Why Are Some African Americans So Eager to Tear Other African Americans Down???!!!???

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are my own. They do not necessarily reflect the views of the NAACP, my associates or advertisers.

On Thursday, I skimmed a few of blogs on my list and came across a provocative article on What About Our Daughters (WAOD) titled Ben Jealous Should Resign: Ben Jealous, Roland S. Martin, White House Shank Grandmother in the Back by Gina, the Blogmother. WAOD describes itself as “unapologetic, uncompromising, and unbowed in defense of Black women and girls.” Discussing the Shirley Sherrod controversy, the article focused all of its vitriol at Black men and organizations including NAACP President and CEO Benjamin Todd Jealous, CNN commentator Roland S. Martin and President Barack Obama.

Amazingly, the article did NOT criticize, condemn or even mention the most culpable parties, right wing Tea Party blogger Andrew Breitbart and FOX News. Mr. Breitbart posted the deceptively edited video and gave it to FOX News. FOX News repeatedly broadcasted the bogus news story and later downplayed their role in spreading the controversy. Mr. Breitbart is “unapologetic” about deliberately tarnishing Ms. Sherrod’s name. In retaliation for the NAACP’s condemnation of the racist elements within the Tea Party movement, Mr. Breitbart used the tape as a means to discredit the NAACP as “racist". As far as Mr. Breitbart is concerned, Ms. Sherrod was expendable collateral damage.

Conversely, when the NAACP discovered its error, the Association promptly apologized, posted the entire video and asked the Obama Administration to reconsider its decision to fire Ms. Sherrod. The video footage vindicated Ms. Sherrod. Subsequently, USDA Secretary Mr. Vilsack and the President apologized to Ms. Sherrod and offered her a new job. Again, WAOD oddly failed to condemn or mention the actions of Mr. Breitbart and FOX News. However, WAOD had no problem trashing the NAACP, President Obama and Roland Martin.

After reading WAOD’s article, I expressed my concerns regarding this omission. Essentially, I wondered, “Why are some African Americans so eager to tear each other African Americans down and so willing to excuse or gloss over the wrongdoings of other ethnic groups?” I asked WAOD, “Are you concerned about the racist signs and racist members of the Tea Party?” I raised other concerns as well in the comment section. See the comment section of Ben Jealous Should Resign for the details.

During the discussion, WAOD and other commentators asked me if I worked for the NAACP. I did not respond to that question for two reasons. First, I did not want to create the impression that I was officially speaking for the NAACP. I was speaking as an individual. The Association has designated spokespersons. Second, the name of my employer has absolutely no logical bearing on the validity of my arguments. Arguments stand or fall based on their logic or illogic. My intent was not to deceive. If any of WAOD's commentators clicked the link to my blog, they would have quickly discovered that I work for the NAACP. WAOD's detective work was unnecessary. Moreover, I was NOT paid or instructed to comment on the WAOD article.

In response to my comments, WAOD posted a misleading article titled NAACP Legal Goons Invade WAOD Comment Section Following Calls for Jealous to Resign. Instead of presenting a substantive, cogent response in the article, WAOD’s resorted to gossip mongering, fallacious ad hominem attacks, bully tactics and puerile name calling. As WAOD stated in the comment section, “Y'all do realize that once they start calling you names. They have run out of arguments. So you win.” It is easy to attack the person making the arguments. It is far more difficult to refute sound arguments. As stated is the Nizkor Project website, “The character, circumstance, or actions of a person do not have a bearing on the truth or falsity of the claim being made.”

To date, WAOD has not provided any substantive responses to the issues that I have raised.

I realize that sexism is an issue that the African American community must confront. I acknowledge that no organization or individual is beyond criticism. All organizations, leaders and politicians should be held accountable.

Nonetheless, the dialogue should remain civil. Brothers and sisters should not fight each other. Such conflict only benefits the right wing opposition. The extremist right wing opposition wants to “take our country back” to the pre-civil rights era. Rather than simply bashing the Nation’s oldest and largest civil rights organization, WAOD, as a "defender of Black women and girls", should focus at least SOME of its criticism and energy on such racist elements of the Tea Party.

