In recent weeks, the NAACP has made allegations that the Tea Party movement is a racist organization. These claims aren’t completely unfounded–there have been some rather disturbing demonstrations of racism at Tea Party functions. However, to claim that the entire party is a racist party is a bit extreme and other members of the Tea Party are infuriated by the allegations.
Tea Party leaders are being criticized for not doing enough to renounce the claims made by the NAACP. There has been a lot of back and forth in the media between the two organizations. Party leaders on both sides have been up in arms and have been involved in name-calling, mudslinging, making false accusations, etc. This is definitely a topic that has people fired up.
CNN recently invited Mark Skoda, leader of the Tea Party movement in Memphis, and Hilary Shelton, Washingon Bureau NAACP Director, to have an open dialogue on the issue on air. Unlike previous on-air conversations between organization leaders, this dialogue actually went very well and ended on a positive note. It seems that Mr. Skoda and Mr. Shelton have been well-trained in how to be a good spokesperson. Unfortunately, the idea of speaking with “one voice” seems to be lost on both of these organizations and the dialogue seen here is more the exception than the rule.
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In recent weeks, the NAACP has made allegations that the Tea Party movement is a racist organization. These claims aren’t completely unfounded–there have been some rather disturbing demonstrations of racism at Tea Party functions. However, to claim that the entire party is a racist party is a bit extreme and other members of the Tea Party are infuriated by the allegations.
Tea Party leaders are being criticized for not doing enough to renounce the claims made by the NAACP. There has been a lot of back and forth in the media between the two organizations. Party leaders on both sides have been up in arms and have been involved in name-calling, mudslinging, making false accusations, etc. This is definitely a topic that has people fired up.
CNN recently invited Mark Skoda, leader of the Tea Party movement in Memphis, and Hilary Shelton, Washingon Bureau NAACP Director, to have an open dialogue on the issue on air. Unlike previous on-air conversations between organization leaders, this dialogue actually went very well and ended on a positive note. It seems that Mr. Skoda and Mr. Shelton have been well-trained in how to be a good spokesperson. Unfortunately, the idea of speaking with “one voice” seems to be lost on both of these organizations and the dialogue seen here is more the exception than the rule.
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Posted in Breaking News - Crisis Commentaries | Tags: dialogue, naacp, spokesperson, tea party