Republicans don't like it when they are called the more racist political party -- in spite of the fact that they nominated (and elected) a racist president (who picked a white supremacist as his chief advisor). They want to be known as a "big tent" party -- even though almost all of their members are white (and their policies discriminate against minority Americans).
But facts are facts, and the facts show that the Republican Party has welcomed the racists into their ranks with open arms. It wasn't always this way. But when President Johnson and the Democrats passed the civil rights laws of the 1960's, millions of Southern racists abandoned the Democratic Party and found a new home in the Republican Party.
Now, as these charts show (from the latest General Social Survey), those with a racist view make up a majority of today's Republicans. About 55% of Republicans (a significant majority) say they believe that Blacks have worse jobs, income, and housing than Whites because they lack the motivation to pull themselves out of poverty. And frankly, that is an extremely racist thing to believe.
Are their racist Democrats? Sadly yes, there are a few. But nowhere near as many as in the Republican Party (and the Democratic Party does not cater to their sick beliefs like the Republican Party does).
In a country that claims to believe in equality, racism (and other forms of bigotry) should be unacceptable -- both in our institutions and our politics. It is to our great shame that it still exists in this country. And it should be shameful to Republicans to see it has such a hold on their party.
