Before you start naming off the obvious, let’s put this into perspective.

There are many black conservatives who’ve worked, more of less, behind the scenes to promote Republican values. Very few have been formally embraced by the Republican Party because many of us were at it long before the prominence of social media. It was more about the mission of pushing back against the kneejerk all-Republicans-are-racist narrative. We appeared in hostile environments, took on controversial issues, and at times our messaging was much more informative and engaging than your average wonk.

CNN only invite black conservatives on their broadcasts when we speak out of turn, have to be questioned as to our sanity, and ridiculed once the segments end. We are the Fox News backstop against unfounded or made up accusations against the movement and/or the party. We do it more for love of the concept of conservatism that the Republican Party itself.

In many respects, we outperform the party when it comes to the means of creating messages and the fat-and-happy entrenched are naturally threatened by those who do it better.

For example, I dare you to find ONE speaker who so effortlessly and fearlessly explained conservative opposition to gay marriage when the topic was white hot or since….

This was not issued in the mocking, self-promoting tone many of today’s younger mouthpieces would. There were no Facebook likes and Twitter follows to be gained when Alan Keyes spoke in Boston. This wasn’t streamed online. It couldn’t be shared by the hundreds of thousands as to create a back-patting metric that excites today’s nonprofits and cable news interests.

The older group of black conservative activists I knew/know were comfortable with our individual methods of reach. Hardly any of us got rich off our activism but if we could speak somewhere and later be surrounded by a room full of students who never heard black people speaking the way we did and just had to hear more, that’s all we needed to keep us going. We never lied to anyone about who we are, how we got here, and where we wanted to go. All that’s off the table now, as in any movement, there are those who are there more for themselves than the movement.

Unlike “Good Trubah”, there will be no CNN Films documentaries honoring Lloyd, Harry or Herman. At least Mr. Cain got an R.I.P. mention on Fox News and some talk radio shows, once. And as many times as we physically stuck our necks out for the cause, I foresee no formal honors on the conservative side for any of us when our times come and I think we’re okay with that.

Allan, Zo, Star, Alan, Erik, Mychal, Anita, Alveda, Jesse Lee, Larry, Charles, David, Niger, Lynn, C.L., William, and my other black conservative acquaintances will be remembered for more than opening a door. We did it at a time where there was no real market for our sincere points-of-view and there was nothing really to personally gain. We did it because it needed to be done and we had to be damn good at it.

There are many conservatives who dutifully work behind-the-scenes to advance causes and push back against liberal policies and laws they deem harmful. Unfortunately, there are also a lot of people who’ve just discovered an issue, are outraged, post a rant on social media, and become an overnight sensation. One would want to believe their intentions are sincerely about an issue, but in the instant-gratification world we live in, coupled with audiences that are quick to show praise without examining possible motivation, we’re now being inundated with narcissists who believe they have something to say; something we’ve never heard about until they came along and now want to be the next Moses to take us all to the Promised Land.

This Tweet really sums it up.

At least he didn’t wear a Trump dress.

Note the arrogance here as Lutchman assumes, despite his limited life-experience (he’s 23), “No one is talking enough about the left’s racial discrimination of black conservatives!” and there are “many other issues” HE wants to bring to the forefront. Newsflash: many have been talking about this for decades. Obviously, he just hasn’t been led by the hand and shown where to look.

But he’s not alone, the motivations are almost totally self-serving, and Fox News is the Holy Grail to many in the movement because it can now literally lead to a job in and around the Trump White House, even though some fought against him during the 2016 presidential primary.

We sadly know many conservatives who are issue-illiterate because if they didn’t see it on Fox News, it never happened. What’s worse are those who know what the conservative media believes their audience prefers and are quick to oblige.

If Mr. Lutchman was really paying attention, he’d know his chances of making it anywhere near FNC are pretty low because he’s probably not very secure walking in six-inch heels. If he does get an opportunity to appear, it will be about one topic and one topic only: race, and those opportunities will be limited to a specific, breaking event.

But this is not at all just about black conservatives by any means. There are many out there whose overall goal is not just the mission but personal stardom, at least stardom as they personally define it.

As a guest and studio supervisor for on-air talent who appeared via remote “drop”, getting on Fox News was an overrated experience. You’re only on for less than four minutes and much of that time is the host setting up the segment to the audience and then giving his or her opinion, leaving that person steered into saying he or she agrees with the host as often as possible.

But if it’s all about being famous and becoming the latest conservative “it”, go for it and don’t expect everyone to blindly go into seal-clap mode. In the case of those who’ve just discovered black conservatism, they will find all the praise they desire on Facebook and Twitter.

Doing something that really makes a difference?

Uh oh. That’s too hard and it’s clear some wouldn’t even know where to start.

