I don’t know anyone who disagrees with the statement, “Black lives matter.” It has been a rallying cry in street protests and in the halls of Congress since the murder of George Floyd in May.
But if you listen to the mainstream media, you’ll notice that a particular group of Black activists are being scolded for daring to spread their views. I’m talking about the growing number of African American conservatives whose opinions don’t line up with the liberal narrative. These people are anti-abortion, pro-family, flag-waving patriots who defend cops, denounce socialism and refuse to view themselves as victims of systemic racism.
Apparently, in this politically correct world, not all Black opinions matter. They’ve been called Uncle Toms, traitors, puppets and much worse. They’ve even been told they aren’t Black because of their opinions. But I want them to know that a white guy in Georgia is grateful for their courage. I’ve become a big fan.
One of the most vocal new Black conservative voices is Brandon Tatum, 33, a former police officer and social media commentator from Arizona who runs a successful apparel business. What’s unusual about his company is that he makes “Make America Great Again” hats and clothing. His support of President Trump has raised eyebrows and earned him scorn—especially after he made a video called “How I Switched from Democrat to Republican” that went viral in February.
A born-again Christian who is especially concerned about the lack of fathers in Black homes, Tatum doesn’t care whom he offends when he questions the politically correct narrative of white privilege or when he defends police officers. He’s painfully blunt, but you can also feel his Christian compassion. He has spoken on 26 university campuses and comes across as a combination of street preacher and motivational business coach.
Tatum blasts mainstream journalists for promoting the concept of white privilege. “Black people can succeed in this country,” Tatum says. “At the end of the day, the color of your skin doesn’t matter. The content of your character matters. How hard you’re going to work, that’s what matters. … If you bust your tail in this country, you can be successful.”
Tatum is part of a small army of Black conservatives who are upsetting the status quo by questioning the belief that all African Americans are Democrats. Some of these leaders, led by 30-year-old Candace Owens, are part of Blexit—a movement that is urging Blacks to reject the Democratic Party’s platform.
The growing list of outspoken Black conservatives includes Kaaryn Walker, president of Black Conservatives for Truth; Tim Scott, a South Carolina senator, speaker Anthony Brian Logan, pro-family activist Jesse Lee Peterson and author Jason Riley.
Their opinions have cost them a lot. Any Black conservative knows that if they speak out for what they believe, they will be written off by today’s “cancel culture” censors.
Alveda King, 69, the niece of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., has stood for the rights of the unborn since she became a born-again Christian in 1983. She was a Democrat when she served as a state representative for Georgia, but she later switched her party affiliation and founded a pro-life group called “Civil Rights for the Unborn”. She calls abortion womb-lynching because Black women have the highest abortion rate in the United States.
“Abortion, like slavery, is a crime against humanity,” King says. She also believes the diabolical goal of Planned Parenthood is to murder as many Black babies as possible.
Lynette Hardaway and Rochelle Richardson, two sisters from North Carolina, make up the “Diamond and Silk” speaking team. Their Chit Chat Live internet show attracts viewers worldwide because they dare to turn over the tables of political correctness. They are spunky, and their folksy, jive talk about everything from coronavirus masks to gun rights got them kicked off of Fox News in April due to accusations of spreading misinformation about the virus. Yet they are releasing their first book, Uprising, next month.
“Defund the police?” Hardaway asked indignantly on a recent installment of her show. “Somebody tell me how is that going to help the law-abiding citizen? Who are we supposed to call—Black Lives Matter? … Where is Black Lives Matter when those Black-on-Black crimes are going on?”
I want to thank these brave African American champions of truth for sticking their necks out for the United States. Instead of stirring up division and hate, they are talking about forgiveness. Instead of making Black people feel like victims, they are urging all people to work hard, invest in family, create businesses and transform communities.
There’s a growing number of Americans of all races who realize the mainstream media has used spin, manipulation and negativity to divide our country. Yes, we want racial justice. Yes, we want police reform. But we don’t want to burn down our cities to avenge the mistakes of the past, and we know socialism isn’t the answer.
You may not agree with the opinions of these Black leaders, but I hope you’ll defend their right to preach what they believe. Black people are not slaves to anybody, or to any political party.
If you don’t think they have the right to their own opinions, you may be the one who is racist.
You can watch Brandon Tatum here.
Watch an Alveda King interview here.
You can watch a recent Diamond and Silk broadcast here. {eoa}
J. Lee Grady is an author, award-winning journalist and ordained minister. He served as a news writer and magazine editor for many years before launching into full-time ministry.
Lee is the author of six books, including 10 Lies the Church Tells Women, 10 Lies Men Believe and Fearless Daughters of the Bible. His years at Charisma magazine also gave him a unique perspective of the Spirit-filled church and led him to write The Holy Spirit Is Not for Sale and Set My Heart on Fire, which is a Bible study on the work of the Holy Spirit.
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