One thing that came out of the poorly-named “GOP Autopsy” was the need for Republicans to reach out to minority groups. That’s a positive point, and hopefully it will be done right.
It’s a good idea to recruit in inner city neighborhoods, and help candidates who champion free market answers to the big government corruption that has plagued cities like Washington, DC and Detroit. It’s a bad idea to reach out to groups solely in the name of diversity. That would be like introducing yourself to a black dude by saying, “Hey, do you want to hang out? I need more black friends.”
A corollary to that is to avoid apologizing for policy positions, which is where Adam Corolla comes into this discussion. The GOP’s messaging mea culpa came a week after Carolla railed on the Huffington Post for accusing him of racism. The issue was Carolla’s stance that government solutions to social problems ignore the causes – such as the devaluation of family in black culture:
The family is the number one problem in the Black community. […] It’s simple. Fathers, stay at home, raise your family, do your homework with your kids, put an emphasis on education like the Jews, like the Asians, and let’s see what happens to the problem in 20 years.
Carolla’s response was even more direct:
But let me take this moment to now talk to all the p—–s that are out there trying to stir things up and turn me into a racist. I got news for you: Me saying parents should stick around and raise the children – me saying families and cultures should focus on education — is not radical or revolutionary. It’s the f–king truth.
Carolla isn’t going to throw his support behind the Republican party, but they can learn from his tone. When reaching out to groups – women, young voters, or minorities – the message doesn’t have to start with an apology. Support comes from trust – and trust can only come when people see you’re willing to “speak the f–king truth.”
Just be willing to speak it to their face.
Jim Eltringham 