'I Started Paying Attention To History': Black Conservatives Explain Why They're Not Democrats

Black Americans have voted majority Democrat for quite some time. In fact, according to the Pew Research Center, only 8 percent of the black vote went to President Trump back in 2016.

But just because the majority of blacks lean to the left doesn’t mean there aren’t those who take a different route and decide to turn to the right.

Daniel Grimes, a graduate student at Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism, went out to CPAC and talked with black conservatives who put the Democratic party’s ideology behind them. 

"I started paying attention to history," Maj Toure, the founder of Black Guns Matter, said about why he started viewing politics a little differently - and voting a little differently, too. "I started understanding that the concepts of freedom, liberty, things of that nature, are more kind of right-leaning a little bit, or maybe a lotta bit."

Toure spoke with the NRA’s Willis Lee at CPAC and mentioned that many blacks are conservative but are not aware of it.

“Once I started to do the history and understand the foundation of republicanism I was like, ‘oh, wait a minute and I’m actually a conservative,’” Bevelyn Beatty told Grimes. “I’m come, like, from urban communities, and I was like, ‘you know what a lot of us are actually conservative and don’t know it.’”

One reason some blacks may not see their conservatism is the left has continued to push “victimization” among minorities and that has infected many urban communities to the point where it’s hard for them to view themselves in a different way. 

“Well they don’t understand that it is a responsibility issue,” Joy Villa explained. “It’s not about victimhood, it’s about being a victor. Stronger, better, faster, for you. Your personal integrity matters, not what they tell you matters. And that’s really what black Americans, unfortunately, they’ve drank the kool-aid of the Democratic party.”

Grimes mentioned in his report that the folks he interviewed have had the usual ad hominem attacks thrown at them, like “Uncle Tom, coons, and sellouts,” but their resolve remains firm and they will keep going forward in their conservative ways. 

You know, whenever someone decides to veer from the “norm” they are often demeaned by their peers, but you can’t allow people to cause you to succumb to the “fear of man.” If blacks are going to go the way of conservatism they have to expect backlash (or “BLACK-lash?” if you will) but if you know why you moved toward the new direction there is no reason to back down.

Check out Grimes video below (hint: you have to click the link in the tweet):

H/T: The Blaze