NAACP had no business condemning tea partiers
By the time its annual convention in Kansas City is concluded, the NAACP will have held a series of votes, endorsed a slew of resolutions and discussed any number of issues. But only one will be remembered: Its resolution condemning “racist elements” among the tea partiers.
It was inappropriate, narrow-minded and divisive, a move that will only cement the aging organization’s growing reputation as a repository of partisan hacks. It will do far more harm than good in a political environment already simmering with contentiousness, suspicion and race-related grievances.
First off, few will remember the word “elements” expected to be included in the final wording, so the resolution will be roundly interpreted as smearing all tea partiers. (There really is no such thing as The Tea Party. It’s not an organization; it’s a movement of loosely affiliated activists who detest Obama and rally around lower taxes and limited government.)
“We feel it’s very important that we educate our membership about the tea parties,” said Anita Russell, head of the Kansas City branch of the NAACP, as the debate on the resolution began. “We are concerned that there is a racist element within the tea parties.”
Delegates said they wanted to make it clear, however, that the resolution wasn’t indicting the entire tea party movement as racist.
Still, it leaves the impression that the NAACP believes all tea partiers are racist — a stereotype that the NAACP should abhor.
Second, the resolution further arouses well-justified suspicions that the NAACP is nothing more than an arm of the Democratic Party. NAACP President Benjamin Jealous has said the anti-tea party resolution will, among other things, motivate his members to vote in the mid-term elections. That suggests the organization’s chief concern is supporting Democrats in the fall. (Does the IRS know?) It is perfectly appropriate for the NAACP to rally around specific political issues, such as comprehensive immigration reform.
However, according to NAACP President Benjamin Jealous, “The NAACP along with it allies and partners will show America that a solid majority of this nation is ready, willing and able to fight back to ensure that all the change we voted for is made a reality for all of our children.” That sounds suspiciously like a vote for Democrats, period.
Third, it’s awfully hypocritical for the NAACP to call for the tea partiers to purge their ranks of racists, as Jealous did. It’s a rare day, indeed, that the NAACP purges its ranks, no matter how inappropriately some of its members behave.
And, fourth, this resolution just draws attention to the tea partiers — who represent, at most, about 20 percent of the electorate — and gives the demagogues something to rally around. Already, tea partiers and their supporters are having a field day with the resolution, calling NAACPers reverse racists and insisting they withdraw the statement.
With rightwing demagogues like Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck calling the president a racist nearly every day, the very word “racist” has lost all meaning.
Are there those among the tea partiers who traffic in racist symbols and slogans? No doubt. Are there actual malicious racists in the pack? I’d bet serious money on that.
There is also widespread evidence from the polls that many among the tea partiers are older white Americans who are uncomfortable with the changes wrought by the civil rights movement. But as a child of the Deep South who grew up under the lash of Jim Crow, I learned to distinguish between well-meaning whites who weren’t quite ready for a black president of the local community college (black church members were OK) and actual racists.
The NAACP didn’t serve the cause of racial justice well when it further cheapened the word “racism”, along with its own mission.
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207 comments Add your comment
libhomo
July 14th, 2010
8:38 am
The pervasive racism in the teabagger movement is a well documented fact. You should have done more research before making this ill informed and irrational critique on the NAACP.
ConHomo
July 14th, 2010
8:43 am
Please show me this documented racism. Have you won the $100,000 for Breitbart for providing a video of these ‘racial epithets’ hurled at black members of Congress?
Granny Godzilla
July 14th, 2010
8:44 am
JayMs. TuckerSorry but I think you are wrong on this.
It is the NAACP’s job to call out racism when they see it. Sure they’ll get some flack, but sometimes the truth hurts.
It’s a brave and righteous call.
As the old saying goes….All that is required for evil to triumph is for good [wo]men to do nothing. Racism is more than a “thread” in the Tea Party and the tolerance of said racism within the organization is equally as evil.
