Black Owned Beach Town Looks To Protect Itself From NAACP

Sun News ^ | 2/13/02 | Erin Reed

[shuckmaster]

The NAACP says the economic border patrols are still on, but officials in Atlantic Beach, a predominantly black town north of Myrtle Beach, say they can't support the patrols, at least for one weekend this year.

Atlantic Beach, one of the few remaining historically black-owned beaches in the United States, can't go along with the border patrols because the patrols threaten its financial stability, town officials say.

"The NAACP is going to do what it has to do, and Atlantic Beach is going to do what it has to do," Mayor Irene Armstrong said. "Atlantic Beach will never sit at the table to negotiate our livelihood and our existence here. That's not negotiable. My interest is that of Atlantic Beach."

The Confederate flag's continued presence on Statehouse grounds in Columbia has triggered economic sanctions by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, and more recently the threat of "border patrols," in which NAACP members pledge to stand at S.C. rest stops this spring and summer discouraging tourists from spending money in the state.

This poses problems for Atlantic Beach's 22nd annual Memorial Day Bike Festival, which is one of the town's main sources of revenue. But NAACP officials say Atlantic Beach is no exception to the economic boycott.

"We can't make any exception if we're going to be fair," said the Rev. H.H. Singleton, the one S.C. member of the NAACP's national board. "It is an economic sanction against South Carolina. That includes all people, including the NAACP members themselves."

Councilwoman Gloria Lance said she agrees with the mayor that Atlantic Beach must look out for itself.

Town leaders say the small town of about 400 residents supports the removal of the flag, but can't afford all the consequences of the planned border patrols.

"I feel that people are going to come no matter what," Lance said. "It's left up to a person's choice."

Ed Wilson, a Red Bluff community activist and NAACP member, said Atlantic Beach has to look at the bigger picture and shouldn't consider itself an exception to the boycott.

"Everybody has to suffer for things to come right," he said. "White, black, Mexican, everyone has to suffer."

Singleton said the board has not decided the exact date for the patrols to begin.

Wilson, who plans to participate in the patrols, said he'll tell the bikers to go farther south.

"I'd tell them to go on to Florida," he said.

Armstrong said there are other ways the flag dispute could have been resolved among state lawmakers and the NAACP rather than using a tactic that threatens a town constantly struggling with money problems.

"It's always about coming to the table," she said.

[shuckmaster]

Aw, Shucks!

[shuckmaster]

Dixie ping!

[TomServo]

"We can't make any exception if we're going to be fair,"

They cut off theirs noses to spite their faces. Dixie Ping!

[AppyPappy]

Symbolism over substance.

[billbears]

I know some of our yankee friends won't like it, but I'm putting together a two page copy of documented quotes about the Confederacy and blacks. Quotes from the northern leaders about the blacks serving in the Southern army, letters from the free blacks offering their services, and if I can get it in time, a few from the Slave Narratives. Plan to hand it out to any open minded NAACP member that's walking around at the rest stops

Quickest way to stop a protest is to offer the truth

[Dante3]

The NACCP should set up patrols in Charlotte, VA to protect the UVA students. In todays The Wshington Times ("10 black teens arrested in UVa. student attacks" by Matthew Cella, p. B1) an araticle mentions how white students have been signaled out for attacks. Those arrested admitted race was a factor. However, so far authorities have not characterized these crimes as hate crimes.

[HELLRAISER II]

"We can't make exceptions if we're going to be fair." Since when have these pricks ever been fair on the issue of the Confederate flag. This tells exactly about what the NAACP stands for and they don't give a $hit about the Blacks it hurts. The NAACP is after power & money for them not the Blacks. These people need to wake up and see what the NAACP has got them shoveling, because it's got them on a beeline for a confrontation that has the potential to be violent at these boycotts.

[Phantom Lord]

Plan to hand it out to any open minded NAACP member that's walking around at the rest stops

And you actually plan on finding some "open minded" NAALCP members at these rest stops?

Black Bike Week will probably be just as big as it is every year. Thousand and thousands of people will ride into town, spend money, destroy property, rape women, and then go home.

[HELLRAISER II]

Ah but you forget one thing, they are not interested in the truth because the truth doesn't help them accomplish their agenda. More than likely they already are aware of the truth.

[Flyer]

border patrols.

Folks get in trouble for doing that along our southern border.

[4CJ]

The truth - they can't handle the truth!

Sorry - couldn't help myself! Wish you luck my friend.

As Mayor Irene Armstrong said, "It's always about coming to the table."

[stainlessbanner]

Ping us when you finish it! I would love to read your research BillBears. Deo Vindice!

[Ignatz]

What do liberals believe? It's all right here:

"Everybody has to suffer for things to come right," he said. "White, black, Mexican, everyone has to suffer."

[JoeGar]

Wilson, who plans to participate in the patrols, said he'll tell the bikers to go farther south. "I'd tell them to go on to Florida," he said.

If one were to believe the Myrtle Beach newspapers, the whole Myrtle Beach area would like to see the end of the Memorial Holiday Black Biker Week. White Biker Week, a much better-behaved affair, normally occurs two weeks earlier in mid-May.

[RikaStrom]

Ed Wilson, a Red Bluff community activist and NAACP member, said Atlantic Beach has to look at the bigger picture and shouldn't consider itself an exception to the boycott.

Oh right, sure. When the ever-so-ignorant NAACP starts hurting the pocketbook of the black business people in Atlantic Beach, you watch Altantic Beach tell them to go get stuffed.

[Orangedog]

You mean there are areas where the this organization will not allow their members to go to and spend time there....Sounds like this would be a selling point on the area.

[Budge]

"Everybody has to suffer for things to come right," he said. "White, black, Mexican, everyone has to suffer."

There it is in a nutshell, the liberal outlook on life and freedom.

[Red Jones]

sick fascists at the NAACP.

[SC DOC]

I think it would be appropriate for South Carolina to put together a tourism ad showing the gross indecency, looting, fondling, traffic jams, booze and drugs that goes on each year at the Freaknik celebration in Atlanta, with voice-over stating that if this an African-American idea of a spring break vacation, they should honor the NAACP border patrol boycott and not enter our state. Then switch to a Black professional family having fun on our beach or golf courses and again say, if you honor this futile boycott, this is what you will be missing. Is the flag issue worth it when so many other pressing social issues affecting African-Americans are ignored?