The head of the Springfield branch of the NAACP has come out against a proposed change to a city ordinance that would allow the current acting commissioner to lead the city’s fire department on a permanent basis. The ordinance requires the Fire Commissioner hold a Master’s Degree, among other things, and have at least seven years of administrative experience. Those are qualifications acting Fire Commissioner Joseph Conant lacks. Mayor Domenic Sarno wants to amend the ordinance to require only an associate’s degree and two years administrative experience. NAACP President Rev. Talbert Swan says the department has a long history of discriminatory practices, and the Mayor’s action smacks of cronyism.
“If they wanted to drop the master’s degree down to a bachelors degree and increase the experience, that would open up the field to many more candidates who would then meet those less stringent requirements. But to bring them all the way down to bargain basement prices simply so that it can meet the qualifications of Joseph Conant is a disservice to the city of Springfield.”
Swan says the city should conduct a nationwide search like it did for Police Commissioner and School superintendent. But City Councilor Tim Rooke, who supports the ordinance change, says Conant’s experience fighting fires trumps whatever academic qualifications he may lack.
“When you’re in front of a four alarm or five alarm fire and you have no experience fighting fires, unless you’re going to throw the book at the fire to fight it, I’d rather have a seasoned veteran. Someone who knows how to manage men and women appropriately in a life and death situation.”
But Swan says fighting fires does not give anyone the requisite experience to deal with the wide ranging duties, from multi-million dollar budgets to supervising personnel, required of a fire commissioner. The proposed amendment has been referred to the City Council’s public health and safety committee, which is scheduled to meet on Tuesday.
NAACP Issues Toolkit To Protect Churches In Upcoming Election
The Springfield Chapter of the NAACP says it has begun issuing what it calls a “toolkit for local clergy,” to help them protect their church properties in advance of the upcoming Presidential election. The toolkit also includes an initiative urging church leaders and members to become engaged in the election. For Talbert Swan, President of the NAACP’s local branch, you only need to look back to the 2008 election-night burning of the Macedonia Church of God In Christ in Springfield, just hours after Barack Obama became the first African-American to win the Presidency, as evidence for the need for such a toolkit. Swan, who also heads a church in the city, says if anything, he believes racial animosity has gotten worse in the current political climate. He says the toolkit contains an assortment of security measures, including how to protect churches from vandalism and burglary, and how to arson-proof church property.
“We would rather be safe than sorry. If it happened four years ago there’s the potential that it can happen this year as well. And so we wanted to make sure that houses of worship had the necessary resources to be able to protect themselves.”
Swan says the voter initiative is designed to get faith leaders involved in informing and encouraging their congregations to get registered and vote. He says he’s heard from many clergy, particularly fellow Christians, who say they would not get involved in the political process.
“There are some who have taken the position that they won’t support the President because of his stance on gay marriage. There are others who have taken the position they won’t support Mitt Romney because he’s a Mormon. And there are others who have taken the position that they’re going to tell their members not to go out and vote at all. I don’t think that is a mature approach to take.”
Swan says the NAACP’s voter initiative called “Let My People Vote” is being carried out in partnership with a national network of non-partisan, faith-based community organizations.
Springfield NAACP President Accepts National Organization’s Support for Gay Marriage
The NAACP passed a resolution at a meeting of its board of directors over the weekend declaring its support for gay marriage. The organization’s Springfield branch is headed by Reverend Talbert Swan, who is also a pastor at the Spring of Hope Church of God in Christ and has previously said he opposes gay marriage. But Swan says that his personal views are inconsequential to the NAACP’s position, and that the resolution does not change any of the work he does with the organization.
“I think our own personal, theological perspective does not translate into civil law, and therefore, I think the NAACP board of directors had every right to make the decision which they made.”
Reverend Swan says civil marriage is a civil right and that the NAACP’s resolution is consistent with equal rights provided by the fourteenth amendment. However, he says his right to oppose gay marriage on religious grounds, and to not perform gay marriages in his church is still intact. He says there are many other things the church opposes for theological reasons, for which it would not support legal sanctions.
“My church is against drunkenness, but we wouldn’t lobby for laws that prohibit folks from having the right to have a beer.”
Swan’s stance is consistent with Roslyn Brock, the NAACP’s chair of the board of directors, who reiterated that the organization does not have an intent to “express how any place of worship should act in its own house.”