The Black Republican

Star Parker, like Juan Williams before her, makes the case for playing for the black vote by going into black churches.

Republican National Committee Chairman Ed Gillespie has been touring the country with boxing promoter Don King addressing black businessmen in the inner cities. But is this really the best way to reach black voters? Less than 3 percent of blacks own businesses and most of these are mom-and-pop operations with revenues of less than $150,000 per year.

The way to reach blacks is through the black church. Starbucks knows this. Its recent entry into the inner cities has been orchestrated through churches.

Nationwide, there are 65,000 black churches, with more than 20 million members and $50 billion in revenues. Republicans need to build on this base, already with Bush on social issues, and help blacks make the logical connection between their faith and the importance of individual freedom and personal responsibility.

This is bordering on mind-blowing. Gillespie's almost feeble attempts to seem like we're reaching out to the black community - while not making much of an attempt at all - are going to be seen as more of the same pandering from the right that the community gets from the left. It's time to stop this. NOW.

PLEASE call the Bush campaign, email the RNC, talk to every Republican officeholder you know and tell them all to get the message to Karl Rove and the President to listen to Star Parker and Juan Williams. Let's take our case to the people directly by going into the black churches.