Hat tip to Electronic Village for highlighting NAACP Chairman Roslyn Brock's speech at the NAACP 2010 convention July 11th in Kansas City. Ms. Brock is part of the "new generation" of leadership that Julian Bond and the other old guard members of the NAACP leadership have passed the torch too. Its too bad what she had to say sounds like the same old wine in new skins. I wanted to find something to be encouraged about in this speech, I really did, but color me totally unimpressed. Black folk catching hell and she's touting school snack programs? the opening of a few college chapters; so called curriculum reforms to teach civil rights history? Thats it? Thats the best you've got to tout as achievements? The speech has a constant focus on the wrongs done to us, not nearly enough of anything about problem solving in our communities. It was heavy on platitudes, way light on substance.
Here's the problem; the NAACP does not have a true strategic vision about what their purpose is. They are aligned with the democrats and with the White House and essentially have signed up to be a tool of the administration's policy aims. I heard a whole lot about healthcare but can someone tell me when the NAACP became healthcare experts and champions? The speech sounds like an organization doing little more than following the federal money trail and influence. The NAACP is merely cosigning the administration's legislative objectives and pledging the NAACP to work on it. But they don't have an original thought going here. I didn't hear anything about what the NAACP thinks ought to happen on the issues, I just heard parroting of the administration's ideas. Black activist organizations and figures from Sharpton to the NAACP have been co-opted by Obama and politically lobotomized. There is at least a 50/50 chance that the Obama administration's policy goals will crash and burn. What is the NAACP going to do when they land on the wrong side of public opinion, especially when we experience the massive mid term election correction in control of the House and Senate come November? Or if they get thrown under the bus by Obama over the NBP debacle at DOJ?
The really bad news? This rudderless organization has signed up to be the shock troops of Obama and declared war on the Tea Party in what is really a transparent bid to be more political relevant, passing a resolution condemning bigotry within the Tea Party. Listen to Ben Jealous:
Thats not a good look. Because I guarantee you there is enough foolishness, bad management, chicanery, nepotism, cronyism and worse to be found going on in and around the NAACP to quickly hoist them on their own petard. The NAACP had better be careful that they don't get ACORNED out of existence. The Tea Party are the right's shock troops and their special ops teams play real rough.
Interestingly enough (and disappointingly so) with the face off threatening to steal the thunder from yet another Holy Mother of God make it stop planned march for jobs and justice (HAH!)on Aug. 28th, usual suspects Jackson and Sharpton are putting distance between themselves and the comments.
I do like the "I'm an NAACP American" campaign pledge though. Sign the pledge.....I did. Hey Sarah, come sign it with me.