Andrew Breitbart Exposed!

Yesterday, on ABC's Good Morning America, Eric Boehlert of Media Matters exposed far right wing blogger Andrew Breitbart. Mr. Breitbart deliberated used a 1.55 minute segment of a 43.15 minute speech to create the false impression that former USDA official Shirley Sherrod and the NAACP are racist. After the NAACP posted the entire video, it was apparent that Mr. Breitbart's heavily edited 1.55 minute video was intentionally designed and manipulated to take Ms. Sherrod's statements completely out of context.

Instead of taking full responsibility for manufacturing and peddling the false story about Ms. Sherrod and the NAACP, Mr. Breitbart has attempted to justify his shameless actions. In response to the NAACP's criticism of the Tea Party movement, Mr. Breitbart is desperately trying to discredit the Association. However, he ended up discrediting his self.

Rather than simply bashing the Obama Administration and the NAACP, progressives should focus on the source of the problem, Andrew Breitbart and FOX News! We cannot allow them to turn the NAACP into the next ACORN.

Hoodwinked and Bamboozled

Last week, the NAACP passed a resolution condemning the racist elements of the Tea Party Movement. Despite the fact that the NAACP passed many other significant resolutions, the media became fixated on the Tea Party issue.

For the pass couple of years, prominent African American bloggers such as Field Negro and Jack and Jill Politics exposed the extremist and racist fringes of the Tea Party movement. For years, other progressive media outlets such as The Huffington Post and Democracy Now have discussed that issue in depth. This issue is nothing new.

The racist elements in the Tea Party movement are apparent. Many of their demonstrations include racist and inflammatory signs. Some signs depict President Obama as a monkey, a stereotypical African Witch doctor and a Muslim terrorist. Other signs read "Obamanomics, Monkey See, Monkey Spend", "Obama's Plan, White Slavery", "The American Taxpayers Are the Jews for Obama's Ovens", "Congress = Slave Owner, Taxpayer = Niggar", "Cap Congress and Trade Obama Back to Kenya", "Impeach Muslim Marxist" and "The Zoo has an African, The White House has a Lyin' African". Recently, Tea Party Express leader Mark Williams wrote a mock letter from the NAACP to President Lincoln stating:

"We Coloreds have taken a vote and decided that we don't cotton to that whole emancipation thing. Freedom means having to work for real, think for ourselves, and take consequences along with the rewards. That is just far too much to ask of us Colored People and we demand that it stop!"

Consequently, the National Tea Party Federation expelled Mr. Williams. On March 20, 2010, Tea Party protesters called Congressman John Lewis a "nigger". These action are clearly racist. As an NAACP staff member, I am proud that the NAACP strongly condemned such racism.

To counter the NAACP's accusations, the Tea Party movement has deployed several token African American spokespersons such as David Webb, Deneen Borelli and others. By utilizing such persons, the Tea Party is attempting to say, "We are not racist. We have black leaders." Before this controversy, those people were practically invisible. Where is Sarah Palin? Where is Dick Armey? Why hasn't the media asked them to address the controversy?

To divert attention from the real issue, the conservatives have argued that the NAACP is hypocritical for failing to renounce the New Black Panther Party (NBPP). That argument is flawed for several reasons. NAACP President and CEO Benjamin Todd Jealous has publicly condemned the NBPP for its racism. As Mr. Jealous stated, the NBPP is not a partner organization, member organization or unit of the NAACP. The NBPP does not participate in the NAACP's demonstrations. Conversely, as previously stated, racists actually participate in Tea Party demonstrations and hold positions of influence.

