If there’s one thing that 2016 has taught us, it’s that there’s no downside in seizing on every opportunity to cast people in the worst possible light, especially when it advances your political cause.
So when a governor can’t get his opponents to agree that providing an adequate public education to mostly African American children trapped by poverty and failing schools is a worthwhile and important goal and that Governor points out the hypocrisy of an organization opposing his goal by hoisting them up on their own name –it’s just an opportunity to use the most overused term of our era and call him a “raaaa-cist.”
What Governor Deal said was “The irony of some of the groups who are opposing doing something to help these minority children is beyond my logic. If you want to advance the state of colored people, start with their children.”
The group to which Governor Deal was referring was the NAACP, an acronym that stands for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.
Maybe Governor Deal should have hammed it up a little more, and raised his hands to put sarcastic air quotes around the word “advance.” But he’s a Governor, not some late-night comedy clown.
Let the historical record note that even though it was not Nathan Deal who gave the NAACP their name, he’s now being pilloried because he dared to point out that a group that names itself with words is not in fact doing those words.
The NAACP isn’t “advancing” anybody’s lot in life by opposing the Opportunity School District amendment. They’re just being self-righteous hypocrites.
These remarks were made over a month ago -which makes them, much like Dale Russell, pretty old for news. But let’s review the media rules for proper speech again.
In this country, there are only two colors: “White” and “African American,” but white is not colored.
Any person, even a white one, may use the term ‘people of color’ or ‘person of color,’ as long as they are not describing a white person.
The NAACP shall be referred to as only the “En Double-Ehh See Pee,” and any attempt to use the organization’s name in any form other than an acronym shall be “racially charged.”
The “C” in “NAACP” stands for “African American.”
Pointing out that “Advancement” was once a part of the NAACP’s name and mission is racially insensitive, especially when they aren’t doing any of it.
Trying to solve problems of racial inequity, income inequality, or lack of educational opportunity by proposing something will never be as important as manufacturing phony outrage.
And most importantly: Never let a genuine solution get in the way of a juicy headline.