Annapolis Capital Punishment

Local NAACP head Wayne Jearld is on the outs after more than a year of acrimonious squabbling. A year ago, CP promoted and then attended the press conference where newly elected Jearld announced his plans. Among other things, here is what I wrote then:

"It’s evident that President Wayne Jearld has ideas, vision and plans to invigorate his group.
Jearld addressed his goals in a number of areas but I’m concerned about his strong emphasis on ensuring that minority contractors would be getting plenty of government contracts. With issues related to schools, crime, job and housing discrimination, why should the NAACP be so involved with seeking contracts for minority-owned businesses? Would that not be more in the purview of a special interest group, say for example, a Black Chamber of Commerce?

If the nearby and much larger Baltimore City Branch of the NAACP is any indication, Jearld has a long way to go. As of mid-February, its web site lists dates for 2006 meetings but not for 2007. The web page for its Economic Development Committee is blank and its page showing “City of Baltimore Projects in Planning or Design Stages” shows a list from 2002. The only item on its “news” page is the swearing-in of its current officers from February 3...2005!

Jearld also plans to get an office and a web site going for the county branch. He is a man with energy and vision and if he can build up the county NAACP into a strong and viable organization, he is to be supported and appreciated."

I shared my post with Jearld who made it exceedingly it clear that there would be no further communication. I thought my original post was positive and optimistic for the most part, although I did question some of his priorities. It would seem now that a year later, he's mainly spent his energy fighting off dissent from his members. The local chapter's web site tells a sad tale. It's amateurish, has typos (more than even this blog!) and is almost devoid of content. This is from the home page:

"Thank you for visiting the website of the Anne Arundel County Branch of the NAACP.
We challenge you to get involved with a shared sense of community improvement.

We hope you will take the next step and get involved by:..." but it never says how we can get involved. Every other page says, "Page under construction....." So much for Mr. Jearld's plan to create a web-site. I guess he was too busy being embroiled in disputes.

And speaking of the Baltimore chapter's website, it still needs updating. The latest "The President's Statement" is entitled "Education Must Be Fixed in 2006". You got that right--2006. The latest item in the calendar of events is from October, 2007 and there are no 2008 events listed except the normal monthly meeting time and place.

Under "Programs and Services" there is a link to only one item-The Economic Development Committee. Click on that link and you get.....a blank page. There are three news releases shown. Each one is from 2006. In all fairness, I am not investigating, but merely reporting what its own website has to say.

If the statue of Justice Marshall could get up and walk from its perch at Lawyers Mall, I can only guess where it would go.