Is Candace Owens Right?

Video above: Candace Owens, a Republican spokesperson and activist, speaking at CPAC (Conservative Political Action Conference) 2019.

I decided to respond to Mrs. Owen's speech at CPAC mainly to acknowledge what I agree with and what causes concern. I will start by communicating the things I appreciate about her speech and then communicate my reservations.

The things I appreciate:

1. Her stance on abortion and that it is murder (click here if you want to understand how, from a scientific, biological, and biblical perspective, abortion is murder)
2. The absence of father's in black homes (and any home) is a problem that perpetuates bad behaviors (in boys and men). While I agree with this statement, I disagree with how she linked it to police brutality being a myth (more on this below)
3. We must get back to Judeo-Christian principles in politics
4. We need to apply common sense and protect freedom

The things that cause concern:

1. Equating conservative principles to the Republican party--Why do I say this? I posted an article in the past two weeks that explains why Black and White Christians in America vote so differently. The findings show that African Americans not only attend church more often, read our Bible more often, pray more often, and believe more strongly in the literal interpretation of the Bible than our white counterpart (Pew Research Center Religious Landscape Study), we also vote mostly for a party that does not hold our same values. WHY? The answer lies in the #1 difference I see distinguishing the two major parties in America--the size and influence of government in the lives of its people. Going back to slavery, then Jim Crow, then segregation and now the incarceration business, the only way these horrific institutions came to an end (except the incarceration business) was not on a state or local level. Left up to the state, most southern states would still be making money off slavery and equity in education, housing and loan lending would most likely be non-existent in most states (humans, unless radically transformed in our hearts and minds, are Dawinist--Survival of the Fittest). Discriminatory practices were deemed illegal on a national/federal level. It was disingenuous of Mrs. Owens to speak of the Dem. party as the one that supported slavery, etc. without explaining why Lincoln, a Republican president (the 1st Rep. president as a result of a deeply divided Dem. party in the south), abolished slavery. And how blacks stood against the Dem. party and their stance on slavery. Black Americans know if the federal government does not 'protect' us, we won't be protected on a state or local level. We never have, so why would we start to believe differently. This is the primary reason, whether known consciously or subconsciously, I believe that we vote overwhelmingly Democrat, the party that believes the federal government should govern the people (and business, and Wall Street, etc.). Trusting the state to do the right thing (which is an ideology of the Republican party) is not an option.
2. Using labels to sum up an entire group of people--Mrs. Owens repeated the label 'Left' not to explain an ideology that is different than the one she espouses. She used the label in a derogatory or condescending manner; like there is nothing good about the Democrat party and there is everything good and righteous about the Republican party. If the Republican party is the good, righteous party that Christians should support, why is our national debt $22T (without pointing the finger at Democrats)? Why has there only been two changes to adjust the abortion laws in favor of the infant since 1973 (2002 and 2003 under President George W. Bush)? Why is poverty rampant and wealth accumulation becoming more and more out of reach for many Americans? Why are there thousands of homeless veterans (60-70,000)? Contrary to Mrs. Owens comment that police brutality is a myth, why have black people, especially black men, been killed by policemen disproportionately to white men as well as sent to prison 5x more often than white men since we arrived in this country 400 years ago (If African Americans and Hispanics were incarcerated at the same rate as whites, prison and jail populations would decline by almost 40%)? I understand that this was a conference and you want to wake folks up and get them energized by your speech, but Mrs. Owens did not respect the audience listening enough to give context and perspective to her comments. 
3. Saying the Black community hailed Donald Trump as the 'god' of the American dream--There was a time, about 30+ years ago, when Donald Trump  was herald by many people in general, but also those in the Black community as the epitome of financial success--the American dream. While I could not find quotes or images where Jay-Z and Beyonce sipped champagne at the Mar a Largo hotel or a literal quote by President Obama about Donald Trump being the American dream (he used him as an extreme caricature for wealth accumulation in America in 3 periodicals), these statements being factual and contextual was not Mrs. Owen's aim. She was attempting to connect the Black community to an allegiance to President Trump to show the mad exodus around 2015 as impossible. Surely the distaste for Mr. Trump could not have happened overnight? It did not happen overnight. It happened over the past 30 years. If there was a genuine connection to Mr. Trump, it was over 30 years ago when we did not know some of the things he said about black people (we did not have cell phones with video capabilities). We did not know he discriminated against blacks in his apartment business until the '80s and '90s. But we began to know and now we really know. Most Black Americans, to include Christians, believe Donald Trump is a racist. But that is not where we as Christians stop. If we believe he is a racist (which I believe he is), then we are called to pray for him, which I do. None of us change, for real, unless someone higher and more powerful than us, helps us change. This is my prayer for me and this is my prayer for President Trump.

So that you know where I come from, I am an independent voter. I vote person, not party. Some see this as a good alternative, while others say I am not helping to change anything if I vote for someone who is going to lose. The one thing I know I can do after I vote is lay my head on my pillow knowing I voted my conscience (Ro. 8).

If you want to learn more about how politics is impacting the Church, click here.