After pondering whether or not I wanted to step into the fire on this issue, here is my response to the NAACP. I AM NOT a leader of ANY tea party organization. Although I do admit to at one time being on the board of a 9/12 Project group and currently on the board of Athens Brigade, a non-partisan poll watching organization.
Personally, I have no problem with the fact that the NAACP is requesting Tea Party leaders to repudiate racism. However, they are missing one major point. The "Tea Party" is not a National Organization and has no "Leader." The Tea Party is not a "Federally Funded Non-Profit Organization" that gets to elect leaders to draft divisive resolutions and use the media to spew racially divisive rhetoric.
I have attended many rallies and events, some “tea party” events, some “9/12” events, etc. What little fringe activity I have witnessed were from outsiders who were sent to infiltrate and discredit the event. They were quickly addressed peacefully, without incident. Although I am sure someone conveniently captured the moment on film and made it to be more than it was.
What the NAACP really wants is for someone to step up and claim leadership of the Tea Party Movement so they can brand them and put a bull’s-eye on their back. If you want repudiation of racism by tea partiers, ask any of them. We all think racism is disgusting. Right now we're disgusted that the NAACP is stirring this up just days after the New Black Panther Party was let off the hook for "documented, blatant racism."
No comments:
Post a Comment