Brandon Tatum on Whether Conservatives Are Reaching Black Community: 'I'm Seeing Huge Strides'
Intensive efforts on the part of conservatives to educate black Americans about the truth of the conservative movement are paying dividends, according to Brandon Tatum, director of urban engagement at Turning Point USA.
During an exclusive interview at the Conservative Political Action Conference last week, Shaun Hair, executive editor of The Western Journal, asked Tatum about Turning Point’s progress in prying black Americans from the vise of Democratic Party politics that has entrapped them for generations.
“I’m seeing huge strides,” Tatum said, noting that in some polls, black support for President Donald Trump has topped 30 percent.
“We’re seeing an influx of young black folks really being informed and enlightened. I think that the GOP and conferences like this have to do a really good job in making sure they translate well,” said Tatum, a former police officer in Tucson, Arizona.
“Historically, black folks have been taught that Republicans …. don’t support blacks,” he said.
Tatum said having open conversations allows conservatives to “translate that for young people so they feel empowered and emboldened and actually hear the message of the Republican side; hear the message of conservatism.”
Tatum also noted that social media remains the key factor to reach younger Americans.
White liberals can’t brainwash me into victimhood.
My Father already told me I am a victor!!
— Brandon Tatum (@TheOfficerTatum) March 4, 2019
Tatum said he believes the pendulum of political opinion is now swinging conservatives’ way.
“My generation, millennials, have kind of gone wacky, believing in socialism, different things like that,” he said.
“The younger generations, the vibe I’m kind of getting from this conference, is that we’re coming back around to what this country was founded on — family, God, you know, principles like free market, less government,” he said.
Tatum called the sea change in opinions among young people “very inspirational because in order for us to get our country back, to get it to a good place, we need to rely on those principles.”
His CPAC speech is below:
In the interview with The Western Journal, Tatum did not deny there is work to do, having toured many of the 1,400 campuses across American where Turning Point is active.
“Young people, typically, when I go on campuses, a lot of those young people have been brainwashed on campus,” he said, noting that Turning Point succeeds by giving students an alternative.
He said that his work in America’s urban core communities is showing that just as there was a receptive audience to the message of conservatism on college campuses, there is one in America’s inner cities, and he is trying to build on that to increase Turning Point’s presence in historically black colleges.
Truth and Accuracy
We are committed to truth and accuracy in all of our journalism. Read our editorial standards.
Advertise with The Western Journal and reach millions of highly engaged readers, while supporting our work. Advertise Today.
