Remember your first date? You really liked him. You had a great time. Heck, you thought he might even be the one.

He promised to call you the next day. You waited and waited. The call never came.

This is the feeling of this African American and many others just like him. The Republican Party says it cares – but never calls.

More than 2,000 delegates attended the 2008 Republican Convention, but only 39 were African American. This from a party that talks about outreach to the black and Hispanic communities. They ought to be ashamed.

I will assume they have to finish building the fence to keep the Hispanics out. For good measure, they have to deport all the parents of Hispanic elementary school children. Then, to top it off, they call the first Hispanic nominee to the U.S. Supreme Court a racist. That’s from a white congressman from the South.

I will assume that their commitment to broaden the party could be considered somewhat suspect.

I am proud to be conservative and black. However, given my treatment by the Republican Party, this brings me more sadness than anything. I realize we have a new Republican national chairman, Michael Steele, who is African American. Some people would call that appointment “window dressing.” I won’t.

The GOP was the anti-slavery party, the original party of Martin Luther King Jr. and the party of Abraham Lincoln. What happened?

The GOP has become a party that is predominantly white and Southern – and doesn’t look like America. This country, which has a black president, consists of all the colors of the rainbow. Because of that, this is a place to be proud of. The greatness of this country comes not because of its white people, but because of all people: black, white, brown, red.

African Americans who’ve become Republicans have had to pay a steep price for putting principle over race.

When I became a Republican, people whom I considered friends stopped speaking to me. I was referred to as Uncle Tom and a traitor to my race. I was not prepared for this hostile treatment, but I have been reminded that Dr. King and others gave their lives so that I could vote – not so that I could vote Democratic.

This country loves to give second chances, kind of like God does. This is a country that will continue to become more diverse. What will the Republican Party do? You see, people can get past being used, but they can’t get past being discarded.

I could never become a Democrat again, in part because I am a conservative, I’m a Christian and I’m pro-life, and there’s no room at the inn.

The conservatives I have been privileged to know are decent, God-fearing people who want the Republican Party to reflect those same values. They want a party that means what it says, and not just during election time.

I want a party in which Washington State Republican Party chairman Luke Esser won’t take two years to return my phone call. I want a party that treasures and appreciates diversity.

Is it going to happen? We will see.

What do we say to the Hispanic man who just wants a better life for his family as he crawls under the fence? More tax cuts?

What do we say to the black child who is dropping out of school to help his mother pay the bills? More tax cuts?

In my reading of the Bible, nowhere does Jesus say “More tax cuts.” However, he does say to help one another. That will always be more important than any tax cut.

Walter Backstrom of Federal Way is one of six reader columnists whose work appears on this page. E-mail him at wkbackstrom@aim.com.