March 2, 2015
Newsmax’s Clumsy Attempt to Recognize Black History
By Raynard Jackson
Columnist
Last month, in a clumsy attempt to recognize Black History Month, the influential conservative website Newsmax put out its list of the 100 Most Influential African-American Republicans.
To put it mildly, let’s just say that it was about as well received as a meeting between Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and President Obama—a total disaster.
The reporter who I assumed put the list together, Theodore Kettle, began with an ominous caveat: “not everyone on the list may be actually registered Republican. But these are individuals who have a public identity as Republican or ones who lean Republican.” What? Really?
This is akin to putting together a list of the top Republican presidents and then stating that not all on the list were Republican, but some governed like a Republican. Either you are Republican or you are not; if you are not a registered Republican then you can’t, by definition, be on the list.
Since I am making a few assumptions, let me make another one. I would put money on the likelihood that there were no Blacks involved in the writing or compiling of this list. Does Newsmax even have any Black reporters or writers on staff? Do they have any Blacks on their TV station? If so, who are they and what are their jobs?
I know personally about 90% of the people Newsmax has listed. Most of them have absolutely no influence within the party or even the Black community. Influence should be measured by impact, not by titles.
Most on the list are undeserving with maybe ten being deserving. I will give you a few examples from both groups below.
U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas is influential as a justice; but not as a Republican. He has absolutely no influence within the party. Former Pittsburgh Steeler footballer and N.F.L. Hall of Famer, Lynn Swann has no influence within the party, nor is he even actively engaged in the party. Former actress, Stacey Dash has no influence nor does she even possess any party credentials.
How have any of these above individuals impacted the party? How many internships have they helped students get? How many people have they helped get jobs? Name one thing they have done to directly impact the party in a way that advanced the party’s agenda or stated goals, especially relative to the Black community.
Juxtapose that with Colin Powell as secretary of state. One of the first things he did upon assuming his office was to allocate millions of dollars a year to Howard University to serve as his conduit for the other Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) to increase the number of Blacks in the ranks of the Foreign Service.
Talk show host and columnist, David Webb not only has a huge media platform; but he actively engages with the Black community, not separating himself from his own community. I know him on a personal level to be willing to open doors for others—whether it’s helping a college student with an internship or helping others who need a job.
Robert J. Brown, CEO of B & C Associates. He was one of the top aides to President Richard Nixon and one of the most under-utilized Republicans in the country. He is a walking history book for the Civil Rights Movement and has a rolodex second to none. I have known him for years and have adopted him as one of my sons.
Some of the more glaring omissions are: former Florida Lt. Governor, Jennifer Carroll (while in the state legislature, she passed several bills that helped minority firms in the state of Florida); it’s amazing that Newsmax lists her son, Nolan, Jr., a cornerback for the Philadelphia Eagles, but not her. Nolan has never publically declared being a Republican.
Shannon Reeves is another glaring omission. He is a former RNC political staffer, lifetime member of the NAACP, entrepreneur and one of the best political minds in the country—Black or White, Democrat or Republican.
Finally, in most cases, when Republicans and conservatives list those they deem influential; they typically “mean” Blacks that they are comfortable with, not Blacks who actually have relationships within the Black community or bring value to the table, or Blacks who will chastise the party when necessary.
With few exceptions, Newsmax’s list definitely fits into this category. Isn’t also interesting that there is not one Black Republican listed who works for a Republican member of Congress? As I have written in previous columns, they tend to not want to be visible anyway, so it is their fault that no one recognizes their existence.
Wouldn’t it be better for an organization like Newsmax, who wants to celebrate Black History Month, if they had Blacks who actually worked for their organization? As I often say about Republicans and conservatives, many times they do the right things; but do it in the wrong way.
Raynard Jackson & Associates, LLC is an internationally recognized political consulting, government affairs, and PR firm based in Washington, DC. Jackson is an internationally recognized radio talk show host and TV commentator. He has coined the phrase “straticist.” As a straticist, he has merged strategic planning with public relations. Call RJA to discuss how they can get you to the next level of your career.
Raynard Jackson & Associates, LLC is an internationally recognized political consulting, government affairs, and PR firm based in Washington, DC. Jackson is an internationally recognized radio talk show host and TV commentator. He has coined the phrase “straticist.” As a straticist, he has merged strategic planning with public relations. Call RJA to discuss how they can get you to the next level of your career.
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