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

When lynching was rampant, the NAACP led the protests to outlaw it. It also fought Jim Crow laws when it was hard for Americans to imagine anything but segregation in all areas of life. Equality before the law, the right to vote, 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 civil rights group high-minded, pragmatic and effective in its century-long role as the nation's racial conscience. Until recently, it has scrupulously avoided wading into the actual 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 racist signs at its gatherings. Angry tea party members responded by accusing the group of being partisan.

Last week, the NAACP announced it was co-sponsoring a website that tracks the racism and extremism of the tea party movement. It is pooling resources with three left-leaning media groups that have extensive 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 handle this. The NAACP should be crafting an agenda for jobs and education, not monitoring nasty signs and people wearing rude T-shirts.

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