Gender and Ethnic Equality

Since the Civil War, it has been Republicans, not Democrats, which have made it possible for ethnic and gender social equality. In 1863, Abraham Lincoln, a Republican, issued two executive orders in the Emancipation Proclamation that proclaimed all slaves in Confederate States to be free. In fact, this became a Republican Party platform issue.

Shortly after the end of the Civil War, three amendments were added to our Constitution. In 1865, the 13th Amendment abolished slavery and made Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation vision, the law of the land. In 1868, the 14th Amendment gave citizenship and equal protection to former slaves. And finally, in 1870, the 15th Amendment gave African-American males the right to vote. All of these amendments were championed by Republicans.

The next big step in gender equality came 50 years later with the ratification of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution. After a long struggle, the women’s suffrage movement had their biggest victory as the 19th Amendment gave them the right to vote. Once again, if it were not for Republicans this historic day would have been delayed decades. Eighty-Two percent of Senate Republicans voted in favor of the Amendment to get a two-thirds majority. Only 59% of Senate Democrats voted in favor of the amendment.

In 1964 the Civil Rights Act passed. And once again, it took a large Republican majority to overcome Democratic West Virginia Senator Robert Byrd’s, (The former KKK member still represents West Virginia in the Senate) filibuster. Eighty-Two percent of Senate Republicans voted in favor of the legislation while only 66% of Democrats voted in favor of the bill despite immense pressure from their President, LBJ.

Over the past 40 years it has been reported that women and African-Americans fell out of favor with the Republican Party because they changed into a party of racist white males. This is far from the truth. The Republican Party still values equality for all American citizens. In fact, it was the Democratic Party that vastly changed its views. Not only did they soften their stance on gender and ethnic equality, they adopted far more lenient interpretations of the Civil Rights Act.

Democrats interpreted Affirmative Action and diversity as meaning every American is entitled and has the right to money, housing, food, and medical treatment regardless of personal accountability or responsibility. Democrats put in place quota systems that created social injustices and reverse discrimination. In effect, liberals adapted an overcompensated view of the Civil Rights law, which expanded the rights of women and minorities above men. Yes, Republicans believe in equality for all Americans, but individuals have a moral and ethical responsibility to earn their opportunities. In essence, opportunities should be earned on merit, and not one’s gender or ethnicity. Hence, the conservative interpretation of the Civil Rights Act is that all people are equal and therefore, there should be no favoritism regardless of race or ethnicity.

Republicans view on abortion also drove the feminist movement away from conservatism. Once again, the Republicans view on equality is consistent and includes covering the rights of unborn children. The progressive prochoice view, once again, is more selfish and yields more power to the individual rights of women. Face it, many feminist care more about their individuality and careers than their families well being.

And what has been the result of women and minorities flocking to the liberal ideology? Our moral values have decayed over the past 4 decades. We have become a narcissistic society that cares more about handouts, entitlements, and advancing our individual rights without understanding the consequences and expense at which these rights are afforded to us. When we are only concerned about our Medicare benefits, we are oblivious as to where the Medicare money comes from. When we are only concerned about our jobs, it is easy to neglect our families or to notice that more qualified people were wrongly passed over for your job. Thus, liberal ideology has led directly to poor parenting and the collapse of the family unit. It has led to more minorities living in poverty fighting crime and addictions. And what’s worse, a majority of minorities are no better off then they were 40 years ago since they are still segregated in the ghettos of our inner cities. How’s that for ethnic and gender equality?