NAACP officially calls for repeal of Proposition 8. Quietly.
Here's an interesting bit of news that probably deserves more attention that I've seen it getting: The NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) has officially gone on record urging the repeal of Proposition 8, and further, has stated their desire for the California state legislature to go on record in opposition to the proposition as well. According to the Advocate, NAACP CEO Benjamin Todd Jealous wrote a letter on behalf of the civil rights organization to the state's legislative leaders that read: "The NAACP's mission is to help create a society where all Americans have equal protection and opportunity under the law. Our mission statement calls for the 'quality of rights of all persons.' Prop. 8 strips same-sex couples of a fundamental freedom, as defined by the California state supreme court. In so doing, it poses a serious threat to all Americans. Prop. 8 is a discriminatory, unprecedented change to the California constitution that, if allowed to stand, would undermine the very purpose of a constitution and courts -- assuring equal protection and opportunity for all and safeguarding minorities from the tyranny of the majority." Um, what he said. So that's clearly awesome. What's slightly less awesome is the fact that despite communicating this support directly to the legislators, the organization has as of yet made no mention of their support on their website, four days later. While the website has a page featuring their recent press releases, this particular press release is not there. Pam's House Blend has the full press release, which, from the looks of it, was only sent to (or at least was only picked up by) gay political sites. It's definitely a heartening step toward harmony, but is it wrong to wonder why it's being done on tiptoes? Submitted by on Thu, 2009-02-26 08:54. |
![]() Recent Comments
Recent blog posts
|








That`s a strange last name...
NAACP on the Down Low?
So, when they announce a conference on ending homophobia and invite out gay leaders of color to tell their stories, well, nobody can complain. Then they can say, "We announced this a long time ago." I don't know. Why the whispering, though?
Do the research
Nukely, I think you need to do a search of how vocal the NAACP has been about homophobia, before you make comments about people having their heads up their asses. Various presidents of the organization have routinely spoken out about homophobia, Julian Bond has been a steady ally. This is not the first time that the NAACP has spoken out against Prop 8, they were one of the groups that was involved in the campaign against the ammendment. In November, the national NAACP and the CA NAACP joined with other groups to petition the CA Supreme Court not to enact Prop 8. So while it's nice that Brian/AE and others are recognizing the NAACP, they have been in this fight for a long time.
Also for Brian and anyone else who cares about telling the truth, the NAACP was part of the original group that lead the effort to legalize same sex marriage in CA, they were a part of the groups that sued for the right for marriage equality. http://rodonline.typepad.com/rodonline/2008/05/california-supr.html So, before we start talking about how quiet the NAACP is being, why not get all your facts straight.
While we are talking about groups that have their heads up their asses, why don't we talk about the non-work that most gay groups are not doing in regards to racism in the gay community. Or how about the ignorant people who throwing out false stats regarding Prop 8.
Here's a link to help
Here's a link to help Nukely and Brian
The NAACP filing suit to have Prop 8 overturned: http://www.broadwayworld.com/board/readmessage.cfm?thread=984417&boardname=off&boardid=2
The NAACP Legal and
The NAACP Legal and Educational Defense Fund is not actually affiliated with the NAACP (it was once the legal arm of the organization but split from it decades ago). Yes, the California NAACP was involved in a petition along with the Legal Defense Fund but much like the subject of this post, you won't learn this on the NAACP's website.
Again, my question is why this national organization would be targeting the announcement of this news to the gay media while maintaining neutrality on their official website.
Some gay people are just
Some gay people are just obsessed with making black people out to be the enemy. Shame on you.
As Cadence posted, the NAACP (along with the other major minority organizations) have a strong record of supporting gay rights. But b/c they don't do it perfectly, this "recognition" by Brian is like a back-handed compliment.
This post is inaccurate
Actually, it isn't
The NAACP Legal and Education Defense Fund is an organization entirely independent of the NAACP, having split from it half a century ago. The NAACP did NOT file suit against the state of California, the Defense Fund did. Added to correct myself: The California NAACP was involved in a petition with the Defense Fund, but again, the national organization has been overwhelmingly silent. Please correct me if I'm wrong.
If you do a search of the NAACP website for "Proposition 8", you don't get a single result. While I applaud their targeted efforts, there is a glaring lack of transparency in regards to the image that they are publicly presenting.
That is the only question that this post raises.
I believe this is still inaccurate
The NAACP Legal & Education
The NAACP Legal & Education Defense Fund may be independent of the NAACP, but the HEAD OF THE NCAAP IS PUBLICLY AGAINST PROP 8 & IS CALLING FOR ITS REPEAL. What do you want, a robo call to every black household in America announcing the NAACP's opposition to Prop 8???
