Posted on 07/15/2004 9:12:12 AM PDT by nypokerface
WASHINGTON (AP) - Rod Paige, the nation's first black education secretary, condemned NAACP leaders Thursday for saying some black groups are fronts for white conservatives.
"You do not own, and you are not the arbiters of, African-American authenticity," said Paige, who rose from segregated Mississippi to become President Bush's education chief.
Paige's comments, in a Wall Street Journal column titled "Naked Partisans," appeared on the same day Bush's challenger, Democrat John Kerry, was speaking at the annual convention of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People in Philadelphia. Bush is at odds with the NAACP and has not spoken to the civil rights group since his 2000 campaign.
Paige took aim at two NAACP leaders, chairman Julian Bond and president Kweisi Mfume, for what he called "hateful and untruthful rhetoric about Republicans and President Bush." At the convention, NAACP officials have described some black organizations as mouthpieces of white conservatives and have said Bush's education law disproportionately hurts minorities.
The No Child Left Behind law of 2001, Paige said, is dedicated to closing the learning gap between blacks and whites and giving school choice to poor and minority students. Paige said he is a lifelong NAACP member, yet now sees the organization betraying its origins.
"The civil-rights movement has historically been multicultural, and many of its founders, including those who established the NAACP, were in fact white," Paige said. "I long for the day when our nation's education policy will not be grist for the partisan mill - when we can work together, black and white, rich and poor, for the sake of our children." ^--
"You do not own, and you are not the arbiters of, African-American authenticity," said Paige, who rose from segregated Mississippi to become President Bush's education chief.
*******
Liberals really are the enslavers.
Still more support....
Although the Bush team will take a lot of flack for this, I think that this is good. First Bill Cosby spoke out, now Secretary Paige. If this is the beginning of a trend in which articulate, successful african americans are no longer afraid to speak out and criticize black culture and prominent black leaders who are out for themselves, then this is way overdue.
It is all about market share.
The NAACP has been losing market share and doesn't have the market share it once did.
As a result, the squeaky wheel is sounding off once again.
"Liberals really are the enslavers."
Indeed they are!
< sarcasm>Bush is just trying to keep black folks down.< /sarcasm>
He'll be an excellent speaker at the convention :-)
Glad that Paige has spoken out so forcefully......PING!
Kennedy was the Senate sponsor on this bill and was present at the signing. If he is against it now, it only shows you how evil Democrats are.
We need to have more of this. The louder the better.
For decades the Democrats have decreed that all black Republicans and/or conservatives are Uncle Toms, and the Republicans have remained silent. It's past time to question this attitude. I believe it's a debate blacks need to hear.
Rod Paige should dismantle his department.
If you want on (or off) of my black conservative ping list, please let me know via FREEPmail. (And no, you don't have to be black to be on the list!)
Extra warning: this is a high-volume ping list.
"Liberals really are the enslavers."
Yep, and Bond and Mfume get to work in the big house.....
Not only-- include on the list the shrieking femocrats, the swimmer, the hildebeeste, etc.
"Paige said. "I long for the day when our nation's education policy will not be grist for the partisan mill - when we can work together, black and white, rich and poor, for the sake of our children."
Don't hold your breath, Dr. Paige!
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