Jonathan McColumn
BRIGADIER GENERAL (RETIRED), U.S. ARMY
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The Reasons I Support the Republican Party

Many have inquired, “Why do I support the Republican Party” and why do I support the direction of the current Administration. As we celebrate Black History month, I cannot think of a better time to offer viable and factual reasons. The following are those reasons:

1. History reveals the Republican Party has treated my culture humanely and with respect when compared to the Democrat Party.

  • On March 20, 1854 the Republican Party was founded in Ripon, Wisconsin as an abolitionist party to prevent states from entering the union as slave states and ending slavery
  • Major Amendments to the US Constitution, Court Case, and/or Civil law supporting the rights of blacks was spear-headed, created, and sustained, principally, by the Republican Party
    • Dred Scott Decision (Supreme Court 1857) – Dread Scott, a slave, earned his freedom from his “Master” who died prior to releasing Scott while in a free state. Supreme Court ruled Dred Scott, an enslaved African American man, was not entitled to sue for his freedom because he was not considered a citizen under the US Constitution. The 7 Democrat Justices voted “NO; the 2 Republican Justices voted “YES”. As a result, Dred Scott was forced to return to a slave state – as a slave. The decision played a critical role in the formation of the Republican Party.
    • Emancipation Proclamation (EP) – The first Republican President, Abraham Lincoln, issued an executive order, EP, on January 1, 1863. It marked the first strategic anti-slavery action declaring all enslaved people in the Confederate states were to be set free.
    • Ku Klux Klan Act (1871) (Enforcement Act) – Combat paramilitary vigilantism of the KKK (former confederates) and counter a campaign of terrorist violence against African Americans; the KKK was historically associated with the Democratic Party, especially during the Reconstruction era. Claims of KKK infiltration into the Republican Party led to the belief that both parties had KKK members. They worked to undermine Republican efforts to secure civil rights for freed blacks. In the House, Republicans voted 115 in favor, 0 against; Democrats voted 0 in favor, 91 against. The following are infamous KKK members:
      • Hugo Black – Supreme Court Justice
      • Theodore Bilbo (Democrat US Senator – Mississippi)
      • Robert Byrd (West Virginia US Senator – Democrat switched to Republican and became a civil rights activist
      • Joseph E. Brown (Democrat US Senator – Georgia)
      • William D Upshaw (Democrat US Representative – Georgia)
    • Brown vs Board of Education (1954). Cancelled the “separate but equal” precedent (Plessy vs Ferguson – 1896) set by the Supreme Court. Established that separating children in public schools on the basis of race was unconstitutional. It was unanimous.
    • 13th Amendment (Abolished slavery). 100% of Republicans voted “YES”; 23% of Democrats voted “YES”. The amendment ratified December 6, 1865.
    • 14th Amendment (Provided citizenship to freed slaves). 94% of Republicans voted “YES”; 0% of Democrats voted “YES”.
    • 15th Amendment (Provided the right to vote to freed slaves). 100% of Republicans voted “YES”; 0% of Democrats voted “YES”.
    • Little Rock 9 (1957 – Little Rock Central High School). Arkansas Governor, Orval Faubus (Democrat Party) prevented 9 black high school students from entering the racially segregated School. Then President of the United States and former Army General Officer, Dwight Eisenhower (Republican) intervened by federalizing forces to escort the 9 into the school.
    • During “Jim Crow”, data indicates only Democrats served as Governors in Georgia; during this time, Southern Democrats (particularly), were cruel, often the epitome of racism toward blacks. Republican Governors served from 1868-1872; Democrat Governors served from 1847-1849; 1853-1863 and 1872-2003. Therefore, Democrat Leadership was responsible for black codes and other actions taken to intimidate blacks. The first post-civil war Republican Governor elected was in 2003 (Sonny Perdue). It is reasonable to conclude that blacks were mistreated, primarily, under Democrat Leadership.
    • Democrats affect on Civil Rights during and after Jim Crow:
      • Theophilus “Bull” Connor, lifelong member of the Democratic Party served as the Public Safety Commissioner in Birmingham, Alabama. He strongly opposed the civil rights movement and was an avowed white supremacist. Infamous for directing use of firehoses and positioned attack dogs against civil rights activists during the 1963 Birmingham campaign led by the Southern Chrisitan Leadership Conference.
      • Lester Maddox, Democrat Governor of Georgia (1967-1971); staunch segregationist views and defied the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Infamous for refusing to serve black customers at his restaurant, the Pikrick.
      • Richard Russell Jr (US Senator, Georgia, Democrat) and Herman Talmadge (US Senator, Georgia, Democrat) both voted “NO” to passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. In the Senate, 74 Favored passage and 27 Against passage. The vote passed primarily as a result of the Republican Party, joined by Northern Democrats; opposition was from southern states Democrats (former Confederacy).
    • Forty (40) Acres and a Mule (Special Field Order #15, January 16, 1865, General Tecumseh Sheman). This promise (reparations) was made to formerly enslaved people after the Civil War, but unfulfilled. Why? Following President Lincoln’s (Republican) assassination, President Andrew Johnson (Democrat), a southern sympathizer, rescinded the order that allocated land (along the South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida coasts) to freed families, returning it to its previous Confederate owners, which denied many African Americans the opportunity for economic self-sufficiency; 40,000 freed families did receive portions of the 400,000 acres land allocations. President Johnson (Democrat) overturned the order, returning the land to its original white owners.

