08 Jul 2004 Only Third-Rate Speakers Should Apply

I’m watching Project 21 member Deroy Murdock do a tremendous job as a guest on Fox’s O’Reilly Factor tonight.

Topic: Was President Bush right to tell the Bush-hating leadership of the NAACP that he wouldn’t speak to their convention?

Deroy says the President is right, noting that the NAACP leadership has gone far beyond civil discourse in comments — including some last week — about Bush and his record. Disagreeing about issues is fine, says Deroy, but the leadership has been claiming (among other things) that Bush wants to bring back legal segregation. That’s just not true. But the leadership doesn’t seem to care if it is true.

Deroy’s debate opponent on the show, Earl Ofari Hutchinson, was ardent in pressing his view, which seems to come down to a belief that if the President isn’t talking to the NAACP, he isn’t talking to black America. Balderdash. First of all, everytime Bush talks to all Americans, he’s talking to black Americans. (We’re against segretation, right?) Second, there are many groups other than the NAACP addressing civil rights/racial/urban issues, and Bush speaks to many of them. Third, civil rights/racial/urban issues are addressed in many ways and forums, which the NAACP (if it cares about issues more than itself) should be pleased about.

In my opinion, the NAACP needs to upgrade the quality of its work and the honesty of its discourse. Until then, only third-rate speakers should apply.