NAACP goes after Tea Party again
CNN Political Unit
(CNN) – The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People released a new study Wednesday that claims to tie members of the Tea Party to white supremacist groups, anti-immigration organizations, anti-semitic groups and independent militias.
The study, conducted by the Institute for Research and Education on Human Rights analyzed the membership of six Tea Party organizations in the country.
According to the NAACP, five of the six Tea Party groups are headed by "birthers," people who believe President Obama is not a citizen of the United States.
The study looked at Tea Party literature as well as their websites and information about those associated with the Tea Party movement to analyze their ties. The report claims that Tea Party events are now forums for extremists "hoping to push these (white) protesters toward a more self-conscious and ideological white supremacy."
"These groups and individuals are out there, and we ignore them at our own peril," Ben Jealous, president and CEO of the NAACP said in a statement. "They are speaking at Tea Part events, recruiting at rallies… the danger is not that the majority of Tea Party members share their views, but that left unchecked, these extremists might indirectly influence the direction of the Tea Party and therefore the direction of our country."
Amy Kremer, Chairman of the Tea Party Express responded to the report.
"Here we are two weeks out from a historic midterm election and they're doing this to attack us and change the message," Kremer said. "This is ridiculous, that's not what this movement is about. We're focused on the issues and we're going to continue to work to get conservatives elected."
Full story on the CNN Political Ticker
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Filed under: 360° Radar |
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The NAACP is making an allegation towards Conservative candidates who belong to the Tea Party........big surprise. From the report it sounds like the person who has made the report to the NAACP has an axe to grind. I also would llike to mention to our previous poster Jo Ann "liberal" was a bad word before the Tea Party came into existance.
Hi Mr. Cooper: Watched your video report on the bikers who showed up at a Democratic rally and were asked to leave. I invite anyone watching again tonite to check out the patches on their vests. These bikers are VietNam Vets who fought for our freedoms and who ride to meet our military returning home at airports. How long are these heroes going to be villanized?
No person that is racist will ever admit or even believe that they are racist. It doesn't matter who wrote the report. I live in an area with lots of tea party members and know some. Not surprised by the report its accurate based on my experience. I had several bad experiences with tea party members. Today racism is dressed up and covered up. Many code words and phrases used.
Thanks Anderson for calling out the NAACP! This is ridiculous and their over-generalizations about a group that should have the same rights as both the dems & GOP, is unfair. I think it is an honest attempt to give people another option politically....giving people an alternative to the corrupt parties that are ruled by lobbyists who rule our country. We are in a very bad place in our country right now and I'm sad to be an American. Please keep these issues in the forefront, so that we don't forget that this is a country based on freedoms.
Anderson THANKS for asking the questions! You can't make people answer but we the viewers can draw our own conclusions when YOU ask the questions. You got my attention tonight!
I agree with Jo Ann. I consider myself a moderate conservative and starting to go independent. But to put your head in the sand and not acknowledge the overtly racist signs and militia that do attend and threaten others isn't honest. And it stinks of denial.
I had family members in northern Colorado being canvassed by neo nazi militia groups who identify with the TParty @TParty rallies.
We should turn a blind eye to this. There is a problem. To say, well . ."The liberal left have the same elements" . . . isn't justification. You don't see far-left militia being welcomed into Dem or NAACP functions. The TParty leaders like Sarah Palin need to "man-up" as they say, and vet these elements. They're real and they're dangerous. Simple as that.
I appreciate your balanced report regarding the NCAAP's perception of the Tea Party. As an independent that is fed up with high taxes, overspending, and broken promises, the Tea Party tends to represent my views. Since I work 70 hours per week, I often must rely on others to express my views and the Tea Party is a loud voice that is having success doing just that. I do believe that there may be extremists taking advantage of the crowds but I believe that there are extremists in all organizations. The people that I have met that have been affiliated with the Tea Parties seem very moderate and simply desire a brighter future for their children. I am tired of all the politics and drama. I simply want solutions and action!
Perhaps people are upset beacuse this report reveals an uncomfortable truth about the Tea Party. When I have driven by clusters of Tea Party activists standing with signs on street corners, I am offended by the ugly racial cartoon caricaturizationsof the president. For me it is important that I not look away in disgust but allow myself to be present to reality. The reality of how some of those people see the world. I believe truth and our elections need to go hand in hand.
Let's see – there are racists in the tea party. No doubt. Are there racists in the democratic party? No doubt. The most racists group of all is the NAACP. Have to love their rep on 360 tonight. Shows their motivation clearly. Politics. When is the last time they actually took a stand for some individual or group that they did not politicize?
I am a member of the Republican party, and have been disappointed in the party since the neo-conservatives took it over and 'liberal' became a "bad" word. It did not take a report to inform me of who and what is behind the tea party movement.
You always have a bunch of extremist nuts in every group. Do I want them in Office? No. Do they make an impact? Yes. Why – because the average person is not very bright. The average person is a follower, not a leader. The average person does what the group tells them. If the message gets out; good or bad – the followers will follow. The other reason they have impact is due to media response; media fuels their fire.
This is outrageous....NAACP is the racist organization. I've been to tea party events, never saw anyone or anything that was racist or radical. These are all desperate smears from this leftist, marxist organization. Tea party stands for LESS government, NOT more hand outs! What does the NAACP stand for? more government, more hand outs, more marxism?
The Tea Party says "we're ready to take back America”....take it back WHERE!!!! That's what they need to say and quit hiding their agenda!!!!
It's obvious that there is even a moderate insidiuosness to the "Tea Party Movement" even if it's only apparent to your gut. But when facts begin supporting theories, people in the movement should start questioning their owm motives.
Introspection will keep them from losing momentum in the future.
I'm not a supporter, but I like a fair fight.
This study reinforces my views on the Tea Party. This isn't a general observation of the Tea Party. The actions of many Tea Party members also reinforced the study's findings. The Tea Party Movement is full of certain Americans filled with hatred because THEY have lost their jobs and didn't budget properly so now they are in the financial situations that they are now in.
I would say there are as many racist in the NAACP as any group.
I wish someone would do an investigation of their members.
A few bad apple's don't make the whole bunch bad. Racism,classism and discrimination has no variation of skin color. Stop closing our American Public School buildings and pay back the pork.This is a generalization observation !