Political Season Joins Empowered Black Perspectives Radio Show to Talk About Dunbar Village

I participated in a discussion about the Dunbar Village case on Friday, April 18th on the Empowered Black Perspectives Radio show. You can check out the show right here. Unfortunately, my line got dropped just before the end of the show, but thankfully not in the middle of a comment. So give the show a listen and let me know how you think I did in discussing the issues.

NAACP Answers on Dunbar: What We Learned

Well, I've been traveling out of town for the past few days getting some much needed RR with the family but of course keeping an eye peeled on the blogosphere and the Dunbar Village accountability campaign being waged on the NAACP. Since I was on the road, I missed the blogtalk radio show on Dunbar Village on Thursday night. Representatives from the NAACP, Adora Obi Nweze, President, Fl State Conference NAACP and Richard McIntire, the NAACP national spokesperson joined the Black Women's Roundtable hosted by WAOD to respond to the stinging and scathing criticism the NAACP has been receiving.

I listened to the archive of the show including the NAACP portion and the discussion afterwards. The NAACP responses and performance were pathetically inadequate and demonstrated an organization manifestly out of touch. They apologized for the press conference, saying that it was not their intent to suggest that they cared more about the suspects than the victims. They were not well versed in the facts of the Boca Raton cases and ill informed about how their national policy directives informed the actions of the WPB branch. They were unwilling and unable to explain their internal protocol for how local branches intervene in cases (though the local branch in my area seems very clear that permission from their state body is required when I asked about it.)

So what have we learned from this little episode? Surprisingly, not much that was new. All it really did for me was to confirm the fact, which I've blogged on before, that black organizations are nearly incapable of engaging in principled, strategic leadership. The responses of the NAACP betray an organization that is poorly organized, with poor unit discipline and extremely inconsistent quality of leadership at the local level. It seems fairly clear that the WPB branch did not obtain any authorization to intervene in this case before undertaking this ill advised press conference. Furthermore, they got involved in this press conference apparently without having done any significant amount of research into the Boca Raton case, which has a very different fact pattern, as evidenced by their inability to talk about it when questioned by reporters from the Palm Beach Post at the scene.

The quality of local leadership for the NAACP is clearly in question. Maude Ford Lee, the local president, pursued this course of action apparently without authorization, without a clear understanding of the facts of the Boca case and apparently without having given any real thought to the nature of the Dunbar Village rape itself, something I find even more appalling because she is a woman herself.

The poor legal, moral and political judgment demonstrated by the local chapter is simply compounded by the equally inept response of the national organization, which does nothing to rein in the action of the local branch, nor does anything substantive in regards to support for the victim. Clearly unwilling to rebuke the local chapter leadership, the Florida state president apologizes for the press conference, but is unwilling to go any further, and the NAACP's national spokesperson offers up a mish mash of contradictory statements. Its clear that they are only concerned with the agenda of pursuing actual and perceived cases of racial injustice and are willing to ride any set facts to do so. If that were not the case, then the national and state bodies would have indeed rebuked the local chapter for their involvement in this case.

It highlights the sad fact of bad leadership in black organizations both nationally and locally. Because there is little in the way of accountability, these organizations continue to waste humanpower and financial resources on ill advised strategies to obtain dubious gains in racial equality. The NAACP has demonstrated itself to be just such an organization, as has the National Action Network of Al Sharpton.

There was a lot of discussion afterwards about what is the response of people like ourselves, bloggers, activists, a new generation who are embracing the new tools and technologies of the information age to connect with each other and the world on the issues we care about. Some suggested a new organization, some said reform these groups from within, some said run for office. None of these options seems either a great solution or particularly satisfying or complete as answers by themselves. There was talk of coalition building and I think that comment points in the right direction, of a third way. We've seen this accountability campaign force a response from these civil rights establishment dinosaurs. We did it by harnessing the power of communication and the web to connect the concerns of hundreds, perhaps thousands of people who are not otherwise connected. I myself collaborated with people I've never met or seen in places I have never been. Thats very powerful .

We need to continue to harness that power. To build the ability of people who share similar concerns to be able to join with one another on issues we care about and to be involved in action that impacts those concerns. Its not an organization per se, but a coalition of the willing built around shared values and principles, that works to mobilize people power and raise money in specific targeted ways to effect change where its needed. WAOD's prior campaigns and this one demonstrate a power that in my view we have only barely begun to tap. We should be thinking about the next level.

The NAACP Says We Are All Crazy

The NAACP two hours ago put out this press release on their website:

E-mails misrepresent NAACP's position on Dunbar Village case

A series of viral e-mails circulating the Internet the past several days distort and misrepresent the NAACP’s stance on the Dunbar Village gang rape case that began last June in south Florida.
The NAACP does not condone violence against anyone. Any suggestion to the contrary is not credible in light of the Association’s long history of opposing violence against all persons.

In fact, it was the West Palm Beach Branch NAACP and area churches, among others, that provided assistance in the relocation of the victims in this horrific and inexplicable criminal matter.

“The NAACP cares deeply that justice be applied equally, without regards to race, but cares just as deeply that guilty parties be held accountable for their actions,” said Adora Obi Nweze, president of the Florida State Conference, NAACP.

The NAACP National Office nor the Florida NAACP have taken any formal position on the case and both believe this situation will benefit from well meaning, interested parties allowing the facts to become further known and letting defense lawyers do their work.

