There is an interesting conversation going which makes me both sad and happy. It makes me happy because I feel like I have played a small part in bridging a conservative community of bloggers with a liberal community of bloggers (the PBA). It makes me sad because much of the conversation seems fueled by anger instead of rationality and because I definitely sense some bigotry and what could certainly be considered racism.

Here’s the procession:

That Colored Fella wrote this post claiming that:

if you’re going to be a minority race Republican – specifically a Bush minority Republican – there’s a good chance you’re coming equipped with a self-delusional character flaw. For example, it will manifest itself as a radical political ideology, which goes against your upbringing, culture and heritage. Or, is represented by the bubble of self-denial you’ve created, which allows you to dismiss that your race (and not your abilities and accomplishments), has brought you such success.

That pissed off our guestblogger, HispanicPundit who posted:

Put aside for the moment the overwhelming qualifications of each candidate, Alberto Gonzales and Condoleezza Rice. What pisses me off more is the hypocrisy behind these accusations. Assuming the candidates were underqualified, which they are not, but just assuming, it is Democrats that encourage this sort of thing!!! They are the ones in support of affirmative action and the like. They are the ones that want ‘tokenism’.

Shortly there after, David Anderson came to That Colored Fella’s defense and posted his thoughts:

Liberals, not conservatives have been in the forefront in frighting for minorities from the beginning of our democracy, regardless of what party they were affiliated with, whether Old School Republican, Communist or Democratic. There were no conservatives marching in Selma or Birmingham. If some of us question the appointment of Ms. Rice or Mr. Gonzalez, it is because we are able to get past the group think so common among conservatives and look at RECORD not race.

But I ask you a question, have you ever seen Bush address a crowd of rural people. Do you see nothing condescending in the way he suddenly becomes a little more country, a little less Harvard. I mean it is hard for the man to be anything but, but talking down to the crowd is not a liberal only trait. Do some of us see Minority Republican as something of an Oxymoron, yes we do. I rarely even read Black Conservative Blogs, for the most part I find them elitist, preachy and much more condescending towards their own people than even the most hard core white conservative. I have many white conservative friends, and even have a couple who occassionaly guest blog here. I am blogrolled by almost every major white conservative blog out there, while most black conservative blogs have ignored ISOU. Are they racist too. No, they are ignorant, and that more than their conservatism is why I don’t support them.

I encourage you all to read the three posts as well as the many comments that follow. I will only make one comment and that is that it is clear to me that, like liberals and conservatives in general, minority conservatives and liberals still have a lot to learn from each other.

I closed comments on this post not because – as Moreno will tell you – I am a Fascist dictator against free speach, but because I don’t really think this is where the conversation belongs. If you have something to say, go comment on one of the three posts I linked to.

Peace y’all.