NAACP strays from its mission
11th June 2012 · 0 Comments
By Raynard Jackson
NNPA Columnist
Those who have followed my writings over the years know that I am not very fond of the modern-day NAACP. They have strayed very far from their original mission and have become a patsy for the Democratic Party. They are more concerned with having a photo taken at the White House than being the picture of equality and fairness for those with no voice.
The group was founded in 1909 as a civil rights organization. Its charter stated their mission as: “To promote equality of rights and to eradicate caste or race prejudice among the citizens of the United States; to advance the interest of colored [Black] citizens; to secure for them impartial suffrage; and to increase their opportunities for securing justice in the courts, education for the children, employment according to their ability and complete equality before law.”
A charter or mission statement guides an organization to ensure that it stays true to its mission; it helps an organization to stay focused on its raison d’etre – its reason for being. So, I ask the NAACP: What is the basis for its focus on gay entitlements or citizenship for those in the country illegally?
Notice that I used the term “gay entitlements,” not gay rights. A right has to be derived from some source document — the U.S. Constitution, a law, the Bible, etc. But, an entitlement is not derivative — it’s based on a “belief” that one deservers a benefit and that belief is totally subjective.
Based on their charter, the NAACP has no business being involved in all these issues that are outside of their core mission of obtaining equality for Black citizens. Has the Human Rights Campaign (a gay entitlements group) or the pro-amnesty forces come out with a statement about Trayvon Martin, or all the child killings in Chicago, or discrimination against Blacks? We all know the answer is an emphatic no!
So, you have the NAACP fighting for entitlements that are outside the scope of their charter yet the groups they are fighting for gives no reciprocity when it comes to issues of particular interest to the Black community.
It should not surprise the public that the NAACP has publically declared their support for “gay marriage.” Notice that I did not say “marriage equality.” When gays use the word marriage equality, they are saying that they want gay marriage to be “equal” to heterosexual marriage. By definition that cannot happen since marriage is between a man and a woman. Their goal is not equality, because that is an impossibility; they want acceptance. They want to redefine marriage, thereby forcing society to accept their lifestyle choices.
When the NAACP issued their statement of support for gay entitlements they said, “The NAACP Constitution affirmatively states our objective to ensure the ‘political, educational, social and economic equality’ of all people. Therefore, the NAACP has opposed and will continue to oppose any national, state, local policy or legislative initiative that seeks to codify discrimination or hatred into the law or to remove the Constitutional rights of LGBT citizens. We support marriage equality consistent with equal protection under the law provided under the Fourteenth Amendment of the United States Constitution. Further, we strongly affirm the religious freedoms of all people as protected by the First Amendment.”
Using the 14th amendment as the basis for asserting the right for gays to marry is a bit of a stretch. In Hernandez v. Texas (1954) the U.S. Supreme Court held that the 14th Amendment protects those beyond the racial classes of White or “Negro” and extends to other racial, ethnic and other historically disadvantaged groups, i.e. women.
So, please tell me which of the above groups would gay marriage come under? The 14th Amendment does not apply to them. They are asking the courts to create a special class of rights for them based on sexual preference, which is their ultimate goal.
Gays do not deserve special protection based on their sexual preferences, but they do deserve equal protection based on their humanity.
In a 2005 speech, former NAACP Chairman Julian Bond said, “…Sexual disposition parallels race. I [a gay person] was born this way. I have no choice. I wouldn’t change it if I could. Sexuality is unchangeable. I guess Bond never heard of anyone having their sex changed surgically?
So, let me make sure I understand this. If I choose to exercise my right to oppose gay marriage, I am hateful and believe in discrimination? So, while the Black community is dysfunctional with Black-on-Black crime, runaway teenage pregnancy, high unemployment, the NAACP is taking up the cause that has absolutely no legal basis and is outside the mandate of their on charter. Are you kidding me?
Weak people (and groups), take strong positions on weak issues. The modern day Civil Rights Movement has done more harm to Blacks than any man in a white hood.
This article was originally published in the June 11, 2012 print edition of The Louisiana Weekly newspaper
