At the commission’s Committee of the Whole, Charles Thornton, president of the Pensacola branch of the NAACP, told the Board of County Commissioners that his board never approved the letter sent by George Hawthorne asking for the BCC to give $25,000 for “Bank On Escambia†initiative
Hawthorne, former chairman of the NAACP Economic Development Committee, sent a letter to the BCC titled: “Economic Development Committee Flag Response and Proposed Compromise Solution.â€
Thornton wanted to make it clear that the NAACP was part of any compromise trading the Confederate flag flying at the Pensacola Bay Center for $25,000. His board said his organization has not approved the flag being placed back at the civic center or the request of county funds for the banking initiative.
“Clearly we have a difference opinion between me and the local board of the NAACP,” Hawthorne told. He said that he has resigned from the local NAACP board.
“I so tired of talking about a darn piece of cloth,” said Hawthorne referring to argument over the Confederate flag. He said that his program could make a difference in dealing with real poverty issues. He wanted the debate of the Confederate flag separated from his initiative.
He asked for two weeks to rework the program, removing the NAACP from its organization.