This letter is in reference to a recent mailing I received from your organization, the NAACP, urging renewal of my membership. The first line of the letter was a real attention getter; "the urgency is real." And I agree with you that the urgency is real, it is very real. However I think we may disagree as to the "very real urgency." This fundamental disagreement is why I have chosen to not renew my membership.

In your membership campaign letter you cite reasons for the urgency. Allow me to list a few:

* registering, educating and turning out the African American vote;
* improving and celebrating student achievement
* NAACP lawyers are working on voting rights and redistricting, fair housing and redlining and criminal justice reform.

They are all very laudable and I compliment the NAACP on their dedication to these issues. But we part ways as to how these issues are to be attacked and corrected. You see I do not think that the way to solve these problems is to attack other blacks with differing opinions. I don't think that the way to solve these issues is to continue the black as victim mentality nor is it an opportunity to denigrate black conservatives. Please allow me to share some reasons for the change of heart.

When your former executive director, Benjamin Hooks denounced black conservatives as "a new breed of Uncle Tom and some of the biggest liars the world ever saw" you lost me. This was bad, and so I was hoping that you or another NAACP leader would be less egregious and more civil and respectful to other blacks who disagree with your organization. But when you decided, at a recent NAACP convention, to call Ward Connerly, "a fraud and a con man" you enraged me. When your President and CEO, Kwesi Mfume dismissed as "house Negroes" African Americans who stand against affirmative action, I thought it best to leave your organization. Is this what you are teaching black children who are academically successful without the help of affirmative action? Is this what I should expect from a black organization? Is this an organization that should receive money from a hard working black conservative? I think not. While in theory I agree with some of your issues, I cannot contribute money to an organization that lambastes blacks and relegates them to second class citizenship.

Sincerely,

Ingrid E. Barnes
Black Conservative