In a message dated 10/4/2003 11:22:13 PM Central Daylight Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
> Good grief! Blaming the "white power structure" for the infighting at > the NAACP makes about as much sense as blaming a black power structure > for the infighting at the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR)! > The "white power structure," i.e., whites (and blacks) who ordinarily wouldn't be caught dead at a branch membership meeting played a big role in the election of Campbell in 1998-99 and Lyndsey-Gallmon in 2002. A majority of the people who attended branch meetings for a while after Campbell and Gallmon took office were folks that voted for Seals (1998-99) and Edwards (2002). Campbell and Gallmon both tried to consolidate the power of their factions through exclusionary practices and whatever tactics they deemed necessary to drive out a lot of members who were willing to work with them, but who did not always support them. From 1999 to 2002 the activist core of the NAACP branch shrank to the point that fewer than 10 people showed up at some of the branch meetings, and important committees couldn't be constituted. Compared to the period from 1999 to 2002, the regime under Gallmon has more consistently operated outside of the constitution and bylaws of the NAACP. Leola Seals, on the other hand, had to be very careful to follow the constitution and bylaws of the organization, to include her opponents on committees, and so forth. Things got done under Seals, but what got done under the leadership of Seals displeased a lot of politicians (of all races), including the mayor, most city council and school board members. -Doug Mann, King Field REMINDERS: 1. Think a member has violated the rules? Email the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list. 2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. ________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
