[Town Hall] For the first time ever, the NAACP is warning others not to travel to an entire state. Missouri is not safe for minorities, leaders concluded this week.NAACP leaders cited stalled discrimination lawsuits and racial disparity in traffic incidents in the states as major contributors to their decision. Missouri NAACP President Rod Chapel referenced a few particular incidents that he says proves the state is unfairly targeting minority drivers and students.
Chapel is referring to Senate Bill 43, legislation Greitens signed several weeks ago that mandates former employees must prove discrimination was the main reason for their firing and not just a contributing factor.
State Representative Brandon Ellington pushed back against the NAACP's narrative and advisory.
"People should be concerned that we have a national organization that is painting Missouri as a racist state," he responded.
Ferguson, Missouri, you’ll recall, was the scene of unrest in 2014 following the police shooting of Michael Brown, an 18-year-old African-American male who had been caught stealing cigars from a convenience store.