First of all, you know my disdain for the Tea Party Patriots, thus receiving this message showed the sender had not done her homework and was clearly mining “black conservatives” for some future political exploitation. I say “exploitation” because we’ve all heard blacks call in on a conservative talk radio program, told how “brave” he or she is, given a generous amount of air time, and while it’s supposed to come off as inclusive, let’s call it what it is: exploitation.

The Black & Right website was created as a forum to rebut that public perception that all Republicans are (and have always been) racists, and was just my way of sharing personal views on topics where I could also go places white Republicans publicly cannot.

Simple.

It was never about portraying myself as a victim needing bleeding heart conservatives to acknowledge, feel my pain, and/or come to my rescue.

In September of 2005, I wrote about the looting in New Orleans post-Katrina; was contacted (via a so-called black conservative group) by CNN, commented on-air about my sentiments, and subsequently received around 200 emails an hour for the next three days, which was a big deal pre-Facebook and Twitter. Most of the emails were laden with racial epithets which I shared on follow-up posts. If you read my responses, I was not lamenting being picked on by total strangers, but basically used their words to illustrate the lie that liberals are generally tolerant and inclusive.

It really wasn’t until late in 2009 where black Republicans were officially “discovered” and deemed in need of some kind of endangered species status.

Glenn Beck was more ahead of his time than I realized in 2009 when he aired his first program to prove the existence of black conservatives.
— Lisa Fritsch, Project 21

I was really out of the loop as I didn’t think we needed anyone to prove our existence….

A little more than a year ago, I was approached by a prominent black conservative and invited to “like” the Black Conservatives Fund Facebook page and help raise money for black candidates. I promptly declined because of the sheer hypocrisy in the creation of a so-called conservative group based solely on race.

White conservatives have nothing to prove when it comes to the political accusations of racism, liberals are shown to be racists almost everyday, whether we’re talking about the targets of abortion, the inaction when it comes to deadly crime in their jurisdictions, their hiring practices, etc. But for some reason, bleeding heart white conservatives still feel this need to prove to themselves they’re not what they’re called.

For example, whenever a black person speaks out in favor of a Republican or a conservative policy, they will get viciously called out by the left and embraced by the right. If that person is at all media savvy (and is prepared to take the initial stabs from the long, liberal knives), it can be quite the lucrative career move.

We have a prominent talk radio host praising black conservatives, almost always mentioning one by name, but on the very website of which he’s the Editor-in-Chief, she gets a “D” on her voting record and has been previously called out for sucking up to the now-outgoing Speaker.

I used to be a national spokesperson for a semi-well known group of black conservatives. It wasn’t until I moved to the D.C. area did I know that non-profit was staffed almost entirely by whites and that the “exposure” blacks received for the media appearances arranged was considered “payment”. After losing my job, we approached this group to do video work and after my eleven years of working with them for free, the response was a very drawn-out “no”.

I am not stupid and when I worked for a non-profit in Virginia, I knew I (and the few blacks that worked there) was being showcased for the trustees and donors. I was originally hired to bring Black & Right to a bigger audience; a suggestion I carefully blew off because I believed the company’s mission was bigger than that and instead created the successful (and colorblind) MRCTV. While I know how hard I worked and what I tried to bring to my job, I will always be humbled by being awarded Employee of the Year in 2011. However, I was always made to feel very uncomfortable having my name mentioned at the end of their annual gala because my contributions to the actual program were relatively minor and the majority of my work began within hours after the show where I’d prepare the post-production video files for the company’s writers the next day.

It was clear my name, as well as the names of the few blacks who worked there were being mentioned for one reason and one reason only and I can only imagine how the roughly 60-plus other employees who also worked hard must have felt.

Laura and I, literally, ran into that earlier mentioned talk radio host at CPAC and requested to meet with him about producing video rants. If you knew who we’re talking about about, you’d know that his doing video is a no-brainer. Laura and I also met up with another popular radio host at an award ceremony in D.C. where he was the recipient. We gave him the same pitch to do video rants, he seemed quite interested, and gave him one of our last business cards. Neither of these gentlemen bothered to contact us to say “no” and it’s their loss, but in no way were we seeking an in based on minority status alone.

I was a approached by a conservative who suggested I make a video asking for donations that would be shared in that person’s circles. I was to emphasize my being a “black conservative”. I did create the video, but as Laura and I was not in agreement with using my race and political leanings, I made it more about Laura and my history and where we want to go, business-wise.

The video tanked (results wise), and I’m kinda glad it did because exploiting myself as a “black conservative” is not who I am or ever was.

As many of you know, B&R was (and still is) a passion and was originally hosted by Men’s News Daily, later the Canada Free Press, and now Laura and I. Up until last year, it was an expense we could afford. As we never initiated the site for self-enrichment, we never made B&R or B&B Media a non-profit, thus making donation write-offs an enticement. Creating a site with donations primarily in mind is for top heavy nonprofits.

