Defiant, what the Republicans gave the black population in this country was Freedom, Citizenship, Voting, and Civil Rights in the direct sense of what Martin Luther King said: “I look to a day when people will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character. You’ll notice they didn’t implement social programs or handouts (outside of U.S. Rep. Thaddeus Stevens (R-PA) attempt at “40 acres and a mule” — which was also opposed by the Democrats). This is because Conservatives believe that they are fully capable of making your way in society — having given them the tools of Freedom, Citizenship, Voting, and Civil Rights. Democrats and liberals see them as a victims, unable to fend for themselves without their intervention — all in exchange for their dutiful vote. Democrats exhibit the worse kind of racism: the racism of low expectations.
The challenge is that Republicans have allowed the argument to be framed by a handout mentality — something the Democrats are very good at. Democrats still see blacks as subhuman and slaves, but subhuman in the way that they can’t think for themselves and slaves in the sense of their dutiful vote.
You’re right, Republicans are terrible at framing this debate, but it’s mostly because they sit on their hands and don’t make the argument at all.
It’s time to fix that.
Someone like Kanye might be very helpful to fixing that.