NAACP to fete its 100th year
The NAACP will celebrate its 100th anniversary at 6 p.m. Friday, Feb. 27, at the civic center. Its special recruitment drive will end that day. Lt. Leslie Baines Holmes of the sheriff's office patrol division will be honored.
My race has made great strides to end racial discrimination and promote equality. It appears though that it is only a one way street. If the organization is nondiscriminatory, then why don’t they strike the word “Colored” and insert “All” in its place.
Now since I have undoubtedly been labeled a racist by many of you, I might as well continue. I have several complaints; however, for the sake of brevity I’ll only speak of one. The state of Georgia changed the flag because some people found it offensive. I consider the term “African American” offensive. This is America. If you want to live in America you should be an American without sub-titles. Most people in America could trace their ancestry back to somewhere other than America, yet they don’t require a resume to accompany their citizenship. The only acceptable term to accompany American would be “Native”. Lastly, many scientists say that the entire human race originated in Africa. If that be true, the whole world would have the same African subtitle.
We still have a long way to go.
As Andrew said earlier, in 1909 "Colored" was the term that black people used to refer to people. I can't really help but laugh at your comment, "My race has made great strides to end racial discrimination and promote equality".
Read the NY Post lately? I find it laughable that you actually believe that the white race has been the only race making strides to end discrimination.
Organizations like the NAACP were created to end discrimination and protect the rights for all. The NAACP was actively involved in the women's rights movement as well.
The term African-American is a far better erm than "colored" ,"negro", and some of the other terms that were used to describe black people. Why do you feel offended when that term is used? Do you feel offended when people use the term Asian-American, Indian-American, or Jewish-American? Or does all the hyphenation just confuse you....
I agree in terms of race relations we have a long way to go. I would love to see the day when people don't have deeply rooted stereotypes and misconceptions about someone based on their race. It'd be nice if I could actually read this site without seeing comments like "they", "them thugs", or "losers" when referring to black people.
I'll post more later...duty calls
You are certainly entitled to your opinion as am I. You obviously only interpreted what you wanted and based your comments on assumptions rather than on the content.
The NAACP is the nation's oldest, largest and most widely recognized civil rights organization. The principal objective is to ensure the political, educational, social and economic equality of minority group citizens of United States and eliminate race prejudice. In 1910 the official journal of the NAACP was established, named The Crisis. The Crisis magazine was founded as the crusading voice for civil rights and is still the official publication of the NAACP. It’s the “NAACP's articulate partner in the struggle for human rights for people of color.”
The mission of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People is to ensure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights of all persons and to eliminate racial hatred and racial discrimination.
• The mission implies all people yet the organizations name relates only to people of color and the official publication suggest that only people of color must struggle for human rights.
The NAACP bestows the annual Image Awards for achievement in the arts and entertainment on deserving black Americans.
The Spingarn Medal is awarded annually by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) for outstanding achievement by a black American for positive achievement of any kind.
The mission of the NAACP Youth & College Division shall be to inform youth of the problems affecting African Americans and other racial and ethnic minorities; to advance the economic, education, social and political status of African Americans and other racial and ethnic minorities
Since 1978 the NAACP has sponsored the Afro-Academic, Cultural, Technological and Scientific Olympics (ACT-SO) program for high-school youth around the United States. The program is designed to recognize and award African American youth who demonstrate accomplishment in academics, technology, and the arts.
• This is only a small accounting for the NAACP research. The term “all” doesn’t appear to make much of an impact to me.
My reference to the word “colored” is used only as it applies to the name of the organization. As for the NY Post, I don’t read liberal media and I didn’t make any statement that even remotely appeared to say that whites were the only race making strides to end discrimination. You obviously prefer to add content in order for it to imply what you would like it to imply. If the mission is truly for all; it should say all and not specify colored. Therefore, I still have the opinion that the organization is racially biased.
I made no references to any other sub-titled Americans you mentioned mainly because the terms are seldom if ever used. However, I was very specific in my reference to any of those titles with an exception to “NATIVE”. Is there something wrong with being an American?
Discrimination means basically to set aside. Using the term African with the word American has the appearance of a people wanting to be set aside and distinguished differently from other Americans. I detest continued use of the adjective.
In closing, and to address your implication that I must be ignorant, a group of white liberals angry over the violence against blacks founded the NAACP. I don't think any were jewish but I may be wrong. The group totaled around 60 people and at least 7 were black.
And I quote, "equality of rights of all persons and to eliminate racial hatred and racial discrimination." I take this to mean that you have never been a victim of hatred or discrimination. I mean, I hope not, as I wish that on no one. But I know for a fact that I was passed over for two college scholarships because the committee felt obligated to award them to a black student with identical stats as I. Hatred and discrimination is a two way street and we ALL need to remember that.
In reference to awards and merit and such, why do you detest that the NAACP awards African Americans? What is so wrong with that? It sounds like you are building a case for either a very homogenized group that awards people (a la the Nobel Prize) or you want a NAAWP that awards white people. Can the NAACP not recognize a somewhat overlooked segment of society? And as for the ACT-SO, it came about during a time when blacks were showing discouraging numbers in schools and dropout rates were raising in that demo. The NAACP saw a need in the African American community and decided to fight it.
You may be completely right 'Gary M.'. The NAACP may be totally biased. But it did not begin that way nor do I think it wanted to become that. I think it meant well and has (as many other organizations have) strayed because of such large mouthed notables who have flown the NAACP flag in everyone's face.
I do think that they are inherently good and I, for one, a conservative, white, card carrying republican, encourage them to regain the title they once worked so hard for and again work for the enrichment of all who are the victim of discrimination.
With regards to pigments black is the presence of all colors and white is the absence of all color. With regards to light the opposite holds true.
Here is where I tend to disagree with you. The NAACP was established to ensure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights of all persons and to eliminate racial hatred and racial discrimination. Upon its founding 100 years ago black people were referred to as colored. In fact, we, as white folks, gave them such a moniker. We called them colored. That is where the colored reference comes from. I doubt the name came about to insight any sort of immediate discrimination.
As for striking colored and replacing it with all...well, their mission statement says in print, ALL. The name stand though as a legacy. I wouldn't want it any other way, to be honest.
I have not and did not label you racist. I am actually quite honored that you spoke out on the site and even signed your name. That is so much more than most people would do. I can sense your frustration and I agree with you.
Having lived in Brooklyn I encountered a number of true African-Americans who were born in Africa, immigrated to America, and became naturalized citizens. They took great pride in their citizenship and were quite upset that americans born here would refer to themselves with prefixes. They would agree with you whole heartedly.
I think many of us confuse the ACLU and the NAACP. We hear the talk of Al Sharpton and the National Action Network, Jesse Jackson and the National Rainbow Coalition, and countless others and we think they are representing the NAACP when in reality they are not.
I am not defending the NAACP nor downplaying your feelings. I respectfully hear you and I hope that the long way we still have to go will begin to shorten very soon.
Sorry, objection noted. I have tried to be as specific as possible. I won't go into anymore lengthy explanations. I haven't attempted to change your perspective or your opinion. I've only stated my own and I haven't heard anything yet to make me consider changing it.
I still consider the NAACP an organization with a hidden agenda.