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NAACP Lashes Out At The Tea Party

Posted on 13. Jul, 2010 by Stevie in Politics / Current Events

The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People is not biting its tongue when it comes to its feelings about the Tea Party.  They have now gone public with their disappointment in the grassroots organization.

The NAACP  used the platform of its 101st annual conference in Kansas City, Mo. to get real with the Tea Party and call them on the carpet on a few items.  Of course, the Tea Party leadership was none-too-happy about the NAACP’s actions.

The oldest civil rights organization issued a resolution condemning the bigotry and seemingly inherent racism in the Tea Party. They said that white supremacists have been allowed in the group, at least in part.  The Tea Party has faced criticism from the general public and media before because of the strong attacks against President Obama from the group and its mostly white members.  The NAACP wants to educate its members about the realities of the Tea Party.  They don’t have a problem with the Tea Party’s existence, but they want to stop the hate that follows it.

I’m not exactly sure what this NAACP resolution is really going to do for relations between the two groups. A resolution is great and all on paper.  But, how does that stop average Joe Blow in the Nebraska Tea Party from saying that the President is a Muslim or a terrorist at the next rally?  It doesn’t.

Also, the resolution seems to be a little late.  There was a major blowup between black lawmakers and Tea Partiers at the healthcare vote in March.  Where was the NAACP nationally on this issue then?  Where was the “resolution?” It was four months in the making.

More importantly, where was the public dialogue between the Tea Party leaders and those from the NAACP? I’m sure there are one or two issues that both groups agree on that they can discuss.  The Tea Party claims that they don’t promote racism.  So, maybe conversation could have been centered around how the actions of a few Tea Partiers continue to define the larger group.  I might be drawing straws here, but I like to think in terms of concrete action.

The reality is that the Tea Party will continue to exist.  Not all of its members are racists.  Some of their founding principles are actually pretty solid.  No, the resolution is not a good look for them in the media.  But, they don’t care.  They haven’t ever had a good look in the media since they started.

I think I was expecting a little more than a resolution about the Tea Party.  I need less “tap on the wrist” and more “knock the wind out of you, then pin you to the ground.”  I’m just saying…

Tags: bigot, Kansas City, NAACP, racist, resolution, Tea Party