Gen. Colin Powell has hit the nail on the head with regards to the direction and or misdirection the Republican Party is/has been headed. In the last few elections I have voted Democrat. Not because I am a Democrat but moreso because It was in opposition to the Republican Party’s leadership and direction.

In my heart and soul I am a Republican, my father was a Republican and his father was a Republican. You see my story is the story of slaves freed by a party that believed in the inalienable rights of man and put that belief to practice and proved it in the Civil War.

I don’t believe in abortion like most Republicans but I feel that everyone has to make that choice on their own. It is interesting though that the Republican leadership is staunchly against abortion, stingy when it comes to providing more funding to the schools and vehemently against regulation of any kind and claims the title of the upholders of the Christian faith (The Religious Right). This is a major contradiction, because as you and I know none of the so-called opposition to abortion is going to take care of any children, won’t provide any money for Head Start or education, but will call themselves Christians.

If I remember correctly, Christ taught compassion and love for the least of us. The abortion issue has polarized our nation for too long and we as a nation are too intelligent not to resolve this issue once and for all. If we teach our young people to be responsible, thoughtful, compassionate, and moral citizens, we won’t have a problem with abortion. Teach our young men and women how to have lasting and sustainable relationships instead of one-night stands or seeing each other as sexual objects. We must make this a cultural fight. This fight will entail imposing regulation on media outlets and advertisements if we are to win back the hearts, minds and souls of our nation.

Regulation on capitalism. I say it again, regulation on capitalism, unbridled greed. Capitalism in its essence is anti-Christian and anti-democracy. Because the capitalist creed espouses that the shareholders’ lust for profit supercedes the life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness of the citizens in this nation. I know many of you read this and say socialism, an easy way to demonize the truth which exposes you for what you are.

I am willing and able to come back to the Republican fold, albeit it will be an all-inclusive party, one that is not run like a communist regime, where disagreement is silenced, outcast and ostracized. A party that will take the health interest, rights and needs of the American people above the greed of corporate interest. A party that is willing to educate the nation’s children, spread Christian love, respect and unity.

Until that day I will remain in the wilderness a political mercenary.

John Williams

Selma