What’s wrong with Al Sharpton?
Ever since Don Imus spat out some ill-chosen words on the air, the Black Right has built up public outrage and called for Imus’ resignation — or that he be fired as host of his radio program. Apparently no number of apologies from Imus is enough to suit folk like Al Sharpton.
Instead, Sharpton has gotten greedy and is perhaps contributing to the continued cycle of racism in America. Because of his greed, if Imus goes, then so must Sharpton. Martin Luther King, Jr. advocated peaceful protests, while Al Sharpton calls for destruction of individuals’ lives to promote equality.
What Imus uttered was simply stupid. If he was black, I’m sure he’d be blasted for making such a watered-down compliment — if it was one — along with insensitive stereotyping of women, in whatever context it may have been. But Imus is white, so everything is now about race, instead of the stupid comment Imus made.
I’m not black and won’t pretend to claim that I’m outraged by Imus’ utterances. If anything, I thought it was a contextually poor phrase to use on a national radio program. But some people didn’t like his comment. Sharpton blasted Imus immediately. Sharpton told everyone else in America that the only good justice was Sharpton's justice, and called for Imus to be knocked off the radio waves. The media continue to eat it up like piranhas in a feeding frenzy.
So, really, what’s all the fuss about?
C’mon. So what if a radio personality spits out something that really wasn’t appropriate in terms of context and uttered poorly-chosen words? You know that his comments would be more aptly served in a bar, with its denizens salting down peanuts and drinking frothy and alcoholic beverages. And, it wouldn’t matter if the bar were full of whites or blacks, because somewhere, somebody would make that comment, anyway, and people would’ve laughed.
But, the Rutgers women’s basketball team deserved better applause and especially something that wouldn’t ruin their moment in history. Nobody deserves what the Rutgers team must be enduring now — their shining light of glory overshadowed by controversy. It really is too bad that the women’s team is being delegated to “last week’s” news, now that Imus and Sharpton are butting heads.
I don’t know that I agree Imus should resign or be fired, either. I mean, what he said was stupid, but people do lots of things stupidly to achieve fame, fortune, or whatever inadequacies they have to fulfill. I think American Idol is a ridiculously stupid show, but then again, I’m clinically deaf, so what do I care about people who sing karaoke like Vegas impersonators? But, Imus didn’t do a stupid thing on a stupid karaoke show. He simply and dumbly picked the wrong phrase at the worst of possible times:
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - Bailey Houston
I strongly disagree with the comments made here. All "unfortunate", "insensitive" and "inopportune comments" means is "We all know its true, but we admit he should not have said it." The fact is he was wrong. I disagree that Al Sharpton should be fired. To me, that's just taking the emphasis off of what Imus said and placing blame on someone who does not deserve it at all. Imus used longstanding racist comments such as "Nappy headed" "Hos" and "Rough girls". And apologizing after countless previous racist comments and, lets be honest, only apologizing because he wants to keep his job, and not because he truly does not believe in what he has said, is not good enough. And he does not have to revert to racist comments in order to provide for his family.
2 - G. Chell
Sharpton and Imus can be compared on equal footing if the former also has a syndicated radio and TV show. Otherwise, there is no comparison between the two!!
3 - moonraven
I think Imus should be lynched.
I will even donate the noose.
4 - MBD
Al Sharpton: Not one to cast stones…
In 1987, black teenager Tawana Brawley claimed that six white law enforcement officers had abducted and raped her, scrawled racial insults on her body and smeared her with feces. Miss Brawley refused to speak with authorities or the media, but Sharpton and her other advisers were soon making wild claims. Sharpton compared then-state Attorney General Robert Abrams, a Jew, to Adolf Hitler. All three linked then-Gov. Mario Cuomo to organized crime and the Ku Klux Klan.
Within a year, a grand jury announced the story was a hoax and specifically cleared the defendants, who sued Sharpton and the other 2 advisers for defamation.
Sharpton's involvement is similar to George Bush and the Iraqi uranium purchase forgeries -- it's unclear if he was actively involved in fraud, or just recklessly willing to use information he knew was very shaky to make his political point.
Following the Crown Heights riot of 1991, and a 1995 arson attack on a Harlem jeweler that resulted in 8 deaths, Sharpton made remarks about the "white interlopers".
What is the pot now calling the kettle?
5 - Tom
Sharpton????
Sharpton????
The man prays for the very thing he supposedly abhors! Racism! Yes Racism! Without it Sharpton would be irrelevant and would no longer be able to prosper over others misfortunes.
Reverand Al, doesn't care about blacks; its all about using an issue to get attention to line his pockets!
It is sad for black people that Al Sharpton is black!
I really wish black people would stand up and disavow him! Sad to say, when I hear his hypocriscy I start to resent a race of people, which I know is wrong.
AL SHARPTON YOU BIGOT! KEEP LINING YOUR POCKETS OFF POOR BLACK PEOPLE'S MISFORTUNES. YOU CREATE RACISM IN THE USA
6 - Matthew T. Sussman
First I've heard of this story. I swear I would have heard it on the news by now.
7 - Victor Lana
Honestly, I thought Imus retired. I had no idea he was even on the radio anymore until his happened. Sounds like he hasn't learned much in all his years behind the microphone.
8 - George Blair
Do you have a daughter? How would you like someone to call your daughter a "nappy head ho". Forgot about Al Sharpton, stick to the issue. You are shifting blame that is all you are doing.
9 - James T. Herman
Sharpton is still rabble rousing?
Gee and now he attacks a humanitarian like Imus?
I wonder what "Reverand" Al ever did that did not personally benefit him.
