Bush Was Right Not To Speak To The NAACP Annual Convention

by John Hawkins | July 8, 2004 6:53 pm

I was pleased to hear that George Bush has once again declined at invitation to speak at the NAACP Annual Convention[1] for two reasons.

First off, while I think it’s important to try to reach out to conservative black voters[2], there aren’t any of them to be found at the NAACP. The NAACP is an ultra-liberal organization that’s in the pocket of the Democratic Party, they tell black people they’re victims, & they favor government programs that discriminate against white people. In short, you’re not reaching any black voters who are open to a conservative message by speaking to the NAACP.

Second of all, there’s no point in talking to the NAACP because they’re in bed with the Democratic Party first and black Americans second. Note that most black Americans strongly oppose gay marriage and support vouchers. On the other hand, the NAACP sides with the Dems & their allies in the teacher’s unions against poor minority kids who want to use vouchers to get a decent education. They also claim to merely be neutral[3] on the issue of gay marriage even as people like NAACP chairman, Julian Bond[4] publicly stump for it. It wouldn’t matter if 50% of black America turned as conservative as Tom Delay tomorrow, the NAACP would have the same positions because it’s an organization run by left-wingers.

So any gains conservatives make with black Americans will be because we went over, under, around, but not through, the NAACP. That’s why it’s counterproductive for Bush, Cheney, Condi, or Powell or other prominent Republicans to speak at the NAACP, pretend that they’re something other than a group of liberal race profiteers, or do anything that increases the prestige of the NAACP. It isn’t about convincing the NAACP to like conservatives, it’s about beating them in the arena of ideas.

***Update #1***: From the comments section,

“I dunno… I don’t know the reasons why GWB turned down the speak-invite, but I DO know that the christian thing to do is to take your message to the pagans. Isnt’ that what your christian bible says to do? If he wants to win converts SHOULDN’T he go where the convertin needs to be done?” — useless

From what I’ve seen, preachers have had a lot more success coverting sinners to Christ than conservatives have had converting liberals to a logical view of the world. In other words, W. isn’t bringing any Republicans into the fold by speaking to the NAACP.

Instead, we need to focus our energies on recruiting blacks who are actually fairly conservative, but have been brainwashed into thinking Republicans are evil racists who hate blacks. I honestly believe — and I’m dead serious about this — that roughly 1/3rd of all black Americans have views more in line with the GOP than the Dems, but W. only pulled 8% of them in the last election.

To bring those people into the fold, we need to work to build up groups like Project 21[5] & BOND[6] that can help us get our message out in the black community. That’s what the GOP needs to be doing, not reaching out to an organization like the NAACP that’s going to give conservatives a real chance.