(post recycled)
marcj
July 14th, 2010
8:44 am
It seems like you did absolutely no research for this piece. The racist elements of the tea party movement are well documented and to suggest that the NAACP should not have condemned them is to suggest that the NAACP should cease to exist. This piece lacks logic. You’re suggesting that calling that tea party out for its racist elements equates to being an arm of the Democratic party. Sorry Cynthia, none of this computes. Try again.
ctucker
July 14th, 2010
8:48 am
marcj, Please read all of my post before you comment. I didn’t deny “racist elements.” But surely the NAACP has other reasons to exist that condemning the tea party. If it doesn’t, maybe it should “cease to exist.”
ctucker
July 14th, 2010
8:49 am
libhomo, Please see my response to marcj at 8:48
Starring Kam Fong as Chin Ho
July 14th, 2010
8:49 am
NAACP wrong, check. Now how about an article talking about how Islam is a political party with a political agenda, posing as a religion. Now that would be truth in journalism.
ctucker
July 14th, 2010
8:50 am
Granny, Sorry, but I see nothing “brave” about calling out racism elements in the tea party.
Granny Godzilla
July 14th, 2010
8:52 am
ctucker
that’s ok…you’re right in a lot of other things.
marcj
July 14th, 2010
8:52 am
Cynthia, I read each and every word. If they “[have] no business condemning tea partiers” they have no purpose. Calling out racist behavior is at the very core of the organization. This ONE resolution was a minor part of what the NAACP did during their conference yet you’re not writing on any of that.
cas
July 14th, 2010
8:53 am
“Tea Partiers” both white and black are referred to as racists by the NAACP singularly due to the fact they believe the tea partiers disagree with a black president because he is black rather than the irreparable damage he may be doing to the country. Very telling as to where we have come under this administration. I guess those that opposed Richard Nixon were anti Quaker rather than anti crook. The NAACP has evolved to the very thing they were founded to fight. The spirit of their being has dramatically changed.
Peadawg
July 14th, 2010
8:55 am
The NAACP is just trying to get attention just like Jesse Jackson did when calling out the Cavs owner.
Shawny
July 14th, 2010
8:56 am
I appreciate this post, CT. You are very close in this statement, “There really is no such thing as The Tea Party. It’s not an organization; it’s a movement of loosely affiliated activists who detest Obama and rally around lower taxes and limited government”
There is no Tea Party. The piece slightly off is the part where you say they “detest Obama”. That is not accurate. They detest Obama’s ideology and philosophy of the intent of the federal government. The man himself is not one to detest.
And it is also accurate that limited govt supporters that consider themselves part of this non existant party do not detest him for his skin color.
If the NAACP supports the statement that the Tea Party is racist, then it marginalizes the importance and reduces the legitimacy of the NAACP.
That is unfortunate.
hnf
July 14th, 2010
8:57 am
libhomo,
if it is well documented that racism pervades the tea party, then you should be able to demonstrate as much with little time or trouble in your next comment. i seriously doubt, however, that what you consider “pervasive” with regard to factions with which you disagree is consistent with a reasonable person’s definition of the word. i’m interested to hear.
“The NAACP didn’t serve the cause of racial justice well when it further cheapened the word “racism”, along with its own mission.”
I agree with this entirely; unfortunately, I think it has a counterproductive effect by further desensitizing more people to actual racial inequities.
Ragnar Danneskjöld
July 14th, 2010
8:58 am
Good morning all. As I am familiar with many tea partiers, I think any who allege racism therein are kooks, people who don’t know what they are talking about. To correct the misstatement of our genteel hostess, “tea partiers are older white Americans who are uncomfortable with the changes wrought by the crazed big-spenders in DC. The big spenders exist in both parties, but the democrats seem to have more of them, and the degree of spending among democrats is more egregious.”