“The lives of the victims in this case are irrevocably altered in the worst way,” said NAACP Interim President & CEO Dennis Courtland Hayes. “While we respect the judicial process and implore that equal justice be rendered for all involved, we must also focus on ending the continuing plague of violence in our communities.”

The NAACP and its affiliates will continue to closely monitor the proceedings and details of this case, said West Palm Beach Branch NAACP President Maude Ford Lee, who added, “Earlier reports that my remarks support the heinous acts of the guilty parties could not be further from the truth.”

--For more information contact: rmcintire@naacpnet.org

Okay. I'm just gonna go with two sentences out of this press release:

"The NAACP National Office nor the Florida NAACP have taken any formal position on the case..."

No formal position? What do you call WPB NAACP chapter president Maude Ford Lee and NAACP attorney Richard Keith Alan II appearing on the steps of the prosecutor's office with Al Sharpton and the families of the defendants in front of a gaggle of reporters demanding that they be offered bail like the defendants in the Boca Raton case? Don't take my word for it. Watch the video for yourself.

"In fact, it was the West Palm Beach Branch NAACP and area churches, among others, that provided assistance in the relocation of the victims in this horrific and inexplicable" criminal matter.

Oh really? Prove it. I know that the St. Ann Catholic Church has provided some assistance, they are receiving donations to the victim's fund. I also know that when the NAACP's national office was called, they said "its not part of our mission". So I'd like to know exactly what assistance the WPB NAACP branch has rendered to relocate the victims. Spell it out. Did you donate money, did you find her a place to live? Because I have a really hard time believing that this chapter that joined with Al Sharpton in this ill advised, ill timed and irresponsible press conference would have done that after helping the victim of this horrific crime.

Dunbar Village Campaign Gains Momentum & Visibility

The NAACP so far appears to show less media savvy that Al Sharpton. Sharpton tried for a pre-emptive strike by inviting bloggers to his radio show in an attempt to get out in front of the story. Thus far, the NAACP does not appear to have made any official, on the record response regarding their involvement in the Dunbar case. This is a mistake and shows old media thinking. While they dawdle in a case where the facts are so clear, momentum for the campaign is growing and with 20+ blog outlets giving it coordinated messaging, its going to bubble up into MSM awareness.

Here is just some of the attention it has garnered thus far:

BlackVoices.com
The Baltimore Sun
The Chicago Tribune
The Houston Chronicle
PalmBeachPost.com
News Leader.com (Springfield MO)

These articles and more won't be the end of it if there is not a reversal of course.

Al Sharpton and Dunbar Village

I listened in on Al Sharpton's radio broadcast yesterday where he addressed the Dunbar Village incident and his ill advised, ill timed and irresponsible involvement in it. I had anticipated coming on to the show as well at Arlene Fenton's request, but was told by the producer when I called in that with Arlene and Tonyaa Weathersbee, they already had enough guests. I did use the radio call in number but they kept me on hold the entire time. From discussing the call with Arlene afterwards, it almost seemed that they were perhaps avoiding taking calls and clearly, some of Arlene and Tonyaa's commentary was not broadcast.

Sharpton spent a lot of time attacking the guest bloggers credibility in raising the issue but for anyone familiar with the case, there is one inescapable fact.

Sharpton and the NAACP's involvement in the Dunbar Village case was ill advised, ill timed and completely unwarranted. They were making FALSE claims of racial inequity in the application of justice. Claims that not only ignored the heinous crime involved, but that by their false nature, undermine the pursuit of equal justice in cases where it is actually merited. By his own words, Sharpton claimed he was fully aware of the case and the WPB NAACP live there, so clearly they know as well. Their bogus comparison of the case with the one in Boca Raton is either because he and the NAACP didn't bother to check the facts or they didn't care.

Dunbar Village Campaign Update: A New Underground Railroad is Born

Subject: The Dunbar Village Atrocity

Synopsis:

In the past week, a rapidly-moving viral email campaign was launched, and thousands of concerned black citizens spread the word about a shocking crime against a Black woman and her 12 year old son, in which crimes against nature were committed. (read more details of the crime here)

This email, entitled “Stop Al Sharpton and the NAACP from endangering Black Women,” described a stunning betrayal in which the NAACP and Al Sharpton held a press conference and demanded bail consideration for three suspects in custody for the crime. (source1) (source2)

Concerned Black citizens all around the country were outraged by the actions of the NAACP and Al Sharpton, and many vowed to withdraw volunteering and financial support from these agencies “until they make the safety of Black women and children a priority.”

On March 24, 2008 an NAACP memo that attempted to defend this betrayal was sent to Beverly Neal, who is the Director of the NAACP’s Florida State Conference. The memo claims that the NAACP was brought into this fray by Rev. Al Sharpton. Moreover, the memo was written by Maude Ford Lee, who is President of the West Palm Beach Branch of the NAACP. (read the memo here)

On March 27,2008, activist Al Sharpton went on the air to clarify his position on the treatment of the Dunbar Village Suspects. He invited writer Tonyaa Weathersbee and blogger Arlene Fenton to his show, to discuss the matter. Rev. Sharpton claimed that he never said that the Dunbar Village suspects were being treated unfairly, and that he did not want bail for the suspects in question.

Ms Weathersbee and Ms Fenton said that their research indicated otherwise, as indicated by video footage, eyewitness accounts, and the reporting from the Florida Sun Sentinel and the Palm Beach Post.

