The NAACP announced that President Donald Trump is not invited to its national convention this year.
The decision was made because of the NAACP’s opinion on Trump’s policies. NAACP President Derrick Johnson accused the nation’s president of believing in a “fascist playbook” and that Trump was attacking the nation’s “democracy” and “civil rights.”
“For 116 years, the NAACP has invited the sitting president of the United States to address the NAACP National Convention — regardless of their political party,” Johnson said in a statement. “There is a rich history of both Republicans and Democrats attending our convention — from Harry Truman to Dwight D. Eisenhower, Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Barack Obama, and beyond. We’re nonpartisan and always welcome those who believe in democracy and the Constitution.”
The NAACP is an advocacy rights organization. According to its website, they are the home for “grassroots activism for civil rights and social justice.” The NAACP works to obtain the “civil rights due to Black America.”
In explaining why Trump will be the first president in over a century not to be invited to his organization’s convention, Johnson repeated a common left-wing, Democratic criticism, saying that Trump was a threat to democracy.
“But right now, it’s clear — Donald Trump is attacking our democracy and our civil rights. He believes more in the fascist playbook than in the U.S. Constitution,” Johnson added. “This playbook is radical and un-American.”
Johnson didn’t specify or explain how Trump was using a “fascist playbook” or attacking democracy and civil rights. He did, however, go on to criticize Trump’s executive orders that he claimed, without any evidence, were unconstitutional, oppressed voters, and pulled back on civil rights.
”The president has signed unconstitutional executive orders to oppress voters and undo federal civil rights protections; he has illegally turned the military on our communities, and he continually undermines every pillar of our democracy to make himself more powerful and to personally benefit from the U.S. government,” Johnson said.
Again, Johnson provided no examples or elaborations of these accusations in his statement. He proceeded to tout what he believes is his organization’s bipartisanship and that the convention is meant to be for all people, “regardless of political ideology.” Johnson then reversed course on his words, explaining that it would be a “waste” to invite the president because doing so would be giving “a platform to fascism.”
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“To that end, the NAACP has made the decision to break with tradition and not invite Donald Trump or J.D. Vance this year,” Johnson said. “This administration does not respect the Constitution or the rule of law. It would be a waste of our time and energy to give a platform to fascism, which would be unacceptable.”
The NAACP’s national convention is in Charlotte, North Carolina, from July 12 to 16.