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HIGH POINT — County Commissioner Melvin “Skip” Alston used a brief set of remarks at the North Carolina NAACP state convention Friday to blast the tea party as a racist movement.

Alston was introducing Gov. Bev Perdue and talking about why the NAACP’s efforts for racial equality are still relevant.

There are those, Alston said, who wish “to turn back the clock” on progress by African Americans.

“It’s no secret that the theme of the tea party is that they want to take back their country, which is only a code phrase for wanting to put blacks back in their places,” he said.

The tea party flourished after the election of President Barack Obama. Although it has disparate affiliates and often seems disorganized, common themes have been reducing taxes and cutting the size of government.

Alston, chairman of the Guilford County Board of Commissioners, has often seen his efforts criticized by Conservatives for Guilford County. That group hosts tea party events; members have described it as either sharing much of the tea party’s philosophy or being an affiliate of the grass-roots movement.

Jeff Hyde and Jodi Riddleberger, founders of Conservatives for Guilford County, did not return phone calls seeking comment.

Asked if his remarks apply to Conservatives for Guilford County, Alston said they do.

“The tea party’s philosophy is from the ground up. Their philosophy is that they want to take back their country, so they say. And that means they don’t want a black person in the White House. They don’t want any blacks in any elective office. I stand by that,” Alston said.

In online responses to Alston’s remarks, tea party sympathizers said Alston’s allegations are unfounded. They pointed to Herman Cain, the businessman and presidential candidate who is getting support from conservative Republicans. Cain is African American.

Contact Mark Binker at (919) 832-5549 or mark.binker@news-record.com