In the Fight for Life: NAACP v. Radiance Foundation

May 1, 2014

This week, the media have been focused on Clippers owner Donald Sterling and his recent (highly racist) remarks caught on tape by his girlfriend. As the account goes, Sterling is now banned for life from the NBA and may have his ownership of the team revoked.

Until this unseemly incident, the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) planned to award Sterling with the “Lifetime Achievement Award.” This is an interesting situation for two reasons; according to a recent Time Magazine interview with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (who used to work for Sterling) this rant was actually nothing new for him, and if Sterling has indeed had a history of vocalizing his racism, then why would the NAACP award this man with a “Lifetime Achievement Award?”  Is it really possible that no one else on the award committee knew of his history of distasteful rhetoric?

The other reason that this is quite an intriguing scenario is that the NAACP is ensnared in another situation that has not seen the light of day in the mainstream media. I’m referring to the lawsuit brought by the NAACP against the Radiance Foundation.

The Radiance Foundation is a Christian pro-life organization founded and run by Ryan and Bethany Bomberger. The goal of the organization is to educate the public about not only abortion, but the importance of fathers and adoption and also to show the disproportionate trends of abortion in the black community and its lasting impacts.

The Real Controversy…

Last year, Ryan Bomberger wrote an article detailing the support that the NAACP has given to Planned Parenthood. In the article he parodied the NAACP acronym by saying the acronym should stand for the National Association for the Abortion of Colored People. Given the NAACP’s avid support for and laud of Planned Parenthood, he’s not incorrect. After receiving a Google alert about the article, the NAACP then sued Bomberger (who is also black) for misleading the public and trademark infringement. The 4th Circuit judge has ruled in favor of the NAACP.

The Irony…

How can the NAACP justify almost giving an award to a man who has had a history of racism, but sue a man who is only seeking to defend and support millions of black children in the womb? But I suppose this really shouldn’t come as a surprise given the NAACP’s history of praise for an organization (Planned Parenthood) completely anathema to the main purpose of the Association, the Advancement of Colored People. One really starts to wonder the motives of the NAACP. Contemplating giving an award to a known racist, and praising an organization started by a known eugenicist, while then suing a man who seeks to defend the lives of millions of black children, is all quite confusing and contrary to the initial purpose of the NAACP.  What would Dr. King say today? It makes little sense for a group created to assist and support people of color to attack a pro-life ministry working to save the lives of millions of these very same people. 

sp;

ministry working to save the lives of millions of these very same people.