First of all, let’s be honest. Challenging the NAACP’s tax exempt status is just another conservative scare tactic to continue monopolizing our political system and nothing more. As with other instances where the IRS has challenged the organization’s 501(C)(3) status, the modus operandi and objective has always been “not to put folks out of business; (the IRS is) interested in getting the organizations to comply and in getting a message out to other charities that there is a downside to intervening in a campaign.” At least this was their stated goal when they slapped Jimmy Swaggart Ministries (JSM) on the wrist for the group’s endorsements of Pat Robertson in 1986. JSM, still tax exempt, is finally being investigated by the IRS, once again, not for endorsing Bush, although less than subtle endorsements were definitely made; rather, the group is being investigated for controversial statements about killing homosexuals. In fact, of all the churches to have overtly participated in partisan campaigning and even funding of PACs, only Christian Echoes National Ministry in 1972 permanently lost its tax exempt status. So, if the NAACP loses its tax exempt status, the administration would be saying that Christian fundamentalism has a more important role in the U.S. than minority rights organizations – a complete shock!
Secondly, standing behind the NAACP should be one of the first acts of “healing” by this administration. The inherent racism of Ryan Hunter’s portrayal of an NAACP representative as a thief, the intimidation that took place at polls in minority districts and the misinformation provided to minority voters (a great example of which would be the fraudulent NAACP letter sent to black voters in South Carolina) prove the very great need for civil rights organizations. We would not want to see our political discourse shrink further into the religious sphere and further compromise the separation between church and state which defines our nation as one if its fundamental tenants.