blackvoicenews.com

By William Reed, NNPA Columnist –

Republican presidential candidate Congressman Ron Paul (R-Texas) has come under fire over allegations that a newsletter he edited years ago contained racist commentary. The old geezer is being punk’d by people Black voters really should be leery of instead of quoting. Publicizing of comments published in the 1980s and 1990s reeks as a the latest agenda to mis-educate Black voters. To charge Paul with “racism” is misleading.

Ron Paul is far from being a foe of Black Americans. He is to be admired as a man of principles and a comrade in foiling America’s imperialists and the war crowd that probably were sources of the racially-charged commentaries. In contrast to what has turned up, if Blacks look a little closer they’d see that Paul’s political positions are in line with those preached and practiced by Martin Luther King, Jr. MLK’s position on foreign policy was vastly more similar to Paul’s than it is to any other presidential candidate.

Paul is hardly the racist that the mainstream media would have Blacks believe him to be. Blacks have more in common with Paul’s opposition to America’s penchant for imperialistic wars and absurd rationalities behind them like “Manifest Destiny” and “American Exceptionalism” than with President Obama.

Think about it, Paul has been on the national scene for 30 years. He has been labeled “conservative”, “Constitutionalist” and “libertarian”, but never “racist.” Much of Paul’s opposition comes from fear in some pro-Israel circles that Paul reflects an ascendant faction that has little use for a foreign policy so tilted toward Israel. Paul is not “a mainstream man” and the only candidate seeking to change the status quo in America. A medical doctor, Paul advocates ending the drug war and fixing a biased court system that unfairly targets and punishes minorities.

Paul may have made enough people mad enough to punk him, but Blacks have to be discerning in knowing what his actual views toward us are. Over the years Paul’s positions have remained clear and transparent. He hasn’t wavered in his voting or policy ideals. What candidate can you name that is more serious on fiscal matters? Paul wants to get rid of many federal agencies and would like to audit and perhaps abolish the Federal Reserve Bank. Paul advocates an end to the death penalty and, as president, plans to bring all military troops home.

People tied to the military/industrial complex loathe Paul the most. He labels their banter against Iran “warmongering” and states: “In all wars minorities suffer the most. So I hope that they join me in this position … against the war in Iraq… and the war on drugs.” What other candidates will stand up and say “I will pardon … everybody convicted for non-violent drug acts and drug crimes. This is where the real discrimination is … the judicial system … that I’m attacking.”

Paul brings a breath of honesty and accountability to the 2012 presidential races. Blacks of all political stripes would benefit from an honest debate during this season about campaign finance reform, military spending, torture of enemy combatants, immigration, the Federal Reserve, free trade agreements, gay marriage and prison sentences for drug use Paul’s candidacy brings about. In his opposition to American imperialism, Paul provides a certain appeal to people who see through the lies fuelling the Bush/Obama foreign policy: using the American military on behalf of the banks and multinationals. An unbridled military industrial complex is against the interest of any thinking American, and many voters are starting to rethink America’s foreign policy. For these views, Paul has growing appeal among Americans and is being “played”; as he’s portrayed as a racist on racist mediums.

As the primaries play out, look at Paul for practical political positions that help our nation. Black voters should move beyond the newsletters in judging Paul. Try judging his efforts to end a “war on drugs” that has contributed to the mass incarceration of the poor and people of color, you’ll find him far from racist and quite progressive.