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It’s about time that Republicans quit pussy-footing around on the issue of race. They need to point out that in both principle and practice, the Republican Party has a far better record than the Democrats on race. Even more importantly, they need to stress that on the issues that most affect African-Americans today, the Democratic position represents racism of the most offensive sort—a patronizing racism that denigrates Blacks every bit as badly as the old racism of Jim Crow and segregation. Republicans were primarily responsible for the following Civil Rights legislation: 1. The Emancipation Proclamation 2. The 13th Amendment 3. The 14th Amendment 4. The 15th Amendment 5. The Reconstruction Act of 1867 6. The Civil Rights of 1866 7. The Enforcement Act of 1870 8. The Forced Act of 1871 9. The Ku Klux Klan Act of 1871 10. The Civil Rights Act of 1875 11. The Freeman Bureau 12. The Civil Rights Act of 1957 13. The Civil Rights Act of 1960 14. The United State Civil Rights Commission ******************************************** And REPUBLICANS gave strong bi-partisan support and sponsorship for the following legislation 15. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 17. The Voting Rights Act of 1965 18. The 1968 Civil Rights Acts 19. The Equal Opportunity Act of 1972 20. Goals and Timetables for Affirmative Action Programs 21. Comprehensive Employment Training Act of 1973 22. Voting Rights Act of Amendment of 1982 23. Civil Rights Act of 1983 24. Federal Contract Compliance and Workforce Development Act of 1988 May 2, 1963 Republicans condemn Democrat sheriff of Birmingham, AL for arresting over 2,000 African-American schoolchildren marching for their civil rights September 29, 1963 Gov. George Wallace (D-AL) defies order by U.S. District Judge Frank Johnson, appointed by President Dwight Eisenhower, to integrate Tuskegee High School June 9, 1964 Republicans condemn 14-hour filibuster against 1964 Civil Rights Act by U.S. Senator and former Ku Klux Klansman Robert Byrd (D-WV), who still serves in the Senate June 10, 1964 Senate Minority Leader Everett Dirksen (R-IL) criticizes Democrat filibuster against 1964 Civil Rights Act, calls on Democrats to stop opposing racial equality. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was introduced and approved by a staggering majority of Republicans in the Senate. The Act was opposed by most southern Democrat senators, several of whom were proud segregationists—one of them being Al Gore Sr. Democrat President Lyndon B. Johnson relied on Illinois Senator Everett Dirksen, the Republican leader from Illinois, to get the Act passed. August 4, 1965 Senate Republican Leader Everett Dirksen (R-IL) overcomes Democrat attempts to block 1965 Voting Rights Act; 94% of Senate Republicans vote for landmark civil right legislation, while 27% of Democrats oppose. Voting Rights Act of 1965, abolishing literacy tests and other measures devised by Democrats to prevent African-Americans from voting, signed into law; higher percentage of Republicans than Democrats vote in favor February 19, 1976 President Gerald Ford formally rescinds President Franklin Roosevelt’s notorious Executive Order authorizing internment of over 120,000 Japanese-Americans during WWII September 15, 1981 President Ronald Reagan establishes the White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities, to increase African-American participation in federal education programs June 29, 1982 President Ronald Reagan signs 25-year extension of 1965 Voting Rights Act August 10, 1988 President Ronald Reagan signs Civil Liberties Act of 1988, compensating Japanese-Americans for deprivation of civil rights and property during World War II internment ordered by FDR November 21, 1991 President George H. W. Bush signs Civil Rights Act of 1991 to strengthen federal civil rights legislation August 20, 1996 Bill authored by U.S. Rep. Susan Molinari (R-NY) to prohibit racial discrimination in adoptions, part of Republicans’ Contract With America, becomes law And let’s not forget the words of liberal icon Margaret Sanger, founder of Planned Parenthood… We should hire three or four colored ministers, preferably with social-service backgrounds, and with engaging personalities. The most successful educational approach to the Negro is through a religious appeal. We don’t want the word to go out that we want to exterminate the Negro population….