Signs of a Better Strategy?

Freshly installed NAACP President Bruce S. Gordon makes some encouraging comments on the high court nomination of Judge Samuel A. Alito, Jr. as it relates to modern Black political strategy:

"The NAACP has every obligation to be thorough and not overreact or make a decision without all the information, but I sense this is a nomination that may not be consistent with the America Rosa Parks sat down to create ..."

The Washington Times further reports: The new leader said that despite his "preliminary" assessment of Judge Alito, he still thinks the group must put politics aside and engage both political parties on civil rights, economic equality and diversity in all facets of American life.

Gordon implies a level of prudent response on the part of the NAACP that is reasoned. Yes - there are serious concerns with Alito's nomination (the announcement of his nomination timed against memorial services for Rosa Parks was uncomfortably surreal), but let's express those concerns in a manner less rhetorical and more informed or thoughtful.

This seems more consistent with the reality of the American political landscape, where major Black political and public policy organizations will need to exercise calculated balance in their relations with the dominant dual party apparatus. Despite the Washington Times hopeful analysis, that doesn't mean African American voters should or will suddenly shift allegiance en masse to the Republican Party - but, it's never a bad idea to vote based on issues and the candidates discussing them rather than just the party affiliation. It's called independence.