NAACP Disavows Anti-Lieberman Remarks
D A L L A S, Aug. 9, 2000 -- The head of the NAACP denouncedas “repulsive” and “anti-Semitic” remarks made by a Dallascivil rights leader about Democratic vice presidential candidateSen. Joseph Lieberman, the Dallas Morning News reported today.
National Association for the Advancement of Colored PeoplePresident Kweisi Mfume told the Morning News the organizationtoday would likely suspend Lee Alcorn’s membership inthe group, and consequently his presidency of the Dallas NAACPbranch, over comments he made about Lieberman during a Mondayradio talk show interview.
In the interview, Alcorn said he was wary of Vice PresidentAl Gore’s choice of an Orthodox Jew as a running mate.
“I’m concerned about, you know, any kind of Jewishcandidate, you know, and I’m concerned about the DemocraticParty. I’m sick of the Democratic Party taking theAfrican-American vote for granted,” Alcorn said.
“I think we need to be very suspicious of any kind ofpartnerships between the Jews at that kind of level because weknow that their interest primarily has to do with, you know,money and these kinds of things,” he added.
Mfume Denounces Remarks
Mfume denounced Alcorn’s statements saying, “I find them tobe repulsive, anti-Semitic, anti-NAACP and anti-American. Mr.Alcorn does not speak for the NAACP, its board, its staff orits membership.”
Alcorn, who has been disciplined in the past by the NAACP,said today that his comments had been taken out ofcontext. He said he meant to say in the radio interview that,given the loyalty black voters have shown to Democrats, VicePresident Al Gore should have picked a black running mateinstead of a Jewish one.
“I’m not sure how you can criticize or make comments aboutLieberman the politician and not be cast as anti-Jewish. Ithink that’s unfortunate,” he told the Morning News.
The national NAACP has suspended Alcorn three times in hisfive years as Dallas president, starting with a 45-day penaltyin 1997 for leading protests outside the home of Dallas MayorRon Kirk, the Morning News reported.
Alcorn completed his most recent suspension Jan. 1. Thatsix-month suspension was imposed because he had created DallasNAACP Inc., a legal entity unaffiliated with the national groupdespite its name.