The simple truth is that the individuals currently at the helm of California’s NAACP believe they know what’s good for Blacks, even if Blacks don’t know it for themselves. In an Associated Press article, California NAACP President Alice Huffman shared why she feels comfortable using the NAACP to undercut the community’s values.

What is it that the head of the NAACP thinks that Blacks, particularly Christian Blacks, are incapable of understanding about this issue? What is not to understand? Religious teaching, natural law, the human conscience, and even basic anatomy all speak with one voice: marriage is to be a lifelong relationship between a man and a woman, as it has been since the beginning of time.

Sadly, the NAACP’s current leadership is betting its chips on its belief that the black community is simply ignorant. “Ignorant” to the fact that homosexual relationships are not the equivalent of traditional marriage. And ignorant to the fact that the purported spokespersons for the Black community are trashing its values.

This problem runs deeper than the current attempts to redefine marriage. There was a time when the NAACP was wholeheartedly focused on fighting for Blacks—our rights, our education, our advancement. But recently it has become increasingly clear that the interests of the Black community are not the primary concern of the NAACP. Rather, the agenda of the Democratic Party, including its most liberal elements, now dictate the NAACP’s agenda.

One only need scratch the surface to see the blind devotion to Democrat Party politics held by many NAACP leaders. Consider NAACP’s current President, Alice Huffman. Even while holding her office with the California NAACP—a supposed non-partisan organization—Huffman been an appointee of Democrat Governor Gray Davis, an employee of then-Democrat Speaker of the Assembly Herb Wesson, and Co-Chair for the Democratic National Convention.

This explains the blind allegiance to the failed Gray Davis regime in 2003. The NAACP’s own 2002 Report Card gave Democrat Governor Gray Davis a dismal C- grade. It cited Davis’ lack of support on issues affecting the Black community and abysmal record of hiring Blacks for his Administration. Less than 4 percent of Davis’ 3500 appointees were Black and only one Black was appointed to a cabinet level post. And yet, the very next year Huffman led the NAACP to oppose the Gray Davis Recall. As with the current gay marriage debate, the NAACP sided with the Democrat machine rather than the Black community.

This reality becomes even clearer with a quick review of the NAACP’s website. Among the list of priority bills from the last two legislative sessions, there are more bills advocating “homosexual rights” than bills addressing issues affecting the Black community.

Meanwhile, there were no bills to improve inner-city schools, increase access to business capital in the Black community, stem the tide of gang violence, reduce teen pregnancy or improve literacy in the urban communities of California. Shouldn’t these be the NAACP’s priority issues? The truth is, they never will be as long as the Democrat machine is calling the NAACP’s shots.

One more example. Recently, Wal-Mart offered local NAACP chapters grants to develop jobs programs in their communities, as well as employment opportunities to young African Americans in communities with the some of the highest unemployment rates in the state. But union bosses hate the fact that Wal-Mart’s employees have not unionized. As a result, the state NAACP barred local chapters from taking the grants or participating in the jobs programs. So, unions are happy. Democrats are happy. And the Black youth who would have benefited are still out of work.

This certainly is not to say that the NAACP shouldn’t work with Democrats. They should. In fact, they must be willing to work with anyone who will stand and fight to truly advance all people of color.

But for the Democrat machine—big unions, trial lawyers, radical environmentalists, and the homosexual and pro-abortion lobby—to co-opt the venerable NAACP for its own agenda is flat wrong. How much more so when the Democrat agenda cuts against Black values?

Many local NAACP chapters are doing tremendous work across the state. They provide legal redress, spur economic development, increase literacy, and shine light on injustice. This commitment to the community must become the standard for the state and national NAACP once again. It’s time for the Black community to take back the NAACP. tOR