Civil Rights Coalition in the Making

NATIONAL NEWS
Civil Rights Groups Share Common Agenda
by George E. Curry NNPA Editor-in-Chief

CHICAGO (NNPA) – During Rainbow/PUSH’s annual convention, a panel of leaders was assembled to work on a common agenda.

However, before moderator Ron Daniels could call on a second panelist, NAACP President Bruce Gordon had articulated what everyone would later agree was a series of common issues.

The leaders realized what they needed was not another agenda, but a plan of action.

Outlining the goal of the session, Daniels asked: “What can we collaborate on becomes the most urgent question. How do we frame an agenda and how do we re-gain the momentum in the current climate?”

Gordon, the panelist with the least experience in his or her current position, listed five key areas: education, health care, criminal justice, civic engagement and economic empowerment.

“I believe that already today, regardless of which organization we bring to the table, we’re focused on those five issues,” he said.

Sounding like a battle-weary veteran, Gordon added, “We can’t be satisfied with meetings, discussions and speeches. We need to act on them.”

Southern Christian Leadership Conference President Charles Steele Jr. agreed.

“We don’t have enough direct action,” said Steele. “That’s what got you your freedom.”

The crowd applauded loudly when he urged them to “raise hell.”

Jesse Jackson outlined four targets:

British Petroleum (BP), whom Jackson accuses of having no Blacks among its 800 gasoline distributors and less than 1 percent of its senior managers, figures the firm say are inaccurate; launching a boycott of CNN, if necessary, to get it to place more people of color on the air; taking on unrepresentative trade unions and marching before the Supreme Court to preserve affirmative action.

In taking the action against BP, one of the sponsors of this year’s convention, Jackson says in addition to having a solid case against BP, he was also signaling to corporations that even though they support Rainbow/PUSH financially, that support does not buy his silence.

Jackson said after the BP drive, a coalition of organizations will shift to focus to other oil company in an effort to drive down gas prices.

The threatened boycott of CNN also makes a statement to companies headed by Black CEOs, putting them on notice that they will not be exempt because of their race.

In his letter to Richard Parsons, the African-American who serves as CEO of Time-Warner, Jackson complained about “the patterns of exclusion in front of the camera and behind the scenes – from booking and talent producers, executive producers, anchors and hosts, commentators and guests” as well as issues discussed on-air.

“At our convention this week in Chicago, a broad coalition of African American and Latino organizations – including the NAACP, LULAC, National Action Network and many others – addressed the cultural lock-out by the media. Many feel humiliated and offended by the images projected across television screens around the world. If we continue to be tuned out and locked out, we are prepared to engage in a view out.”

On the panel, Al Sharpton said that when leaders have organized successful campaigns in the past, the White-owned media has rarely given them credit.

“A lot of our people think that civil rights organizations are of the past or don’t score victories,” Sharpton said. “That’s because when we score, the announcer never announces the score.

“This year alone, we were able to make boot camps in Florida illegal – a clear civil rights victory,” Sharpton said.

“We were able to turn around New Orleans, in terms of voter rights and voter participation – a clear victory. None of which was covered by the (White) media.”

Sharpton said Black leaders are often portrayed as ambulance-chasers, moving from event to event.

“In our community, we’re not the ambulance-chasers, we’re the ambulance,” he said, drawing laughter.

Rep. Mel Watt (D-N.C.), chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus, said the issues outlined by Gordon have been longtime staples of the CBC.

“The only thing I argue with is your notion that you can take those six or seven items and compact them into one or two things, “ he said.

“You can’t do that. They’re so interrelated.”

In each category, Watt said, African-Americans need to focus on racial disparities.

He said Blacks are overrepresented in every health category except one.

“We still commit suicide less than White people and we’re closing in on that from the wrong direction,” he said.

Barbara R. Arnwine, executive director of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, urged everyone to pay more attention to political empowerment for concentrating on election reform.

She strongly urged the groups to push for election day voter registration.

“Nine states already have it,” she stated.

“Guess what? They have the highest voter turnout in the country.”

While most states struggle to reach the 50 percent mark, Arnwine said voting jumps to 65 to 70 percent in states that allow same-day registration.

Theodore Shaw, director-counsel of the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, said he was concerned by a series of race-related cases the U.S. Supreme Court has decided to accept.

“The question before the court now – it may be framed differently – is whether it will be legal or constitutional in this country to take any action voluntarily or consciously to do anything about racial inequality. That’s what at stake now.”

He said he and Arnwine’s group, among others, would wage to legal battle in the courts and that others should focus on action outside of the courts.

“We cannot win legal battles these days unless we change the political context that we find ourselves a part of,” Shaw said.

“Law without political struggle is like a ship without water – it’s not going anywhere. What we need more than anything else is a movement –give it to us.”