Q&A of the Day – The Facts About the NAACP’s Florida Travel Advisory
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Today’s Entry: @brianmuddradio The NAACP’s advisory is obviously political as opposed to principled. Can you do an analysis on this?
Bottom Line: Yes, and yes. As in yes, you’re right that the NAACP’s advisory is obviously political and yes, I can do an analysis of this. Let’s get started... On Saturday, a couple of months removed from the initial request by the Florida chapter of the NAACP for the national body to issue a travel advisory against Florida – they obliged. In issuing the advisory the NAACP stated: Florida is openly hostile toward African Americans, people of color and LGBTQ+ individuals. Before traveling to Florida, please understand that the state of Florida devalues and marginalizes the contributions of, and the challenges faced by African Americans and other communities of color. That statement is especially instructive because there are several measurables. If the state of Florida truly “devalues and marginalizes” African Americans and other communities of color, that would be reflected in opportunity and outcomes within our state compared to others. So, let’s dive into the facts.
As I first covered in March, at the time the state chapter requested the travel advisory, the minority economic opportunity story in our state is a powerful one. While we have monthly employment reports, the Bureau of Labor Statistics aggregates racial data on a quarterly basis, and they’ve yet released the 1st quarter demographic reporting by state. The most recent data is from the 4th quarter of 2022, or where we stood entering this year.
National Black unemployment rate:
Florida Black unemployment rate:
National Hispanic unemployment rate:
- 3.9%
Florida Hispanic unemployment rate:
- 2.8%
Florida’s unemployment rate is 31% lower for Blacks than the national average and 28% lower for Hispanics for than the national average. What’s more is that Florida has the third largest Black population in the country, so we’re talking about an especially large sample-size and high number of positively impacted people. Likewise, Florida has the third largest Hispanic population as well. The NAACP’s argument that Florida’s policies are responsible for creating a hostile environment that should be avoided, is clearly absurd on its face. It’s hard to envision a state which has engaged in policies which could be so detrimental to Blacks and Hispanics so as to warrant an advisory to not even visit – yet that has produced unemployment rates which are exponentially lower than those of the country overall. In fact, Florida’s unemployment rate isn’t just far lower than the national average for Blacks and Hispanics. Florida’s unemployment rate is the 3rd lowest overall for minorities, and specifically for Blacks with only North Dakota and Utah, two small states with small Black populations which are ahead of us. Florida is demonstrably one of the top three states in the country for minority opportunity currently. What’s more unemployment rates for both Blacks and Hispanics are currently at record lows in our state – meaning that as the NAACP has issued an advisory against minorities traveling to our state – it comes at literally be the best time in history for minorities in our state. As for the second question about politics...
Make no mistake that the NAACP is clearly a partisan political organization. Since 1990 (the earliest history of online political contributions that are available to track), the political action arm of the NAACP, the NAACP Legal Defense Fund has donated 100% of its contributions to Democrats and Democrat affiliated PACs. Meanwhile, political contributions by NAACP principals, those directly affiliated with running the NAACP, has been 97% to Democrats (or independents who caucus with Democrats) and Democrat affiliated PACs. It’s crystal clear that for at least the last 33 years the NAACP and its officers have had a one-sided partisan political agenda. But of course, none of this analysis or these facts are discussed by news organizations when they’re reporting on the validity of the claims of the NAACP, or lack thereof as the case is evidenced to be. Florida is demonstrably the best large state for minority opportunity and advancement in the country. There are two sides to stories and one side to facts. These are the facts.