Until our leftist friends understand what animates tea partiers, no rational response should be anticipated. Even when we try to tell you what animates us, you foolishly disbelieve. You will never gain credibility with tea partiers until your posts reflect some connection with reality. But, of course, you do not care whether you gain credibility with tea partiers.
amuszed
July 14th, 2010
9:02 am
I strongly disagree with you Ms. Tucker,
Not only as a child of the south but a current resident of the south, it is easy to get caught in glazing over of racial epitaphs because most racists have changed tactics (i.e. instead of lynch mobs…some form POLITICAL PARTIES hmmmm). Your article indicates that you are out of touch on that. The NAACP has been a bit out of touch in recent years…but the organization got it right this time.
And to argue your point a little further…racists in the south didn’t care about churches much either (16th Street Baptist Church, Birmingham Ala, 1963… 4 little black girls killed…ring a bell?).
Do your research…PERIOD!!!
cgatlanta
July 14th, 2010
9:07 am
I would like to see the NAACP create a resolution of positive goals for their following. Stress education, family, responsibility, etc.
Using your power and influence in a reactionary fashion is a waste of time.
Whacks Eloquent
July 14th, 2010
9:07 am
An odd day indeed when I am in complete agreement with Ms. Tucker…
Well, almost complete agreement. I identify with the Tea Party groups, and feel like they do about lower taxes and limited government, but I do not detest our president. I am not in agreement on many of his policies, but still respect him because that is appropriate and right to do. The country elected him, we have to respect that. That said, I am definitely looking forward to gridlock government come November – when Congress always seems to be most responsible is when neither side has a clear majority.
amuszed
July 14th, 2010
9:11 am
And just in this morning…http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_iowa_obama_billboard
Cynthia is Sexy!!
July 14th, 2010
9:12 am
This move by the NAACP was just plain stupid on their part. Cynthias 4 reasons why are right on the mark..
The NAACP hurts on themselves with this “stunt”.
Party on Garth!
hnf
July 14th, 2010
9:13 am
Are “racist elements” really so significant? I’d venture to say any group comprised of a large number of people has racist elements, from political groups to FIFA; the Tea Party is no exception. It’s nothing more than a statistical constant and no more related to the group’s purpose than the fact that if 1 in X number of people are racists, any time you have X number of people present you’ll find “racist elements”.
If you want to increase racial awareness, and truly advance equality, you have to consider the target audience–it’s not the idealogues who find racism under every stone, but ordinary, moderate Americans, who cease to listen after being bombarded with stories like the NAACP’s action. Preaching to the choir will of course be well received, but what’s the likely effect on those you most need to convince to fulfill your purported mission? (This is what I can’t stand about most evangelicals.)
Wilbo
July 14th, 2010
9:15 am
OMG, I hope the Earth doesn’t tilt on its axis!! Cynthia Tucker, one of the most foolish, one-sided persons ever to pull up to a keyboard writing an almost reasonable column…
Keep up the good fight!
July 14th, 2010
9:15 am
On this one I have tremendously mixed feelings. There is no one Tea Party….and there are definitely people with racial bias involved in the various protests claiming to be Tea Party and Fox-sponsored tea protests. I have not reviewed the actual statement adopted by the NAACP (and I am confident that most have not) but as noted in the article it is clear that the delegates did not want to label the “entire Tea Party” as racist but that it had racial elements. Still it will be interpreted by each side differently because what constitutes “racism” to each of the races is a matter of perspective and the conversation has been postponed for too long.
As for the continued assertions that what happened to John Lewis did not happen because it was not caught on tape, (1) the statement of Mr. Lewis is credible evidence, (2) there is supporting documentation on video that something happened (whether accidental or purposeful spitting is apparently part of the debate) and (3) the assertion that there is no “video” evidence that clearly establishes the claims of either side does not “disprove” the credible statements. But unfortunately there will not be a court to review the evidence and the controversy will exist, especially in the minds of those who dont believe in birth certificates.
JKL2
July 14th, 2010
9:16 am
ctucker-
You must feel like Bill Cosby this morning. Nothing like getting eaten by your own kind.