Oh well, if people support him then they should be doomed with the convicted liar (re: Brawley) 345k jury descion in libel award.
Oh well, certain people and groups just never progress.
10 - Depressed
Poor Martin Luther King Jr. he must be turning over in his grave when he hears Sharpton and Jackson try to speak!
Let them fire Imus or censor him......This will only stoke resentment!
This is between Imus and the people (Rutgers girls basketball team) that he insulted, not that fat bigoted opportunist.
Sharpton, please go away! Please!
11 - RJ
The funny thing is, Imus was (intentionally or unintentionally, I am not sure) mocking urban Black culture by calling these women "nappy-headed hoes."
I mean, does anyone really believe Imus talks this way in his regular life? Of course not! He picked up this sort of vile slang from the "Hip-Hop culture" that is so ubiquitous nowadays.
Some millionaire rapper (and former gang-member with a rap-sheet a mile long, no doubt) could call them "nappy-headed hoes" all day long, and he wouldn't be criticized by the MSM or Al Sharpton or Jesse Jackson. He's just gonna sell some albums and make some money, while poisoning the minds of our young people.
But if some White "cracker" like Don Imus makes a stupid off-hand remark, he's to be sent to the gallows by none other than Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson, both of whom are renowned (and wealthy) "civil rights activists" who have a history of making anti-Semitic and racist remarks. In Al Sharpton's case, his vitriol has actually led to innocent people dying!
Personally, I don't like Don Imus. He's not funny, not nice, and probably should retire sometime soon for everyone's benefit. But this whole "shocking national scandal" thing has been quite overdone, thank you very much.
12 - RJ
"Sharpton and Imus can be compared on equal footing if the former also has a syndicated radio and TV show."
Sharpton certainly does have a syndicated radio show...where do you think he interviewed Imus???
13 - RJ
I think Imus should be lynched.
I will even donate the noose.
You're always the voice of reason, moonraven...
14 - Dan
As much as I like to see liberals eat their own, it's still depressing to see these double standards played out.
It was a crude loutish remark. That's all.
15 - sick and tired
sharpton has made a career out of spreading hatred and racism. it's time someone shuts him up for good. He has done more to spread racism than the KKK ever thought of. He and jesse jackson should share the same rope and be placed in the same box. The world will be a better place.
16 - Jeff
Agreed! Why should Don Imus apologize to Al Sharpton?
17 - Arch Conservative
I don't recall Sharpton or any other liberals crying racism when Hillary said "ghandi owned a gas station", when Joe Biden said "you need an indian accent when you go into a 711" when liberals called Michael Steel, a black republican from MD, Oreo cookie and little black sambo, or when Ray Nagin called for a "chocolate city."
The fact is that there is a huge double standard with what white liberals and blacks are allowed to say about race compared to what everyone else is allowed to say.
Al Sharpton is much more harmful to American race relations than Don Imus could ever hope to be.
If all of the so called tolerant liberals are not going to be held accountable for the questionable remarks the make regarding race then why should Don Imus be?
18 - Chris
Al Sharpton plainly hates white people and clearly makes money promoting racism against whites. Please boycott any show that has a racists like Al Sharpton. White people need to form a group as Al Sharpton has and fight back - or we will continue to lose rights, jobs and neighborhoods to people like Al Sharpton. The Al Sharptons of the world are creating a whole white underclass based on his racism of giving to "brothers"(ex. diversity, affirmative action).
If the "brother" gets the job, I guess a white man is now out of a job. This is happening countrywide. Racial extortion. Plain and simple.
19 - quckqn
You guys are nuts! You're basically saying you think it's okay to denigrate a race. Imagine if you heard white south africans were constantly discriminated against and called "pasty faced ghosts" on tv, radio, and in the mainstream. Wouldn't you feel sorry for the white people in south africa? Wouldn't you think something's wrong with south africa? Would you choose to immigrate to south africa to be a white minority who can be sure to be called a "pasty faced ghost" by south african society?
Seriously, the time will come when white people are a discriminated against minority worldwide (they currently are in Japan). Your insensitivity will come back to haunt you.
20 - JustOneMan
quckqn,
"The only people who care about race are racists" JOM
21 - guez
I think Sharpton should definitely be fired from his position as anchor of Imus in the morning.
22 - anona
This book must go too! It is creating racist children!! Oh my, Nappy Hair!!
23 - The Haze
Al Sharpton is a race pimp. Imus is a repeat offender. neither deserve the attention. a definite double standard exsists and moonraven has a knot in her rope that needs loosening.who shall be the first to cast a stone?
24 - Courtney
Clearly you are not black. And clearly you know very little about race relations. What Imus said was not just some stupid, ill timed comment, but a blantant racial slur. By ignoring it we are allowing ignorance to flurish in our country. Truth be told if Al Sharpton or Jesse Jackson didn't stand up - someone else would have because it is inherently wrong and should not be tolerated. He may not fully understand the implications of what he said or even what it totally meant, however, clearly it was a racialized comment which degrades African-Americans. Even if there was no Al Sharpton pointing out racial slurs and injustices in our world, let it be know that racism is alive and well in the United States and you my friend, proved it with your blog. Being ignorant and staying silent is just as oppressing as full force hatred.
25 - The Haze
Clearly you are not black and know nothing of race relations. it was stupid and ill-timed,but a racial slur? listen to it in it's context. he was talking out of his ass! Ignorance flourishes in "our" country everyday.did you stand up when the Tawana Brawley incident came to light? I don't remember you protesting against Al and the boys.even if there was no Al Sharpton around to point these things out there would still be .....you. and how do you sleep at night?