Anyone Else Dislike Al Sharpton?

[Jack-Hammer]

While in the gym earlier this morning, I was working out and one of the TVs was on CNN. They were discussing the latest developments regarding the Trayvon Martin case and the issue of potential racial prejudice was brought up. After a few minutes, they played a clip in which the Rev. Al Sharpton was giving a speech in front of reporters & gathered Martin supporters, along with members of Martin's family.

As I was watching this, I couldn't help but feel a real personal dislike for this man. Whenever the term racism is even mentioned, especially in a situation that's garnered national attention like this, it seems that Al Sharpton always pops up ready to stick his nose into things and fan the flames. I can't remember all of what was said in the clip that was played, but Sharpton said something along the lines in which he claimed that this was not a black, white, latino or whatever issue but that it was about justice. I just remember thinking about what a pompous ass this guy is because a lot of his history just popped into my head.

Sharpton is well known for getting involved in issues where race is a potential factor. However, instead of trying to be a voice of reason or to come off as someone useful in the situation, he almost always seems to be trying to make things worse. Even if race might not really be an issue, Sharpton tries to make it an issue. It just really bugged me when in the clip I saw this morning he said that it wasn't an issue of race. It struck me as bullshit because it's always about race with Sharpton. I've NEVER, not EVER, seen him stand up & come out in support of an issue in which it involves a white person, or Asian, or Indian, or Latino.

To me, Al Sharpton is nothing more than a transparent, opportunistic jackal that likes to hear himself talk and see his name in the newspaper.

 

[klunderbunker]

I'm not a fan of his either. Like you said, anytime ANYTHING happens to a black man or woman, Sharpton and/or Jesse Jackson come running. This Martin case seems like the race aspect has been forced in and you hear Sharpton talking about it nonstop and bringing up Martin Luther King for some reason. I don't get what the appeal of this guy is and he doesn't ever change what he says. He comes off as more annoying than helpful most of the time and he doesn't seem to help anything. Not a fan of the guy.

 

[Davi323]

Al Sharpton is a professional race baiter. If racism were ever to go away, he would be out of a job. Instead of the Trayvon Martin case being about a Neighborhood Watchman getting carried away, about the proper use of Castle laws, the only thing people like him care about is that Trayvon was black, and Zimmerman wasn't. People like him and Jesse Jackson don't give a damn about black people, they only give a damn about what can increase their own notoriety, and use racism as a convenient way to exploit any situation they like.

 

[Lowdown]

I have to agree with the OP. I'm black myself, but Sharpton has always struck me as self-serving; Jesse Jackson as well. Now they've been active in social and civil rights causes since before I was born. They probably have done some good in their respective communities once upon a time. But in terms of justice, I've never heard of either one of them coming to the aid of other ethnicities. I could be wrong, but I can't seem to recollect this. For example, check out this story from a few months back in the LA Times....

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-accused-20110626,0,4056332,full.story

As much as this man endured, and keep in mind he is also a minority, people like Sharpton, Jackson, and to a lesser extent Najee Ali (look him up) didn't speak for this man. Granted it might not have had to national exposure, but its still an injustice. Same thing when Don Imus referred to the Rutgers U women's Basketball team as "nappy-headed hoes", Sharpton and others called for Imus' head on a stick and be fired. Look, its cool to make a stand when its called upon. But if you're gonna grab a mic and a camera saying that you're an advocate for justice and fairness, you should represent other creeds as well. If not, you're just a hypocrite.

 

[Peoples_Champ]

Oh man, not the Reverend! When I was living in Michigan, some protest was being planned by a racist organization (who it was, I don't remember). The Reverend was announced coming to town to counter-protest. That was the day when I realized I should stop following American news and politics as much as I did.

Davi323 said it brilliantly, he's a professional race baiter. He's the biggest opportunist that I can think of and he is the epitome of a true politician. Anything to get his name in the paper, anything to draw attention to himself. The sad part is that he uses race to gather support and vilify his 'enemies.'

The saddest thing is the effect he has on racially segregated communities. I was living in Detroit at the time and I overheard people talking about Al Sharpton coming to town (being East Indian, I fit in well with black and white crowds pretty easily). The common thread was that the 'White Man' was the cause of all their problems and that Rev. Al Sharpton was a savior and a saint. That's the problem with Al Sharpton, he takes impressionable people that are down on their luck and give them someone to focus their hate and anger upon.

Jack-Hammer has a great point where he makes things worse rather than being the voice of reason. To me, he's the polar opposite of Martin Luther King, despite having many opportunities to do the right thing.

In a day and time when North Americans need a hero, we have the Reverend Al Sharpton.

 

[Mustang Sally]

Like you said, anytime ANYTHING happens to a black man or woman, Sharpton and/or Jesse Jackson come running.

Sharpton first came to prominence during the sham that was the Tawana Brawley incident in 1987. If you read the details of the case, it seems incredible that this became a national issue at all. Yet, even then, Sharpton knew that fanning the flames of racial hatred didn't involve rallying the black community as much as playing on the fears of white people, who are so terrified of being depicted as racist that they'll go along with what Sharpton does in order to show the world what fair-minded individuals they are. Getting white people to call other white people racist was what he did best; in the Tawana Brawley case, he was so successful (for awhile) at it that society ignored the facts that proved the kid was blatantly lying when she accused a white man of raping and defiling her.

