If somehow you were able to get into the Board of Elections’ records and flip your way through the tens of thousands of voter registration cards from our neighborhoods, you would probably be shocked to see just how many boxes are checked off Republican.

I mean, when you think about it really, African and Caribbean Americans believe in family, hard work with no free ride, religious conviction and any other number of beliefs that could be considered Republican. But the Party that set slaves free has not exactly been eager to let us into the Big White House either.

For several days in the City of Brotherly Love — except of course if you’re a fleeing felon – we’ve seen a steady parade of multi-ethnicity crossing the stage to talk about inclusiveness, compassionate conservatism, and a New America. We saw Colin Powell, John Secada and even "The Rock" give their reasons — real or imagined — for being a part of what they named the "Greatest Republican Convention Ever."

Then, finally we heard the nominee give part of his acceptance speech in Spanish — something I’m pretty confident his Democratic rival would not have been able to do with out practice.

From the speeches, it might seem that the party these people were throwing was open and not at all by-invitation-only. However, if you have been one of the people standing at the velvet rope as an Aryan looking muscle man with sunglasses and a headset kept you at bay, you would know it was by invitation only.

One day the GOP might be a Grand "All" Party, but that day has not arrived.

All the dogs and ponies in the world will not change that. It won’t change a congressional voting record that reeks of anti-inclusiveness. It won’t change the path of the money trail that leads to companies and policies that work against our interests.

Even pundits who lean to the right side of the political equation agree, the shameless display of smoke and mirrors in Philly wasn’t even meant to target us, but rather to target white people who work with us, live near us, maybe even like us. The message: "We aren’t the boogie man any more . . .We’ve changed" or "We are changing."

At this stage of alleged metamorphosis, the more scary factions in the Republican Party are the most dangerous. They can hide under sheets of conciliation and acceptance while still waging their pro gun, anti-abortion, more for the rich and less for the poor agenda.

It is almost like being in the water with a shark. You will be in danger, whether or not you see its fin cutting across the surface, but you have no chance of survival if you don’t know where it is.

The Bush/Cheney ticket — in my opinion — will not be a good thing for our community. It will not move our society towards the all-inclusive utopia we all wonder and dream about. But it is holding out the carrot to lure in those of us who tend to be conservative.

Even though I would put myself in that category, I still cannot keep a straight face when I hear Armstrong Williams, Alan Keyes or even my friend Niger Innis talk about some of their beliefs about the Republican Party and how it deals with minorities.

All Republicans are not raspy breathing, black cloak wearing emissaries of evil to be fought at every political turn. Many are really — as I like to say — just right of center. They are not too different from many of you who are just left of center.

Twelve years ago, I was angry at the Democratic Party and felt like an ass for backing the Donkies who were putting up some little known Massachusetts Governor over Jesse Jackson, who talked about raising taxes and turning back trickle down economics.

I was afraid of losing anymore of my hard earned money to the government, and I didn’t believe in excessive entitlements. As a black person, I felt unappreciated by the Democrats . . . so I registered as a Republican and voted for George Bush.

I can hear the gasps all over "the Hood" right now.

You did what! Hey, I think I did the right thing for the time. I voted my conscience based on what I wanted for my family.

Four years later, without changing my party affiliation, I backed Bill Clinton because I wanted a national health care system . . . a program the Republican Party destroyed.

I am under no illusions about what to expect from either side of the aisle, and you should not be either. Both of them can get you in the end. So as the song says, "Don’t believe the hype" — one way or the other — but do pay attention to who is saying what.

I personally think, while things aren’t great, they are better now than they were eight years ago. I think the Democrats have the right ideas even though I’m not exactly bowled over by Mr. Gore either.

Oh . . . will I ever change my voter registration? I’m still mad about Jesse.