Much like unions that have outlived their useful purpose, the NAACP is a dinosaur that causes controversy as a way to justify their continued existence.
Whacks Eloquent
July 14th, 2010
9:16 am
amuszed…your point? the billboard was way over the top, but hardly projects a racist message.
I think Jay is covering this dead horse topic. Conservatives calling Democrats socialists is hardly a new phenomenon…but the further slide of the NAACP is truly a sad occurrence for a once proud and still needed organization.
joan
July 14th, 2010
9:18 am
I urge NAACP members to go to tea parties. They will learn that they are not racist. Ragnar has it right. They are concerned with excessive government spending, and intervention into your private lives and decisions–in sum, too much government. Of course any given individual may hold a racist view, much as you do Cynthia. And of course, let’s not forget that the NAACP is an entirely racist organization, founded to propagate a racist agenda. I defy you to agree that a NAAWP would be well accepted. It would be deemed discrimatory.
Scout
July 14th, 2010
9:20 am
Ms. Tucker:
“And, fourth, this resolution just draws attention to the tea partiers — who represent, at most, about 20 percent of the electorate …”
May I remind you that our very freedom is owed to about 10-20% of the population at the time.
kayaker 71
July 14th, 2010
9:20 am
CT,
The worm turns. Looks like you do have some benevolent compassion for the obvious. Now, as cgatlanta states, it is time for the NAACP to turn from a biased race pimped organization to a body of concerned black people. The victimhood only works until most wise up to it. There are a lot of problems in the black community that are far more important to address than some possible “racist” tones from a group of Americans who is concerned with where their country is headed. If this is the flagship organization for blacks in America, they are doing a piss poor job of representing those who turn to them for guidance.
ctucker
July 14th, 2010
9:21 am
Oh, Joan, give it a rest. You think the NAACP, founded in 1911, when Jim Crow was the law of the land, was “founded to propagate a racist agenda”? If you really believe that, we know much about you.
hnf
July 14th, 2010
9:28 am
amuszed,
try to resist the urge to define any group with whom you disagree by its worst members, who bear little resemblence to the overwhelming majority. as to pretextual racism, it surely exists; but make sure you have verifiable proof before you begin shouting about it. when you imply that racism is present everywhere, most people infer that you’re presuming they’re racist–and are offended. so all you’ve done is cause most reasonable people to dismiss you as paranoid and deluded.
Carter is a Fool
July 14th, 2010
9:28 am
NAACP (now NAAAAP) and SCLC are both irrelevant today. They exist only to provide race pimps a forum to create democratic votes.
There was no need to condemn the tea party as most of the tea party people are Republicans and we all know that ALL Republicans are racists by definition.
Jesse said that the Cleveland Cavaliers owner talked about LeBron as if he was property on the plantation. Just another comment ignored by the media.
cgatlanta
July 14th, 2010
9:30 am
@kayaker
I appreciate your support (I think), but I stayed away from “race pimped” and other inflammatory comments on purpose. That will just take the converstation down the wrong (well-worn) road.
Stockdog
July 14th, 2010
9:31 am
As an African-American, that has gone to tea parties. There is racism everywhere, including the NAACP. I agree with Cynthia. 99.9% of the people at the rallies are there because they believe in fiscal conservatism. A large purality of the tea party goers are socially liberal. I think by enacting this condemnation, the NAACP is marginalizing itself into an arm of the Democratic party. We as Blacks need to start voting our religious convictions and not the party line.
S.
July 14th, 2010
9:31 am
America’s “Three Horse Men of the Apocalypse – Race, Gender, Religion,” is fueled by demagogues to protect the status quo of whatever their version of America is or is drifting away from. Thus, the sociopolitical tensions in American life does have the propensity to catch fire. In what shape or form that will take is questionable. One can surmise that so far its at the ballot box. What is at stake in my humble opinion is the “soul” of the nation. That is, who are we, a collective or separate ideological fiefdoms. This democratic experiment that is America is still as raucous as ever. Let’s hope a second coming of the civil war is not in the offering.