Yes, Sharpton is smart, yet he misjudged his influence when running for President. The whites, Indians, Asians and Latinos mentioned by Jack Hammer took a look at Sharpton's candidacy and correctly wondered what in the man's past indicated he would ever work in their best interest. His public career was based on one issue: fighting racism.......and people never found out exactly what the candidate's stand on matters like politics, economics and foreign affairs were. He did very poorly in the primaries.

 

[Peoples_Champ]

I have to agree with the OP. I'm black myself, but Sharpton has always struck me as self-serving; Jesse Jackson as well. Now they've been active in social and civil rights causes since before I was born. They probably have done some good in their respective communities once upon a time. But in terms of justice, I've never heard of either one of them coming to the aid of other ethnicities. I could be wrong, but I can't seem to recollect this. For example, check out this story from a few months back in the LA Times....

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-accused-20110626,0,4056332,full.story

As much as this man endured, and keep in mind he is also a minority, people like Sharpton, Jackson, and to a lesser extent Najee Ali (look him up) didn't speak for this man. Granted it might not have had to national exposure, but its still an injustice. Same thing when Don Imus referred to the Rutgers U women's Basketball team as "nappy-headed hoes", Sharpton and others called for Imus' head on a stick and be fired. Look, its cool to make a stand when its called upon. But if you're gonna grab a mic and a camera saying that you're an advocate for justice and fairness, you should represent other creeds as well. If not, you're just a hypocrite.

That's a big problem that I have with Al Sharpton. He has had many opportunities to come out in support of injustices to people of all races, but he stubbornly refuses.

If he had started to discuss other issues, like urban affairs in NYC or something that was more popular and widely-accepted, he too would become popular and widely-accepted. But unfortunately his short-sightedness is his downfall as a leader as well.

Credit where it's due though, he has bought media attention to the plight of blacks in urban areas and racial bias within the judicial system. He does deserve kudos for getting national attention. Its unfortunate however that he's done so while being inflammatory.

 

[Peoples_Champ]

Sharpton first came to prominence during the sham that was the Tawana Brawley incident in 1987. If you read the details of the case, it seems incredible that this became a national issue at all. Yet, even then, Sharpton knew that fanning the flames of racial hatred didn't involve rallying the black community as much as playing on the fears of white people, who are so terrified of being depicted as racist that they'll go along with what Sharpton does in order to show the world what fair-minded individuals they are. Getting white people to call other white people racist was what he did best; in the Tawana Brawley case, he was so successful (for awhile) at it that society ignored the facts that proved the kid was blatantly lying when she accused a white man of raping and defiling her.

Yes, Sharpton is smart, yet he misjudged his influence when running for President. The whites, Indians, Asians and Latinos mentioned by Jack Hammer took a look at Sharpton's candidacy and correctly wondered what in the man's past indicated he would ever work in their best interest. His public career was based on one issue: fighting racism.......and people never found out exactly what the candidate's stand on matters like politics, economics and foreign affairs were. He did very poorly in the primaries.

Tawana Brawley falsely accused six innocent men of raping her. In my book, that's one of the worst things a woman can do.

I think the point of Sharpton running for the nomination of the Democratic Party wasn't so much to become president but more for his own fame. He had a national platform to speak his mind and express his views. I'm sure he realized he wasn't going to win just as much as the outliers in any nomination process know they're not going to win. But he was successful in getting more national attention to himself and his causes.

 

[jrichardson25]

Yes, dude's always causing issues. They cry for racial equality and whenever he or Jesse Jackson get into it, it becomes more of a racial divide... It makes me sick. I don't look at anyone differently because of their skin color or what they believe. If they don't agree with me, whatever but to make things a race issue when they're not has to stop... He's a hypocrite...

 

[H33LTurn]

I dislike him as well. Its like him and Jesse Jackson get paid for every dead African American that pops up on the news. I hate the media's outlook on racism in general. I was watching CNN and they're talking about how the Trayvon case is "obviously racism" (even though the only reason Trayvon's race might have meant something to Zimmerman is that the neighborhood had witnessed and he had reported an astounding number of break ins perpetrated by only by black men. Other than that theres no reason to jump the gun and assume Zimmerman is guilty because of the color of his victim's skin and Trayvon was innocent because of the race of his "attacker"). Then they ran another story in which four black men assaulted a white and when asked if this incident could have been racially motivated the analyst without missing a beat said no unless they called him a honkey. Are you serious(bro)?

 

[DirtyD79]

Him and Jesse Jackson are shit disturbers and attention ****es of the highest order. Do you honestly believe he would have cared if the victim was white or the perpetrator was black? No. He only pops up when it makes himself look good and he can play the racecard.

 

[Death Before Disco]

Al Sharpton is a professional race baiter. If racism were ever to go away, he would be out of a job. Instead of the Trayvon Martin case being about a Neighborhood Watchman getting carried away, about the proper use of Castle laws, the only thing people like him care about is that Trayvon was black, and Zimmerman wasn't. People like him and Jesse Jackson don't give a damn about black people, they only give a damn about what can increase their own notoriety, and use racism as a convenient way to exploit any situation they like.

You're right on, Davi323. This guy is a disgrace and should be ashamed to claim the title of "Reverend." He only fans the flames of racial injustice, as the Trayvon Martin case illustrates, and does nothing to alleviate it. Wherever he shows up, the circus follows. Even the lunatics that head MSNBC (or MSLSD as I call it) should be ashamed for hiring such a hack.