The item below was submitted to the Boston Globe on August 5 in response to a Derrick Z. Jackson column; in fairness to Mr. Jackson, he was not over-the-top anti-Republican in his column; he acknowledged that the Bush Administration was attracting African-Americans and Hispanic-Americans.

Editor,

The list of high-profile African-Americans and Hispanic-Americans in the Bush Administration that are setting policy and making law is greater than Colin Powell, Condoleezza Rice and Alberto Gonzales as Mr. Jackson suggests (Can the GOP peel off the black vote?, August 5). The list should also include HUD Secretary, Alphonso Jackson (African-American), and Commerce Secretary, Carlos Gutierrez (Hispanic-American). And, of course, the list should have included Linda Chavez (Labor Secretary) and Miguel Estrada (Federal Appellate Court) but these two were denied posts by Senate Democrats. But, let’s not be superficial in assessing these appointments; the implication is insulting to African-Americans, Hispanic-Americans and the Bush Administration. Rather, the Bush Administration has made in-roads with the African-American and Hispanic communities because of policy initiatives that have resonated with growing numbers of each community just as they have resonated with unhyphenated Americans.

When Mr. Ken Mehlman, chairman of the Republican National Committee, says to the African-American community, “give us a chance” he is asking the community, and any other voting American for that matter, to listen to the message of the Republican Party. Listen to the message for a strong national defense. Listen to the message of lower personal income taxes and more personal property rights. Listen to the message of the “ownership society” (today, a greater percentage of blacks and Latinos have mortgages that at any other time in American history). Listen to the message of school vouchers that are currently saving hundreds of primarily African-American and Hispanic children from failed educations in cities like Cleveland and Philadelphia. And, yes, listen to the message promoting parental notification and condemning partial-birth abortion (having your values challenged hurts no matter your skin color).

If the African-American community does not want to marginalize itself in future elections in an ever-growing conservative Country, the community must cease voting monolithically for Democrats as Howard Dean and other Democrat Party leaders seem to insist. The community cannot continue to “unite” behind misguided leadership. The community must consider why 11% of their numbers voted for George W. Bush in 2004. Just maybe, more in the community will realize that freedom of thought is every bit as glorious as freedom from chains.