NAACP Responds To Racist Texts Targeting Penn Students
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- President of the Philadelphia branch of the NAACP, Minister Rodney Muhammad addressed concerns about the string of racist text messages directed toward University of Pennsylvania students last week during a press conference.
Muhammad started off by applauding the rapid response of university officials to investigate the source of communication and to set up the means of student council and support. He also thanked Police Commissioner Richard Ross and Mayor Jim Kenney for weighing in on the matter.
The NAACP became aware of the alleged racist texts targeting students of color from a parent of a Penn student.
CBS 3's Alexandria Hoff took to Penn's campus to talk to black freshman who had been added to the messaging group and said they do not feel like it is a coincidence that the racist messages came after the election as some of the messages featured the name of the new President-Elect, Trump.
Muhammad shared similar suspicions during the presser but said the recent hatred did not begin with Donald Trump, citing President Barack Obama's Inauguration Day back in 2009.
"While he was taking his oath, certain Republicans met secretly and plotted how they would steer their party and the government to an obstructionist posture. For eight years, Republicans have, along with some figures in the media, carefully nourished every prejudice and unfounded fear setting a tone throughout the country. Hatred for this current president infected the nation, causing the largest spike in gun sales, formation of militias is at its highest ever in the history of this land and hate crimes have reached an all-time high."
"Citizens have received OK signals from government officials, even governors who have refused federal dollars to service their constituents in need all to prove a point of their opposition to this president. To place full blame on Mr. Trump is nothing more than convenient scapegoat. President-Elect Donald Trump is only a catalyst, bring out the preexisting hatred already present in the country. In a strange way those who met secretly eight years ago to ensure President's Obama's presidency would be ineffective created Donald Trump. America, Philadelphia is in desperate need of spiritual rejuvenation -- that is it needs a serious convening of spiritual leaderships courageous enough to deal with the inconvenient truth in the country and city receptively."
"The knife of the doctor must hurt before it can bring healing. The knife in this case is truth about our deep race problem that has bled into every institution, policy, law and dealings in our society. The NAACP of Philadelphia welcomes a convening of men and women of faith in this city. This problem should not be materialized nor politicized it is a spiritual problem and those that deal in spiritual matter should come together to address it."