Republican Legislator: Slavery Was A “Blessing” For Black People

There is an old saying that goes: “All Republicans aren’t racists; but all racists are Republicans.” This might be an exaggeration of facts, but Republican legislator from Arkansas, Jon Hubbard, certainly adds fuel to the flame.

In a book overflowing with bigoted statements, “Letters to the Editor: Confessions of a Frustrated Conservative,” Hubbard makes some startlingly ignorant claims about Black and Hispanic Americans, including predicting there will eventually be a race extermination war like Nazi Germany.

See excerpts from the book compiled by the Arkansas Times below:

Slavery was good for black people:

“… the institution of slavery that the black race has long believed to be an abomination upon its people may actually have been a blessing in disguise. The blacks who could endure those conditions and circumstances would someday be rewarded with citizenship in the greatest nation ever established upon the face of the Earth.” (Pages 183-89)If you think slavery was bad, you should have seen Africa: 

African Americans must “understand that even while in the throes of slavery, their lives as Americans are likely much better than they ever would have enjoyed living in sub-Saharan Africa.”“Knowing what we know today about life on the African continent, would an existence spent in slavery have been any crueler than a life spent in sub-Saharan Africa?” (Pages 93 and 189)

Black people are ignorant:

“Wouldn’t life for blacks in America today be more enjoyable and successful if they would only learn to appreciate the value of a good education?” (Page 184)Integration was bad for white people 

“… one of the stated purposes of school integration was to bring black students up to a level close to that of white students. But, to the great disappointment of everyone, the results of this theory worked exactly in reverse of its intended purpose, and instead of black students rising to the educational levels previously attained by white students, the white students dropped to the level of black students. To make matters worse the lack of discipline and ambition of black students soon became shared by their white classmates, and our educational system has been in a steady decline ever since.” (Page 27)Immigration is bad. 

..the immigration issue, both legal and illegal… will lead to planned wars or extermination. Although now this seems to be barbaric and uncivilized, it will at some point become as necessary as eating and breathing.” (Page 9)Don’t forget Nazi Germany. 

“American Christians are assuming a similar stance as did the citizens of Germany during Hitler’s rise to power.” (Page 158)

And of course, Hubbard is Super-Christian, promising to uphold Christian values on his campaign’s website:

“…perhaps the most important pledge I can make to the people of District 58, the citizens of Arkansas, and to myself, is to do whatever I can to defend, protect, and preserve our Christian heritage,” Hubbard writes. “Regardless of one’s religious beliefs, if we as a nation continue to turn away from those Christian principles and values upon which this great nation was founded, we will have truly lost everything worth saving!”

What values would those be? Perhaps hate-mongering, ignorance, extremism and racism, because that is the only value set Hubbard seems to promote. While, certainly, his thoughts aren’t indicative of all Republicans, they offer insight into why many people of color wouldn’t touch the Party with a ten-foot pole.