The Consequences of Group Think

Given the enormous variety and disparity in intelligence, morality, and honor among human beings, it is statistically inevitable that any large organization or movement will produce its share of mean-spirited fanatics. It is the reaction of the leadership and mainstream membership to the extreme or foolish statements and actions of adherents that measures the integrity of the group.

The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) faced such an integrity test recently when Lee Alcorn, the Dallas Branch President of the NAACP appeared on a Texas radio talk show. In reference to Al Gore's selection as a vice-presidential running mate, Joseph Lieberman, Alcorn suggested:

"If we get a Jew person, then what I'm wondering is, I mean, what is this movement for you know? Does it have anything to do with the failed peace talks? So I think we need to be very suspicious of any kind of partnerships between the Jews at that kind of level because we know their interest primarily has to do with money and these kind of things."

Given a chance to recant, Alcorn was not particularly persuasive. He claimed that he should have spoken about Lieberman in particular rather than Jews in general. However, his words make it impossible to imagine that his remarks were really applicable directly to Lieberman. No one has ever complained that Lieberman is primarily interested in money.

Appearing on The O'Reilly Factor on Fox News, Alcorn demonstrated what a lightweight he really is. When asked why he objected to Lieberman, he averred that Lieberman supported capital punishment and that in Texas they recently executed a person claimed to be mentally deficient. O'Reilly reminded Alcorn that Bill Clinton, whom Alcorn supported, raced back to Arkansas in 1992 to make sure that a mentally deficient killer was executed. Alcorn just stuttered, perhaps honestly unaware until that time of the contradiction in his position.

Alcorn suggested that his objection to Gore's selection arose from Lieberman's support of voucher experiments that would undermine the education of blacks. O'Reilly asked how vouchers could be considered anti-black since a majority of African-Americans, according to a Gallup poll supported vouchers. Alcorn's floundered and restored to questioning the credibility of the poll.

The NAACP acted nobly in response to this anti-Semitism. Alcorn was suspended by NAACP president Kweisi Mfume, who properly labeled the remarks as "anti-Semitic." Chairman of the NAACP, Julian Bond, distanced the NAACP from what Bond described as Alcorn's "hateful, repulsive, and ignorant" statements.

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