Electronic Village – “Al Sharpton and NAACP Are Wrong in Dunbar Village Gang-Rape Case”

I hardly ever post an entire writing from another blog, but this one is so important I can’t help it – this is too important. Please show some love to Villager, publisher of Electronic Village (and the Black Blog rankings, by visiting one of the links in this sentence. Or click here to visit the post at his site.

We’ve discussed Dunbar Village here for months. That includes participating in the Afrospear’s Day of Blogging for Justice: Protecting Black Women and their families from rape. Villager is right on and I support his effort here. As a member of the NAACP I am deeply disturbed by their response.

Important nubian women in my life, such as my former wife, my mom and my sisters often tell me that I have a ‘hard head’. Usually, this is a result of me being slow on the uptake for an issue that they see clearly from the start. The impact of the Dunbar Village gang-rape may be yet another example of me … and perhaps other brothers … having a ‘hard head’.

You see, the issues surrounding the Dunbar Village gang-rape that occurred last year continue to burn hot in our community … especially with Black women. Many Black women look at the way that the Dunbar Village situation has been handled as an example of the way Black women are treated in too many situations from Corporate America to our neighborhoods.

Villagers remember the horrific story of ten youths that forced their way into a Black woman’s home in Dunbar Village housing complex down in Florida. For several hours,they not only gang-raped her repeatedly and viciously beat her young son, but they forced her to have sex with her own child. The teenage boys then placed the two of them in a bathtub and poured nail polish remover in her son’s eyes, blinding him for a period of time. They attempted to set them on fire, but couldn’t find a match. So instead, they violated them with ammonia and threatened to kill her family if she told anyone.

Only four of the suspects have been apprehended, there are six others on the loose. There is conclusive DNA evidence on at least one of the boys. There is no manhunt for the rest of the criminals, they are running around loose as you read this.

In November 2007, Al Sharpton showed that he had a ‘hard head’ about this case as well. He was called on the carpet by a number of people concerned that he was not supporting the young woman and her son who had been victimized in this case. In fact, I went so far as to call Al Sharpton a ‘punk’ last month on this blog.

Fast forward to today. It seems that the NAACP and Al Sharpton’s National Action Network (NAN) both refused to help this woman because it was ‘outside the scope of their mission‘ … however, both groups found time to send lawyers down to Florida IN SUPPORT OF THE RAPISTS. The lawyers are claiming that it is ‘unfair’ to not offer bail to these four rapists.

Barack Obama spoke on the rage that exists in Black America when it comes to race relations. That rage burns especially strong when sexual crimes are committed against Black women and children … even if the criminals involved are Black!

I encourage all like-minded villagers to join in collective action against the NAACP and Al Sharpton’s NAN as a result of their misguided criminal advocacy in the Dunbar Village case. Perhaps it is time for right-thinking villagers to stop fueling the NAACP and NAN with our money and our volunteer activism until they stop trying to hinder the successful prosecution of this heinous crime down in Dunbar Village.

Perhaps it is time to ensure that the safety of Black women and children are non-negotiable. Here are some specific steps you can take:

1. Share this post with others so they might have their conscience and concern raised as yours as been today.
2. Demand an explanation from your local NAACP and NAN chapter about the Dunbar Village case.
3. Cancel your membership to these organizations
4. Write a letter explaining that you will return when they prioritize the public safety needs of Black women and children.
5. Stop donating your time or money to these organizations; instead invest in other organizations that take the lives of Black women and children seriously.

Even if you do not belong to these organizations, call or write them to express your displeasure:

NAACP National Headquarters
4805 Mt. Hope Drive
Baltimore MD 21215
(410) 580-5777National Action Network
Rev. Al Sharpton
106 W. 145th Street
Harlem, New York 10039
(212) 690-3070 You can obtain more information about the direct action against NAACP and NAN from the Dunbar Village blog (BBR #494).
I am interested to hear your take on the Dunbar Village case. Is there any excuse for what Al Sharpton and the NAACP West Palm Beach Branch president are doing in this case as they defend the young rapists? Are you willing to take direct action yourself to protect our Black woman and children? Will you share this information with others in your personal network?