NAACP Rejects Black Radio Host

Its mission is to work toward eliminating all race-based discrimination and to educate persons as to their constitutional rights, but the Orlando branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) on Monday night blatantly discriminated and violated its own rules, by denying membership to one of its own.

Don Miller, well-known Orlando personality and host of the popular “The Don Miller Show,” was roundly rebuffed by the NAACP-Orlando branch, after he sought membership to the association.   NAACP’s former state director and first vice president, Beverly Neal, told him he wouldn’t be allowed in, as he had spoken negatively about the association on his radio show.

As Miller tells it, he was stunned, at the time.

With a long track record of contributing to civic causes, Miller arrived at the meeting with a commitment from a sponsor to purchase 25 memberships, at $30 buck a piece. But, Neal stood up and said that the rules didn’t allow for him to become a member. When challenged by other well-thinking members at the meeting to open the association’s rule book, Neal unwisely called for a vote on his membership.

“It speakes volumes in America today that, in 2011, associations which for years have stood firmly for equality of all citizens, whether it is on political, social and economic grounds, now stand in opposition to these bedrock principles,” said Miller. “Now, there are branch organizations that don’t fall in line with the national body, and make their own rules as they go along to keep others out.”

Miller confirmed that, he has been critical of the association in the past, but only in so far as the organization has failed to fulfull its mission and mandate. He added that, he was moved to become a member after former branch president Rev. Randolph Bracy, Jr., who used the organization as his bully pulpit and to advance his own agenda, stepped down, and Kran Riley, the new president took over.

On Tuesday, Miller brushed off the rejection by the NAACP, observing that, the important question that should be asked is, ‘Who does the organization represent’?

“With unemployment among African-Americans in Orlando more than 16 percent, a disporportionate number of black men incarcerated when compared to their white counterparts, and ongoing educational disparities, what’s the NAACP saying and doing about these issues,” he said.

Demica Paige, Associate Producer of the “The Don Miller Show,” who also attended the meeting said, she had never seen such a “level of ignorance, disorder and disrespect and found it highly offensive.”

“It would be difficult to attract new members, particularly young people, with that kind of mind-set,” she said. “The organization could only stagnate if such leadership persists.”

Miller is a little more optimistic. He believes the association is turning a corner under the new leadership of Riley, whom he holds in high regard, but he adds, there’s obviously still some bad apples within the ranks that ought to be weeded out.