At the end of the radio show, Al Sharpton strongly condemned any activity that would promote bail consideration for the suspects in question. Rev. Sharpton admitted that “if the suspects were white, he would have been there sooner.” He stated that this is a problem with many black civil rights organizations. He apologized and vowed to uphold his prior promise to advocate for the residents of Dunbar Village. He also challenged all activists, bloggers, and writers to be accountable to each other.

To date, the NAACP has not made an official statement denouncing the Dunbar Village Atrocity, nor have they officially expressed regret to the victim. The NAACP also has not officially retracted their statement requesting bail consideration for the alleged rapists/torturers. To our understanding, neither agency has contributed to the Victim’s Assistance Fund or created a reward program geared toward the apprehension of the remaining rapists/torturers.


Conclusion

WE ARE SATISFIED with Al Sharpton’s qualifying statements that he made on his radio show on 3/27/2008. We will watch to see if he fulfills his promise to advocate for the residents of Dunbar Village, and we are willing to assist any effort that promotes safer black neighborhoods in West Palm Beach, FL.


WE ARE NOT CONTENT with the reckless, irresponsible actions of the NAACP (West Palm Beach chapter). We continue to urge all black people, women especially, to refrain from volunteering or giving financially to this organization until they take our safety seriously.


WHAT WE WANT

We want law enforcement to make a concerted, sustained effort to apprehend the remaining suspects. We want to see a genuine reward system in place to encourage members of the community to come forward with the knowledge of the whereabouts of the remaining suspects.

We want the NAACP (West Palm Beach chapter) to reverse their position that the alleged rapists/torturers of this case should be considered for bail.

We want both the NAACP and the National Action Network to cease downgrading the gang rape/torture/atrocity of the Dunbar Village by comparing it to an unrelated gang rape, in which guns, maiming, and forced incest were not involved.

We want to see genuine victim advocacy in the form of financial support for the relocation, medical expenses, and mental therapy for the true victims in this case.


The Dunbar Village Victim Assistance Fund

Individuals who would like to donate money to the victims can go to any Wachovia Bank and donate to the St. Ann’s Victim’s Assistance Fund. Donations will go directly to the mother and her son.

St. Ann’s Catholic Church will also accept donations. Checks can be made payable to the "Dunbar Village Victim Assistance Fund - St. Ann’s".

Donations can be mailed to: St. Ann’s Catholic Church, 310 N. Olive Avenue, West Palm Beach, FL 33401

For more information about this Dunbar Village Campaign, you can visit any of the following blogs:

http://www.dunbarvillage.blogspot.com/
http://adifferentstory.wordpress.com/
http://anonymissblog.blogspot.com/
http://auntjemimasrevenge.blogspot.com/
http://blackfirewhitefire.blogspot.com/
http://blackwomenvote.blogspot.com/
http://charactercorner.blogspot.com/
http://electronicvillage.blogspot.com/
http://episcopalienne.blogspot.com/
http://essentialpresence.blogspot.com/
http://focusedpurpose.blogspot.com/
http://h-essays.blogspot.com/
http://lareinacobre.blogspot.com/
http://mynewblog-ravenelvenlady.blogspot.com/
http://politicalseason.blogspot.com/
http://privyconcepts.blogspot.com/
http://thesowingcircle.blogspot.com/
http://tributetoblackwomen.com/news
http://web.mac.com/roslynholcomb/iWeb/Site/Blog/Blog.html
http://whataboutourdaughters.com/
http://whattamisaid.blogspot.com/
http://www.blacksapience.blogspot.com/
http://yanmommasaid.blogspot.com/
http://www.somethingwithin.com/blog

Black Male Bloggers: Man Up On Dunbar Village

The Dunbar Village Gang Rape case is among the most horrific criminal cases

I've ever seen. What is perhaps even more horrific is the deafening silence and inaction of black men on this issue, and the active support of the rapists now being given by Al Sharpton and the NAACP. Black women bloggers are taking action. Black male bloggers need to do the same and there are plenty of us.

I'm issuing a call to arms.

The imperatives are clear:
1. Make the NAACP & NAN accountable for their defense of the rapists and reverse course.
2. Bring pressure to bear on WPB authorities to catch the remaining six rapists
3. Raise a lot of money for this woman and her son to help rebuild their 

shattered lives.
This is a black accountability moment.  Black organizations, national and 

local, underperform almost across the board because we don't require them to operate at a higher standard of judgment, accountability or transparency.  

Both of these organizations should be made to publicly reverse course on this case, or pay a serious price until they do.  For black men, I can't think of a 

more clear opportunity to show unflinching, unwavering, non-negotiable, take no prisoners support for black women.

So come on brothers, join the campaign.  The women got it started, but 

frankly, the brothers should finish it.

This is simple:

A black woman was gang raped for 3 hours by 10 black men in front of her 12 year old son.

10 black men destroyed her life.  I'm looking for a hundred black men to help put it back together.

Join the campaign and take action now

Stop Al Sharpton and the NAACP from endangering Black Women!

Cross posted from Black Women Vote! in support of justice for the Dunbar Village rape victim and her 12 year old son.


Right-thinking black people everywhere are stunned by the recent betrayal of Al Sharpton and the NAACP in a situation that is just too outrageous to ignore.

This is a painful story to tell, but it's important for the moral, law-abiding majority of black Americans to understand exactly why Al Sharpton and the NAACP must be immediately stopped.

