What do black people think of the NAACP president's words?

Question

Bruce S. Gordon, NAACP president said...

Black Americans should end "victim-like thinking" and seize opportunities to help close gaps between the nation's rich and poor.

"We may not have all the power that we want, but we have all the power that we need," Gordon said. "All we have to do is believe it and use it."

Answer 1

i agree. it doesn't matter that the NAACP is outdated or if you don't like its president. yes there is still discrimination. but look at some of the larger problems that have occurred since the end of legal and institutionalised discrimination: fewer black families stay together than they did 50 years ago, almost 70% of black kids are born out of wedlock, black small business ownership has declined.
these are some pretty big problems that do not have causes outside of the black community. i'm black and it is often seen as taboo for a black person to speak frankly about problems in the black community. such a taboo does not help anyone.
as i said before, there is racism and discrimination. but i have never experienced the amount of discrimination that would keep me from doing whatever it is i wanted to do. the most i have ever seen is someone having ignorant attitudes that present a mild obstacle. there is enough opportunity available to navigate around such attitudes in most cases.
whatever problems the black community may have, there is nothing anyone else can give us- no social program, no amount of government spending, no amount of charity- that can truly do any good until we make a change to take full advantage of the opportunities we get.
so our latest and greatest problems are not the cause of racism and discrimination- the black family was stronger 50 years ago, the economy of the black community was more self-sufficient, black attitudes toward opportunity were different. i am not saying that 50 years ago was some magical time when we had no problems. i am saying we seemed better prepared and equipped to handle much worse conditions during that time than we are now. there seemed to be a stronger sense of community and personal responsibility. but i would not trade the country we have now for the one we had then. now there is much more opportunity and protection than there was before. we just haven't taken full advantage of it.

Answer 2

This may surprise you, but most black people could care less about the NAACP. You probably don't know this, but it was founded by and run by white people. That is why black folks don't buy into thier program.

I disagree with a lot of what he said. for a number of reasons. Black people were victims up until about 40 years ago officially (de jure). I don't think we should be in a rush to forget that. I agree there are much fewer barriers than in the past, but de facto discrimination still exist. About the only thing I agree with is the fact that it is more about poor people vs. rich people than it is about black and white.

Answer 3

Regardless of who runs the NAACP or what it does for blacks, the statement you quoted by the president is accurate. Does it make a statement less true if it comes from someone who you feel don’t support your cause? I think not! What is so wrong with his statement? What is wrong with believing in you? Nothing! Whether his motives were pure or not; the statement he made is correct. Those who don’t want to accept it are those who want to keep the victim status going and who are still looking for someone else to magically solve their problems and make them wealthy. Not too many people thrive in America by waiting around for someone else to “fix” them.

Gordon also suggests some actions for blacks to empower themselves:

“Gordon urged blacks not to patronize businesses that don't hire them or advertise in their communities.”

Answer 4

Name one thing the NAACP has done for blacks since the 60's? Voter registration drives don't count. They are a defunct outdated organization, that doesn't help blacks and on top of that has been marred by one scandal after another. There are more Jews on the leadership board of the NAACP that on the board of the ACLU.

Answer 5

this honky agrees.. we all bleed red, and there ain't a single one of us that chose the color of our eyes,let alone the color of our skin.Realistically, in a fallen world, Satan is grinning because his plan is working . Pitting one against another...Inferiority complexes cause the person to do whatever it takes to try to diminish another person, and as teen-ager in Mississippi in the 1950's, I saw so much ignorance.. and intolerance. same thing in Montana and Wyoming, with the diminished being the Native Americans.."If we could all just get along." Rodney King.

Answer 6

About time someone kicked them in the pants. Good for him.

Answer 7

I dont know about black people, but I agree.....