Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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NAACP is unwilling to address important issues JOSHUA HANLEY GAMECOCKVIEWPOINTS@HOTMAIL.COM Civil rights group is too busy pointing fingers A number of racially chargee events have recently disturbed the never quite quiet waters of modern race relations, and, as always, the NAACP has been at the forefronl of every conflict. The only problem is that the NAACP has become about as effective as a comb-over in actually working for the advance ment of colored people. Their recent accusations oi racism in Myrtle Beach during the Black Bike Week Festival this past Memorial Day weekend are char acteristic. From May 14-17, the predomi nantly white Myrtle Beach Harley Rally brought several hundred thousand bikers to the beach. According to the NAACP, they were welcomed by the tourist friendly town. When Black Bike Week came to town a week later, drawing more than twice the number of bikers than the Harley Rally, special traf fic rules and zero-tolerance policies on moving violations were intro duced by city police to handle the suddenly overflowing tides of traf fic. Similarly, a number of hotels and restaurants altered their poli cies and hours of operations to deal with the increased demand. Immediately, the NAACP, along with 25 individuals, filed lawsuits against the city and numerous inns and eateries. In their minds, racism was the only possible ex planation for the situation. Nevermind that despite the pre cautionary traffic restrictions, sev en people died over the holiday weekend in motorcycle-involved accidents. Nevermind that some restau rants were forced to close during normal business hours because some employees were unable to make it through the citywide, weekend-long traffic jam. Whenever there is the faintest possibility of any dissimilar treat ment, the NAACP is there, point ing fingers and taking up the call for reparations and equality. However, when black New York Times journalist Jayson Blair, who had been hired as part of a diversity program, was fired for repeatedly misrepresenting, fal sifying, and making up stories, the organization was strangely silent. It was an event that could hold neg ative consequences for diversity and affirmative action programs, but the NAACP suddenly had noth ing to say. Lest we forget, this all happens before the ever-present backdrop of the flag controversy. For the sake of a piece of silk and ten yards difference from where it now flies-a location arrived at ac cording to a compromise which the NAACP originally approved—they seek to impose an economic boy cott on the entire state. Unfortunately, many African Americans in this state live at or below the poverty line, and any in jury to South Carolina's economy will hurt the poor first and hardest. Even so, the NAACP persists with such foolishness as tourist blockades at the state's borders and rest stops. How can this one flag, which few people of either race, ex cept those who occasionally gath er to protest its existence, ever even see, be worth potential harm to the state's black populace? The flag is no barrier to the advancement of African-Americans in this state, but the boycott certainly can be. Perhaps their name refers only to those CP who actually hold posi tions in the NAACP; they never cease tooting their own horns. Regardless, the organization is not doing African-Americans any favors by shouting "Racism!" every time they get a breath. Like the boy who cried wolf, they run the risk of losing their ability to call attention to crucial issues of discrimination or disadvantage. They must seek solutions, not scapegoats, before they lose the ca pacity to help anyone. Joshua Hanley is a Fourth-year Philosophy student. In Their OiJon Words “Every time I hear a phone go off in class, I contemplate earning a Ph.D. purely so in the future when it happens to me I can make an example of the student and immediately kick him or her out of class.” MATTHEW THOMAS OKLAHOMA DAILY (U, OKLAHOMA) “As a journalist, Blair was a liar and a fraud. He was also black, a qualification his editor found so great, it apparently negated these flaws. Was Blair allowed to stay with The Times for four years in spite of his mistakes simply because he was black? Absolutely.” GEORGE DEUTSCH THE BATTALION (TEXAS A&M U.) “If Pat Green took a moment out of his concert to say "I'm proud George W. Bush is from Texas," no one would bat an eye. Hell, they'd even call him patriotic. Natalie Maines says the opposite, and she's "forcing her politics on people." CODY RUTH UNIVERSITY DAILY (TEXAS TECH U.) “You come to college, and the message they give you is, 'Your parents are racist, sexist, bigoted, homophobic, and we're going to take you and change that.' A lot of the courses are mushy stuff about sex and gender and social relations." DENISE CHAYKUN A MEMBER OF BUCKNELL UNIVERSITY'S CONSERVATIVES CLUB, TO THE NEWYORK TIMES Those who attack illegal immigration with such virulence would do well to note that employees in the United States would not perform many services performed by illegal immigrants. While better screening for terrorists is clearly necessary, targeting thousands of people to find a few terrorists is neither economically efficient nor morally fair. SHIVA BHASKAR DAILY BRUIN (U. CALIFORNLA-LOS ANGELES) Winners and Sinners USC BASEBALL TEAM Team sends five to national draft. Five out of nine ain’t bad. RUSSELL HOUSE A new look for an old building, the Student Union gets a $7 million ► makover. PRES. BUSH Kisses, makes up with Europe. GOV. SANFORD It’s “Bermuda, Bahama” for I our fearless leader. / H ERIC RUDOLPH Five years in the woods and he still pleads “not guilty.” What were you, raised by wolves? w Gamecock Quotables “It's the classic cheap beer that you can get for two bucks. You can get the twelve ounce, but what happens when you're talking to a girl and another guy comes in with a twenty-four ounce drink? If the other guy has a twelve ounce, you're probably I going home with his lady tonight. It's not fair, it's not morally right, but that's just the way it is” HOLLAND VARN ON EL BURRITO’S PBR TALL BOY GAMECOCK CORRECTIONS If you see an error in today’s paper, we want to know. E-mail us at gamecockviewpoints@hotmail.com. ONLINE This week’s question Do you want a video arcade in the Russell House? Vote at www.dailygame cock.com. Agree? Disagree? Want to see your name in print? Send letters to gamecoekviewpoints @hotmail.com You might be pleasantly surprised.