On June 18, 2007, a black woman was gang raped by 10 youths and forced at gunpoint to have sex with her own 12 year old son in a housing complex called Dunbar Village in West Palm Beach, Florida. The young men not only viciously punched, kicked and sliced this sister and her son with glass objects, but they also blinded her boy by pouring nail polish remover into his eyes.

The young men forced this sister and son to lay naked in a bathtub together, and attempted to set them on fire (they could not find matches). The youths boldly took cell phone pictures so that they could enjoy their violent, immoral and sadistic acts at a later time. The violence continued for more than three hours, and although this sister's neighbors heard her screams, no one called the police or came to her aid.

This sister and her son had to walk a mile to the hospital, because the assailants stole her car, and threatened to kill her and her family if she told the authorities.

Only four of the young men have been apprehended, while the remaining six are on the loose, doing Lord knows what in our communities. There is no manhunt for the remaining suspects.

As devastating as this story is, what the NAACP and Al Sharpton have done about it will simply take your breath away:

Not only did the NAACP ignore hundreds of requests to assist this woman because it was 'outside the scope of their mission', but they joined forces with Al Sharpton, and sent their lawyers to speak out IN SUPPORT OF THE RAPISTS.

You heard me right.

Even though there is conclusive DNA evidence and signed confessions, the NAACP and Al Sharpton are saying that it is 'unfair' to not offer bail to these four alleged rapists. They even had a press release about it.

IT IS TIME FOR SENSIBLE BLACK PEOPLE TO STOP THIS KIND OF NONSENSE ONCE AND FOR ALL.

Al Sharpton and the NAACP are banking on the belief that you and I will be just like this black woman's neighbors. Join me by saying NOT THIS TIME. We will not turn a deaf ear to when we hear calls for help from one of our sisters and brothers who are being victimized.

Stop the NAACP and Al Sharpton's National Action Network from committing this disgrace in our community. Just this once, let's stand up and be counted by saying that we demand safe neighborhoods for our women and children.

Here is what you can do:

Please make a $5, $10, $50, $100 or more contribution to the victim fund to help the Dunbar Village victim and her son rebuild their shattered lives

Checks should be made payable to the Dunbar Village Victim Assistance Fund - St. Ann. You can drop your contribution off at any Wachovia Bank branch, or mail them to:

Dunbar Village Victim Assistance Fund - St. Ann.
St. Ann Catholic Church
310 N. Olive Ave.
West Palm Beach, FL 33401
561-832-3757

1. Spread the word. Forward this email if your conscience and concern have been raised. Send it to every concerned black citizen that you know.

2. Demand an explanation from your local NAACP chapter about this case. Cancel your membership to these organizations, and write a letter explaining that you will return when they prioritize the public safety needs of black women and children.

3. If you do not belong to these organizations, call and write them to tell them of your outrage and displeasure:

NAACP National Headquarters
4805 Mt. Hope Drive
Baltimore MD 21215
Toll Free: (877) NAACP-98
Local: (410) 580-5777

National Action Network
Rev. Al Sharpton
106 W. 145th Street
Harlem, New York 10039
212-690-3070
877-NAN-HOJ1

4. f you know an African American reporter or a black radio talk show host, forward this story them and ask them to follow up on it.

Each Friday at 9:00am, visit any of the websites below, which will give you an update on the status of this situation. DO NOT LET THIS GO. Let us start working for safer neighborhoods in black communities.


Read the history of the Dunbar Village problem here:

http://www.dunbarvillage2008.blogspot.com

ON FRIDAYS, CHECK THE NETWORK OF A NEW GENERATION OF BLACK ACTIVISTS:


http://blackwomenvote.blogspot.com
http://adifferentstory.wordpress.com
http://anonymissblog.blogspot.com/
http://auntjemimasrevenge.blogspot.com
http://blackfirewhitefire.blogspot.com/
http://blackwomenvote.blogspot.com
http://charactercorner.blogspot.com
http://electronicvillage.blogspot.com
http://episcopalienne.blogspot.com
http://essentialpresence.blogspot.com
http://focusedpurpose.blogspot.com/
http://h-essays.blogspot.com/
http://lareinacobre.blogspot.com/
http://mynewblog-ravenelvenlady.blogspot.com/
http://politicalseason.blogspot.com
http://privyconcepts.blogspot.com/
http://thesowingcircle.blogspot.com/
http://web.mac.com/roslynholcomb/iWeb/Site/Blog/Blog.html
http://whataboutourdaughters.com
http://whattamisaid.blogspot.com
http://whattamisaid.blogspot.com/
http://www.blacksapience.blogspot.com
http://yanmommasaid.blogspot.com
http://www.somethingwithin.com/blog

--

Black Women: Please visit my blog at
http://www.blackwomenvote.blogspot.com
and let the revolution begin!

An Open Letter to the NAACP and Al Sharpton

I sent the following to NAN and the NAACP at 4:04 pm Saturday March 15, 2008. I encourage you to do the same and more.


