NAACP Apologizes for Dunbar Village Press Conference

Adora Obi Nweze, Florida State Conference NAACP chair and Richard McIntyre, NAACP National Spokesperson took part in a podcast hosted by Gina McCauley to discuss the NAACP and Al Sharpton press conference and the resultant email accountability campaign. Both Nweze and McIntyre emphasized that the NAACP top priority is to focus on the two victims of the Dunbar Village torture.

Nweze apolozied on behalf of the NAACP for any miscommunication or misunderstanding caused by the NAACP West Palm Beach branch press conference.

Nweze indicates that the parents of the Dunbar Village rapists approached the NAACP about unequal justice being applied against their children. She acknowledged that this was the wrong case to use for making a point on unequal criminal justice. McIntyre was rather useless. He did note that the West Palm Beach branch broke some internal policies and that the branch president has been counseled accordingly.

On the other hand, Nweze was clear and straightforward in her responses. She apologized on a number of ocassions for the flyers and press conference held by NAACP West Palm Beach branch. Personally, I feel like NAACP and National Action Network both recognize that they phuqued up big time by passing out flyers and creating a press conference to support the Dunbar Village rapists.

Al Sharpton admitted his mistake in a public venue ... on his radio show. NAACP admitted their mistake in a private BlogRadioTalkshow.

The NAACP needs to do publicly what it did privately last night -- state they were wrong and apologize. Particularly since they stated bloggers were wrong. They can't have it both ways - we were not both wrong.

For more information about this Dunbar Village Campaign, you can visit any of the following 24 blogs:

1. Dunbar Village Blog
2. A Different Story
3. Anonymiss Blog
4. A Political Season
5. Aunt Jemima's Revenge
6. Black Fire, White Fire
7. Black Sapience
8. Black Women Vote
9. Character Corner
10. Electronic Village
11. Episcopalienne
12. Essential Presence
13. Focused Purpose
14. H-Essays
15. Never Say Never to Your Traveling Self
16. Privy Concepts
17. Ravenelven Lady
18. Roslyn Holcomb's Blog
19. The Sowing Circle
20. Tribute to Black Women
21. What About Our Daughters
22. What Tami Said
23. Yanmommasaid
24. Something Within

I will be on NPR Blogger's Roundtable next Wednesday, April 9. I anticipate that one of our segments will cover this particular issue. I hope you will tune in to NPR on that day at 1:00 pm ET to hear what we have to say.

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?

NAACP Issues Weak Response to Dunbar Village Protest

Drumbeats from What About Our Daughters blog provide us with a statement from the NAACP in response to the email accountability campaign launched following their joint press conference with Rev. Al Sharpton regarding bail for the suspects in the Dunbar Village rape and torture case.

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E-mails misrepresent NAACP's position on Dunbar Village case. A series of viral e-mails circulating the Internet the past several days distort and misrepresent the NAACP's stance on the Dunbar Village gang rape case that began last June in south Florida.

The NAACP does not condone violence against anyone. Any suggestion to the contrary is not credible in light of the Association's long history of opposing violence against all persons.

In fact, it was the West Palm Beach Branch NAACP and area churches, among others, that provided assistance in the relocation of the victims in this horrific and inexplicable criminal matter.

"The NAACP cares deeply that justice be applied equally, without regards to race, but cares just as deeply that guilty parties be held accountable for their actions," said Adora Obi Nweze, president of the Florida State Conference, NAACP.

The NAACP National Office nor the Florida NAACP have taken any formal position on the case and both believe this situation will benefit from well meaning, interested parties allowing the facts to become further known and letting defense lawyers do their work.

"The lives of the victims in this case are irrevocably altered in the worst way," said NAACP Interim President & CEO Dennis Courtland Hayes. "While we respect the judicial process and implore that equal justice be rendered for all involved, we must also focus on ending the continuing plague of violence in our communities.

"The NAACP and its affiliates will continue to closely monitor the proceedings and details of this case," said West Palm Beach Branch NAACP President Maude Ford Lee, who added, "Earlier reports that my remarks support the heinous acts of the guilty parties could not be further from the truth."

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Villagers, there was no misrepresentation. It was quite clear that the Ford/Sharpton press conference called for more lenient bail for the Dunbar Village rapists.

Rev. Sharpton backtracked on his poor judgement in advocating for the Dunbar Village rapists earlier this week. I don't see that Maude Ford Lee or other NAACP leaders at state or national level accepted responsibility for their mistake in advocating for the Dunbar Village rapists. Has Ms. Lee backed away from her foolhardy misadventure? If not, I don't see any reason for Black bloggers and others to continue working to discontinue further funding and volunteer hours for the NAACP.

Perhaps we will learn more later this week when Adora Obi Nweze, NAACP Florida State President joins the Black Women's Roundtable to answer questions. The podcast takes place on Thursday, April 3rd @ 9:00 pm EST.

In the meantime, I'm curious as to your take on the situation. What say u?