I have been on this site for a long time. You have a tendency to harp on minorities (especially black people) for their transgressions, but are quick to forgive whites. I'd expect more from a NYC resident.
Sorry, but no
I don't understand your questioning of them
I never called you a
I never called you a racist.
I do, however, think that you have racial issues that are so ingrained, you don't realize it.
Last note
Your claim that I "constantly harp on people of color who screw up" with "never-ending disdain" is wildly untrue. And FYI, it IS calling me a racist.
Perhaps you could back up your accusations with facts rather than launching vague and personal attacks - while you're trying to find examples of my defaming people of color you'll instead find hundreds of examples of my celebrating their contributions and successes, and hundreds more of my taking whites to task.
Please get your facts straight before spreading unfounded and defamatory attacks on someone's personal and journalistic integrity.
I have to object to that charge 100%. We have called
out all sorts of folks for their questionable decisions from NBC for their handling of the gay character on Heroes to their handling of Matthew Mitcham's Olympic dive. We recently covered HBO's coverage of the Gene Robinson prayer during Barack Obama's inauguration, Disney's discrimination against gay couples, Richard Simmons being used in ads with anti-gay humor, Ross the Intern's Superbowl shtick, the WWF's fake wedding ceremony, Jimmy Kimmel and Jay Leno's homophobic antics and the list goes on.
In each case that you mention it was a group
The criticism I responded to was that we harp
I think that you have done
I think that you have done a commendable job being equal in your criticism.
However, I don't think the same can be said for Brian. He has constantly harped on people of color who screw up, even after they offer an apology. In contrast, the same never-ending disdain doesn't seem to apply to whites from his POV.
This blog post is just the latest example. The NAACP doesn't include its OPPOSITION TO PROP 8 in its news release, so they must be slammed??? Okaaaaayyyy.
I don't think the problem
I don't think the problem isn't that the NAACP's support isn't perfect, as I said, they were one of the groups who sued for marriage equality. The problem is that some people will never see the world or others beyond they own narrow view. In his mind, Nukely has a Masters degree on how Black people think and act, and nothing that anyone says will change that.
Julian Bond as well as the head of CA NAACP, have received a lot of flack for their work on defeating Prop 8, and Bond has been very vocal about advocating for gay rights, but because these people don't fit a certain stereotype, their work has no meaning to someone like Nukely.
I'm impressed by the gang bang
I got the responce I was looking for, and then a smack down.
But I do thank you for the information to correct the view I developed because I am not a menber of the NAACP. Seriously, I am happy to hear the responces. I want to believe that the NAACP are out about their support of gay rights and I want to see GLBT groups work harder to be inclusive of minorities.
And I am not afraid to be called a racist, because I believe we all are to some degree (because we are raised in a racist society) but the only way we can get over that is if our friends are willing to call us out on it. That's the lesson, I believe. So, I gotta thank the tuff luv.
I am going to hazzard a guess here and please correct me if I am wrong Craig, but the membership of the NAACP is vastly larger than the membership of the HRC. So, by deffinition gays are the minoity, black white or otherwise. You earn your selfrightious badge of honer by extending your hand to the minority, not the other way around, is how I figgure. What people are saying here is that the NAACP have extended that hand to the GLBT community and deserve kudos.
A few points
I need people
a) I was composing my response while I was reading these posts. I would read a post then write a response. I decided that rather then leave several comments after each post, that I would group them. I wish I had explained my comments better.
b ) I know you haven't called me a racist. But others see me that way and I thought this was the right time to explain my view on the subject of how I believe an individual can overcome racism. That is something I feel I know a bit about, sad to say.
c) First, I don't know that I was presenting an argument. Second, even if I did I still want to encourage everyone who can to go to hulu and watch Able Raises Cain about the media personality who probably influenced me more than any other. Not saying I am anything like or aspire to be, I'm just saying influence.
ps. for those who don't know this, hulu also has the Harvey Milk Documentary, The times of Harvey Milk, a must see for every GLBT and our friends (IMHO).
AM I MISSING SOMETHING????
From what I read, Brian was asking why this particular PRESS RELEASE was not on the group's site.
How did it go from there to end up with personal attacks on Brian and a claim that AE is racist?
Seriously?
Not really.
Because in their own minds, some people have Master's degrees in how other people think and act--and why!--and nothing in the world will change that.
Gar vethed e-chunen; go hon bedithon na meth.
Well, because....
...some people are quick to jump to the conclusion that any challenge or dispute must BECAUSE of colour. Who's calling who racist.
I say we take the warning labels off everything and let nature take it's course.
Because it acts as faint praise rather than
Erm...'the advancement of
Um...
I imagine it's kept on for
Erm
The NAACP has a long and respected history. You could easily google it before you make this kind of a statement.
NAACP