[NLA] Re: COABE, race & social justice

[iray]

Dear Colleagues:

I think its important that we not conflate the decision to honor the NAACP's 
boycott of South Carolina with any sort of repudiation of COABE - its mission, 
its conference, or its incredible importance to our field.

It seems to me that the NAACP's boycott rests on a few premises:
1) that the Confederate flag is a symbol of slavery, segregation, and racism;
2) that flying the flag on public grounds - whether on the dome of the state 
capitol or on public lands in front of the state capitol - is a tacit 
endoresement of the social, political, and economic inequalities that are the 
legacies of slavery and segregation;
3) that the continued flying of the Confederate flag on public grounds is an 
affront to African-Americans and all people of conscience (the flag was placed 
on the capitol dome in 1962 at the height of the Civil Rights Movement);
4) that economic pressure on the tourism and convention industries in South 
Carolina will in turn lead to political pressure on the legislature to remove 
the flag from public grounds.

Boycotts have historically served as one of the most effective tools in the 
struggle for civil rights.  The Montgomery Bus Boycott was a watershed in our 
own modern Civil Rights Movement, and the divestment movement in South Africa 
was largely responsible for the dismantling of apartheid.  The NAACP's tourism 
and convention boycott of South Carolina has been in place for over two years.
 The fact that "hundreds and hundreds" of us may choose to patronize SC and 
spend our money there simply means that we as a field are serving as a fairly 
effective tool for breaking the boycott.  If one accepts the premises outlined 
above, it makes it very difficult to make that choice.

Ira Yankwitt
NYC

>===== Original Message From nla at lists.literacytent.org =====
>To All on this List,
>I have some serious concerns about some recent posting concerning the COABE
>conference and the NAACP boycott issue.  It sound like some wrong assumptions
>are driving some conclusions about how the conference should be appraoached.
>I am a long standing member of COABE and I am disturbed and  with the
>perceptions being created by those who seem to know little or nothing about
>COABE.
>First of All...The MIssion of COABE is very clear:
>"The Commision on Adult Basic Education (COABE) provides leadership,
>professional development, networking opportunities, and advocacy for adult
>basic education practioners in order to advance the unification and
>professionalism of the field."
>One of the major vehicles of accomplishing the COABE Mission is through and
>annual conference which has attracted hundreds and hundreds of practioners
>from all over the country. The conference moves all over the US to reflect
>the issues and interests of adult education practioners and to showcase
>programs in local areas. States bid more than two to three years in advance
>to host the conference. There are published guidelines which must be followed
> by the local /state committtee before they will even be considered. They
>must submit a written proposal amd make a public presentation the the COABE
>board before  being considered as the "host site. I mention this process
>because the suggestion that COABE may be crossing the line of a Boycott are
>simply not fair. The Conference was planned well in advance of the boycott.
>Secondly, Our colleagues in COABE from South Carolina are just as senitive to
>issues as anyone else...in or out of the state...In fact, COABE has been
>dealing witht poverty/race issues for many years...I am retired after more
>than 30 years in the field. My wife and I will travel to Charleston to the
>COABE conference and support the conference in every way we can...I am afraid
>the boycott of not spending dollars or whatever else will hurt the wrong
>people, including minority populations who benefit from COABE scholarships.
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