Sam (The Cool 1 )
July 14th, 2010
9:34 am
The Cisco Kid and Pancho were not racist. Although the bad guys they chased were white. How do I do know The Cisco Kid was not prejustice? He rode a black and white horse. Man, he was cool!
TS
July 14th, 2010
9:35 am
If the NAACP really was about “change” then why not condemn the overt racism displayed by the new black panthers- calling for all white babies to die.. I guess they stand behind this behavior.
Keep up the good fight!
July 14th, 2010
9:36 am
Scout….we can always count on your misguided claims that you and the rest of the tea partiers are “channeling” the “founding fathers”. No where has it been proven that you have the intellect to even hold a candle to the likes of Jefferson, Washington, Adams, Franklin or a number of the others. But I’ll give you this….you can rant, hype and make wild assertions as well as those who were at the Boston Massacre…..which of course resulted in the death of a black man and which resulted in the successful defense of the British soldiers by Adams. Rant, hype and wild assertions do not replace the reason, logic and dedication of the men and women who really led this country to freedom. You rants, hype and wild assertions would have destroyed the country then and would do so now if those with reason, logic and true dedication did not fight back. I pit their patriotism against yours any day… so why not keep your “reminders’.
Besides I see some Granny’s carry and use axes….Not sayin anything but who knows! A sharp tongue may chop down those cherry trees.
Scout
July 14th, 2010
9:37 am
…………….. and we just become more and more divided as a people.
pat
July 14th, 2010
9:38 am
I love it. It brings more attention to the movement. People hate the race card, so when it’s played unjustly and flippantly as the NAACP did here, it only adds credibility to the movement.
The only down side, is that their flippant condemnation will bring draw some racists to the movement. They are not welcome and never have been.
The Tea Party movement is about ideals and constitutional values. Pulling the race card proves you cannot argue with the substance, so you trump up false allogations with no evidence.
Are we going to honestly say the NAACP has never had any fringe members who are racists? I think it would be hard to argue that two of it’s most prominenet members Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson are vehement racists. As a matter of fact was it not Jesse Jackson who called obama the N*word???? Oh yes, it was…
http://cbs2chicago.com/politics/jesse.jackson.nword.2.772975.html
Port O'John
July 14th, 2010
9:43 am
Looks like Joan misses the good old days when blacks knew their place and there wasn’t any of this confounded race-mixing.
Is the NAACP out of touch today? Sure looks that way. Was it founded for racist reasons? Unless you think protesting the lynching of black people (a not uncommon occurrence in America in 1911), trying to end segregation, fighting for good schools and jobs is racist agenda, then I guess the NAACP was founded as a racist agenda.
I guess you could think that, but most of us would think you’re the one that is living in a Fox News fantasy world.
OpenMinded
July 14th, 2010
9:43 am
I think this column is not only factual, but also shines some much-needed light on the NAACP. I too, at times, often wonder what is the purpose of the NAACP in 2010? Now that this country has seen African Americans reach political, social, and economic levels not seen in our history, one has to ask the same question. But when the NAACP uses its name and body to attack a political movement viewed by them as being “non-conducive” to African American interests, it reveals something disturbing. Just as there are African American republicans, there are also African American tea partiers – those who believe that the direction this country is going, under the current administration, is the wrong direction. And for the NAACP to throw a wedge in an already “race-divisive” political environment just proves that they too have an agenda (knowing that most African Americans will side with their agenda, regardless, simply because they are the NAACP).
Come on NAACP!! If you want to make the news, let it be because the organization has implemented some new African American campaign of “The Quest to Stop Ignorance”, whereby the NAACP will spearhead its own movement to enlighten African Americans about politics and government so that people can get the knowledge they need to make their own political decisions and choices. THAT would be a pure, unadulterated “advancement for colored-people”!!
pat
July 14th, 2010
9:44 am
What could I have possibly said in that post that would put it under moderation?