In addition, the Tea Party supporters demanded that the NAACP renounce former USDA official Shirley Sherrod for racial statements made during an NAACP Freedom Fund Dinner. During her speech, Ms. Sherrod described an incident that occurred over 20 years ago. Unfortunately, without conducting a thorough investigation, the Association issued a stern condemnation. Essentially, the NAACP was hoodwinked and bamboozled by Tea Party proponents into issuing the statement. Later, to clarify the situation, the Association retracted the statement and posted the full video of Ms. Sherrod's speech.

We must not allow our adversaries to confuse and distract us. Instead of attempting to placate right wing conservatives, we must remain focused. The Tea Party movement is an influential movement. The Tea Party is shaping the electoral landscape. We must continue to demand that the Tea Party take down the racist signs. We must demand that they expel the racists from their ranks.

Too Little, Too Late

Yesterday, Congress acknowledged the role of enslaved Africans in the building of the Nation's Capitol. As stated in the Washington Post:

African-American slaves sweated in the summer heat and shivered in the winter's cold while helping to build the U.S. Capitol.

Congress took note of their service and sacrifice Wednesday by erecting commemorative plaques inside the Capitol in their honor. Lawmakers said the memorials will ensure that the contributions of slaves in building one of the world's most recognizable buildings are never again forgotten.

"In remembering the slaves who labored here, we give them in death some measure of the dignity they were so cruelly denied in life," Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky said at the plaques' unveiling.

The plaques read: "This original exterior wall was constructed between 1793 and 1800 of sandstone quarried by laborers, including enslaved African Americans who were an important part of the workforce that built the United States Capitol."

Historians have discovered that slaves worked 12-hour days, six days a week on the construction of the Capitol. The federal government rented the slaves from local slave owners at a rate of $5 per person per month.

When I first read about this on Facebook, I was outraged. It is a damn shame that it took the federal government so long to honor the enslaved Africans who built the Capitol. Although plaques and apologies are an important step to help heal this country, such gestures alone are woefully inadequate. Instead of simply issuing more plaques and apologies, this government must atone for the sin of slavery by paying reparations!

John Stossel Calls for a Repeal of the Civil Rights Act

Appearing on Fox News, John Stossel, the Anchor of "Stossel" on FBN, defended Republican U.S. Senate candidate Rand Paul and stated that private businesses "should have the right to be racist". Adopting a rigid libertarian position, John Stossel asserted that it is time to repeal the Civil Rights Act. Stossel argued that the free market would eventually cause businesses to end discriminatory practices.

As a civil rights attorney, I have witnessed many businesses engage discriminatory conduct that was clearly contrary to their economic interests. Often, racism trumps economics. Strong laws are necessary to end discrimination.

Stossel suggests that African Americans should simply suffer through humiliating and degrading second class treatment until the market forces correct the problem. If this Nation embraced Stossel's view, African Americans would not be able to go to many restaurants, hotels and other places of public accommodations. We would be forced to sit, eat and live in the colored sections only.

Although I do not think that Stossel should be fired, his views should be challenged. Political candidates and parties sharing his views, such as Rand Paul and the Tea Party, must be defeated.

Rand Paul: Private Businesses Should Have the Right to Discriminate

On the Rachel Maddow Show, Republican U.S. Senate candidate Rand Paul repeatedly stated that he opposes racial discrimination. He voiced support for a ban against discrimination in the public sector. However, stressing the importance of First Amendment rights, Mr. Paul suggested that private businesses should be allowed to discriminate based on race.

A large segment of discrimination occurred and continues to occur in the private sector. If civil rights legislation did not regulate the private sector, Jim Crow segregation would continue to exist. Businesses would be able to refuse to hire and/or promote African Americans and other minorities. Restaurants, movie theatres, swimming pools, country clubs, private schools and other businesses would be allowed to bar African Americans.

To quell the controversy, Mr. Paul recently issued the following statement. "I unequivocally state that I will not support any efforts to repeal the Civil Rights Act of 1964." That statement does not absolve him. It is outrageous that the Republican Party would nominate such an extremist.

Lil Wayne Minstrel Show at Bethel University