United Colors of the Grand Old Party

HOUSTON--From delegates to alternates to rallying students, most of the faces that gaze toward the podium here are white.

Appearances seems to support the stereotypical image of the Republicans party as the antithesis of diversity--a bastion of rich, self-interested whites. At own convention last month, the Democrats capitalized on that image, presenting themselves as the Big Tent, the party of and for minorities.

But some of the minority Americans who traveled to Houston this week say the Democrats are dead wrong. They blast the opposition for what they term its unworkable programs, its unfulfillable promises and its untruthful promises and its untruthful agenda. They applaud the GOP for some of the same reasons the Democrats criticize it--that it makes no pretenses of offering special support for minorities.

The Democrats' interest in Black Americans is "the biggest sham in the modern history of the country," says Kentucky delegate Al Brown, pausing to cheer for Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Jack Kemp. "The Democratic party has no greater love for African-Americans than does the Republican party. However, they have given all of the lip service, all of the unworkable social programs."

Many minority Republicans say the Democrats' claims are insincere, either because they are logistically impossible and too costly to manage, or because they are nothing but ploys to win minority votes.

"They make all these promises, but they don't deliver," says Armando C. Chapelli Jr. "With the Republican party, I know I ain't getting anything." Chapelli, a former Cuban refugee, is now CEO of a Washington consulting firms and publisher of El Tiempo Latino, the largest Spanish newspaper in the District of Columbia.

While they admit that Republicans aren't quick to offer helping hands--the platform derides welfare and opposes affirmative action--minority Republicans say that equal treatment means no special treatment, and equality is equality.

"The Republican party is open to all Americans," says Arkansas Rep. Christene Brownlee, a convention delegate who is the only Black legislator in her state's house of representatives. Republicans, she says, "offer opportunities to everybody."

That's the image GOP officials have tried to present this week, unleashing a number of minority speakers on the podium. Many have told stories of self-improvement, of triumph over adversity, of pulling themselves up. The buzzword is enterprise; the reference is to the American Dream.

"I know what it is like to experience the American dream," Orange Country, Calif. supervisor Gaddi H. Vasquez told delegates. "I was born to a family of migrant farm workers."

Minority Republicans say the Democrats' social programs keep Black is a cycle of dependency. The welfare program, for example, "has enslaved minorities in this country," says 28 year-old Steven Gooden.

Among conventioneers, Gooden, who is Black, isbetter known as "TRQ." The initials stand for "TheRight Rapper"--the "Q" he explains, is the firstletter in the word "Question," which makes peoplequestion who "the right rapper" is.

Gooden is a performer, a Republican rapper witha cause. "I'm just answering all of the debate bycounteracting the stuff that is produced by Ice-T,Sister Souljah," and other prominent rap artists,Gooden says. "There are conservative Blacks outthere."

The Los Angeles native says his songs, which heperformed for young Republicans Sunday, talk about"things that are pure, clean and wholesome."

Gooden, who approached convention organizershimself and offered to share his music, says hisrap message focuses on family values. He applaudsthe Republican party's emphasis on the church, aninstitution that "represents the Black community'snucleus.

The trademark stars-and-stripes bandana wrappedaround Gooden's head makes him easily recognizableon the convention floor, and young Republicansfrom a range of ethnic groups approach himadmiringly, asking for autographs.

Gooden's conservative message transcends raciallines. And many young Republicans here say theirsupport for the GOP is not based on race orminority status. Instead, they stand behind theRepublican platform its right-wing economics andits emphasis on family values.

"I don't see myself as a minority," explainsSalman Mitha, a sophomore at the University ofTexas. "I look beyond that."

Twenty-year-old Anthony Leatherman, who isBlack, predicts that in four years, the Republicanparty will be far more diverse. the BaylorUniversity sophomore is a Republican because hesupport the platform's emphasis on the family."Until we start in the home, until values aretaught," minorities won't get anywhere, he says.

