When the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People marches on Washington, D.C., this October, the Concerned Citizens of Starkville will be there too.
Local NAACP activist Dorothy Bishop and a handful of other Concerned Citizens plan to travel to Washington for the Oct. 2 march against what Bishop describes as “racist elements” of the tea party movement. The march also will target other issues important to the black community, Bishop said.
Bishop, who has helped citizens register to vote in Oktibbeha County since the 1960s, said she was dismayed when she saw television reports of tea party rally-goers holding posters of President Barack Obama depicted as a monkey. Other posters featured Obama with “big red lips,” Bishop said.
“All the tea party people, I hope they can come to their senses and we can come together,” Bishop said. “They need to know that we love them. We need to love each other. We can”t be separated. That”s why I”m going (to Washington), because we love them. We can”t hate. The Lord isn”t going to let us into heaven if we”re hating each other. I want us all to come together and be equal.”
Starkville Tea Party organizer Gary Chesser condemned Bishop”s allegations of “racist elements” within the tea party movement. Chesser called the allegations “inflammatory and counterproductive.”
“The Starkville Tea Party welcomes anyone, regardless of color, race, religion, gender or political affiliation, who agrees with our core values of fiscal responsibility, constitutionally limited government and free markets,” Chesser said. “We have identified no elements of racism within the Starkville Tea Party and will not tolerate acts of racism. We will not be made to feel guilty for something that we have not done, or condone, by fearful attacks from a once-respected organization which now exclusively serves the Democrat Party.
“The NAACP”s statements were a slap in the face to the many black patriotic Americans who have come together with white, Jewish, Latino and other American patriots to organize citizen groups across this nation in opposition to the policies of this administration,” he continued. “Patriots will stand to protect our country regardless of the color of those trying to harm us.”
Chesser acknowledged some racism might exist in places within the national tea party movement, but said those people typically are “rooted out” when exposed.
“The racist and inflammatory rhetoric, as well as efforts to plant fake tea partiers in our rallies with racist signs to make it appear that we condone racism, is coming from the progressive left to which the NAACP is obviously sympathetic,” Chesser said. “It would benefit the reputation of the NAACP to place condemnation where it belongs.”
Bishop emphasized her desire for the two sides to come together, and encouraged anyone interested in attending the trip to Washington to contact her at 662-323-6670.
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