Succumbing to "Progressive" History

The Weekly Standard has done the GOP a great service by posting a piece that they originally ran in 1999. The piece is a review by Alvin S. Felzenberg of a book called All on Fire by Henry Mayer about William Lloyd Garrison, editor of the weekly anti-slavery paper called The Liberator. Felzenberg's review asks how the naturally progressive GOP became the home of Trent Lott and former Dixiecrats. Although the GOP made some blunders, Felzenberg's answer to the riddle is that "progressive," revisionist historians have neglected equally the story of the GOP's justifiably proud record on race and extending equality of opportunity and the Democrats' questionable history on these issues. The most embarrassing thing about the piece is Felzenberg's analysis that Republicans have largely accepted the historians' incorrect assessment of their own party. For example, Republicans have forgotten that Barry Goldwater was no racist, despite his rejection of civil rights legislation which he based on libertarian grounds. Republicans have also forgotten how many of their own ranks supported civil rights legislation. So ignorant is the GOP regarding its own history that Newt Gingrich, a Ph.D. in history, foolishly remarked in 1994 that No Republican here should kid themselves about it. The greatest leaders in fighting for an integrated America in the twentieth century were in the Democratic party. The fact is, it was the liberal wing of the Democratic party that ended segregation. As long as Republicans believe these untrue things about themselves, they don't deserve the support of black voters. Mayer's book can help Republicans see a more accurate picture of themselves.

We have posted an Amazon link to All on Fire. Although Amazon says that the book is currently out of print, it appears that there are plenty of used copies available.