A Point of View

Gwendolyn Grant
President & CEO
Urban League of Greater Kansas City
October 26, 2007

Inexplicable Flip-Flops

Duplicity and inconsistency are unattractive characteristics in political and civil rights organizations. Successful leadership requires vision, principles, courage and the capacity to motivate and mobilize people. Recent acts by the NAACP and Freedom, Inc offer insight as to why those venerable organizations are less effective than they have been historically.
The NAACP sponsored a boycott of South Carolina because that state refused to remove a Confederate flag from its capitol. The local chapter criticized the Governor for allowing that flag to fly over a state cemetery.

There is little difference between flying a symbol of hate over public property and appointing a member of a hate group to a public board. Yet, at the request of the local chapter, the NAACP might not honor La Raza’s boycott of Kansas City. I don’t understand how they can ask Latinos to boycott South Carolina over a symbol of hate toward blacks then refuse to support a Latino boycott of Kansas City over a similar symbol of hate. Such duplicity demeans the legacy of the civil rights movement.

NAACP leaders who oppose the boycott are willing to sacrifice the organization’s principles for the glory and prestige of hosting a convention. To justify their position, they say the Minuteman controversy is not “our” issue. Since when was a threat to civil rights for all, regardless of race or ethnicity, not an issue for the NAACP? Make no mistake about it – immigrant rights are civil rights.

The impact of Semler’s odious presence cannot be compromised. The Mayor and Ms. Semler have decided to stick with their principles. The NAACP should stand on theirs.

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Freedom recently pulled a John Kerry (“I voted for it before I voted against it”). Similarly, Freedom was against the tax before they were for it. Purportedly, their opposition was based on several factors including the inequitable allocation of revenues to black neighborhoods and the Mayor’s disrespect for African Americans on the City Council. Later, Freedom decided to support renewal.

Their constituency has grave concerns about extension of the tax at this time. These include:

• Inequitable allocation of CIP funds for the 3rd, 5th & 6th Districts;
• Racial tension and conflict at City Hall;
• Uncertainty regarding the future of the City Manager;
• Marginalization of African Americans on the Council;
• Hostility of Finance & Audit Committee Chair Deb Hermann;
• The Semler controversy; and
• Doubts about entrusting this Mayor and Council with the responsibility of spending over 600 million dollars in additional revenues.

Confidence in city government has waned. Many believe a decision on extending the tax should be delayed until April or August. Maybe by then they will have earned our trust.

Under these circumstances, if Freedom’s initial opposition was principled, an explanation of the flip-flop is needed.
Freedom has failed to provide leadership by not taking a position on annexation of seven schools located east of I-435 by the Independence School District. The silence is deafening and their failure to support empowerment of African Americans is incomprehensible.

Effective leadership doesn’t sacrifice principles for prestige or political expediency.