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 
Thank you for having the courage to say this. You are, as always; more eloquent in your words than I, but this is how I feel. I have said before (I am looking for the link to the post) that screaming racism over EVERYTHING cheapens it when there really is racism, and there is. It is like buying the N-word. This makes a mockery of the real issues. A word being used by anyone is not an issue. HOW it is used may be a result of real problems, but this is like fanning away smoke in hopes that it will extinguish the fire.
I hope people understand that saying what you said here does not mean you are turning away from the NAACP; it simply is an effort to remind the organization what they should stand for. In a lot of ways I feel this way about the GOP. Every time I criticize Bush or some GOPers, some libs pounce on it and say “See, see, I was right” but in reality I am simply trying to point out that we have lost our way. Some may do the same for you. They may read this sort of post and say that it proves that the NAACP and its causes are worthless and racists. The mission is not, but the methods as of late may be.
This, I think, holds true with the NAACP. In principal it is a good organization. The members are good people who simply want the best for America and know that greatness in America can only happen when there is true equality and justice for all, but just as with the GOP, the Dems and NAACP, the leadership has pissed it away for the sake of perceived power and headlines… and those who believe in what is right, like yourself, are left to answer for it.
I like your post. I am glad that you realize that White’s comment MAKE this a racial issue, where it was not before. Sometimes I wonder if the black leadership in America sets a lot of fires simply to be able to put them out and claim victory or being heroes. But please understand, this syndrome of headline grabbing, power hungry showmanship of symbolism over substance is not exclusive to the NAACP… Both political parties, our government and many, many activists are guilty of this. Unless folks like you and I speak up and say something, we are to blame as well for allowing it.
“That backdrop includes anger and distrust with the criminal justice system….”
That statement should have stopped there, too. As I mentioned before, it seems from my WHITE perspective that Vick is being railroaded — not because he is Black, but because he is famous. The only “evidence” I have seen against him is the word of two scumbags who copped a plea in return for testifying against Vick. Having no real evidence against him (if they did, they would take it to trial), they offer him a plea deal. Since Vick could get 20 years if convicted (about than 1/3 of his remaining life expectancy, and no chance at all to return to football), it is simply not worth the risk to him to face the possibility of conviction, even if that possibility is as small as 1:100.
If they have the evidence against him, they should go to trial. If they don’t, they should drop the charges.
(FYI — Vick was drafted by the Colorado Rockies in 2000. They might still take him and let him play on their farm teams.)
One of the frustrations here is that every time a local NAACP chapter president says something stupid (like what White said here), it gets reported like this “NAACP SAYS [something stupid]”. All of a sudden some local chapter is speaking for the whole organization. And when some chapters are run by folks whose glory days were as treasurer in high school student gov’t, you’re bound to get your fair share of [something stupid].
This is the NATIONAL President (interim).
Yes, I can read. I was speaking to the coverage that required the NATIONAL President (interim) to get involved.
I think you two are probably in violent agreement over this. I am, too. It undermines the credibility of the entire organization everytime someone uses the NAACP’s bullypulpit to say something stupid about a black celebrity–but then again they may lack the opportunity to build up that credibility. I don’t know how often a local NAACP president says something public about making
college affordable for regular, non-famous, non-criminal black Americans. Maybe they never do, but I suspect things like this get mentioned all the time, but the media doesn’t report it because there’s not a salacious story about a celebrity at the center of it.
Worth thinking about.
The other part of all of this that I find really disturbing is that Vick’s co-defendants were also black, but you didn’t hear a peep from the NAACP about them. Why do some members and leaders in the NAACP seem to think that they organization should take a different stance on black celebrities versus ordinary blacks?
AEM #2: Surely you are not saying that the prosecutors have no evidence against Vick. We’ve already been down that road before.
MB: you are right. The headlines all screamed “NAACP” even though it was the Atlanta chapter president that started this.
anon – good point on his co-defendants.
By the way, Vick’s father makes no excuses for his son.
I’m obviously missing something, Vivian. I just re-read your link and the Pilot artilce referenced there. I still don’t see any mention of any evidence against Vick except the testimony of those who are taking a plea deal.
We do not know whether they have any other evidence of not. What we do know is that the prosecutors are threatening to throw RICO at him (20 years if convicted) if he does not accept their plea deal. The feds made the plea offer. Why? I think it is wrong for the prosecutors to offer any deals whatsoever — it looks like a threat.
If someone close to you were involved in a crime, and the feds threatened YOU with 20(!) years if you did not take their offer because your friends agreed to testify against you for reduced sentences, what would you do? Would you risk the expense of a trial, and the possibility, however remote, that you could be put away for 20 years?
Nike fixed it. They always do. This time with ESPN & NFL help.
Nike made Kobe Bryant’s rape go away
Nike made Lance Pharmstrong clean of cow blood, insulin, EPO, corticosteroids, spent syringes, IV equipment & steroids
Nike made Marion Jone’s EPO B sample go away after 100 days.
Nike made Baroid Bonds the new MLB home run king.
Nike makes college football cool
Swoosh. LIVE WRONG! Cheat to win.
Yes, you are missing something, AEM. Perhaps you won’t believe there is any evidence against Vick until he enters his plea – and you probably still won’t believe it.
If I were innocent of the charges, you bet I’d take my chances in court. Under no circumstances would I plead guilty to a crime I did not commit. And I would urge anyone close to me to do the same.
Why you and a minority of people think there is no evidence against Vick is beyond me. If you don’t believe it now, you never will.
I am originally from Atlanta. I only bring that up because we had a congresswoman named…you might have heard of her…Cynthia McKinney. She also used the race card and cheapened the meaning to fit whatever her agenda was. Her father was the same way. It was so disapointing because she had such potential to be a positive force for change, but she ended up squandering it for her own vanity. I hate to hear that the Atlanta chapter of the NAACP is following suit. They could spend their time doing so much more important things – Lord knows Georgia needs more progressives down there!
What I am missing is the evidence. I do not believe they have any, because they offered him a plea deal on a lesser charge while threatening him with a larger one. Why would they do that?
“Why you and a minority of people think there is no evidence against Vick is beyond me.”
Because we still believe in “innocent until proven guilty,” not “innocent until he agrees, under threat, to plead to a lesser charge.”
I will believe it when I see it. Even thought he has agreed to their deal, I do not believe it. Vick took the path with the best risk-reward ratio. He did the same when he left Tech for the NFL.
Steroids in the ESPN-NFL cause rape, torture, drink driving and dog fights.
George Mitchell loves it. It makes BILLIONS!
Schilling – we got it the first time, OK? Chill, man.
AEM – you are never going to see the evidence. Since there will be no trial, it will never be presented. So I assume you will always believe that Vick is innocent.
Whatever.
You know VJP, this kind of post is exactly why you are one of the most well respected bloggers in the entire blogosphere.
Thank you for stating what should have been said and doing it with incredible grace and professionalism.
Like SW, I would NOT have been saying it quite so… politely.
Just… thank you.