Black conservatism is not about finding the new “it” that can (and will) be exploited.

So, yes, I have a bug up my ass when it comes to the use of the labels “African-American” and “black conservative”. In the Navy, I visited Mombasa, Kenya for six days. Otherwise, I’m a native Bostonian. I am also a born-again conservative.

It’s not a badge of honor and I don’t hand out tissues.

OMG, we called Stacey Dash a “bubblehead”.

One question we asked during the thread: “And who’s defining the “conservative woman”? “Conservative” men?”

Let’s look at the conservative embrace of Dash.

Prior to the 2012 election, she sent out a Tweet expressing her support of Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney. Now, Bob was blacklisted in Hollywood because he naively and publicly told friends of changing his party registration from Democrat-to-Republican, so we fully understand the blow-back from the intolerant left and the ramifications. But prior to the very public attacks, how many people even knew what a Stacey Dash was?

Let’s be real, Dash was embraced for one reason: she is black, voted Republican, and that was used to deflect the whole Republicans-are-racist recitation. “Used” is the operative and uncomfortable word.

But who defines what it is to be a “conservative woman”? Prior to 2008, conservative women were presented as professional and intelligent, thus worthy of respect.

Then came Sarah Palin and what did the liberal media occupy their minds with in order to discredit her?

Her legs.

Ever since, conservative men have exploited women, not on what they bring to the table, but what was under it and many women were willing to comply.

Post-2008, we got Megyn Kelly and the “glass desk”. Of course, conservatives would NEVER celebrate and/or exploit women because of their assets, right? Certainly, so-called conservative men would never even go so far as to create a music video about how pretty they are, right?

And just so you know we’re not being hypocritical, Bob took jabs at the “leg cam” concept over five years ago when it was clear what Fox News was doing for ratings….

We understand why conservative men now come a-runnin’ to the defense of any conservative woman under attack from the left, or right.

Of course, since women know what they ol’ boys club is looking (at) for, it’s no wonder that we now see “Christian”, “conservative” women presenting themselves on social media with a gun and a little more skin. Sorry, that’s hardly in harmony with the whole “family values” dynamic.

Back to last night’s Facebook debate: we asked if these same conservatives would be running to the defense of Stacey Dash if she looked like Candy Crowley? Another criticism received was that we were judging Stacey Dash. It wasn’t judging but merely asking what she’s contributed to the movement. If daring to ask such a question is judgmental then stop vetting our candidates as we clearly lack any of those previously-advertised standards and morals.

Yes, we question conservatives who have thrust Stacey Dash to spokesperson status. If you, like one of last night’s participants, want to call Bob a small and petty man who is jealous of her prominence and has nowhere near the reach she has, we’re okay with that. We asked what she’s done for the movement and our overall level of involvement was called into question. Again, we’re okay with that.

But let’s say in a previous life we had questionable activities available online. We understand your past can come back to haunt. Just ask Vanessa Williams how that works. But it’s what you do after your embrace of conservatism that defines whether you’re just milking the movement for the rewards or are the “Real” deal. One could argue that Stacey Dash is a ticking time bomb every time she’s presented as a “conservative” because what she says and does will be revisited by the left when the time is right.

If they’re being consistent, we eagerly await the embrace of Howard Stern to the conservative movement. He was one of many to publicly expose the ignorance of the Obama voter and has also said, “I will never vote Democrat again, they are Communists.” Surely that alone is enough to make him a “conservative darling”; it’s not all about T&A, right?

We’re convinced Dash’s initial, public support of Mitt Romney was a career move, publicity stunt to garner the attention of conservative males, in particular, and they took the bait. On second thought, she may be smarter than we give her credit for as she went where the money is and is cashin’ in.

‘Vote for Romney. The only choice for your future,’ she tweeted on Sunday, posting a steamy photo of herself dressed in a sexy red top in front of an American flag.

Black conservatives are showcased by the conservative establishment to highlight the diversity, and that’s not a bad thing. Black conservatives who are willing to sell their souls for the fame and fortune; more power to ya. However, be wary of what happens if your work is too good.

But enough of the chivalry of running to a “conservative” woman’s defense. If a woman deserves her prominence, she can defend herself.

Even better, she won’t put herself in that uncomfortable position in the first place.

They’re calling it Diversetea but it’s the same old shit we have been swallowing here for almost 500 years. The Right has started a campaign to go into the Black community for outreach. They want to show Tea Baggers that America treated blacks and other minorities really good. Now it’s time for minorities to shut up and Conservatives (racist white folks) to take the country back and rule again.

Nothing new here. However, one of the comments is not very tolerant and would be raising all kinds of hell if things were the other way around.

I’ve always said that blacks are the only people in America not allowed a diversity of political opinion. I think again I’ve proved my point.

h/t Deborah M