April 1, 2008

Open Letter to NAACP Leaders Dennis Courtland Hayes, Adora Obi Nweze or Maude Ford Lee


BlackVoices.com wonders out loud where NAACP West Palm Beach stands on the issue of civil rights vs. criminal rights. The problem, as I see it is simple. NAACP West Palm Beach branch took a formal stance out in front of the courthouse steps three weeks ago. They wanted bail to be given to the Dunbar Village rapists similiar to what Boca Raton rapists received. In my view, that 'equal justice' stance is bone-headed and wrong. It would have been better if NAACP West Palm Beach branch president Maude Ford Lee to step up and say that 'equal justice' would be for the Boca Raton rapists to be denied bail to make them 'equal'.

Al Sharpton recognized that he made a mistake. He owned up to it on his radio show last week. National NAACP (Hayes), NAACP Florida (Nweze) nor NAACP West Palm Beach (Lee) will acknowledge that their appearance, flyers and statements at the press conference were a mistake. As a result, the growing movement to ask my blog readers to discontinue their membership and volunteer hours to NAACP stays in full effect.

I see that Ms. Nweze will be on a podcast later this week. Perhaps she will take responsibility for the poor judgement that was shown at that press conference. Heck, perhaps she or Mr. Hayes or Ms. Lee or some other NAACP official in that leadership chain will respond to this online message and bring this matter to an end. It's not difficult. Simply acknowledge that it was a mistake to ask for bail on the Dunbar Village rapists. Is that so hard to do?

13 comments:

Yobachi said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Yobachi said...

I'm now on board, especially after reading your other post with the linked flyers..."precious" and "tender"? Excuse my langauge, but are these muthafuckers crazy?

I’ve got to make my own statement my own way that caveat’s for due process even when we think we know we’ve got the right people; but advocating for bail, defending these low life’s just because they’re black, and trying to make them out to be angels, is disgusting.

SheCodes said...

We all believe that they are entitled to due process, and that is exactly what they are getting.

To advocate to get them bond, to be released right back into the same neighborhood is unconscionable. It's insanity. It will not go unanswered.

No wonder they are trying to lie and backtrack... which has just caused a firestorm with all of the reporters who were there, heard them first hand, and received those ridiculous flyers.

Unknown said...

Yobachi - My hope is that NAACP will put the cat back in the bag on Thursday night. Time will tell. In the meantime, welcome to the campaign. I encourage you to sign up for the campaign today!

SheCodes - I look forward to continuing the movement. Hopefully, we will get some progress on the podcast on Thursday, however, I'd advocate that you prepare for Friday morning coordinated blast based on having NAACP stay status quo...

Yobachi said...

Here's my post:

NAACP More Concerned With Excusing Rapist, Than With Helping Their Victims

wisdomteachesme said...

shecodes said = "To advocate to get them bond, to be released right back into the same neighborhood is unconscionable. It's insanity. It will not go unanswered."
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Exactly the point! and another point is, has anyone talked with the boys parents? what do they have to say about their sons actions of violence against with woman and her child?

i read what they said about them being in jail....but nothing concerning why put them in jail thist ime.

Yobachi said...

Wisdom, I guess you missed were I basically said the same thing in the comment that Shecode was responding to.

Making that point, and making a strong due process caveat are not nearly mutually exclusive.

I think I did so quite successfully in my post that is linked in my comment above.

Unknown said...

Wisdom and Yobachi - Asante sana to both of you for weighing in with your village voice on this issue. I'm hopeful that the NAACP will acknowledge their mistake on or before Thursday's podcast so that we can move forward...

wisdomteachesme said...

@ villager thank you and to yobachi, yes i think did miss it. going back to read now.

i look forward to the discussion on thursday and what the conclusion will be.

many voices on one accord will have to be heard!
let us not tire of doing good.

MartiniCocoa said...

I've been talking to many of my friends about this story -- the crime, the NAACP and Al Sharpton's reaction to it and they are alarmed.

I thank you for being so on point about the issues brought up by this case.

And yes, I wonder if the parents of the accused should undergo psych evaluations as well...because there seems to be a serious case of delusional behavior going on in the parents and children.

I may not have the right to say that because I'm not a parent but I don't think I could defend my child who did that to another mother.

Unknown said...

I Am Not Star Jones - I don't blame the parents. After all, our parents always look at us with rose-colored glasses. That is no reason for NAACP (Maude Lee) or NAN (Al Sharpton) to drink the kool-aid as well...

Unknown said...

If you defend right you get justice. If you defend dogs you get fleas.

Yes this is a case of unequal treatment under the law. But I did not see it being such a case of human rights being violated that "Protectors of the Flame of Truth" needed to take up their cause. I agree the better course of action should have been a petition to request that the other rapist bail be revoked. Great post. Gave me hope. Will pass along.

Unknown said...

Tony - Thanx for sharing your village voice with us. I've been out of pocket for the past few days. My understanding is that the Florida NAACP president (Nweze) was going to be on a podcast last night to discuss this situation. Hopefully, she made some concilliatory statements during her appearance...