T-shirt patrol

The NAACP recently celebrated its first 100 years as the nation's most influential civil rights organization.

When lynching was rampant, the NAACP led protests to outlaw it. The organization also fought Jim Crow laws when it was hard for most Americans to imagine anything but segregation in all areas of life.

Equality before the law, the right to vote, the integration of the nation's public schools, fair housing, and the opening of public and private institutions to all Americans were signature issues for the NAACP.

That has made the organization high-minded, pragmatic, and effective in its role as the nation's racial conscience. Until lately, it has scrupulously avoided wading into the muck of partisan politics.

At its annual convention this year, the NAACP called upon the Tea Party movement to disavow its racist elements, especially those who appear with such signs at its gatherings. Angry Tea Partiers responded by accusing the group of being partisan.

The NAACP said that it is co-sponsoring a Web site that tracks racism and extremism within the Tea Party. It is pooling resources with three left-leaning media groups with experience in tracking political extremists.

Holding the Tea Party accountable for its rhetoric is fine. But with the bad economy disproportionately affecting African-Americans, the NAACP has bigger issues than racial epithets shouted in crowds.

Let Think Progress, Media Matters for America, and New Left Media keep tabs on this. The NAACP should be at the forefront of crafting an agenda for jobs and education, not monitoring nasty signs and people wearing rude T-shirts.