Malcolm X once wrote, "Conservatism' in America's politics means 'Let's keep the niggers in their place." Unfortunately, this assessment is as true now as it was 30 years ago. While the overtly racist tenets of conservatism have largely been forced out of political discourse, they have frequently been replaced by covert race-baiting and what Senator Patrick Moynihan (DNY) has termed "benign neglect." And overt racism is beginning to gain more and more legitimacy, as neoconservatism encourages "angry white men" to search for scapegoats.

The conservative agenda has rarely included the interests of Black Americans. One reason that conservatives do not focus on public policy initiatives that would benefit Blacks is because the Democratic party regularly receives 85 to 95 percent of the Black vote. But conservative politicians do not merely ignore Blacks--they steadily attack the progress Blacks have made. For example, Presidents Reagan and Bush sought to weaken civil rights statutes, dissolve the Civil Rights Commission and cut programs targeted for the inner cities.

Conservative rhetoric is notorious for appealing to the racism that still lies latent in many communities in white America. This rhetoric often relies on stereotypes, such as Reagan's reference to "welfare queens" or the "Willie Horton" advertisement associated with the Bush campaign. In the past, only rabid racists like Jesse Helms would try to scare white men with unsubstantiated claims that affirmative action would steal their jobs. But now, even Bob Dole is trying to demonize these programs.

The Contract With America is a perfect example of the nasty effects of conservatism on Black America. High ranking Republican officials have admitted that this Contract offers little for Blacks, but it is far more damaging than they will concede. The Contract is a brutal legislative club that House Republicans would like to wield against some of America's most marginalized communities. The Contract calls for cuts in benefits to the poor, and while Blacks make up 12 percent of America, they make up 30 percent of the poor. Therefore, Blacks will feel the brunt of these spending cuts, which target welfare, food stamps and even subsidies for home heating costs. This austerity for the poor cannot even be justified by the need to cut the deficit--it would merely balance out tax breaks for the middle class, the wealthy and corporations, who still enjoy the tax loopholes of corporate welfare.

The Republicans' proposed crime bill "reform" is another facet of their Contract that has chilling implications for Blacks. These crypto-fascists plan to strip away basic constitutional guarantees that protect Americans from unreasonable search and seizure. They intend to allow evidence illegally obtained by the police to be admitted into court proceedings if the police acted in "good faith," that is, if they believed they were acting properly. This measure is perverse even by conservative standards. Instead of constraining police with the strict provisions of search warrants and the Fourth Amendment, a plea of "good faith" could excuse egregious behavior. It is pretty clear that Black urban communities will be jeopardized most if search and seizure regulations are relaxed, since these neighborhoods are already under siege by the police.

The Contract also proposes cutting crime prevention and drug treatment programs designed to keep people out of prison, using the money saved to build new prisons. America already leads the world in the number of citizens it incarcerates, and a disproportionate number (almost half) of these inmates are Black. The criminal justice system is obviously not a level playing field. For example, Blacks and whites use illegal drugs at the same rate, but Blacks are far more likely to be arrested and imprisoned for such behavior.

Of course, most conservatives would vehemently deny that they are racist or indifferent to the concerns of Blacks, and some of them may be telling the truth. But they must be judged by their actions. Today's neoconservatism is just an extension of white America's fierce struggle to continue its stranglehold on America's resources and opportunities.

David W. Brown's column appears on alternate Wednesdays.