To:
Al Sharpton - National Action Network
Julian Bond - Chairman - NAACP
Maude Ford Lee - President - West Palm Beach Branch NAACP
Sabu Williams - Director - Florida State Conference NAACP

I'm writing to protest the recent actions of the NAACP and the National Action Network in the Dunbar Village rape case. As you know, on June 18th, 2007, a black woman and her 12 year old son were viciously and savagely attacked by 10 black men and boys in a West Palm Beach Florida public housing project called Dunbar Village . The woman was brutally gang raped for over three hours, tortured and forced to perform oral sex on her 12 year old son at gunpoint. They were doused with chemicals, poured into their eyes and the woman's vagina in an attempt to destroy evidence. They were saved from being burned alive only because the rapists could not find matches. No one called the police during the three hour attack. No one came to their aid when the attack was over. They had to walk a mile to a hospital before they were assisted by anyone.

On Tuesday, March 11, 2008, Al Sharpton and the West Palm Beach NAACP held a press conference accusing the prosecutor of treating those arrested in this case unfairly. You demanded that the prosecutor offer bail to the boys arrested in this case and not try them as adults, because this was being done by the prosecutor in another gang rape case involving white perpetrators in a different Florida jurisdiction.

Following the attack, vigorous efforts were made to contact NAN and the NAACP and enlist your aid in getting help and attention for the victim of this horrific crime. An NAACP spokesman, when contacted, said they would not respond because "it was outside their mission". Despite repeated calls to the National Action Network, there was NO RESPONSE. No statement on behalf of the victim, no protest, not one single word. Contrast this to the swift and vocal response Al Sharpton and NAN exhibited to the Duke rape case. In the Duke case, loud and vocal support of the victim and calls for justice for her attackers, but in the Dunbar Village case.......complete silence. The difference between the two cases? At Duke - the alleged attackers were white men; in Dunbar Village, the alleged attackers are black men. Contrast the response in this case to the NAACP's vigorous defense of Michael Vick for merely killing dogs, but the brutal and horrific gang rape of a black woman in front of her 12 year old son provokes not a single word.

For almost a year, NAN and the NAACP had nothing to say in support of the black woman victim and her son. You made no calls for the West Palm Beach police to swiftly find these criminals, of whom six are still on the loose. You did nothing to my knowledge to offer help to this woman and her child to help them recover. In all points, you exhibited a complete moral indifference to the crime committed against this black woman. Now, almost a year later, you come rushing to the defense of....the rapists??!!!! Your actions send the clear message that crimes committed against black women are not important to your organizations unless they present an opportunity to protest perceived racism and if exploiting a poor, gang raped black woman can help you grab some media spotlight for that purpose, thats okay.

I ask, where is your moral compass? How is it that the vile nature of what you are doing is not apparent to you? You are championing rapists while deliberately, purposefully ignoring the vicious gang rape and torture of a black woman. Your actions make clear that neither you Al Sharpton as a black man, nor the NAACP, value the dignity, safety and well being of black women. Your actions make clear that the rape and violation of black women is okay depending on the race of the violator. You will protest the rape of black women by white men, but you will say nothing about the rape of black women by black men and in fact will defend the black rapists of african american women. It is a second violation of this woman and indeed of all black women as vile as the first.

Your behavior in this case is morally indefensible and despicable. There is no justification for it, no basis in morality that would support what Al Sharpton and the NAACP are doing. I demand that you reverse course. I demand that you turn the resources of your organization to providing support and aid to the innocent victims in this case, not the perpetrators. I demand that you publicly in word and deed put pressure on the West Palm Beach authorities to find and arrest the other six rapists still on the loose.

If you are unwilling to immediately and publicly acknowledge the error of your actions in regard to the Dunbar Village case, I and as many others as I can persuade to join me, will pursue every avenue available to make the public at large, the media, your membership, your financial and political supporters, your sponsors and the entire world aware of your willing and informed support and encouragement of the brutal rape and torture of a black woman. My outrage is shared by many others. NAN and the NAACP will be held accountable.

The actions of Al Sharpton and the NAACP to support rapists of black women is a moral abomination, a moral atrocity. It degrades and sullies the good the NAACP has accomplished. It should not be allowed to stand. It is non negotiable. If the NAACP and NAN must be ripped apart and rebuilt anew to restore its moral compass and establish as sacrosanct the dignity, value and safety of black women, that is preferable to organizations which knowingly support the violation and rape of black women.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
To our readers. If you agree with the above, make it a letter template for other people. Forward it, twit it, facebook it, newsvine it, digg it, and anything else you can think of. Turn it into a viral hurricane of outrage and accountability.

You can communicate directly to the organizations with the info below:

NAACP: Julian Bond -Chairman
4805 Mt. Hope Drive, Baltimore MD 21215
Toll Free: (877) NAACP-98
Local: (410) 580-5777

National Action Network
Al Sharpton
Crisis Department
106 W. 145th Street
Harlem, New York 10039
212-690-3070
877-NAN-HOJ1
crisis@nationalactionnetwork.net
revalmedia@yahoo.com

NAACP: Florida State Conference
DIRECTOR: MR. SABU WILLIAMS
ADDRESS: 230 Seneca Trail; Crest View, FL 32536
TELEPHONE: (850) 301-2095 FAX: (850) 301-2098
E-MAIL: sabu1@aol.com

West Palm Beach County Branch - Unit # 5143
President: Maude Ford Lee
Mailing Address: P. O. Box 4131 West Palm Beach, FL 33407
Telephone: (561) 655-9798
E-Mail: unit5143@naacp.org

This behavior should not be allowed to stand. Let's put a stop to it.

NAACP & Sharpton: We're Okay with Gang Rape, But Denying Bail Is Going Too Far

I scarcely know how or where to begin to express my outrage, sorrow and weary disgust with the NAACP, a once venerable organization. I considered myself incapable of surprise at the antics of race hustler Sharpton, but I am surprised and dismayed at what is clearly a new low on his part.

