Do Republicans have a history of fairness and inclusion?
Yes, the history of the Republican Party makes it a natural ally of equality. One needs only to go back to the founding of the Republican Party and its first President, Abraham Lincoln, to see how the party was founded as an ally for equality in America. In 2004, the Republican Party marked the 150th anniversary of its first national convention. Looking back in history can help the GOP chart its future course. The Republican Party rose to power because it embraced the ideals of equality imagined by our nation’s founding fathers and ensured in our Constitution. When Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, a “new birth of freedom”, was indeed born. So it can be again. Nearly 150 years later the GOP has another chance to choose fairness over discrimination, equality over bigotry and freedom over oppression.
