At breakfast this morning, a friend and I were discussing politics. He’s a black man and a staunchly conservative Christian. When I asked him whether he’s had to endure very much criticism from other blacks, he just started laughing. They’ve called him every name under the sun, but this has actually been a blessing in disguise for him.
Because 90% of American blacks vote Democrat, he’s been forced to really think through his beliefs, which has made him extremely knowledgeable and skilled at discussing politics. In contrast, most liberal blacks he’s met have never really had to think about their views at all, which has left them far less equipped in this area.
And this is why he agreed with my assessment that there are no moderate conservative blacks in America. Quite simply, the persecution cost for being conservative is too high to pay for something you’re only moderately sure of, and the ongoing pressure to recant forces you to continually remind yourself why you’re paying it. This, in a nutshell, is why oppression can be such an undesirable blessing.
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