by Kenneth Lumpkin, PublisherI was surprised that my last article received so much attention. People on the street as well as phone calls stated that they agree with me that the local branch of the NAACP, headed by Racine City Alderman Michael Shields, should stick to civil rights issues and keep the organization out of politics.
The issue was noted when Alderman Shields, who has held the top post for only one year, made an unusual break for the national policy and invited the then democrat gubernatorial candidate Lt. Gov. Barb Lawton to be the keynote speaker at the civil rights organization's 59th Freedom Fund dinner held recently at the Racine’s Marriott Hotel.
My article went on to tell you that behind closed doors, some members felt that becoming involved in the governors’ race would violate the nonpartisan organization’s rules by having a partisan political candidate as their guest speaker. They strongly suggest that leadership refrain from involving the organization with political races.
Since the article was published residents are asking questions like, “why the local branch is not aggressively addressing major problems that we are facing locally?”
The NAACP in Racine has just concluded its 59th annual Freedom Fund Dinner, and it makes me sad.
I am sad because Racine’s black community has real problems, and the branch and its new leaders either do not care about them or are so out of touch with reality that they are incapable of honestly seeing them. As result, the challenges facing “the hood” are far greater than they might otherwise be.
National NAACP chairperson Julian Bond put his finger on it, saying, "Our mission has not changed ...We are a social-justice advocacy organization dedicated to ending racial discrimination. That's what we do."
The truth that black leaders like Alderman Shields cannot seem to come to terms with is that the deep problems in Racine’s black community today are not just the result of racial discrimination, and blacks do not need an organization with a $100 thousand budget dedicated to "social justice" and taking junkets all over the country.
Racism does not cause a family breakdown, 50 percent high-school dropout rates, widespread out-of-wedlock births or the destruction of millions of unborn black babies.
But are they voicing their concerns to the elected officials in power that might listen to them? The answer is simple “No.”
However, for sure, when black leaders continue to turn away from and refuse to be honest about our real problems, these problems will not be solved, and black life in Racine will go from bad to worse.
With unemployment in the black community peaking as high as 35%, others say that economic development should be one of the key issues the so-called civil rights organization should address.
Yes, it is true that our local NAACP is spending too much time on frivolous things and not enough on things that make a difference in the black community.
However, if we do not speak up and continue to keep our heads buried, then there is no doubt in my mind that things will get even worse.
