THE PATRIOT POST - ALEXANDER'S COLUMN 11/13/2019

We Are Surging Across the Demo Divide

Black conservatives are the Democrats' archenemies.

Mark Alexander

"The scheme, my dear [Marquis de Lafayette], which you propose as a precedent, to encourage the emancipation of the black people of this country from that state of bondage in which they are held, is a striking evidence of the benevolence of your Heart. I shall be happy to join you in so laudable a work." —George Washington (1785) The Patriot Post is, first and foremost, a resource for "grasstop" influencers, the leaders of grassroots constituencies across our nation who are doing the heavy lifting for Liberty in their communities and states. We serve them well, but we are also focused on extending our reach across ideological lines in order to grow our Patriot ranks. Many conservative organizations are content to "preach to the choir," and that is important work. But we endeavor to reach far beyond that conservative chorus. Over the years, we've found some effective ways to broadly expose those without much political bearing to our timeless conservative message. One of the most cost-effective ways is through social media. There, our content is shared person-to-person with family members, friends, and associates of varying perspectives — one of the best ways to reach outside ideological echo chambers. Just one of our posts recently reached more than 3.5 million people across the political spectrum, and we publish more than one hundred social media posts each week. While social media may reach far, we generally consider its influence to be comparatively low — so we are utilizing more effective means of spreading our message to a broader audience in order to draw in those who have been previously considered unreachable. Making a much deeper impact across political lines, particularly the racial divide, would be our YouTube influencer partners like Anthony Brian Logan. But the most powerful incursions we're making through the Democrat Party's racial lines are the result of our young black "grasstop" influencers, whose hard-hitting grassroots outreach is recruiting others to Liberty and Freedom. We've always featured a strong lineup of influential black conservative columnists, including Thomas Sowell, Walter E. Williams, Ken Blackwell, Star Parker, Larry Elder, and Kay Coles James. But the next generation of black grassroots conservatives is reaching a broader group of Democrats of all racial and ethnic backgrounds. Let me introduce you to Patrick Hampton and Willie Richardson, two men I've known for many years. Patrick and Willie are recent additions to our lineup of grassroots writers, and they're among the bravest men I know. Why? Because they've broken free from the Left's racial lockstep orthodoxy, and they're leading other black Americans, who have been enslaved on the Democrats' urban poverty plantations for generations, toward the promise of genuine "hope and change." Both of these men and their families have been subject to relentless racial ridicule and fratricidal attacks — in effect, intra-racist assaults that would send most people running for cover. But not these warrior Patriots. Despite abuses from those in the "black community," who have been generationally subjugated by the Socialist Democrat Party to the point they have become political dependents, Patrick and Willie fearlessly charge on. So effective is their outreach to a broad swath of young black Americans that the Democrats and their leftist cadres of "useful idiots" consider these men — and the growing ranks of black men and women like them — a powerful threat to the Left's chokehold on minority voters. The fact is, most Americans are better off now, thanks to Trump administration policies, than they were at any time during the eight long years of the Obama regime. And black Americans are thriving at an unprecedented level. The black unemployment rate, for example, has hit a record low 5.4%, thanks in large part the Republicans' Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which has helped create "opportunity zones" responsible for employing 1.4 million people within minority communities. But Democrat race hustlers and their mainstream media PR conglomerate are very adept at fomenting racial division and fear. This is the foundation of their "HATE TRUMP" platform — and it's all they have to offer. A growing number of young black conservatives are emerging from the shadows of the Left's ideological gulags, and leading them out are Patriots like Patrick and Willie, who have embraced American Liberty and are encouraging others to do likewise. I first met Patrick almost 10 years ago at a reception for Jeremiah Wright, who shaped the views of Barack Obama in a spiritual cauldron of racial hatred. I was interested to meet Wright, face-to-face — this man who preached "G-d Damn America." In that crowded room were three white faces amid a sea of black ones, but at our table in the back of the room was a young Patrick Hampton. I quickly discerned that he was a bold and early breakaway from Obama and Wright, and the Democrat Party. (What I also remember about that day is that, unbeknownst to me, Patrick thought it would be humorous to take a photo of me with the Racist Reverend — which of course I asked him to delete — but I suspect he kept it and will pull it out the next time we discuss his compensation package.) Patrick, who has been recognized twice in the past month by President Trump for his leadership, is a voice of strength for this generation. He has an impressive record as a passionate cultural and political influencer. "The millennials of today are the leaders of TODAY," he says. "If we fail to engage millennials and sow the seeds of truth into the next generation of leaders, we will be forced to reap the weeds of our ignorance versus the flowers of our love tomorrow." On his devotion to Liberty and unity, Patrick had this to offer: "America is a set of ideas and principles guided by the Declaration of Independence and set forth by the Constitution. It is adherence to those ideals that make all of us Americans. Part of the beauty of America is that these ideals are not limited to ethnicity, color, creed, or gender. Americans are simply those that accept these ideals and principles to be true and evident. Once an American believes those principles to be true, there is no need for hyphenated Americanism. Therefore, for cultural cohesion to flourish, 'American' should be the only national identity for all of us. We should not identify ourselves by our cultural tribes but by overarching ideals we choose to defend." I met Willie about the same time as I did Patrick. I was a Scout Council executive board member, and Willie was an Eagle Scout who was very involved with Urban Scouting — working to encourage black youngsters to become men of integrity and faith. Again, it was easy to see that, like Patrick, Willie had broken ranks with the Democrat Party's racial orthodoxy. Willie is a native of Memphis, where he and his three sisters were raised by their parents, who will celebrate 50 years of marriage next year. Willie and his wife have a daughter and two sons. He is a gifted and bold voice for social change, and he has a penetrating ability to both influence and inspire. He's a talented speaker on fathering, parenting, and social and political issues, and he's the author of Game Over, an inspirational resource for fathering. "Our culture is in a state of emergency," notes Willie, who has a graduate degree in public administration but counts his most important life decision as committing to follow Christ. "Society is searching for answers to crime, poverty, violence, and political change and it's time we awaken it to the truth." To get a sense of the perspective these two men are carrying across enemy lines, I encourage you to read their latest analysis. Willie wrote "Blexodus" this week, about black Americans exiting the Democrat Party, while Patrick's latest column is on a similar theme: "Why Blacks are Rejecting Ideological Stereotypes." While many would assume, merely based on their skin color, that Patrick and Willie are adherents of the Left, the fact is they are All-American. They are Patriots of the first order. And they have a special ability to both preach beyond the choir and teach conservatives what they need to know about reaching black Americans. Those who venture into this long-ignored community will find more conservatives than ever. Help us promote Liberty across all racial and ethnic divides by supporting The Patriot Post. Since we launched more than 23 years ago, we've grown to become the Web's most influential grassroots journal of Liberty. But we rely 100% on the voluntary financial support of Patriots like you, so please support The Patriot Fund's Year-End Campaign today. Semper Vigilans Fortis Paratus et Fidelis Pro Deo et Libertate — 1776