Day after day, I read something new or hear something about the latest and greatest invention or “angle” from different groups or individuals within the Republican Block who have the answer on “Outreach.” Notice I didn’t say Republican Party, because I will get to that shortly.

I am somewhat, no, very amused by how quickly the traditional conservative base gravitates to any minority who speaks about outreach and how this plan will work as opposed to that other plan. Because it comes from a minority, I guess it is supposed to be gospel and taken as 100{997ab4c1e65fa660c64e6dfea23d436a73c89d6254ad3ae72f887cf583448986} accurate, and it really is embarrassing as a Latino Republican to watch my fellow Conservatives drool at the mouth over what minority speakers are saying, not for the substance in their words, but because it is a minority speaking. What makes it worse is that after these engaging and dynamic speeches, the crowd is still left with the same conundrum and they find themselves asking, “so, what do we do?” And then it gets even worse, when they follow up by saying, “so, how long do we do this before we ask them to vote for us?” This is a major problem that has to be addressed.

Now, don’t get me wrong, when a minority speaks about reaching out to “their people” there are a lot of valid points and they must be taken seriously, but do yourself a favor, consider the source and listen thoroughly and find a way to work it into your lifestyle. This isn’t going to be an overnight transition and there is no magic pill. This is key.

Now, I may have been one of the minority speakers that some of you have heard speak and may have led you into the same trap as set out above. But folks, there is one thing that I keep saying that is falling on deaf ears. If you have heard me speak, then you have heard me use the following analogy. Conservative outreach cannot be treated as a fad diet, it must be a lifestyle change. We, as Republicans, have always been in the mindset of short-term goals, much like a fad diet. We reach our goal of losing 15-20 pounds and then we go back into our same eating habits that caused us to put on the extra weight in the first place.

That has been the Republican approach in a nutshell.

We cannot continue to change our habits and then change back when we feel like the “coast is clear”. We cannot dip our paws in non-profits and charter schools and different organizations that are run by or target minorities, and then take off when we feel comfortable. We have to stop treating these efforts as outreach and treat them instead as finding ways to connect with the community.

People will ask what I feel to be uninformed questions, but alas there are questions that need to be answered. One of the most frequently asked questions is, “how do we get into these groups if we have never been there before, because we don’t want to go alone.” That is the first mistake; you do not want to go alone. If that is your personality, that is one thing, but if it is because you feel threatened to go by yourself, then that is nonsense. When you joined your many varieties of Republican groups, I am sure you did not bring 5 or 6 people and say that you were there to sign up. No, you most likely went by yourself or with a friend and then you slowly got involved. The same practice must be used for any other group you join regardless of its political affiliation. There is much talk, really way too much talk, about the party not doing enough in their outreach efforts and that we are going to lose the battle because of “The Party.” To hell with The Party, get your act together and be an individual that wants to protect the party and conservative principles. Stop waiting for the magic pill and the magical rhetoric to come flowing out of a charming Hispanic or Black man who can teach you the ways of the world if you listen to every word he says.

There are too many bloggers on our side out there who feel it necessary to keep pointing out the failures of the Party and want to remind everyone that the Party will lead us to nowhere. Well like the saying once goes…if you ain’t part of the solution, you’re part of the problem. I can tell you personally, that I go to numerous “Democrat” type events, and I don’t think I have ever seen a single Republican/Conservative blogger there. But yet, it is the same “journalists” who continue to complain about the Party not being anywhere or doing anything. How can you know what is going on if you are not even there. Humbleness will defeat arrogance on any given day, and when the few Republicans that are going around the city and county interacting with all walks of life, the humble nature of these people does not allow them to go post it or taunt it or blog about to the world, because to them, it is part of their lifestyle, it is part of who they are and they don’t need recognition from the blogosphere.

And I am not saying that all of the bloggers are like this or that even the bloggers that are like this publish trash, because there is a lot of good (and great) in a lot of these blogs, but when it comes to “outreach” and blaming the Party for everything, that is straight rubbish.

Speaking of the Party, unless you have consistently been a part of the Party and more particularly any party Outreach Committee, then think twice when you think about bashing it. Have there been problems with these committees, absolutely, is it all one person’s fault, absolutely not!

I invite…no, I CHALLENGE everyone who has bickered about the party to come be a part of an Outreach Committee. I don’t mean sign in at one meeting or enlist yourself as part of the Committee. No, I mean be at every single meeting and event, email and throw around ideas and thoughts to the other members and the chairman, be involved, or in other words, TAKE OWNERSHIP!

The main reason the Party has failed, is not for lack of effort by the Party or the Outreach committee, but because there are a lot of people that talk a good game about wanting to be involved and help, but yet never show their face or contribute. For instance, you CANNOT reach 4.1 million people in Harris County, Texas, with a dedicated team of 5-8 volunteers (out of approximately 42 people who said they wanted to be involved) who pour their hearts into what they are doing to try and save the party or expand the party into new communities.

So if you think you have the answer, get involved now. Do not wait for someone to contact you, take the initiative and get with the appropriate Outreach people where you live and take action today. There are elections in 2013, and more in 2014 and more every year after…there is no time to waste. If not this election cycle, then when?

Chris Carmona is a local attorney, a former and present candidate for Houston City Council and the Chairman of the Harris County Republican Party Outreach Committee.