Republican Legacy

Rebuttal worth noting:

 

Keith’s post linked in title:

 

Stats Don’t Lie in Civil Rights Voting

 

Keith Baker, in a public forum posting of 8/24/06 - Salt Lake Tribune - criticizes Craig Monson’s post in the forum 8/12, by first stating that the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was not, as Mr. Monson attempts to point out, a Republican triumph but, through failed logic of his own, reverses the success of the project and awards it to the Democrats. Secondly, he attempts to peg Abraham Lincoln as a modern day Howard Dean. Does anybody buy that?

 

Keith’s assessments are shallow and un-researched perspectives typical of the left and their tendency for an emotional conception of history.

Though John F. Kennedy, a Democrat, presided over the Act for most of its process, he was not, based on his record as a senator and subsequent campaign for the Presidency, particularly fond of the issue and much like the rest of the nation had complicated and sometimes contradictory views about civil rights.

 

             Keith’s citation of congressional voting statistics to bolster his argument is fragmented and is camouflage for the deeper truths. Simply stating that 19 more Senate Democrats and 17 more House Democrats voted for the Act is misleading and reveals an elementary level assessment. Considering there were 248 Democrats and only 178 Republicans in Congress, a majority by a third, it is inevitable that there would be more “aye” votes cast by Democrats. With that said, the figures that bear out the truth more fully are that 80% of Republicans in both houses voted for, with only 19% against, contrasting that with 61% of Democrats for and an astounding 38% against.

 

A stronger case is made by reviewing the voting records of congress prior to the building social unrest over the civil rights issue that began in the 1950’s and culminated in the early 60’s with the passing of the Act. In fact, since 1933, Republicans had a more positive record on civil rights than the Democrats. In the twenty-six major civil rights votes since 1933, a majority of Democrats opposed civil rights legislation in over 80% of the votes. By contrast, the Republican majority favored civil rights in over 96% of the votes.

 

To address the second issue, Lincoln’s primary requisite as President was the unification of the Republic in the face of pressure from the south to secede. Though he was keenly aware of the battle waging to free the slave, his focus was on preserving the nation in its expansion. Keith’s assertion that Lincoln belongs in a class with the gay rights activists of this day is absurd. Though he presided over a war, as much economic as it was ideological, that emancipated thousands, his intellect and respect for moral traditions would have him viewing today’s moral dilemma with an eye to the appalling.