Hilary O. Shelton’s Statement On Van Jones

Hilary O. Shelton, Director of the NAACP Washington Bureau and Senior Vice President of Advocacy and Policy:

“The tactics being deployed by right wing extremist commentators to divert the American people’s attention away from very important issues of our nation such as sustainable energy, lack of dependence on foreign fuel sources, and the creation of living wage jobs are not only unethical but dangerous to the future of our country. Most recently, television commentator Glenn Beck of FOX News attempted to besmirch the character and integrity of President Obama’s administration officials such as White House Special Advisor for Green Jobs Van Jones. This feeble, mean spirited attack is little more than a desperate attempt to derail the adminstration’s priority of clean sustainable energy while working to end our nation’s dependency on foreign energy sources.

“In an economy where unemployment is leaning toward 10 percent, and African-American unemployment lies at over 15 percent, the creation of employment opportunities for all Americans, including African-American and low-income communities, is a critical necessity. It is our experience that Mr. Jones’ plan to reinvigorate urban areas through the creation of green jobs not only demonstrates a constructive vision to invest in our communities, but also recognizes that climate change is indeed a civil rights issue. That is why we support his implementation of this very thoughtful plan.”