Star Parker: Mitt Did Well At NAACP; Jealous

When Mitt Romney spoke at the NAACP convention the other day, I was cheering.

I suspect you were too.

While the media focused on the boos Mr. Romney received — after he told the crowd that he planned to repeal and replace Obamacare when he’s elected as President — what they failed to mention was that he received numerous applause throughout his speech, as well as a standing ovation when he finished.

And it was a remarkable speech.

Romney spoke to a crowd who was disappointed with America’s children attending failing schools, disappointed with a black unemployment rate over 14 percent, disappointed with watching our sons go to prison.

But when I received an email from the NAACP president reviewing Romney’s speech, I felt sad for our country and for African-Americans still trapped in poverty.

The president of the organization, Benjamin Jealous, said Romney “could have come there with some evidence that he had really thought deeply about the problems facing our communities.”

Did he miss the part of Romney’s speech when he defended strong families?

Romney cited the Brookings Institute’s study that found that graduating from high school, waiting to get married and have kids, until at least the early 20s, would drastically reduce one’s chances of being poor.

“Any policy that lifts up and honors the family is going to be good for the country, and that must be our goal,” Romney said. “As president, I will promote strong families — and I will defend traditional marriage.” The audience agreed and gave him applause.

Did he miss the part when Romney provided new solutions for our failing schools?

“I will give the parents of every low-income and special-needs student the chance to choose where their child goes to school. For the first time in history, federal education funds will be linked to a student so that parents can send their child to any public or charter school they choose. And I will make that a true choice by ensuring there are good options available to all,” Romney said.

Those sitting on the floor of the convention hall didn’t miss it. They gave Romney more applause.

There couldn’t be a stronger message about solving the problems plaguing the black community and America in general than what Romney delivered.

The membership of the NAACP hearing Romney’s speech didn’t miss his message about the problems facing black communities, but its leadership sure did.

Instead of recognizing the real change that Romney wants to implement, Jealous turned his back on change and redirected his members to focus their attention on voter ID laws this November and to turn up in droves to make sure those laws are defeated.

That’s why it’s time that we expand our outreach to even the NAACP membership!

Alexander the Great said fortune favors the bold.

With support from people like you, we’ve successfully raised $42,298 (and twelve cents) — over $10,000 more than my goal — to outreach to black pastors! Like the NAACP members listening to Romney’s speech, black pastors are applauding our message of personal responsibility and breaking ranks with the established black leadership.

But I’m not stopping there. We are seeing a hunger for change and a leadership ignoring the calls for change, resigned to leaving their constituents in dependency and poverty.

Friend, will you, once again, donate $50, $100, $250, $500, $1,000 or even $2,500 and help break the ties between Americans trapped in dependency and the liberal politicians who keep the addiction alive?

To understand the contrasts between those sitting on the floor of the convention and the leadership of the NAACP, look at Jealous’s response to Vice President Joe Biden’s speech at the convention. Biden simply delivered the same dangerous promises liberals have made for half a century. But when Biden finished his speech, MSNBC immediately interviewed Jealous who said, “You certainly couldn’t do better with our crowd than that.”

Help me break the liberal’s dangerous ties to the poor by donating right now.