Posted on 07/11/2005 5:13:26 AM PDT by BraveMan
NAACP Chairman Julian Bond bashed President Bush and other conservatives Sunday, warning they have tried to seduce black clergy, created "fraudulent" civil rights organizations and backed federal judicial nominees who come from a "dim and gloomy legal netherworld where few Americans wish to dwell."
Officially kicking off the NAACP's 96th annual convention, its first in Milwaukee, a fiery Bond told delegates they have won great accomplishments but must continue to fight widespread discrimination.
"We have never wished our way to freedom, instead we've always worked our way," he said in a 50-minute keynote address at the Midwest Airlines Center.
Bond opened with an attack, saying, "Milwaukee is the home of beer, of brats and the Bradley Foundation," and blasting Bush for failing to appear at the NAACP's annual convention for the fifth straight year.
Bond explained his reference to the Milwaukee-based Bradley Foundation later in the speech, saying it is among entities that fund what he called "fraudulent" civil rights organizations.
He charged that the organizations appear to back civil rights but push school vouchers, use legal means to assault affirmative action and try to redraw political boundaries in hopes of preventing people of color from being elected to office.
Such organizations have had black "hucksters" on their payrolls for 20 years, said Bond to thunderous applause.
"Like ventriloquist dummies, they speak in their puppet master's voice, but we can see his lips moving," he said.
Similarly, Bond fired at organizations that have tried to "seduce black clergy" to conservative causes and criticized what he said is an attempt by the Bush administration to replace vital public welfare programs with faith-based organizations.
He gave special importance to the continuing battle over Bush's judicial nominees, especially a replacement for retiring Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, saying the high court needs another independent-minded justice like her. Too many Bush nominees to federal judgeships have made rulings that hurt the civil rights movement, he said, calling newly named federal appeals court judge Janice Rogers Brown "the female Clarence Thomas."
Bond recalled that some people had hoped the conservative Thomas would change after being put on the Supreme Court. "He did change, he got worse," Bond said.
Bond, a close ally of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., invoked King several times in recalling '60s civil rights triumphs such as the Montgomery, Ala., bus boycott. He also credited recent National Association for the Advancement of Colored People efforts for accomplishments such as a law reducing school class sizes in Florida and restoring in Pennsylvania voting rights for felons who have completed their sentences.
"Our values are American values. We value tolerance, we value inclusion, we believe in equality, we celebrate the worth of every human being," he said.
But Bond urged the audience to continue the struggle.
The former Democratic Georgia state senator blasted the Republican-controlled U.S. Senate for failing to hold a roll call vote on a resolution apologizing for failing to enact an anti-lynching law first proposed 105 years ago. He named eight Republican senators who did not co-sponsor the resolution, saying, "If a United States senator in 2005 cannot apologize for that, what outrage is deserving of an apology?"
Targeting the Bush administration, Bond said it was "outsourcing torture" by sending terrorism suspects to foreign lands and backing economic policies that have created "an ownership society, where you're really on your own."
"They profess to being true believers, but they're really true deceivers," he said. Bond said African-Americans, in comparison to whites, still face wide gaps in "life chances" such as jobs, and that discrimination continues to be a key cause. He said the NAACP should resist calls to become a social service agency, saying its fight against discrimination is more important.
"We believe when our people have social justice they'll need much less social service," he said.
Sensenbrenner praised
Bond did praise U.S. Rep. F. James Sensenbrenner (R-Wis.), who told the convention he would introduce legislation extending provisions of the 1965 Voting Rights Act that are due to expire in 2007. Bond said the most important provision requires certain jurisdictions - most of them in the South - to get "pre-clearance" from the U.S. Justice Department before making changes in voting time, place or manner.
"Anybody who claims that voting rights are now secure only has to look to Florida in 2000 and Ohio in 2004," Bond said, referring to razor-thin margins in back-to-back presidential elections in those states.
"Making democracy safe for America's minorities is as important as making the world safe for democracy," he said.
Bond did not hold his criticism to Republicans. He also had some harsh words for Democrats who agreed to an "empty compromise" that allowed Brown and other nominees to be confirmed from the Senate last month.
"Unfortunately, some Democrats won't take their own side in a fight," he said.
Also at Sunday evening's session, Bond recognized James Cameron, 91, founder of America's Black Holocaust Museum in Milwaukee, who is believed to be the nation's only living survivor of a lynching.
Bond is more and more looking like the face of the Democratic Party.
The Red Star can suck up with the very best fish wraps!
Julian Bond has described his intelligence and outlook succinctly, it seems.
What does the NAACP have against school vouchers?
Right - Sounds like a good argument against affirmative action. But just mention taking THAT away and listen to him squeal.
Reparations threats, the "reverends" Al and Jesse, affirmative action, race baiting.... yep I see what you mean.
Pray for W and Our Iraq Winning Troops
Speaking of which, who's that white guy standing alongside you, Bond? He's the spitting image of Vladimir Lenin.
Amazing how far a bunch of lies can take you.
A radical dumb ass!
I'd wager that this worthless, race-baiting poverty-pimp never worked a day in his life.
It seems like only yesterday that Bond was snorting cocaine.
Time flies when the media are overlooking his past.
Bush's margin in OH was razor thin? Two percent is close but not THAT close. Not like FL in 2000. Clinton (in '92)and Carter carried OH by even smaller margins than GWB did. Bond had no problem with that though, I suspect.
Looks like the GOP is making big gains convincing Blacks to leave the Democrat plantation.
NAACP Tax Exempt - Go Figure!
These people really know how to win friends and influence people and the communist rag papers in Minnesota makes sure everyone knows it.
Maybe his advisers are telling him not to make an appearance at a racist organization? Maybe they should try the Senator from West Virginia.
While FR was down over the weekend I lurked over at DUh. I didn't know that I burned churches and I wanted to kill all the brown people. They make these claims and wonder why they get zotted over here in less than an hour. Too bad that same mind set is prevalent in most lefty organizations like the NAACP.
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