FOOD STAMP LOGIC

As a member of a so-called marginalized community, I find myself at odds with others in my race who consider me a sell-out or Auntie Tom because of some of my political opinions. Simply put, there are elements of "Black" politics that I agree with/understand yet there are many ideas that I believe serve to undermine "us" and do nothing to help the cause of Black advancement and the move towards a racial reconciliation-i.e. Affirmative Action( but that's another debate for another day.) What I want to address today is former Speaker Newt Gingrich's "food-stamp president" comment. Many took offense to this comment claiming it was racially charged because the president is Black. Was it? Perhaps, but that's not my issue. I am more concerned about how he defended the statement and why I agree with him on this particular issue. Ann Curry of NBC's morning show went after Newt hard: she accused him of playing the race card leading up to the South Carolina primary. Newt claimed he had been using the term for 8 months. He turned the tables back on Ann by accusing the liberal media of getting upset whenever republicans try to encourage prosperity by discouraging government dependence. He said it was a fact that more food stamps have been doled out under the Obama administration because of massive government spending. He claims that most people would rather earn a paycheck than be dependent on the government. He then defended himself against charges of racism by pointing out he attended the Martin Luther King breakfast with Tom Scott(a Black republican) who shares Newt's views. So do I. I had to apply for food stamps once, after falling on hard times, as most of us will do at some point in our lives. I found the experience humiliating. I took it personally being Black, because of the stigma and stereotyping that comes from receiving government aid. I vowed after the experience that I would never do it again, never mind the stigma, having to go through the fingerprinting, the disclosure, the government in your business...it's dehumanizing. I would rather earn a paycheck. I would like to take race out of this debate, because research has shown that the majority of welfare recipients are not Black. It's unfortunate that many of us believe that the majority of people on food stamps are Black and are offended by the statement. I think it's quite telling. Why don't liberals ever address the issue that many who are dependent on government would rather not be? It's a bit condescending I think, to say someone is racist because they think people should be less dependent on the government for hand outs. African American conservatives should take the lead here. This is how we move away from the racism that taints politics. There are far too many progressive Blacks in America who understand that racism does exist, but calling someone a racist because they speak out against food stamps or other social welfare programs does little to advance the cause of racial equality. This is not to say that racism does not exist and has no part in society but one way to address it is to combat liberal ideas that undermine the progress made by successful Black Americans. I don't endorse Newt Gingrich, but I am glad he has black friends.