NAACP, Gulf Coast and the Adams Family

Dear Mark: The NAACP recently held its annual meeting. Making headlines was the passage of a resolution condemning the tea party as too tolerant of racists in its midst. To me, this goes against what the NAACP has done historically, which is to protect blacks from discrimination due to racial stereotyping. Isn't this racism against white conservatives? — Colorblind in Colorado

Dear Colorblind: In announcing the unanimous vote, NAACP President Benjamin Todd Jealous explained, "What we take issue with is the tea party's continued tolerance for bigotry and bigoted statements."

The NAACP is either stuck in the '60s, or this is a political ploy to rile up the black vote during the November elections. I believe it is the latter because the NAACP has not been able to produce any substantial evidence that the tea party willingly tolerates bigotry. This racist "straw man" has been set up in order to demonize those that oppose President Obama and his failing policies.

I am appalled at the actions of this once great organization. In recent years, the NAACP, the New Black Panthers, the Congressional Black Caucus and Jessie Jackson have promoted the idea that large gatherings of white people can only mean one of two things: a hockey game or a Klan rally. You don't see too many hockey sticks at the tea party rallies, so according to the NAACP it must be the Klan.

Shamefully, the NAACP has put partisan politics above its founding principles and is willing to paint a political group as racist simply because it disagrees with a black president. Is today's NAACP truly about advancement or revenge?

The problem with the actions of the NAACP is that it dilutes the term racism and it creates a "boy crying wolf" scenario.

For example, Dan Gilbert, owner of the Cleveland Cavaliers, was upset that his star player, LeBron James, signed with the Miami Heat. Jessie Jackson commented that Gilbert "sees LeBron as a runaway slave." That seems a little extreme, but then again the only thing running away is the relevance of Jackson and the NAACP.

Dear Mark: When will the administration learn? They have lost twice in court concerning the oil-drilling moratorium, and now Interior Secretary Ken Salazar has ordered a revised version to try to jam it through the courts. Doesn't President Obama know that the moratorium is destroying jobs on the Gulf Coast? — Tired of Tar Balls in Thibodaux

Dear Tired: President Obama will never learn because he is an ideologue who is beholden to the radical environmentalist's wing of the Democrat Party. For a man who is supposed to be so caring, Obama does not seem engaged in the moratorium situation other than to give orders to his interior secretary from the golf course. Obama claims he wants to "create or save" jobs, but he appears oblivious to the plight of the Gulf Coast citizens who are all feeling the economic impact of the oil disaster.

Dear Mark: There appears to be some infighting in the Democrat Party between Nancy Pelosi and the White House. Ain't it great? — Family Feud Fan

Dear Family: You bet it's great. Pelosi is upset with White House spokesperson Robert Gibbs, who said the Republicans have a chance to win back the House in November. Some act as if this is nothing more than a Brady Bunch spat. I liken it to the Adams Family, with Lurch, Thing, Cousin It and Uncle Fester fighting over Lurch's harpsichord.

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