Sick&Tired
July 14th, 2010
9:46 am
If you idiots were so concerned about spending, you should have been marching in the streets when it was shown “almost daily” how much money we were flushing down the toilet in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Otherwise, when you say the tea party is about fiscal conservatism; you become even more of a joke.
If you don’t spend money, you don’t have; why are thousands and millions of dollars being wasted on billboards that say absolutely nothing about fiscal conservatism. I would expect something like, “Don’t flush money down the toilet, use it to pay off your debt.”
Or “Don’t put your hands in my pocket, I’ve got bills to pay.”
All I have seen is lying, stupid rhetoric and absolutely no suggestions about how to really move our country forward.
Libertarian
July 14th, 2010
9:49 am
I agree with Ms. Tucker in that the NAACP increasingly is making itself look like nothing more than an arm of the democratic party…which SHOULD endanger their non-profit status.
Cynthia is Sexy!!
July 14th, 2010
9:51 am
Thank you S&T. Your contributions to the Federal Govt are welcome.
Bye bye now.
Fang1944
July 14th, 2010
9:53 am
They may not all be racists, but they’ll be called racists as long as you see some of them carrying posters with Obama photoshopped as a witch doctor.
And they need to do something about that gun fetish.
Patrick
July 14th, 2010
9:55 am
Percentage wise, I really don’t think the Tea Party is any more racist than any other political movement. Did everyone forget the cries of racism and sexism in the Democratic Party when it was Obama vs. Hillary during the presidential primary? Yes, all the anger at the Tea Parties is directed at a particular group of people, but that group of people is government… not some racial group. Never have I witnessed any sort of racism at the Tea Party rallies here in CT.
DawgDad
July 14th, 2010
10:00 am
The race baiters must be called on the carpet, scorned, and marginalized or we will never overcome racial divides in this country. Racially focused organizations are self-fulfilling prophesies in terms of perpetuating racism and divisiveness. The NAACP is complaining about an organization focused on restoring economic sanity in this country? They would advance the cause of racial harmony exponentially by JOINING the Tea Party.
I was hoping to comment on your Sarah Palin piece in this morning’s paper, but it looks like you’re not willing to step out and blog on that one. You mainly have it right; she’s a populist within the Republican Party with extremely deep and broad appeal outside of the ranks of the establishment “country club” Republicans and Washington insiders. Which is all very interesting because those are the people pushing her out there. They aren’t stupid; they want to win back control in Washington and they will ride her all the way up the steps if that’s what it takes. A bit of self-purging of some dead-weight politicians along the way will make it easier to move legislation in the future.
Sarah Palin scares the devil out of leftists and liberals for good reason. She’s energized millions of almost purely apolitical mainstream Americans, like my wife, a stay-at-home mother who started her own business to fairly balance and accomodate family care and economic needs. Safe to say my wife has probably never read the editorial page of the AJC or any other paper. She knows intuitively Hillary does not represent her or women in general, and she was genuinely engaged and energized by Palin’s message in her VP campaign. Sarah Palin has attracted money and votes for the GOP from this family they would not have otherwise captured.
To say she will not appeal to independents and swing voters is naive. Cynthia, you prove that isn’t true by writing your column. If all she was doing was energizing the GOP base you’d be buttoned up like Fort Knox to avoid stirring the pot. Independents on whole show in the polls they are concerned about where the leftist-libs are taking us (over the cliff, economically). We share common interests in purging the GOP and Washington of the economically liberal politicians who are not concerned about common Americans.
sam
July 14th, 2010
10:01 am
please include the naacp as an organization that has outlived it usefulness.
T-Town
July 14th, 2010
10:01 am
I would suggest that both the NAACP and the TP sit for a cup of coffee and discuss each of their philosophies. This “your a racist, no your a racist, I am not you are” is getting a little old. My siblings and I had fights like that when we were juveniles. Would even suggest Mr. Obama invite them all to the WH for a beer and a chat…….