We posted on the horrific Dunbar Village gang rape case in Florida last year where a woman was raped by 10 men over a three hour period You can read the local coverage here. We noted then, as we do now, that part of what made this crime so horrible was the fact that during a 3 hour ordeal, despite the screams, no one came to the victims aid, and the terrible things which were done to the woman and her son. It was shocking, barbaric and horrific. What has made the horror of it grow more and more is that no black organization came to this woman's aid, to demand justice, to help her recover, nothing. Net activists at the blog What About Our Daughters have been calling people and organizations to account for not speaking out about it, from Sharpton, to Obama, to the NAACP and anyone else. The Obama campaign, despite repeated contacts from a variety of sources, has never responded. Neither has the Clinton campaign, nor did Sharpton. The NAACP, in response to requests to get involved on the victims behalf, actually said they would not because it was not in their mission. I mean their lack of any response was pathetic. Mind you, the Atlanta chapter had to rush to intervene on behalf of Michael Vick over his dogfighting trouble. And of course, Sharpton was johnny on the spot in defense of the alleged black female rape victim in that case, who supposedly had been assaulted by a whole team of white boys and turned out to be a liar. After many entreaties that were ignored, Sharpton finally responded to the Dunbar Village residents, set up an event with public officials, then canceled it at the last minute without advance notice, letting down the residents.

But finally, the NAACP and Sharpton have responded to the Dunbar Village atrocity and they are rushing in to the defense.......of the rapists. Sharpton and the local branch of the NAACP held a press conference to highlight the fact that the four teens arrested in the Dunbar Village case have not been granted bail, while white kids over in Boca Raton charged with rape got bail and are not being charged as adults.

Neither of these organizations could be bothered to even publicly speak out about the horrific crime that was committed against the victim in this case. The NAACP said it was not their concern and Sharpton blew off the residents of Dunbar Village. Now, both of these organizations think the smart thing to do is come to the defense of the rapists in this case. It demonstrates for all to see that the NAACP, once a very respectable organization, has completely lost its way and become disconnected from any sense of morality, integrity or decency and commonsense. In Sharpton's case, its a singular statement that he is only interested in opportunities to aggrandize himself and if exploiting a poor, gang raped black woman can help him grab some media spotlight, thats okay. There are unconfirmed reports at this writing that the NAACP has even sent attorneys to Florida to work on these rapists behalf.

The actions of Sharpton and the NAACP are despicable and disgusting in this case. I call on the NAACP to reverse itself and come to the aid of the victim in this case. I call on the national organization to rebuke the local chapter for this ill advised partnership with Sharpton. I call on every single NAACP member to demand that their local chapter tell the national organization to repudiate and cease and desist from any advocacy on the part of the perpetrators of this crime and to discontinue their membership if they do not. I call on every person black, white, brown or yellow to pressure the sponsors and corporate supporters of the NAACP to demand they address the Dunbar Village case properly and support the victim and if they do not, to withdraw, withhold or reduce their support. I call on all members of the national Black Action Network to repudiate Sharpton's actions. I call on any financial supporters of the Black Action Network to demand they reverse themselves and support the victim in this case, or have their support removed. I call on candidates Clinton and Obama to denounce this crime and crimes against women, and to rebuke the NAACP and Sharpton for their despicable actions in fighting for the rapists and deliberately, purposefully ignoring the vicious crime committed against a black woman. I call on every person who reads this to contact the media, these organizations, and anyone who will listen and tell them to denounce this foolishness.

This is a black accountability moment.

Horror to Horror: Dunbar Village, Meet Phoenix Apartments

The federally created and locally tolerated misery incubator known as the Dunbar Village housing project unfortunately has a cousin in Indianapolis, the Phoenix Apartments. This 12 acre complex of 328-units at 4004 Meadows Drive is made up of nine brick buildings containing 224 one-bedroom and 104 two-bedroom apartments of approximately 600 square feet. Yes, thats right, 600 sq. ft., a crackerbox by any name. As you might imagine, thats not a terribly marketable apartment unit. What keeps this wretched apartment complex afloat? 20 year project based section 8 contracts and 10 year housing choice vouchers from the local housing authority that guarantee the owners of this crappy complex market rate rents.

This lovely residential locale is making the news again in Indianapolis as the spot where a three year old, Tajanay Bailey, was murdered by her mother and her live in boyfriend. Upon examination by the coroner, they concluded that the child had been brutalized in the week prior to her death in a manner they characterized as "torture'. The child had been removed from this woman's care by protective services and had been with a foster parent, who had repeatedly warned that the child should not be returned. Apparently, the mother did all of the steps required and despite the fact that the apartment she was living in was a filth hole and one of the most crime ridden places in Indy, despite clear signs of abuse of the child, she was returned for a trial reunification period of 30 days. It only took a couple of weeks for the mother and boyfriend to kill her.

Too many subsidized housing projects such as Dunbar and Phoenix have become these warehouses of the miserable poor, where atrocities like the Dunbar rape or this senseless murder of a child are made more possible than they should be by an environment of hopelessness and squalor. These are failed places and the remedy for them is that they must be dismantled and rebuilt and the people who live in them must be helped to create a better life for themselves if they want it. Some will, others will not, and that group should be culled from the rest and summarily sent on their way. Like Dunbar, Phoenix continues because it is located in a community that is willing to tolerate it. I hope that the day is fast approaching when neither Dunbar nor Pheonix will be tolerated any longer.

