Dems a fickle friend but GOP acts like an enemy

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http://www.ajc.com/print/content/epaper/editions/tuesday/opinion_04ae146641926136007c.html
part of opinion letter
Dems a fickle friend, but GOP acts like an enemy
Joseph E. Lowery - letter to editor
Tuesday, July 6, 2004

In his June 28 column, Jim Wooten asserted that Republican policies embrace "strong defense, limited government, low taxes and personal responsibility". He implies that blacks have antipathy for these issues. He is wrong going and coming.

In the name of fighting terrorism, they hold citizens in prisons for undue periods of time without counsel and engage in other threats to our civil liberties.

Only out of ignorance or malice would one imply that African-Americans reject personal responsibility. Under the dehumanizing and shameful system of slavery, blacks demonstrated great skills in finding ways to survive. That same responsible and discerning characteristic brought us through the pain and suffering of slavery and then segregation and on through continuing forms of discrimination. We do not apologize for expecting assistance from public policy, for it was public policy that enslaved and discriminated against us in the first place.

The Rev. Joseph E. Lowery of Atlanta, a veteran civil rights leader, is president emeritus of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference.