RSS
Home
The NAACP: Time for a "make-over"
Print
Email
RSS
Subscribe
After a century of service, is there a next level?
In July of 2009, the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) celebrated its 100th anniversary. And though there is still a great deal of work to be done, the celebration was joyous as the organization not only celebrated 100 years of existence; the organization also celebrated the election of our nation's first black president - witnessing the elimination of a racial barrier that stood for over 200 years.
Thanks to the efforts of the NAACP, laws pertaining to the civil and human rights of all persons have been established in the United States - laws that are consistently monitored and enforced.
Discrimination of minorities in employment is becoming less prevalent as corporations have begun to recognize the social benefits of developing and maintaining a diverse workforce, and strategies are being put in place daily to combat harassment and hatred across racial lines.
From fighting lynch mobs and unlawful property raids, to the eradication of legalized segregation (Jim Crow Laws), the NAACP has made extraordinary progress in its 100 year history. But today, the organization finds itself in a situation where many of the goals that were set in 1909 have been reached.
The passage of time (coupled with our advancements in technology) has changed the terrain of the playing field, and the NAACP may need a new direction (and a new look) in order to keep pace with the dynamics of our present-day society.
For example, in the case of the New Haven, Connecticut firefighters (Ricci vs. DeStefano), where the city decided to throw out the scores of a promotional exam and deny white firefighters their promotions amidst allegations that the test was "racially biased," the Supreme Court ruled 5-4 that the test administered was not racially biased, and the results should not have been thrown out by the City of New Haven.
The NAACP expressed deep regret and disappointment with the ruling, stating in their response that the decision was "a step backwards for equal opportunity in employment."
It is a tough sell in the 21st century to claim that any standardized city promotional exam is "racially biased," and when you review (line by line) the results of this particular test, it becomes evidently clear that race had nothing to do with the candidates' scores.
77 firefighters took the promotional exam for Lieutenant - 43 white, 19 black, and 15 hispanic. Of the 43 white firefighters that took the exam, 18 (almost half) scored "below" 70%, while six black and three hispanic firefighters scored above 70%.
Five of the 18 white firefighters finished below 60%.
41 firefighters took the promotional exam for Captain - 25 white, 8 black, and 8 hispanic. Of the 25 white firefighters, seven scored below 70%, while three black and three hispanic firefighters scored above 70%.
One hispanic firefighter who took the exam for Captain scored in the top ten.
Now if the test administered by the City of New Haven was actually "racially biased," shouldn't have all of the white firefighters finished with high scores, and all of the black and hispanic firefighters finished with low scores? Maybe yes - maybe no, but we can determine one thing for certain; either some of the firefighters studied more than others, or some of the firefighters are simply better test takers than others.
The mission of the NAACP is to ensure and defend the civil rights of ALL persons. With that said, the organization may have been better served by taking a stand for all of the firefighters, making sure that the test was developed and administered properly, and that all of the firefighters were being treated fairly regardless of how they scored.
The NAACP touts one of the most diverse memberships in our nation - the organization's trademark should stand as a reflection of that diversity. It is an organization that defends the civil rights of all people, but the NAACP logo boldly projects that it is an establishment that primary serves "people of color."
NAACP administrators may need to consider giving the logo an upgrade, and use that upgrade to aggressively push the organization's agenda to the next level - a level that represents service to and for all people.
As Americans, our future success as a nation depends upon our ability to cooperatively interact with each other in our ever-burgeoning multicultural environment. No one is immune from being discriminated against because of race, religion, gender, or sexual orientation, so it is imperative that we all understand the necessity to share the responsibility of improving race relations in our country.
Related Articles:
Comments
