Rep. Jon Hubbard: Slavery ‘A Blessing In Disguise’

Some of Arkansas’ Republican legislators are radical extremists whose views are far outside the mainstream of Arkansas.

I’ve written previously about State Rep. Loy Mauch’s radical beliefs, now it’s time to examine the extremism of another Republican state legislator – Jon Hubbard.

Republican State Rep. Jon Hubbard published a book entitled, “Letters to the Editor: Confessions of a Frustrated Conservative,” and using highly sophisticated oppo research skills that Republicans complain about, I read some of what he wrote.  What Jon Hubbard writes and believes will blow your hair back.

From reading Hubbard’s writings, it is clear he believes that African-Americans are lazy, ignorant, lack discipline and that they should be thankful they were once enslaved.  My previous sentence is inflammatory, but that is what Hubbard has basically written in his book. And by the end of this post you’ll believe I even held back a little.

Let’s start looking at the extreme words Hubbard put to paper.

First, Hubbard believes that slavery was, in the end, a good thing for African-Americans:

“… the institution of slavery that the black race has long believed to be an abomination upon its people may actually have been a blessing in disguise. The blacks who could endure those conditions and circumstances would someday be rewarded with citizenship in the greatest nation ever established upon the face of the Earth.” (Pages 183-89)

Here is what Hubbard is really saying: Hey black folks, yeah, I know, we kept you in chains for hundreds of years, beat you, raped your women, lynched innocent teenagers, destroyed your families, but isn’t that really a good thing?

Hubbard believes integrating schools is harmful to white students because, in his opinion, blacks are lazy, have no discipline and are causing a decline in education:

“… one of the stated purposes of school integration was to bring black students up to a level close to that of white students. But, to the great disappointment of everyone, the results of this theory worked exactly in reverse of its intended purpose, and instead of black students rising to the educational levels previously attained by white students, the white students dropped to the level of black students. To make matters worse the lack of discipline and ambition of black students soon became shared by their white classmates, and our educational system has been in a steady decline ever since.”  (Page 27)

Hubbard believes blacks are too ignorant to know the value of a good education:

“Wouldn’t life for blacks in America today be more enjoyable and successful if they would only learn to appreciate the value of a good education?”  (Page 184)

Hubbard believes black folks were lucky they were once enslaved because living in Africa is bad:

African Americans must “understand that even while in the throes of slavery, their lives as Americans are likely much better than they ever would have enjoyed living in sub-Saharan Africa.”  

“Knowing what we know today about life on the African continent, would an existence spent in slavery have been any crueler than a life spent in sub-Saharan Africa?” (Pages 93 and 189)

Here is where Hubbard basically says black folks are lazy and don’t do anything worthwhile:

“… will it ever become possible for black people in the United States of America to firmly establish themselves as inclusive and contributing members of society within this country?”  (Page 187)

It blows my mind that this man is an elected state representative. Are the above views shared by others in the Republican legislative caucus?  Have any Republican legislators ever denounced Hubbard from writing straight-out racist statements?  Is this representative of the Republican Party of Arkansas reflective of the party’s attitude toward African-American Arkansans?  Will they condemn this intolerance and ignorant attitude?  Silence will speak volumes.

I doubt folks in Craighead County had any idea about Hubbard’s core beliefs in 2010 when they first elected him. Harold Copenhaver is running against this condescending, clueless and yes, I’ll say it, racist incumbent and hopefully the Democratic challenger is getting the word out about the extremist Jon Hubbard.