Ask Auntie Pinko
November 8, 2001

Dear Auntie Pinko,

Some homosexuals, blacks and other minorities ignore the divisive politics of the Republican party and vote Republican, the explanation being that the only way to change the party is to give it some of your vote in hopes that it will give different people more access to effect change in the rhetoric of the Republican party. What is your take on this?

Charles
Hiram, GA

Dear Charles,

Ah, yes, the old "Trojan Horse" strategy. It can be very effective, but it has limitations. Now, in spite of Auntie Pinko's proud and happy Democratic bias, I do not want to wipe all Republicans from the face of American politics. I can even spare some of them a little sympathy from time to time, when they realize who's in the driver's seat and where they're headed.

Nevertheless, they chose to board the bus.

Now, let's analyze the phenomenon you brought up: gay people and black people participating in the Republican Party in the hopes of (to use your words) "effecting change in the rhetoric of the Republican Party." Can they do it?

It's a pretty big challenge at the moment, when some of the ultra-right wing elements seem to have a pretty strong lock on the Party's direction. But do you know, I think it just might conceivably be possible. They could potentially change some of the Party's rhetoric. After all, the Party has trotted out token gays at its conventions a couple of times now. And they have installed a few shop-window blacks in highly visible positions.

So if they could see enough benefit in talking nice about gay people and black people, yes, it's just barely possible that their rhetoric could change.

The real questions are, could they change their policies? Could they change their actions?

There are plenty of black people and conservative people who strongly support some conservative policies. Problem is, they're not always the same policies. Some gay people, especially those who have prospered economically, are very attracted by the fiscal end of conservatism. They favor things like lower taxes, less government services, and generous corporate welfare policies because they see them as paths to prosperity.

Some black people, especially those raised in very religiously-observant families, find that moral conservatism resonates strongly with their own beliefs about marriage and the family and how to raise kids.

Are you beginning to see some problems here, Charles? The fiscally conservative policies of the GOP will only further erode economically disenfranchised blacks' share of the national prosperity. And the morally conservative policies of the GOP can only harm gay peoples' ability to obtain equal access to the social, cultural, and (ultimately) economic resources they need.

So changing the Republican rhetoric is the easy part. Once it comes time to actually change GOP policies, I fear that many of those crouching inside their "Trojan Horse" are in for a big disappointment. Of course, this is America, and that's their choice!

Thank you for asking Auntie Pinko!

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