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NAACP Tea Party 'Racist' Resolution Expected To Pass

by NowPublic Staff | July 12, 2010 at 04:34 pm

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Update: NAACP 2010 Convention in Kansas City Passed Resolution Condemning Tea Party Racism

Delegates approved the resolution Tuesday during the annual convention of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People in Kansas City.

NAACP President Ben Jealous has blasted the tea party leadership, saying they need to "be responsible members of this democracy and make sure they don't tolerate bigots or bigotry among their members."

Earlier Story: NAACP 2010 Convention In Kansas City Expected To Pass Resolution "Tea Party

The NAACP and the Tea Party groups are heading for a public tussle as the NAACP is expected to pass a resolution charging the Tea Party with having "racist elements." The NAACP Tea Party resolution will call on...

"...the leadership and members of the tea party to recognize the historic and present racist factions within it and to repudiate those factions," and says the movement has opposed government programs that help working people and people of color, according to NAACP spokeswoman Leila McDowell.

The Tea Party is more of association of groups, and like minded individuals without a core organizing base so the normal comment comes from a diverse ray of people.

In response to the NAACP resolution, two tea party leaders said Monday that any racism was the responsibility of a few bad actors and not the larger movement.

"There certainly are people who have been involved in tea party events or call themselves tea party leaders who have done these things. And we've said we're not going to put with it," said Jenny Beth Martin, a founder of the online network Tea Party Patriots.

The First Lady, Michelle Obama, spoke at the NAACP convention in Kansas City on Monday to talk about the problems of childhood obesity.