Bmore Sun: Will New NAACP Chair Roslyn Brock Push for Gay Rights?

Last week the NAACP elected 44-year-old Roslyn Brock as its new chairwoman to replace the legendary Julian Bond. Brock's election was described as "a generational shift in leadership" of the nation's oldest civil rights group." Brock joins 37-year-old NAACP President Benjamin Jealous as the "youngest to hold their positions" in the organization's history and both have pledged to make it more relevant to today's black youth. Does that include embracing LGBT issues and gay rights, asks an editorial in the Baltimore Sun.

One way would be to embrace President Barack Obama's call for ending the military's discriminatory "don't ask, don't tell" policy, which forces gay and lesbian soldiers to lie about who they are or face dismissal. The arguments heard today against gays serving openly in the military offer an eerie echo of fears voiced 60 years ago about allowing black soldiers to serve on an equal footing with whites. When President Harry S. Truman signed the executive order integrating the armed forces in 1948, the decision was hailed by the NAACP as a great step forward in the struggle for equal rights. There's no reason the fight for equal treatment of gays and lesbians in the military shouldn't be part of the NAACP's long tradition of working to level the playing field for all oppressed minorities.

Enlarging the NAACP's civil rights mission to include combating discrimination against gay and lesbian service members might bring Ms. Brock and Mr. Jealous in conflict with their base of supporters among African-American churchgoers, many of whom oppose homosexuality on religious grounds. Ironically, the two young leaders could find themselves obliged to undertake the delicate task of reminding rank-and-file members that the Bible was also once used to justify slavery and segregation. They might also point out that many of the gay soldiers discriminated against by the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy are black.

More than "many". As we wrote at The Grio, MSNBC's new portal for black news and opinion, blacks are disproportionately affected by DADT. Blacks make up about 29 percent of active duty troops and more than 45 percent of those dismissed under "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" 2008.

Under Bond and Jealous, the veteran civil rights organization supported expanding hate crime and employment protection laws to LGBTs. The NAACP now has an LGBT Equality Task Force. And of course the the national board of the NAACP (finally) took a position on marriage equality and called for the overturn of California's Proposition 8. But the organization is still largely controlled by traditional anti-gay black churches and ministers, such as Rev. Keith Ratliff, Iowa's leading black pastor and the anti-gay chair of the Iowa/Nebraska chapter. 

Would it make good sense for the NAACP to throw its weight behind a DADT repeal and other gay rights issues. Absolutely. But will it happen anytime soon?

Comments

[Greg G]

>>>Will New NAACP Chair Roslyn Brock Push for Gay Rights?

How about a big fat NO?

[Will]

I personally think it would be brilliant if the NAACP would move beyond the black church and try to engage young African Americans on social justice and equality. They are making some steps but very small ones. I wouldnt give up on the NAACP just yet.

[Faison]

@ Will: "They are making some steps but very small ones. I wouldnt give up on the NAACP just yet."

Give up on the NAACP or the Black church? Honey, you have it all backwards. The Black church and the NAACP have given up on Black gay men. We are nowhere to be seen or celebrated, unl;ess we are doing someone's hair or singing at church but NOT pressing for equality or inclusion.

[Darnell]

will ... perhaps you haven't heard the black church declared war on gay men back during the 80s when the AIDS crisis started?

[William Lavender]

I don't think that the NAACP will help out or fight for a gay cause no matter what the figures show about how we are effected. I am not saying that the NAACP is a bad org. I am just saying however like with everything, if you put in new blood and the old guard is to leave then things changes.

[Andy Niable]

...or we could unify, clarify our message, work hard and get more of our numbers active, lobby Congress directly ourselves, and get DADT suspended on our own. Yes, NAACP's (among many other groups') help would be nice. How about we show them we know how to do it on our own?

Congressional switchboard number: 202-224-3121

[Anthony in Nashville]

When I read Brock's comments about the NAACP being more than just a "black organization," I interpreted that as meaning they are going to be doing more work with Latinos and gays.

The old heads are going to be sick, but I think it may be a way to increase membership since young people don't seem to be in a rush to join the NAACP.

[Diva1961]

I believe that the organization will comtinue in the new direction that Bond started taking it in. He started including support for the LGBT community with Prop 8 and a few other issues. He threw organizational support behind Prop 8. i don't mind that it took a minute. I care that it happened.
If this organization is to move forward it has to be more inclusionary because the new generation and the black progressives, are more behind the LGBT community than the older NAACP community. The black middle class between the ages of 30-55 are more progressive and more open/accepting of LGBT issues, than that age group 5-10 years ago.
It will be interesting to see where this organization goes next. I think we need to be part of it and/or let the main organization know how we feel and how we are willing to support them, if they support us.