OJ Oleka, Opinion contributor Published 3:44 p.m. ET June 11, 2020

Over the course of the last several weeks, in the wake of the tragic deaths of Ahmaud Arbery, George Floydand Breonna Taylor, our nation seems to be coming unbound on the issue of race. While we are far from civil war, many are searching for a set of New Age radical Republicans 19th century conservatives who founded the Republican Party on the idea that human beings should not be kept in bondage and denied the fruits of their labor who are willing to lead the way on policy reforms that can finally rid our nation of the scourge of racism. After all, conservatism is the natural home for such policy.

As a conservative black man, I readily admit that conservatives need to do a better job of explaining how this is true, but the right has a strong historical tradition of championing racial equality. If conservatives are ever to be taken seriously on matters of race again, we need to restore that strong tradition to its rightful place, front and center in Americas conservative party.

Racism is the deliberate hatred and oppression of someone because of their skin color. While racism is a heart issue and difficult to eradicate, institutional racism is something else entirely. Institutional racism is the direct, structural implementation of racism within an organization, governmentor system. Institutional racism is deeply insidious; good-natured people could be participating or benefiting from it without even knowing it exists. Rather than preserve individual liberty, institutional racism systematizes group oppression. This is typically manifested through a disproportionality of negative outcomes for black communities when compared to their peers.

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This is demonstrated by the over-criminalization of black men, the unnaturally high rates of maternal mortality among black womenand the educational opportunity gaps among black children. Institutional racism prohibits full participation in the American experiment. It disenfranchises the black voter, disturbs the peace in the black neighborhoodand collapses black wealth. It destroys economic viability for black businesses, widens disparities in black health outcomesand buries our black loved ones. It is evil. Institutional racism is also incompatible with conservatism.

American conservatism, as explained by the post-World War II conservative philosopher Russell Kirk, focuses on the preservation of personal liberty and moral order in society. In todays climate, these two values seem almost contradictory, but this could not be further from the truth. Modern conservatism defends voluntary community, encourages strong families, praises earned wealthand demands honest labor. Racism oppresses. Conservatism liberates. Conservatives should be front and center, leading the way on how to end institutional racism in America.

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Conservatives should take up the courageous cause of ending institutional racismand vocally champion a conservative ideology to guide the policy and community framework for reform. Such an ideology is anti-racism. Anti-racism is the rejection of all forms of racism and the acceptance of every race. It uplifts humanity through creating an equitable education system, incentivizing economic development in historically ignored communitiesand by ensuring that the civil rights of black Americans are protected. An anti-racist approach to policy would inspire trust from black Americans in American institutions and jurisprudence. Anti-racism is not antithetical to law enforcement or the rule of law; it is also not a government-centered, top-down, bureaucratic approach. Anti-racism seeks to offer necessary reforms to equalize the black experience under the rule of law and its enforcers, but it is not a tool of political partisanship. Anti-racism promotes life and liberty, making it a natural component of American conservatism.

Ending racial inequity will be daunting but developing specific anti-racist policies to eviscerate institutional racism is a courageous cause that modern conservatives ought to champion. As our radical Republican ideological ancestors understood, human beings should not be denied their humanity and the fruits of their labor. They deserve equal participation in the American experiment. It is a case that conservatives must make, and one on which we must stand firm.

OJ Oleka is a co-founder of AntiRacismKY.

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Opinion: Why conservatives should be leading the way to end institutional racism - Courier Journal