2. I am a Christian and former Pastor. Therefore, I support the following:

  • The greatest book ever written and read, the Holy Bible, does not support Abortion; the Democrat Party supports abortion. Under the previous Democrat Administration, a senior woman praying at an abortion clinic was convicted and sentenced to prison; the Trump Administration pardoned her.
  • A Biblical World View conveys God’s creation of only 2 genders – male and female. Science attests to the same (XX or XY Chromosomes). It is often communicated in the Democrat party that one can determine one’s gender and affirms the narrative that allows biological males to participate in biological female sports. The Republican Party continues to fight this assertion.
  • I support Meritocracy over Diversity, Equity, Inclusion (DEI). Selecting individuals based on a compiled record identifying the “best” must reflect the American way. See “The Legal Landscape for DEI: One Year After the Harvard/UNC Decision”, by Meredith Gregston and Ryan Glasgow. https://www.americanbar.org/groups/business_law/resources/business-law-today/2024-december/legal-landscape-dei-one-year-after-harvard-unc-decision/
  • My intent as your Senator is to unite Georgians; a biblical world view conveys Christ’s message, “…and I, if I am lifted from the earth, will draw all men to me – John 12:32”. If Christ is in the drawing business, so am I.
  • Under the Biden Administration millions of people entered the US illegally; this action is unfair to the millions who stand in long lines across the world, submitting the appropriate documentation and paying required fees in US Embassies to gain access to the US. The Republican Party, with President Trump at the helm, closed the border to prevent illegal entry into the US. I support legal immigration.
  • Current Administration (Republican Party) established a holistic and partnering Executive Order to solidify support to HBCUs.

I support a biblical world view on issues, rule of law, low taxes, increased missions at the 9 military installations in Georgia to sustain them well into the future, support to Georgia Veterans, energy independence, Trump child accounts, no state taxes for active and retired military in Georgia, small business growth, agricultural advancements, 2 genders, one nation under God (blessed is the nation who’s God is the Lord – Psalm 33:12), secured borders and communities, less government in our lives, a strong military, an effective National Security Plan, love for the military, police, firemen and other first responders, support for the Abrahamic Accords, support for Israel (I will bless those who bless you… Genesis 12:3), one Georgia and one USA!

Should Georgians give me the opportunity to serve again – this time as your US Senator, I will support all Georgians regardless of political persuasion because the only thing that matters is that all our weapons are pointed in the same direction – not at each other!