The National Tea Party Federation on Wednesday rejected the NAACP’s accusations of racism made the day before and called the country’s oldest civil rights organization itself racist.
In a resolution on Tuesday, the NAACP chastised what it called “racist Tea Party leaders” for not stopping “bigoted elements within the Tea Party.”
A statement from the NAACP says that the resolution was created “after a year of vitriolic Tea Party demonstrations during which participants used racial slurs and images.” It also said that in March, members of the Congressional Black Caucus were accosted by Tea Party demonstrators and called racial epithets.
In response, the National Tea Party Federation, a conglomeration of local Tea Party groups across the country, said that the charge of racism was false and that many Tea Party supporters are Hispanic.
“We strongly condemn the resolution by the NAACP, labeling the Tea Party as ‘racist,’ ” said Texas’ Laredo Tea Party Co-Chair Marion Santiago. “Our group is comprised of at least 90 percent Hispanics/Latinos. We embrace anyone regardless of color, race, religion, gender or political affiliation, unlike the NAACP.”
In a statement, the federation, which favors no political party, claimed that the NAACP’s labeling of Tea Party leaders as racist itself is racist.
“A false charge of racism is itself, racist,” David Webb, co-founder of New York’s TeaParty365 said.
African American and Tea Party supporter Frantz Kebreau, said, “The Tea Party movement is made up of Americans who truly believe in the concept of Individual Freedom. If you truly believe in that concept, it is impossible to be racist. Racism can only come from those who do not aspire to the knowledge that ‘all men are created equal.’ The Tea Party Movement and its members do not care about skin color because the concept of Individual Freedom does not allow it.”
The NAACP is holding its 101st annual conference this week in Kansas City, Missouri.
In a resolution on Tuesday, the NAACP chastised what it called “racist Tea Party leaders” for not stopping “bigoted elements within the Tea Party.”
A statement from the NAACP says that the resolution was created “after a year of vitriolic Tea Party demonstrations during which participants used racial slurs and images.” It also said that in March, members of the Congressional Black Caucus were accosted by Tea Party demonstrators and called racial epithets.
In response, the National Tea Party Federation, a conglomeration of local Tea Party groups across the country, said that the charge of racism was false and that many Tea Party supporters are Hispanic.
“We strongly condemn the resolution by the NAACP, labeling the Tea Party as ‘racist,’ ” said Texas’ Laredo Tea Party Co-Chair Marion Santiago. “Our group is comprised of at least 90 percent Hispanics/Latinos. We embrace anyone regardless of color, race, religion, gender or political affiliation, unlike the NAACP.”
In a statement, the federation, which favors no political party, claimed that the NAACP’s labeling of Tea Party leaders as racist itself is racist.
“A false charge of racism is itself, racist,” David Webb, co-founder of New York’s TeaParty365 said.
African American and Tea Party supporter Frantz Kebreau, said, “The Tea Party movement is made up of Americans who truly believe in the concept of Individual Freedom. If you truly believe in that concept, it is impossible to be racist. Racism can only come from those who do not aspire to the knowledge that ‘all men are created equal.’ The Tea Party Movement and its members do not care about skin color because the concept of Individual Freedom does not allow it.”
The NAACP is holding its 101st annual conference this week in Kansas City, Missouri.
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