Do something in 10 minutes that could increase resources that will help transform misery incubators like Dunbar & the Phoenix Apartments

Obama, the Black Woman's Vote is Yours to Lose

An Open Letter to the Barack Obama Campaign:

I am extremely concerned that the Barack campaign has made or is making an error in addressing black women as a constituency. Many news articles have reported polling numbers showing black women as not having made a decision to support his run. My own informal polling (hardly scientific) and engagement with the widely read and influential "What About Our Daughters" blog contributors has now convinced me that a serious tactical mistake is being made. This group wants to be directly engaged as a constituency and I believe them to be low hanging fruit to be picked up as voters and supporters of the campaign.

A large number of black women are concerned about violence against them. The Dunbar Village rape case is a major flashpoint about which the campaign has been silent although you said you would make a statement about it, and Obama's support of Genarlow Wilson, without addressing the impact on the black female victim in the case is hurting the campaign with black women.

They are concerned about health care issues very specifically related to them, such as aggressive cancers that occur in black women more frequently and other health threats.

The point has been made that this is a constituency which controls billions of dollars in our economy and which make up a large part of the black voting public. A significant number of them are disaffected from the campaign because they have not been forcefully addressed in their own right on issues they consider important to them.

The campaign can bring this group into the fold if it will become more focused on its message to them as a group. While Obama's policy ideas may not address everything they want in the way they may want it, its my view that the campaign is under engaged with them and should take aggressive steps to correct this immediately by taking every opportunity to publicly address their concerns, particularly on violence against black women, in all of the policy activity going forward. I also think the campaign should look at what its doing to engage networks of black women and ramp it up with tight refocusing on the policy issues black women care about and should do so immediately. This issue is hurting the SC race and will hurt in other primaries in any state with significant amounts of black women. Its a group the campaign should not lose and who's support can be had if better attention is paid. Please adjust the campaigns tactics to play more to the issues of this group in terms of policy. Michelle and Oprah and gospel tours have perhaps opened the door, but the Obama campaign must step through it now with policy focused on this group before it is beaten to the punch by the Clinton campaign. This is not hard. Please don't blow it.

How Do We Fix Dunbar Village? The East Lake Experience Offers Some Guidance

Gina Smith at WAOD recently wrote about having an epiphany as a counter protester at a recent Barack fundraiser. She was peppered with questions by the attendees and after answering them, realized that wanting other people to be as outraged as she is (and as I am) by the Dunbar Village atrocity isn't a meaningful end in itself and that her role as an informer had been carried out. What people do with that information is the bigger issue.

I found her self reflection very refreshing and it turns the conversation to what the heck are we going to do about Dunbar Village. Because fundamentally, the horror of Dunbar is that people are living in conditions where that can happen again and again. Doing something about Dunbar means eradicating the conditions in which such a thing could so readily happen.

A part of what has to happen in Dunbar Village is that Dunbar residents, supported by their local community, have to become organized to address their conditions. They will need help to do that, it will not be something they can do on their own. The issue is how do we help them organize to fix what is a very tough situation. My contribution to that is to say that it CAN be done and that it HAS been done in other places. The East Lake Projects experience in Atlanta is one to look at for some inspiration.

The key thing to know about the East Lake experience is that it was driven by a very rich man (Tom Cousins) who decided to give a damn and a public housing resident (Eva Davis) who took responsibility to lead. They had to learn to work together, they were fought every inch of the way and Tom Cousins made a lot happen because he was willing to find the resources both financial and political, to do it and most of the money his family put in or raised (I've met and discussed East Lake with him personally).

A key understanding in looking at East Lake for inspiration with regard to Dunbar Village is to be clear that the WAY they transformed East Lake is NOT replicable ( unless you have a local millionaire down there willing to step up like that), but the RESULTS they achieved in East Lake are. There are other ways to accomplish the type of investment and transformation that was done in East Lake. The key thing to understand is that it is very hard, very expensive (East Lake took $120 million) and will take time (East Lake took 10 years) to achieve and requires people to take leadership and ownership. But it can be done.

East Lake Foundation

Horrid Crime in South Florida: Black on Black Crime & the invisible black woman

Dunbar Village. Ring any bells? Call up any images in your mind? Or are you drawing a blank? If you answered blank, its not surprising. The story of this horrible crime against a black woman that happened in this housing project has gotten little national coverage and no response at all that I'm aware of from the black establishment (NAACP, Urban League) or from the race hustlers (Sharpton, Jackson). None of the presidential candidates have mentioned it either. In a nutshell, on June 18th, 2007, a single mother and her 12 year old were assaulted for over three hours. The mother was gang raped and sodomized by 10 black thugs and forced to perform oral sex on her 12 year old at gun point. They were then doused with cleaning fluids and household chemicals, blinding the son and burning the mother. Four are in custody and the remainder are being sought. All of this took place within the paper thin four walls of the victims public housing apartment, surrounded by other people who ignored their screams for over three hours and neither helped nor called the police. Even after the assault was over, no one in the projects lifted a finger to help. They walked miles to a hospital emergency room before anyone did anything for them.

