NAACP to Vote on Resolution Condemning "Racist Elements" of the Tea Party

By: Stephanie Condon
Topics: Tea Party

People attend a tea party protest in Washington, Thursday, April 15, 2010.

(Credit: AP)

Update: The NAACP passed the resolution Tuesday evening.

The NAACP today is set to vote on a resolution to condemn the Tea Party movement for "explicitly racist behavior."

The group's more than 2,000 voting delegates are expected to pass the resolution today at the annual NAACP convention in Kansas City, Missouri.

The resolution, which was submitted by the NAACP's Kansas City branch, reportedly says the Tea Party movement has "displayed signs and posters intended to degrade people of color generally and President Barack Obama specifically" and condemns "the racist elements" of the Tea Party as "a threat to progress." It references instances in which black congressmen said they were verbally and physically abused by Tea Party activists.

The resolution also calls upon "all people of good will to repudiate the racism of the Tea Parties, and to stand in opposition to its drive to push our country back to the pre-civil rights era," according to the Kansas City Star.

"I think a lot of people are not taking the Tea Party movement seriously, and we need to take it seriously," Anita Russell, head of the Kansas City chapter of the NAACP, told the Kansas City Star. "We need to realize it's really not about limited government."

Nearly since its inception, the Tea Party movement has sought to shake off its image as racist. Brendan Steinhauser, director of campaigns for FreedomWorks, a group that has facilitated the Tea Party movement, told the Washington Post the charges of racism are not justified.

"I think there's been a concerted effort to make us look like were are extreme," he said. "We're a very mainstream movement that talks about the debt, the bailouts, the spending."

Stephanie Condon
Stephanie Condon is a political reporter for CBSNews.com.
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by lamcar2 July 15, 2010 12:55 PM EDT: sbowen6220:
I appreciate your comment and endorse it. I am an old white fellow american...it saddens me that we have lost our heritage and our morals in this nation. From reading some of these emails it scares me and makes me think we are destined to become a "house divided" once again. Thank you for your wisdom sir.; Reply to this comment


by lamcar2 July 15, 2010 12:45 PM EDT: This sad...really sad. Obviously there is less racism in this country then ever, otherwise Obama would not have been elected. That is not to say it is not existent, becasue from these emails it obvious there are still many folks with prejudice on both sides. All I can say is that there is a living God and Creator, that we will all face in judgement one day soon. If we have the mind of Christ , we cannot be prejudiced; We should pray that our nation's leaders do the right things.....all of them. As a nation we should be turning to God in prayer asking for guidance rather than walking around with chips on our shoulders. There are far too many troubles in this nation for this kind of petty selfish thinking. Grow Up America !; Reply to this comment


by ukiddinme July 15, 2010 12:10 PM EDT: the NAACP is searching for relevance to keep money coming in and supporting its bloaded bureaucracy and Jackson's ex-mistress and child,it should focus on enabling the under-resourced and provide support for under-resourced communities, however, this is too difficult a task for them, it i much easier to shift the blame to everyone else and attack other organizations. The NAACP is a racist organinzation it itself, and its leader are sucking money from those who could really use it. They enjoy lavish life style while purporting to to help communities. They have no real evidence of anything racist by the tea party except to make general comments. Probably the Democrats feel threatened by the Tea party so they enlist the aid of the NAACP tomake the Tea party go on the defense.; Reply to this comment

by heavynne July 14, 2010 6:29 PM EDT

miami_don,

Yes I am black and it really doesn't matter what you think of me. I can tell that you are not black because you are one of those who want to tell me how good us black people have in racism free America. I speak from experience and I am 54 years-old and whether you or anyone else want to admit, we live with your racism or ignorance of it everyday. I look at life as real, not what you tell me it is. And by the way I work, own my home and have a decent family. In spite of what you think.

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by 1renegade July 14, 2010 10:58 PM EDT: All I can say is the NAACP is not the organization upon which it was founded. The NAACP basically became what they were fighting against for decades. They have lowered themselves into a race baiting group with nothing more than a mere political agenda.


by heavynne July 14, 2010 5:54 PM EDT: Notice on here when you bring up how the blacks are not the majority in this country on welfare and getting handouts, nobody replies. They make excuses for their racists groups (TP, KKK, etc.) like we don't know when someone is being racist against others different from them. They bring up one black who spoke at their party, that's like they will say I have a black friend, or a hispanic friend. Wow!!!! But they have never spoken against or tried to do anything with the KKK. It has survived and still have the right to organize and preach hate against all races other than their own, but the BP raised their head for minute and haven't been around forever. And the whites want them destroyed. White people are the biggest hypocrites and cowards there are and even in 2010 they still act as if we can't think on our own and that they can still tell us how good they are to the coloreds.; Reply to this comment

by heavynne July 14, 2010 5:33 PM EDT

Blacks have lived with racism in America their whole lives. You whites that pretend that everything is equal and all good are either living in a different America or are just happy with things the way they are. You people are crying racism more than the blacks are since Pres. Obama was elected. I think you are afraid that you won't have it so easy anymore since maybe we will have a true reality of what you claim America is. That's why nobody wants to discuss it or resolve it, of course whites are going to claim that blacks are just as equal as they are, but that is not reality. How dare the NAACP or Eric Holder, for that matter question the good white folks. There are more whites getting benefits from your tax dollars than any race since they are the majority in America. And don't try to tell us that all white people work and earn their money. Blacks only make up 13% of the American population and not all of us are on welfare. That's a myth that eases the white conscious.

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by miami_don July 14, 2010 6:08 PM EDT: What? I really mean what?

Are you black? I really do not think are and I would be willing to bet you are a TEA Bagger.


by youcancallmeroy July 14, 2010 5:24 PM EDT: Martin Luther King is rolling in his grave. Why?
Benjamin Todd Jealous is president and CEO of the NAACP: Anthony ?Van? Jones is a ?National Treasure." While Van Jones may have left the White House under a cloud, the NAACP says that?s not his whole story. The group considers him a pioneering hero for the environment and civil rights ? so much so that it is awarding him one of its highest honors: an NAACP Image Award. It?s a move that stoked the fire from Jones critics. Jones resigned in September 2009 from his position on the Council on Environmental Quality, under a firestorm of criticism over a petition he had signed. The NAACP keeps saying he is the most misunderstood man. I'm trying to figure out exactly where he's misunderstood. Is he misunderstood because he's a 9/11 Truther? Is he misunderstood because he's a self avowed communist? Is he misunderstood because he is a guy who defended Mumia Abu Jamal, the cop killer? Let's see. Is he understood because he wants a revolution? I'm trying to figure out how he's misunderstood. How is he misunderstood? We know where Van Jones stands on Marx. The question I have now is: Where does the NAACP stand on Marx?Where does the 'new" NAACP stand on the Black Panther party?; Reply to this comment


by cbs_tom July 14, 2010 3:01 PM EDT: This has nothing to do with racism within the tea party. The democrats are scared that they are going to lose the House and are recruiting all ideas on how to smear this group and any politician in opposition. Shame on the NAACP for trying to make them look racist. Show the proof. I may not agree with everything the Tea Party spouts, but they have a right to organize like everyone else.; Reply to this comment

by macadou July 14, 2010 10:43 AM EDT

the blacks in this country have been told to sit on there ass and collect welfare let whites pay for your food, medical, ect and vote for them there democrats.

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