From the Issac Hayes for 2nd District Congressional seat, facing Jesse Jackson, Jr. …
The following letter was released today by Rev. Isaac C. Hayes, the GOP nominee for Congress in IL-2, challenging the persistent indifference to Black Republican candidates by Black publications:
“As ‘minorities’ we have always called for diversity and tolerance” said Hayes, “yet within Black press there is no tolerance for Black Republicans and no willingness to embrace Black political diversity. My question is why not? Why are our press releases, letters to the editor, community events, and campaigns ignored? Is it not the responsibility of Black press to keep the Black community informed of what and who is impacting their lives?”
Rev. Hayes has called for Black publications to be more inclusive in their reporting, but became alarmed when this week’s endorsement sections were for Democrats exclusively, with no mention of the Republican primaries or candidates. Hayes said, “Our backgrounds include Reverend, Alderman, Officer, working with youth, and community organizing with President Barack Obama. We are not outsiders. We ask that we not be treated as such.” The letter is as follows:
Dear Editor —
I am the GOP nominee for Congress in IL-2. I am conservative. I also happen to be an African-American, and resident of the Chicagoland area. The reason I am writing to you today is because your publication primarily serves the Black community. I am a faithful reader, but have noticed an intentional/unintentional neglect to Republican members of our community.
Your endorsements this week did not include the Republican Party at all! However, the Chicago Sun-Times and Tribune both endorsed Democratic and Republican primaries. This created grave concern about your commitment to objective reporting, and to the real needs and diversity of opinion among African-Americans. I find it particularly challenging to reconcile how no Republican candidate is worthy of your endorsement. It gives the impression of partisanship.
I know it is assumed that all Blacks are Democrats and to be Black means you have to be a Democrat, but these assumptions are egregiously false. Black history is full of prominent Republicans, including Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., whose birthday we just celebrated. Dr. King’s niece, Althea King, is a prominent Republican today, and a conservative activist in New York City.
As “minorities” we have always called for diversity and tolerance, yet within Black press there is no tolerance for Black Republicans and no willingness to embrace Black political diversity. My question is why not? Why are our press releases, letters to the editor, community events, and campaigns ignored? Is it not the responsibility of Black press to keep the Black community informed of what and who is impacting their lives?
I appeal to you to be more inclusive, more objective, and less partial. We have Republican candidates running for U.S. Senate, U.S. House of Representatives, and Cook County Sheriff who are members of the Black community. Yet, there has been no mention of any of our candidacies.
Our backgrounds include Reverend, Alderman, Officer, working with youth, and community organizing with President Barack Obama. We are not outsiders. We ask that we not be treated as such.
Very Respectfully,
Rev. Isaac C. Hayes
GOP Nominee for U.S. Congress, IL-2
www.isaac4honesty.com