By now, everyone is aware of the statements about Michael Vick made by the president of the Atlanta chapter of the NAACP, R.L. White. Yesterday, we had this comment from interim national NAACP president Dennis Courtland Hayes:
Falcons quarterback Michael Vick “is not a victim” and should be held responsible for his actions involving a dogfighting ring in Virginia, the national president of the NAACP said Thursday.
“He absolutely must account for what he has done.”
I’ve actually been waiting for the national president to weigh in on this. You see, I am a lifetime member of the NAACP. When I started this blog, one of the first links I included was to the NAACP. I believe in the organization’s mission:
… to ensure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights of all persons and to eliminate racial hatred and racial discrimination.
Had President Hayes stopped his comment with the above, I wouldn’t even be writing this post. But he didn’t.
“People need to understand the backdrop as some in the African-American community make their expressions of support,” Hayes said. “That backdrop includes anger and distrust with the criminal justice system that disproportionately pays attention to African-Americans and Hispanics.
“While no dog deserves to be mistreated, the backdrop includes the perception among some African-Americans that the criminal justice system treats them like animals and that nobody seems willing to do anything about the disparity.”
While I don’t disagree that there is a sense of mistrust, Hayes is using that as an excuse for White’s comments. In doing so, he is essentially providing cover for White playing the race card when it was absolutely not appropriate.
What Vick was accused of and what he will be pleading guilty to has nothing to do with him being black. It was despicable behavior on his part and he will be punished. The negative press in this case is appropriate and the fact that he happens to be black had nothing to do with that. I have enough faith in our judicial system to think that had Vick been white, he still would have been charged. And I have no doubt that as the investigation continues, there will be some indictments of whites.
The problem with always playing the race card is that people become immune to it. When real racism occurs, people shrug it off as “crying wolf.” Real racism is what has been going on in Jena. Real racism is DWB.
The issues of poverty, access to health care and education are real issues that the NAACP should be talking about, not coming to the defense of a man who has admitted guilt and is about to plead guilty, purely because he’s black. I have no idea what prompted White to insert himself into this in the first place (grabbing headlines, maybe?) and I am disappointed with the response of Hayes. Had White made these statements as a private citizen, he would have been ignored. But in his role as president of the local chapter of the NAACP, he overstepped his bounds, and in doing so, forced the national president to essentially defend him.
I won’t defend him. If Vick never plays another down in professional football, it will be because he chose to participate in a criminal activity, not because he’s black. And if the NAACP wants to regain its stature, it will remove White and the likes of him from our ranks. White doesn’t speak for me. Hayes doesn’t speak for me. And I suspect they don’t speak for a whole lot of other blacks in America.
Technorati Tags: Michael Vick, NAACP
VIVIAN J. PAIGE | All Politics is Local 
“[You] are never going to see the evidence.”
Why not? What about the Freedom of Information Act?
“So I assume you will always believe that Vick is innocent.”
I will believe he is innocent until he is proven guilty.
Mouse, the Feds aren’t offering Vick a plea because they think he might be innocent. They’re offering him a plea because he might be FOUND innocent–by one black juror like Mr. R. L. White.
There were break sticks and a rape stand, along with sunken truck axels in concrete found on Vick’s property (they use axels because it allows the chain to pivot better). Cooperating Witnesses identified Vick as being present at dog fights. The Kennel was operated in his name. The amount of funds used to operate the criminal activity exceeded that which was available to the codefendants if left to their own devices. What do you need, Mouse? Do you need to see a videotape of him holding his government-issued drivers license in one hand and a roll of sweaty benjamins in the other while he cheers on a pitbull?
I’ve met Michael Vick several times and I’m shocked and disappointed, but I can’t ignore the fact that he did it. His friends say he did it. HE says he did it. Let it go.
Yes, you will learn the evidence. Start with the factual statement that Michael filed today in support of his plea agreement, according to AP:
======
“Most of the Bad Newz Kennels operation and gambling monies were provided by Vick,” a summary of facts in the case said, echoing language in plea agreements by three co-defendants who previously pleaded guilty.
The statement said that when the kennel’s dogs won, the gambling proceeds were generally shared by Vick’s three co-defendants — Tony Taylor, Purnell Peace and Quanis Phillips.
“Vick did not gamble by placing side bets on any of the fights. Vick did not receive any of the proceeds of the purses that were won by Bad Newz Kennels,” the summary said.
According to the statement, Vick also was involved with the others in killing six to eight dogs that did not perform well in testing sessions last April. The dogs were executed by drowning or hanging.
“Vick agrees and stipulates that these dogs all died as a result of the collective efforts” of Vick and two of the co-defendants, Phillips and Peace, the statement said.
======
They had search warrants for the property, and found the carcasses of dead dogs. They have not released the other evidence that they had, and now that he has filed a statement acceding in the essential facts, they may not. But that doesn’t mean that there isn’t any. If I’m Michael Vick and I’m guilty, I want to do ANYTHING to keep the sordid facts from coming out. If I’m Michael Vick and I’m innocent, I want to fight everything all the way.
Well said, Vivian.
Let me get this straight — Vick provided the gambling money, but got none of the proceeds? So Vick was not gambling, but giving money to his friends. (Isn’t that the “giving back to the community” that the tax-the-rich croud wants?)
Aside from Vick’s “friends” (With friends like that, who needs enemas?) who sold him out for reduced sentences, what evidence do they have that he was involved in killing the dogs?
“All of a sudden some local chapter is speaking for the whole organization.”
Why don’t you have this same sense of outrage when folks like Sharpton speak on behalf of an entire race? Why do you not call out Jesse Jackson for speaking for all of “black America”?
Where was your outrage when these folks called for the firing of Don Imus because THEY decided what offended everyone? You were nowhere but now you want to see it as unreasonable to speak for an entire group? Balls.
A chapter speaking for an organization it is a part of makes a hell of a lot more sense than self appointed spokesman for an entire race.
You can’t have it both ways.
I can’t speak for MB but I do have a problem when Sharpton or Jackson attempts to speak for me. Here’s the thing, though: in the case of Sharpton & Jackson, the media has decided that they are the spokespersons for us, just as the media decided that a local chapter president spoke for the entire NAACP. If I call the media and complain, who the heck am I? Nobody. So they aren’t listening.
It’s not a matter of trying to have it both ways, it’s a matter of it being a Catch 22. No one in the media assumes that David Duke speaks for all white people.
Vivian puts it well. My only addendum: despite the fact that they *do* often say what a lot of people (not black, not poor – just people) think, if you haven’t figured out by now that Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton speak for Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton, there’s not a lot of help I can offer you.
(And taking up on behalf of poor ol’ railroaded Don Imus. You’re such a champion of the downtrodden, Squeak.)
“Why not? What about the Freedom of Information Act?”
FOIA does not apply to private citizrens. It applies to government documents.
In your world I should be able to FOIA your taxes, and anything else about you. Know what you are talking about before you talk.
Paying taxes is not a crime, Squeaky. Documents detailing the evidence collected as part of a criminal investigation are government documents.
Your point about the tax forms is a good one — we should have a sales tax instead. Then there would be no issue of one’s tax documents getting into a neighbors hands. 🙂