"The Democrats and Clinton are trying to pleaseevery group that comes up, and you can't always dothat," says 17-year-old Vanessa O. Ezenwa. Ezenwa,who is Black, said she came to the convention tolearn about the Republican party and the politicalprocess.

So did Mai T. Phung, 17. She doesn't thinkabout minority issues a lot--she concentrates onthe other platform issues. "I think the Republicanparty reflects on more of the ideas that my familyhas and I love," Phung says.

Alternate Delegate Melvin L. Woods, who isBlack, says that the black, community holds astigma against Black conservatives.

"You get a bad reaction generally amongBlacks," says Woods, assistant whip of theCalifornia delegation. "Most of them areDemocrats, and find it difficult to accept adifferent point of view."

Although Brownlee says she thinks "there aresome closet Republicans in the Black race," thecommunity overwhelmingly opposes the GOP. Brownestimates that 90 percent of Blacks voteDemocratic.

Many other minority groups tend to endorseDemocratic, not Republican ideals. Within theirethnic communities, minority Republicans, youngand old, are minorities themselves. And if theyare outspoken enough to lead their communities andcome to their party's convention, they have toface that reality.

"It takes a fair amount of courage to bedifferent," Woods says

Among conventioneers, Gooden, who is Black, isbetter known as "TRQ." The initials stand for "TheRight Rapper"--the "Q" he explains, is the firstletter in the word "Question," which makes peoplequestion who "the right rapper" is.

Gooden is a performer, a Republican rapper witha cause. "I'm just answering all of the debate bycounteracting the stuff that is produced by Ice-T,Sister Souljah," and other prominent rap artists,Gooden says. "There are conservative Blacks outthere."

The Los Angeles native says his songs, which heperformed for young Republicans Sunday, talk about"things that are pure, clean and wholesome."

Gooden, who approached convention organizershimself and offered to share his music, says hisrap message focuses on family values. He applaudsthe Republican party's emphasis on the church, aninstitution that "represents the Black community'snucleus.

The trademark stars-and-stripes bandana wrappedaround Gooden's head makes him easily recognizableon the convention floor, and young Republicansfrom a range of ethnic groups approach himadmiringly, asking for autographs.

Gooden's conservative message transcends raciallines. And many young Republicans here say theirsupport for the GOP is not based on race orminority status. Instead, they stand behind theRepublican platform its right-wing economics andits emphasis on family values.

"I don't see myself as a minority," explainsSalman Mitha, a sophomore at the University ofTexas. "I look beyond that."

Twenty-year-old Anthony Leatherman, who isBlack, predicts that in four years, the Republicanparty will be far more diverse. the BaylorUniversity sophomore is a Republican because hesupport the platform's emphasis on the family."Until we start in the home, until values aretaught," minorities won't get anywhere, he says.

"The Democrats and Clinton are trying to pleaseevery group that comes up, and you can't always dothat," says 17-year-old Vanessa O. Ezenwa. Ezenwa,who is Black, said she came to the convention tolearn about the Republican party and the politicalprocess.

So did Mai T. Phung, 17. She doesn't thinkabout minority issues a lot--she concentrates onthe other platform issues. "I think the Republicanparty reflects on more of the ideas that my familyhas and I love," Phung says.

Alternate Delegate Melvin L. Woods, who isBlack, says that the black, community holds astigma against Black conservatives.

"You get a bad reaction generally amongBlacks," says Woods, assistant whip of theCalifornia delegation. "Most of them areDemocrats, and find it difficult to accept adifferent point of view."

Although Brownlee says she thinks "there aresome closet Republicans in the Black race," thecommunity overwhelmingly opposes the GOP. Brownestimates that 90 percent of Blacks voteDemocratic.

Many other minority groups tend to endorseDemocratic, not Republican ideals. Within theirethnic communities, minority Republicans, youngand old, are minorities themselves. And if theyare outspoken enough to lead their communities andcome to their party's convention, they have toface that reality.

"It takes a fair amount of courage to bedifferent," Woods says