Did Race Shape Reagan's Policies? (Colin Powell, weapons, racism, speech)
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How much did the racial attitude expressed by Ronald Reagan in these tapes shape any of his policies towards Africans and Black people in general?
Can tell you for a fact NO
anyone can do anything with youtube and it didn't even exist back in the 70s, or certainly not as it does today. editing, adding, etc to a tape can do a lot to alter the tape. And as for a racist joke: we are talking 40 years ago, racist jokes were just something that went around and mostly meant notice except some were or are pretty funny. I hear jokes all the time referring to older people. Most of them are pretty funny and not meant to insult anyone. BTW I am in my 80s.
I’m not a Republican, but I doubt that Reagan was any more overtly racist than most of his era. By the time that Reagan received the Republican Nomination in 1980, the southern conservatives were an important part of the GOP. He went to the Neshoba County Fair in 1980, not far where the bodies of Goodwin, Schwerner and Chaney were discovered in 1964, and declared himself a supporter of States Rights. He did that and made the necessary dog whistles about “Welfare Queens” and “Young Bucks with Food Stanps” not out of personal racism, but for political opportunism because they were at that time a core group that he needed to win.
How much did the racial attitude expressed by Ronald Reagan in these tapes shape any of his policies towards Africans and Black people in general?
My recollection of Reagan is somewhat limited because I was a teenager in the 80s and not really paying much attention to politics yet.
To my knowledge, Reagan seems to have concentrated mostly on foreign policy. I think he tended to pay less attention to the domestic side of things, including black issues. When his administration did concentrate on domestic affairs it was on things like trying to grow the economy and reduce inflation, things that effect all Americans not just blacks. High inflation was a big issue in the early 80s.
Reagan did promote an African American, General Colin Powell, as his National Security Advisor. He also had the first Hispanic to serve in the Cabinet, Lauro Cavazos as the US Secretary of Education. He also had several women in positions of power but otherwise the majority of the government was white males.
Well he did turn on the 2nd amendment simply because the Black Panthers were exercising open carry rights, starting CA down the path of gun control.
"There's no reason why on the street today a citizen should be carrying loaded weapons"
I’m not a Republican, but I doubt that Reagan was any more overtly racist than most of his era. By the time that Reagan received the Republican Nomination in 1980, the southern conservatives were an important part of the GOP. He went to the Neshoba County Fair in 1980, not far where the bodies of Goodwin, Schwerner and Chaney were discovered in 1964, and declared himself a supporter of States Rights. He did that and made the necessary dog whistles about “Welfare Queens” and “Young Bucks with Food Stanps” not out of personal racism, but for political opportunism because they were at that time a core group that he needed to win.
Reagan shouldn't have done such dog whistles. He was wrong for that. For that reason, I have no respect for him. Actually, I sort of though of him as a covertly racist person. However, stuff like this, why would I vote for someone like that?
I’m not a Republican, but I doubt that Reagan was any more overtly racist than most of his era. . He went to the Neshoba County Fair in 1980, not far where the bodies of Goodwin, Schwerner and Chaney were discovered in 1964, and declared himself a supporter of States Rights. He did that and made the necessary dog whistles about “Welfare Queens” and “Young Bucks with Food Stanps” not out of personal racism, but for political opportunism because they were at that time a core group that he needed to win.
This old chestnut AGAIN?
Mikael Dukakis held a campaign rally at the Neshoba County Fairgrounds (not 'fair') also in 1988 when running against HW Bush. It's about 7-9 miles from the bodies you describe. Was Dukakis therefore sending racist dog whistles? Or are you a hypocrite. It's gotta be one or the other....
I give you credit for not claiming that Reagan's speech was in Philadelphia, MS, as is usually done with this meme. The meme is gradually being refined.
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