And yet there is nothing from main stream black organizations. The national media has ignored it. Even in West Palm Beach where this happened, the outrage and urgency to do something about it is not there. The Mayor of Newark, Corey Booker, is all over the murder case of the four black students there. The contrast between his response and that of Mayor Frankel ( a woman) in Florida could not be more different.

The horror of the event is only increased for me as time passes because of the response of black America. In the time since this horrid crime, we have invaded Jena and a march is being planned in support of Megan Williams, who was viciously raped and tortured by five white people in Texas. But Dunbar Village no one is talking about. Why? Seemingly because the crime against her was committed by black men. Had it been a group of white men, I suspect that the outrage of black America would be evident and Jesse and Sharpton would have made many a visit. But we have no outrage to spare for the Dunbar Village victim because she was brutalized by other blacks? That seems to be the case and it is a sad commentary on our community. Gina Smith who authors "What About Our Daughters" has been on this issue for months now. She contacted the NAACP and their spokesman actually told her that the Dunbar Village case is not within their mission. In mission or not, that the NAACP can't muster itself to make any statement on the case or to get involved in assuring pressure is maintained for these criminals to be caught is hard to understand.

However, the NAACP chapter in Atlanta thought it was necessary to publicly comment on Michael Vick, who was not being railroaded by anyone, but was justifiably suffering the consequences of his very foolish actions. But there is no comment for the Dunbar Village victims or seemingly caring, because they were brutalized by other blacks.

Its a too common circumstance that we focus great amounts of attention and energy on injustice to blacks from whites, but have no commentary about the harms we do to each other. We will expend tremendous energy to call whites to account, but miss the opportunity to call ourselves and our community to account. Surely, the atrocity in Dunbar Village is an opportunity for us to say to each other, "this must end". The crime infested, low quality of life environment of Dunbar Village that provided the conditions, setting and the attitude of indifference by other residents for this crime is an example of the low standard that we too often tolerate. No one called the police, no one intervened and after it was over, residents behaved as though they did not care that it had happened.

The criminals have not all been brought to justice. Where is our community to demand that these people be caught? Where is the outpouring of support for the victims to help them put their lives back in order? We give support to the Jena Six, who were charged far in in excess of the crime, but who nevertheless did initiate and commit a six on one assault against another student. Protesting the prosecutor's overreach does not mean we abdicate our responsibility to make some moral critique of the Six's behavior. They are making appearances on BET. But what are we doing about the Dunbar victims to aid their recovery or address the crime committed against them? Clearly less than these other cases. And why is that? Because we are apparently far less committed to demanding accountability from ourselves than we are from white people. Had the Dunbar Village victim been brutalized by whites, we would be marching now. But we are making no effort to demand accountability from ourselves. The black community in Miami Beach should be turning these criminal dogs in. There should be no place they can find rest or shelter. The reward should be huge. But there is no outrage. Nothing on the level of what the lying woman in the Duke rape case received. Even after it was clear she was a liar, Jesse was saying his offer of help and a scholarship were still open.

Our moral compass is so off track, that we lose all perspective in the drive to press claims for redress in cases of crimes committed by whites against blacks, while at the same time basically ignoring the daily death we practice against one another. Dunbar Village is a savage example of this myopia.

ConVick? The NAACP and too many others have no perspective

Michael Vick in a locker room interview on
 September 3, 2009. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

RICHMOND, Virginia (CNN) -- Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick arrived Monday at the U.S. District Court in Richmond where he was expected to plead to charges related to dogfighting.

art.vick.pool.jpg

Michael Vick arrives Monday at court where he is expected to plead guilty to charges related to dogfighting.

Vick was met by cheering supporters as his attorneys and federal marshals escorted him into the building. A group of protesters also was on hand.

In legal papers filed last week, Vick admitted financing a dogfighting operation and participating in the killing of dogs that did not fight well.

The Michael Vick story has been dominating media for several days now. In addition to the coverage, we have now been treated to the silly spectacle of the local NAACP in Atlanta and the national spokesperson making excuses for Michael Vick. For an organization with such a storied civil rights history, it truly nauseates me to see them interjecting themselves into a non strategic, non important sensationalist mess.

First off, lets get it on the table. I don't feel sorry for Vick. I don't think he has been treated unfairly. If his career ends up being over because of this foolishness, tough. Why so cold you say? Because Vick got paid a $27 million signing bonus and he was pulling down a multi million dollar annual salary. So if he didn't understand that he had left the ghetto behind, thats just too bad. I'm a working brother, father of three and a husband. In the natural, I don't see $27 million coming my way anytime soon. I don't have any sympathy at all for this young, single brother on top of the world who thought it was a good idea to fight dogs with his boys from the hood. I just can't dredge up any sympathy at all for him. Could it be because....there is no reason to be sympathetic? He didn't have enough common sense to think about how his behavior might be a problem for him, for his team, for his contract, for his career? Not even with $27 million reasons?

Now, in defending himself, he's got resources. He is not getting railroaded in the legal system. He's got the best defense money can buy. So he needs no help on that score. So why is the NAACP feeling it necessary to come to his defense? Why do they tarnish their reputation and brand by sparing one moment to defend this BS? This at the same time they are totally SILENT about the heinous crime committed against the gang rape victim in Dunbar Village or the way that case has been handled in Florida? No perspective. None at all. They have nothing to say about the Dunbar Village victim or the Lavena Johnson case, but for dog killer ConVick, they have much love. That kind of stupidity is why the younger generation is paying little attention and the NAACP's relevance will continue to dwindle.