woman. And because she is white she can never fully comprehend or understand what it is like to live in this country as a black woman.

So in the future, Dr. Laura, maybe you should only speak on areas where you possess some personal knowledge or understanding and leave the things that you clearly don't get to someone else.

After Law School: Life on The Hill?

Anyone who knows me knows that I secretly dream of someday working on the Hill (yes Capitol Hill). It's not a fantasy because it is completely unattainable but because it seems a little unrealistic for me. First, I don't have any kind of connection to anyone in DC and we all know politics is more who you know than what you know. Also if I took an entry level position, say for example a job as a Congressional staffer, I would probably not be making anywhere near enough money to be able to afford to live in DC while paying back my student loans. At one point I was seriously considering applying to be an attorney for either the House or Senate Legislative Offices then I discovered that you can't work for either of them if you've ever worked for a political party and of course, I have. Guess they take that non-partisan thing seriously.

A part of me knows that if I really wanted to be on the Hill, I would find a way to make it happen. The truth is I've been away from home for 2 years now and I desperately miss my family. DC would only be about 4 hours from home which is much better than my current 14 hour distance but I would still be away from everyone and basically on my own. I'm also worried about getting caught up in the DC lifestyle. I don't want to wake up at 40 and realize I spent my life chasing a career at the expense of having a family. But I love politics. I went to law school to make a difference however corny that may sound. I'm the girl use to dream about the day I would get to testify at a Senate Committee Hearing. Now I'm not sure what I want.

There are so many decisions I have to make in this last year of school. I'm so worried about making the wrong one. Maybe one day I'll face my fear, conquer living in DC and pursue my dream job. But for now, I'll keep planning on moving back home. And who knows. Maybe I'll find another dream.