But today, an olive branch was offered to one of the member who wrote several articles about the vision of the local NAACP, Vince Robinson editor of one of the African-American newspaper. Robinson was invited to a meeting to discuss some of his grievances with the membership. Robinson was no stranger to the membership because he challenged Latham in a close race. But, Robinson lost the election by a few votes unable to wrestle the leadership position from Pastor Latham stranglehold.
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Barbara Bolling, Indiana NAACP President was presence at the meeting. The meeting provided an opportunity for members to put to rest rumors, misinformation and confusion among it organization.
According to Reverend Latham there may be other meeting with Mr. Robinson to work together for the betterment of the local branch.
"Pastor Latham stranglehold"?
ReplyDeleteThat doesn't sound very encouraging in this new season of olive branches and reconciliation.
Why is the branch so intent on bringing Robinson back into the fold? Will olive branches also be extended to the dozens of other once-active members who have left the organization in disgust?
Enough already with this preoccupation with Latham and Robinson. They are grown-ass men who should be able to iron out their differences - or not. Who cares? While did this take such a big production with the state president? These two couldn't have just met privately? Obviously, Robinson was man enough to go into enemy territory. Couldn't Latham have set up a one-on-one?
As president, Latham needs to understand that the NAACP is a lot more than himself and one other individual.
As some has suggested that Latham needs to be let go, the word embodies what critics have said about him.
ReplyDeleteIt was important for everyone to be in the same room at the same time to hear the same things and seek clarification during the discussion.
I believe Latham understands that the NAACP is its membership, I don't think many of the understand, the power is the membership and not the President.
The President is the voice..and the membership must give the President the voice of the community to be expressed by the President.
I believe that other members must reach beyond their differences and work for the good of the organization.
Barbara Bollinge understands the working of the organization and the conflict that can occur among the branches when running an organization. Bolling knows what is expected of the branches and she could better address falsehoods that are being expressed throughout the communities about NAACP and its membership.
Bolling was able to give facts about the local organization and to further the upcoming fundraiser.
Bolling gave the media something else to talk about rather than the back and forth discussion that some members enjoying focusing on rather than rolling up their sleeves and working for the betterment of the organization.
I take it you were presence and Bolling suggestion that you can write to her as suggest you do to remove any bitterness you may toward Latham that unfortunately may harm the NAACP.
The questions you asked on this blog could have addressed in the meeting. But some folks are just aggressive in nature and are not into reconcilation.
I'm all for reconciliation. I just don't understand why Pastor Latham is so preoccupied with Robinson. If Robinson is critical of the leadership, take what is useful in his comments and ignore the rest. I just don't understand why his concerns are so much more important that the obvious concerns of other long-time members who have grown dissatisfied with the NAACP. Where are their olive branches?
ReplyDeleteYes, I was at the meeting, and while I was impressed with Ms. Bolling, I was disappointed at the lack of representation and comment by members of the executive committee. If as you say "the power is in the membership," this NAACP doesn't appear to have much power.
I'd like to know what is being done to change that. Latham's feud with the media is trivial compared to the loss of membership.
It is not simply Latham feud with the media, it is more of the negative press impacting the organization. Robinson is just the focus point of the discussion as to what is ailing the NAACP. Membership unwillingness to work hard for free.
ReplyDeleteRobinson's as a journalist has claimed his views,publicly, whereas others who had overfavorable comments were not as forecoming and hid behind Robinson.
This meeting served as a vehicle for membership to go before the body and express their dissatisfaction with facts, not rumors, misinformation, he says or she says. You can't lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink the water.
In other words, individuals must make up their minds to help the organization or because of their disdain for leadership they must leave.
This is a personal choice, based on individual tolerance, but if it truly about the organization, these individual would seek ways to make it more powerful by being more production rather than blaming Pastor Latham.
Bolling, was quoted as not necessary silencing those who are inopposition but to take what is needed and leave the rest. Those who need an olive branch can request a meetng or contact Barbara Bolling.
Some of the membership can not leave the rest but harbor the negative. As you know Vince Robinson is not alone. There are a core of individuals who have collectively played to the divide in conquer in hopes of ending Latham's leadership, while pretending that this campaign does not harm the local NAACP as a whole.
So, it makes me think that Latham like Robinson, is just the scapegoat. In other words the goal is to dismantle the NAACP and remove the organization from Fort Wayne Indiana.
Dear Credo,
ReplyDeleteYour observations about the recent meeting are generally on-point, although I am neither aware of nor part of any conspiracy involving the NAACP. My comments are my own. If you attended the meeting, you saw that I shared by observations and concerns about the branch very candidly, and my words in print are consistent with those views.
As I said at the meeting, I don't question Rev. Latham's passion and sincerity for the branch, the issue comes down to results. Rev. Latham himself would agree that he wants the branch to do more, raise more money, address more problems, etc.
However, the local branch can't and won't accomplish those goals without the membership, and membership has been declining since long before I ever commented about the branch. Either something about Rev. Latham's leadership of the branch is causing longtime members to jump ship or the chemistry between Latham and dissident members was bad - regardless of whether Latham or the former members were to blame. Whatever the case, if THAT can't be solved, Latham will continue to have a tough time bringing people into or back into the fold. Blaming the membership and scolding people for refusing to attend meetings isn't working. Latham might be justified in pointing the finger at membership, but that tactic clearly hasn't been effective. As president, it is up to Latham to come up with real solutions to this problem.
Having someone dedicated to public relations for the branch was a good first step. Getting Parkview onboard was a good next move, and I have personally thanked Parkview President Mike Packnett for his support. Trying to get me back on his side (with the help of the state president) was a good next step. Now, the branch and the president need to do some serious soul-searching to determine why the rift between Latham and other prominent members occured and most important, what can be done to fix it.
As I said at the meeting, if members are the life's blood of the NAACP, then this branch must stop the bleeding if it is to survive.
Vince Robinson
p.s. We have a link to your blog on the INK Newspaper website. I hope that is okay. The issues you discuss are very important to our community.