Professor Percy On "Why I Am A Republican?"
Published: Wednesday, March 6, 2002
Updated: Saturday, September 12, 2009 03:09
In a forum titled "Why I am a Republican," controversial UMB Professor William A. Percy raised more than a few eyebrows as he explained his political philosophy to a group of UMB students on Wednesday, February 20.
"The Republicans are better than the Democrats and have been ever since Franklin Roosevelt for two reasons. First they are better at foreign policy, and second they are better at domestic policy," stated Percy.
Percy is the senior professor of history at UMass Boston. He attended nine universities and has taught at nine universities. He is the author of a number of works on medieval history and also is the coeditor of Encyclopedia of Homosexuality and "Homosexuality" in The Handbook of Medieval Sexuality and co-author of Outing:Shattering the Conspiracy of Silence.
"I am a southerner, an Episcopal atheist, a Republican, a capitalist, a refugee from the Ku Klux Klan and the Southern Baptists, and a gay activist. On this campus I am diversity itself; a semi-expired white male of the old school," said Percy.
At the forum, Percy compared Democrats and Republicans in an attempt to show why the Republicans are a better choice for America's leadership. "All the great wars of the century have been started by Democratic presidents. I mean WWI, WWII, Korean War, and the Vietnam War. And the Republicans got us out of Korea. Eisenhower promised to get us out of there and six months after he was elected he did so. Nixon finally got us out of Vietnam, too late to be sure, but at least he got us out where as Kenndey started the fighting and Johnson escalated it bankrupting the economy with guns and butter," stated Percy.
Another point about foreign policy that Percy emphasized is how important it is to have a good Secretary of State, especially during a time of war. He stated that he admires Colin Powell because "he is going to be a force in not wasting American manpower. He is against intervention when it can possibly be avoided." Percy believes that there should be a humanitarian shift of foreign interest from the Middle East to Africa, because that is where millions of people are dying from AIDs, famine and civil war.
"It's a humanitarian thing. The worst problems are in sub-Saharan Africa not in the Middle East," said Percy.
Percy tackled domestic policy including the issue of poor education in inner city schools. He criticized the Democrat's idea of busing children because it hasn't proven to be responsive to the problem. He believes that what we need is not more welfare but instead to provide everyone with an "excellent education." He proposes that America should require more preschooling and higher pay for high school and elementary teachers.
"I think we should try to keep the children at schools longer and give them more free food. I wouldn't mind if we gave them an allowance, not only for books, but for clothes. We should supply them with decent clothes in case their parents don't," said Percy.
Percy is a gay activist and at the forum he answered the question - how a gay person could be a Republican. He explained how the Republicans in Massachusetts have done more than the Democrats for gay rights.
"Celluci and Swift and their party have been supportive. The Massachusetts Supreme Court has done a wonderful job, essentially pulling the teeth our of sodomy laws. The Republican National Party is going to roll back gay rights, certainly in states," explains Percy.
Percy concluded his speech by showing his enthusiasm for President George W. Bush and how the president is working to improve life for all Americans.
"Our President is devoted to improving our inner schools. He is a great leader with a great cabinet. I think overall the Republican Party is better for gays, African Americans and certainly Latinos, because what they need is opportunity, not more welfare. So what else do I need to say to get people to vote Republican?" asked Percy.
(Editor's Note: Felicia Whatley is president of the UMass Boston Republican Club)
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