Project 21
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Project 21 is a Black conservative public policy group that that provides broadcasters and the print media with prominent African-American conservative commentators as columnists and guests. Project 21 also provides opinion, commentary and support for causes of interest to Congressional and governmental offices in Washington, D.C. and across the nation.
Project 21 is "an initiative of The National Center for Public Policy Research to promote the views of African-Americans whose entrepreneurial spirit, dedication to family and commitment to individual responsibility has not traditionally been echoed by the nation's civil rights establishment." Notable members include La Shawn Barber, Michael King, Kevin Martin and Mychal Massie.
Project 21's New Visions Commentaries are published in more than 300 smaller newspapers newspapers across the United States -- usually as guest columns or editorials.
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[edit] Criticism
[edit] Black Front Group For Right-Wing Propaganda
Project 21, an African American initiative of the right-wing National Center for Public Policy Research, has drawn criticism from the portions of the left-leaning African-American community for its goal of creating a “new leadership for Black America,” by “Elevating the profiles of conservative and moderate voices in the African-American community through an aggressive earned media campaign. Participants are regularly featured in national and regional media, advancing the causes of economic and social conservatism while supporting new leaders within the black community.”
The “new leadership for Black America” that Project 21 states it is creating has been criticized as an attempt to manufacture the appearance of significant African American-support for conservatives on media outlets.
[edit] U.S Senate resolution apologizing for its failure to pass anti-lynching legislation
In response to the 4700 people lynched by mobs between 1882 and 1968 the U.S Senate in 2005 overwhelmingly passed a bi-partisan resolution apologizing for its historic failure to pass anti-lynching legislation (Dyer Anti-Lynching Bill), in the form of a non-binding resolution sponsored by two southern senators, Democrat Mary Landrieu of Louisiana and Republican George Allen of Virginia. In response to this apology Project 21 issued this statement which drew criticism because it appeared to out of touch with feelings of a notable segment of the African-American community who believed the apology was a step in the right direction:
"I am all for the gracious acceptance of an apology that is due, or for apologizing when I am wrong. But just like giving credit where it is due, an apology only carries weight when it has meaning. And, in the case of the recent apology by Senator Mary Landrieu [D-LA] and her regretful cohorts on Capitol Hill, this apology doesn't amount to a hill of beans - at least not today.”
"The lynchings of the past, while a sad place in history to recount, is exactly that - history. The best way to avenge this shameful history and make it relevant to us today is not to wallow in the apologies and regrets offered by senators who couldn't be in any way responsible for what occurred, but to supply our own closure by forgiving those who trespassed against us and moving on."
[edit] Comparing Beliefs of Supreme Court Justice John Roberts to Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Project 21 member Mychal Massie has stated that "John Roberts is the type of jurist who represents the beliefs of great Americans such as James Madison and Martin Luther King, Jr.” The organization African American Ministers in Action rebuked Massie and other conservative Blacks for the comparison of then Supreme Court nominee John Roberts, who in their view has a record of opposition to civil rights and to Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Massie denied that he had ever made such a comparison [1] even though the quote came from Project 21's own press release. [2]
