I am currently reading Blackout, a scathing critique of the Democrat party by Candace Owens, the founder of BLEXIT and source of this article’s title. Her thesis is Democrats hurt black Americans by talking up systemic racism (creating victims) and ignoring self-determiniation (required of victors). By comparing 2018 to 1968, Owens provides clear evidence that Democrat campaign promises have not made black lives better.
Fifty years after LBJ’s Great Society, black incarcerations have tripled to six times the white incarceration rate. The black unemployment rate in 2018 was 7.5% (up from 6.7%), and black home ownership was unchanged (40%). And, while black Americans are better educated, they still lag whites in educational attainment (source: USCB). In comparison, the private sector has created cell phones, rap music and Wal-Mart since 1968.
The data is compelling, but the greater tragedy is millions of damaged psyches after decades of identity politics. Like Chinese water torture (drip-drip-drip), non-stop allegations of race-based oppression have sustained – not ended – black dependence on a self-serving institution. Owens sees no material difference between plantation and welfare state: black labor or votes required for clothing, food and shelter.
Killer question: if white liberals really care about black lives, why do they attack conservative Christian values when 80% of black Americans (more than other races) self-describe themselves as Christian (source: Pew), and a whopping 98% view Dr. King’s sermons favorably (source: Ipsos)? This is true, but Democrats still oppose public displays of Christianity (school prayer), ignore too few black marriages, and promote black abortions.
While black Americans widely fault Democrats for failing to improve black lives, unity stops right there. Black Lives Matter wants to de-fund police, but Rep. James Clyburn (D-SC) wants Democrats to shut-up about de-funding the police. John James (R-MI) wants blacks to vote Republican, but Kanye West wants them to turn to Christ. As if there’s a substitute for self-determination (there isn’t). Ms. Owens is 100% right about that.
A fifty-year black winning streak would begin with gainful employment near black communities, which is why Senator Tim Scott (R-SC) advocates enterprise zones. A strong, local economy helps black dads stay with black moms, creating nuclear families that provide children (of all races) with dignity and discipline; the seed corn for victors. In addition, black school districts must offer competitive educations or school vouchers, because knowledge precipitates upward mobility.
Strong families and good educations open doors of opportunity to any American – which is where the government comes in. Washington must focus on equal opportunity – not equal outcomes – for two reasons: (1) a truly free people are self-regulated opportunists, and (2) American dynamism depends on victors competing and winning (e.g. Edison, Ford and Jordan). After 50 years of “fair share” failure, it’s time to try “fair competition” to create millions of victors. What have blacks got to lose?
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