San Francisco Chronicle - (Sunday)
NAACP is nation’s most effective civil rights group
Regarding “As the Oakland NAACP battles for fired police chief, it also fights for its relevance” ( Justin Phillips, SFChronicle.com, March 5): From police brutality to COVID-19 to voter suppression, Black communities are under attack. The NAACP has worked to disrupt inequality, dismantle racism and accelerate change in key areas including criminal justice, health care, education, climate and the economy.
When it comes to civil rights and social justice, the NAACP has the unique ability to secure more wins than anyone else or any group.
Last month, the NAACP California Hawaii State Conference sponsored AB1327, which aims to address the unacceptable racism our high school athletes of color have seen far too much on the field. This is only scratching the surface of what we continue to do.
Our 57 state branches are the backbone of our organization, continuing to spearhead the fight for justice in order to eliminate race-based discrimination. The NAACP Oakland branch is one of California’s strongest branches with roots that began in 1915.
Justin Phillips’ column demonstrates that some remain out of touch with how the civil rights movement continues to grow and be successful under the NAACP.
Last year in a quantitative, data-driven survey by EMC Research, 77% of African American voters in California said they had a favorable opinion of the NAACP. Clearly, the
NAACP continues to speak truth to power. We take actionable steps. We are not worried about being sensational but one thing is for sure: The legacy of the NAACP does and will continue to speak for itself.
Rick L. Callender, NAACP California Hawaii State Conference president, national board member; Alphonso Braggs, Honolulu branch president, national board member;
Rev. Amos Brown, San Francisco branch President, national board member; Ron Hasson, Beverly Hills Hollywood branch president,
national board member
S.F.’s priorities off
Regarding “S.F. bureaucrats gave woman a choice: Remove free library or pay $1,400 after one anonymous complaint” (Heather Knight, SFChronicle.com,
March 9): It takes San Francisco almost no time to crack down on one complaint about someone’s sidewalk bench and mini-library. But what about things that really matter?
Earlier Chronicle reports cited the city’s failure to get commercial landlords to ameliorate health and safety violations in housing hotels. San Francisco also seems unable to deal meaningfully with sidewalk drug dealing, trash or tent encampments.
No one can figure out how to protect the city’s sanctuary policy without giving a violent offender and a child molester a free pass out. Or how to insist nonprofits document their status before getting city funds. Or to empty current trash barrels instead of funding possible new designs. Or how to smooth the possible transition of downtown office space to housing — or anything bigger than a neighborhood bench and library box.
The city government’s overriding aim should be bettering life for its residents. City officials and activists need to figure out how to use their individual principles to further that larger ideal.