Education Sec. Paige Blasts NAACP Leaders

Adex_Xeda · Post by **Adex_Xeda** » July 15, 2004, 7:17 pm

This seems to within the realm of our latest discussions.

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&c ... &printer=1

By BEN FELLER, AP Education Writer

WASHINGTON - Rod Paige, the nation's first black education secretary, condemned NAACP leaders Thursday for saying some black groups are fronts for white conservatives.

"You do not own, and you are not the arbiters of, African-American authenticity," said Paige, who rose from segregated Mississippi to become President Bush (news - web sites)'s education chief.

Paige's comments, in a Wall Street Journal column titled "Naked Partisans," appeared on the same day Bush's challenger, Democrat John Kerry (news - web sites), was speaking at the annual convention of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (news - web sites) in Philadelphia. Bush is at odds with the NAACP and has not spoken to the civil rights group since his 2000 campaign.

Paige took aim at two NAACP leaders, chairman Julian Bond and president Kweisi Mfume, for what he called "hateful and untruthful rhetoric about Republicans and President Bush." At the convention, NAACP officials have described some black organizations as mouthpieces of white conservatives and have said Bush's education law disproportionately hurts minorities.

The No Child Left Behind law of 2001, Paige said, is dedicated to closing the learning gap between blacks and whites and giving school choice to poor and minority students. Paige said he is a lifelong NAACP member, yet now sees the organization betraying its origins.

"The civil-rights movement has historically been multicultural, and many of its founders, including those who established the NAACP, were in fact white," Paige said. "I long for the day when our nation's education policy will not be grist for the partisan mill — when we can work together, black and white, rich and poor, for the sake of our children."

Voronwë · Post by **Voronwë** » July 15, 2004, 7:19 pm

i know Bush's official statement on why he refused to speak at the NAACP convention was something about the leadership of the NAACP had insulted him, etc.

Does anybody know what it is they said about him that was so bad?

i'm more curious than anything

Krimson Klaw · Post by **Krimson Klaw** » July 15, 2004, 7:27 pm

Well the NAACP said some black groups are fronts for white conservatives, I have no argument against that. They did not go so far as to say any black group that disagrees with them are sellouts or fronts. I think Paiges comments were right on the money though, he must be in one of the groups they were speaking about. Trying to figure out why he's so pissed.

On a semi-related topic, did anyone read the story last week about the little white girl that was insulted by the states Education Secretary who is also white. NAACP demanded his resignation, raised an eyebrow for me anyway.

Rekaar. · Post by **Rekaar.** » July 15, 2004, 7:33 pm

http://www.cnsnews.com/ViewPolitics.asp ... 0603a.html

Think this is what you're looking for voro. Found with "julian bond attack* president" in google, number 1 result!

Bond said the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People remains a non-partisan organization

Bet you couldn't tell.

Midnyte_Ragebringer · Post by **Midnyte_Ragebringer** » July 15, 2004, 8:54 pm

Also when he was campaigning for the 2000 election, an NAACP ad group, ran an ad showing Bush as being non-caring about the Byrd dragging death.(or something to that effect)

Vetiria · Post by **Vetiria** » July 16, 2004, 2:34 am

The same guy that called the NEA nazis?

Fredonia Coldheart · Post by **Fredonia Coldheart** » July 16, 2004, 10:07 am

Krimson Klaw wrote:On a semi-related topic, did anyone read the story last week about the little white girl that was insulted by the states Education Secretary who is also white. NAACP demanded his resignation, raised an eyebrow for me anyway.

The NAACP demanded his resignation until they found out she was a white girl. Then they decided everyone should forgive him.

http://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/07/ ... index.html

Democratic state Assemblyman Mervyn Dymally, who had scheduled a protest by civil rights organizations, canceled the demonstration after an apparent mix-up over the girl's racial background.

Dymally was quoted in the San Jose Mercury News Thursday saying the child was "a little African-American girl. Would he (Riordan) have done that to a white girl?"

The girl is white, with blonde hair.

Dymally did not return telephone calls. His office issued a statement Wednesday calling Riordan's remarks to the girl "outrageous and irresponsible," then issued another statement Thursday saying, "To err is human; to forgive is divine."

Rekaar. · Post by **Rekaar.** » July 18, 2004, 9:03 am

Vetiria wrote:The same guy that called the NEA nazis?

http://www.cnsnews.com/Nation/Archive/2 ... 0223b.html