Civil Rights Organization- NAACP
Political Science Assignment
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People
Question 1:
Interest Group
An interest group (also referred to a lobbying group, special interest, pressure group, or advocacy group) is a group of people organized and focused on encouraging or preventing changes in public policy without being elected. There are many advocacy groups that are currently active in the US politics. In the recent past, interest groups have offered enormous influence on American politics by funding political ads, endorsing candidates, and in lobbying for laws that suit their interests. There are thousands of interest groups in the US politics today. However, the essay will focus on National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), which is among the most powerful advocacy groups in the American politics.
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Question 2
A. Primary Interest
NAACP advocates for fair and equal treatment of Black Americans. The NAACP’s mission is ensuring that economic, educational, political, and social equality of minority citizens and groups enjoy rights equality and that race bias among the US citizens are eliminated (Branch, 2014). Also, the NAACP advocates for the removal of racial discrimination barriers in the US through democratic legislation. Further, the NAACP advocates for the enactment and enforcement of federal, state, and local legislation that safeguard civil rights and that inform the members of the public of the harmful effects of racial bias to state building. Additionally, the NAACP group is interested in educating people of their constitutional rights and advocates for lawful action in furtherance of these principles. Barack Obama’s presidency in the US is a symbol that NAACP is achieving its goals. Currently, the NAACP is championing for a more diverse array of social services and issues in the US to defend human rights.
B. Engaging in Inside Lobbying
The NAACP engages in inside lobbying when advocating for its concerns and issues. The NAACP lobbying activities take place in the capitol in which intensive negotiations with lawmakers and other interest groups are done. The group comprises of a testifying committee that presents its concerns, issues, and grievances to policymakers seeking for justice and democracy for African Americans. Further, the NAACP regularly meet with legislative experts and lawmakers to provide an insight regarding any newly made law that they consider to be discriminative of the minority group in the US due to their race (Sartain, 2016). When laws are made, the NAACP officials analyze them and lobby their concerns to legislative committees and offices in the US courts. In most time, the NAACP officials are in the courts seeking racial justice and defending the civil rights of the African Americans. The NAACP has established an aggressive watchdog system through which all infringements are addressed through legal-political means.
C. Active Campaign Contributions
The NAACP does not engage in partisan and political activities in the US during the campaign seasons. Important to note, the NAACP is a non-profit making organization hence does not have to financially support any party in the US politics. However, the organization is accused of being one-sided and acting against the Republicans in the favor of Democrats. In active campaign periods, the NAACP engages in non-partisan voter registration and voting efforts. Founded in 1909, the NAACP has been fighting for democracy and justice for all US citizens regardless of their race (Walker, 2010). Barack Obama’s eight years US presidency is the symbol of what NAACP supports. In Obama’s political victories, the advocacy group contributed greatly in terms of votes and financial assistance. For example, in the 2012 election; the NAACP registered approximately 375,000 new voters which led to the voting out of the NYPD’s notorious “stop-and-frisk” policy. Recently, the NAACP sued Donald Trump’s administration over the 2020 census concerns and his condemnation of Democrats who are Blacks. Due to this, some people brand NAACP as outdated and irrelevant in the US politics. However, the NAACP is the leading advocator for Senate and federal policymaking processes in America. In this perspective, the NAACP supports the Democrats for it fights for justice and fair treatment of all races in the country.
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D. How influential is NAACP in American Society
The NAACP is among the most powerful interest groups in the US. Advocating for racial justice, equity, and fair treatment of the Blacks in the country has made the organization famous. The major influence of NAACP is Barack Obama’s presidency in the US. In his tenure, racial segregation and discrimination became a relic of the past. The NAACP has influenced African Americans voting decisions. Also, the advocacy group has influenced the manner in which civil rights are enforced by the federal, state, and local governments. Further, the NAACP has influenced lawmakers in removing racial prejudice and discrimination through democratic processes. Important to note, the NAACP coordinates with social movements in the American society. The NAACP advocates for policies that favor all social groups in the American society some of which include the employed, unemployed, elderly, single mothers, youth, liberal, and conservative among many others. The racial rights of these social society groups are defended by NAACP in the courts and other democracy and justice powers such as the Senate, members of the US Congress, and the federal government itself.
References
Branch, M. (2014). National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. Fighting a Vicious Film: The Protest Against the” Birth of a Nation.
Sartain, L. (2016). National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). The Wiley Blackwell Encyclopedia of Race, Ethnicity, and Nationalism.
Walker, D. (2010). National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. Culture Wars: An Encyclopedia of Issues, Viewpoints, and Voices, 383.