Posted on 07/08/2007 8:13:56 PM PDT by jdm
The NAACP is needed now more than ever because the Bush administration has done little to support blacks, the civil rights organization's national chairman said Sunday as its 98th annual convention opened.
From the administration's slow response to Hurricane Katrina to the war in Iraq and immigration issues, Bush has seen his presidency questioned, Julian Bond, board chairman of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, told an audience of about 3,000.
The number of Americans living in poverty has increased by more than 5 million, to 37 million, during the Bush administration, Bond said.
"And the gap has grown between the haves and the have-nots," he said. "Almost a quarter of black Americans nationwide live below the poverty line, as compared with only 8.6 percent of whites."
Bond called present-day inequality and racial disparities cumulative and the result of racial advantages compounded over time.
"Many Americans maintain ... that racial discrimination has become an ancient artifact," he said. "At the NAACP, we know none of this is true, and that's why we are dedicated to an aggressive campaign of social justice, fighting racial discrimination."
He noted that the Supreme Court, which includes two justices nominated by Bush, upheld rulings saying school systems could not voluntarily use race in assigning students to schools.
"The Bush court removed black children from the law's protection," Bond said.
And the possibility that New Orleans' heavily black Lower Ninth Ward, ravaged by Hurricane Katrina, will never be rebuilt is comparable to a "lynching" because the work of generations was wiped out in a single day and black landholders are being dispossessed, Bond said.
"Katrina served to underscore how the war in Iraq has weakened, rather than strengthened, our defenses, including our levees," Bond said. "The problem isn't that we can't prosecute a war in the Persian Gulf and protect our citizens on the Gulf Coast at home. The problem is that we cannot do either one."
A message seeking comment was left Sunday night with the White House press office.
The NAACP is experiencing changes that include the search for a new CEO and downsizing in which more than 70 employees lost their jobs. The organization also is in the early stages of a $100 million fundraising drive.
The organization must strengthen its branches and state conferences and build membership, he said.
Detroit resident Akindele Akinyemi, 32, said before the speech that he was curious about the direction the NAACP will during the next year.
"I want to find out what strategies they would use to bring younger members on board, and what issues are relevant to young adults," he said.
Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, 37, agreed in brief remarks to help open the meeting, saying: "I don't believe we can continue to put people over 50 as leaders of civil rights organizations and expect to galvanize the power beyond measure."
I think I would be more worried if the headlines were, “NAACP supports Bush Policies”.
All imported.
I think the NAACP should consider that the lower 9th ward in New Orlenas and the ghettos of all major cities were vast wastelands when the good democrat, Bill Clinton was president. Almost 70% of black babies were born out of wedlock when Bill Clinton was president. There was a 50% dropout rate for minority high school students when Bill Clinton was president. The ghettos were vast wastelands and war zones with drug gangs when Bill Clinton was president. The minority communities had all of these same severe problems with Bill Clinton as president. All of these problems were issues before we got into Iraq, so the “squandering” of resources in Iraq did not cause any of the problems they are complaining about.
The point is, that who is president seems to have very little impact on the problems being complained about. Next question - NAACP leadership??
Yeah, that headline’s got all the newsworthiness of “Dog Bites Man”.
I wouldn’t call Julian Bond a ‘leader’. He’s more like an Uncle Tom message boy for the DNC.
Bleacks need more supposrt...
uh huh
Because some of you have never stood on your own maybe?
Thanks in part because of race hustlers like yourself Julio?
If black leaders had any real desire to help poor blacks, they would line up behind Thompson, Hunter, or Tancredo and demand that illegal immigrants be sent home. There is no greater source for driving down wages for the marginally employable.
I had to LOL when he left NACCCP - a job which he was pigmentally qualified for. He obviously didn't get the memo from the Board demanding a weekly "Hate Bush" press release.
It looks like this was Bond’s entry in the race for the “Greatest number of lies told by the speaker during a single speech” award - but he will have to try a bit harder - he’s got pretty stiff competition from both Clintons and Al Gore...
Look, there's a racist, now give me five dollars..........
Julian Bond is a communist front.............
:}
This organization does not care about the advancement of colored people. They care about the advancement of the Democrat party.
If they truly cared about black people, they would acknowledge that the corrupt Democrat leadership in Louisiana at the state and local level contributed to the problems of Katrina (including the lack of maintenance of the levies).
William Jefferson is a crook and should not be held up as a sign of the “advancement” of “colored people”.
They disgrace Dr. King’s legacy.
“He noted that the Supreme Court, ... upheld rulings saying school systems could not voluntarily use race in assigning students to schools. “The Bush court removed black children from the law’s protection.”
So using race in assigning students to schools somehow protects black children? Official, approved, racial discrimination prevents unofficial, disapproved racial discrimination?.
This crap is getting so tired and old.
Blah, blah, Bush is racist, blah, blah. In this day and age, these organizations are nothing but pitiful caricatures of what they once were. The people running them are leftist dinosaurs.
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus
I could care less about the opinion of a Democrat Party lobbying group. Thats all the NAACP is anymore.
I think Mr. Bond needs to be challenged to prove that there are 37 million people here in America who live in poverty.
As other posters have said, I’d be worried if Mr. Bond said he agreed with President Bush’s policies.
bond only talks about black children and their right....never about white children being denied their rights....
talk about hypocritical racists...
even his big saint mlk....wanted his children judged by their charcacter not color of their skin....mlk never said...give affirmative action!!!
affirmative action results in the children growing up to be john conyers/maxine waters/julian bond and others demanding that whites pya more in taxes to support blacks rather than success to be based upon achievement & merit!!!
Idiots. It’s policies that they favor that are keeping blacks down. Their chosen party, the dems, passes legislation that hurts blacks, denies them opportunities, destroys their family, and keeps them poor.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.