The NAACP Issues Travel Advisory For The State Of Missouri

The NAACP is making an unprecedented move. It’s now in the business of issuing travel advisories. The organization wants minorities to “exercise extreme caution” when visiting certain “racist” states. This particular travel advisory covers the state of Missouri.

It reads in part:

Individuals traveling in the state are advised to travel with extreme CAUTION. Race, gender and color based crimes have a long history in Missouri. Missouri, home of Lloyd Gaines, Dredd Scott and the dubious distinction of the Missouri Compromise and one of the last states to loose its slaveholding past, may not be safe. The Missouri State Conference of the NAACP will follow Governor Greitien’s review of this Jim Crow Bill – SB 43 – and we will update the NAACP advisory for the State of Missouri if this measure is vetoed. SB 43 legalizes individual discrimination and harassment in Missouri and would prevent individuals from protecting themselves from discrimination, harassment, and retaliation in Missouri. Moreover, over zealous enforcement of routine traffic violations in Missouri against African-Americans has resulted in an increasing trend that shows African-Americans are 75% more likely to be stopped than Caucasians. These stops have resulted in increased traffic fines, senseless searches of vehicle and persons, and on occasion unnecessary violence. The advisory is in effect until at least August 28, 2017 starting today.

It goes on to urge individuals to encourage friends and family members to “beware” of the “safety concerns” when traveling within or through the state.

This is the first time the NAACP has issued a travel warning for an entire “racist” state.

The travel advisory, circulated in June by the Missouri NAACP and recently taken up by the national organization, comes after travel alerts began appearing in recent years in light of police shootings in the U.S. and ahead of immigration legislation in Texas and Arizona.

 

The Missouri travel advisory is the first time an NAACP conference has ever made one state the subject of a warning about discrimination and racist attacks, a spokesman for the national organization said Tuesday.

If you need me, I’ll be over here. Waiting for the NAACP to issue a travel advisory that covers the entire city of Chicago.