In a confrontational debate last night in Clark Hall, Del. Paul Harris (R-Albemarle), and John Boyd, president of the National Black Farmers Association and Democratic congressional candidate, tried to convince the audience that voting for their respective parties in the upcoming election would confer the most benefits on the black community.
Harris, who spoke first, accused Democrats of "pitting blacks against whites" by affording opportunities to people based on skin color.
"The Democrats have ennobled the whole idea of suffering," he said. "If you're black, the cool thing to do is say, 'I'm a victim, I'm suffering.'"
Democratic social programs have only served to "manage poverty," not alleviate it, he added.
When an audience member suggested Republican-backed school vouchers would be ineffective because they would not cover the entire cost of private school, Harris said "that's like saying we shouldn't have food stamps because they don't cover the entire cost of buying food."
Boyd charged that the Republican message of "compassionate conservatism" is meaningless rhetoric.
"When I hear the terms 'affirmative access' and 'compassionate conservatism,' I still don't know what in the world they mean," he said. Affirmative action is needed in America because racial inequality still exists, he added.
Blacks "have been treated worse than dirt, and I am offended to hear you say that Republicans have an answer to that," Boyd said to Harris.
Boyd also said the Republicans would enact programs, such as tax breaks, that would be beneficial only to the wealthy.
"If you want to live like a Republican, you'd better vote Democrat," he said.
Third-year College student Mohsin Reza said he disagreed with Harris' views because "Republicans fail to realize that equal opportunity does not exist. You get to a certain point where opportunities cannot be obtained."
But third-year College student Matt Fesak said he thought Boyd presented a weak argument. "It was pretty obvious that Boyd lacked substance in his comments and left Harris' comments unrefuted," he said.
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