You opinion please, ALL people?

Question

Are we losing credibility in what is deemed racist due to the flaws of men like Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton? For example: Taking on highly questionable cases like Tawanna Brawley and the whole Don Imus issue (which could have been settled without the media). So much so that people see we Black people as claiming that everything is racist, and shut down real cases like the Sean bell case in NYC, and the current Jena 6 fiasco? What's your take? No thumbs down or reports please! Honest adult opinions, please!

Answer 1

I think that there are instances where Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton do a disservice to the civil rights movement, rather than helping it. It just isn't their jumping into the fray like the Tawana Brawley matter. It's their failure to acknowledge that they were "played" in some of these events.
I compare them to a man I met many years ago and spent a night in jail with in a small town in Georgia. When he became involved with an injustice it was one that was truly that. I doubt you would have ever seen him at any of the "injustices" which Jackson and Sharpton have leant their efforts to. Many of those in the current era who call themselves "civil rights leaders" and invoke his name in the process demean what he accomplished. By becoming "media whores", without investigating the validity and import of the alleged grievance, they dishonor his memory: Martin Luther King, Jr.

Answer 2

Certainly, when the leader of a cause is a flagrant hypocrite you're going to lose support. See Al Gore with his energyhog house, see George Bush with his spotty military record. Al Sharptongue and Jesse Hijackson certainly do make me question whatever cause they are promoting.

But also the Sean Bell case, thats the one where he got shot on his wedding day coming from a strip club right? I don't see how you consider that racist, especially considering that the shooting officers were minorities.

And Jena 6, well, some merit of racism in that case from BOTH sides, but it is being way overblown by the media. Like you said with Don Imus, this could be settled without the media. The Jena 6 are in fact criminals, they did assault another boy near death viciously because he was white. The question there shouldn't be whether or not to free them, but the severity of the sentence. Perhaps it should be reduced a bit. Its not a crime to hang nooses on a tree, while it is racist and all that. It is a crime to attack someone else, especially 6 v 1. I don't really understand how this situation could be considered that racist, for instance compared to the KKK killing someone, thats racism. This is black kids being arrested and tried for an actual crime.

Answer 3

You make a valid point. I remember Tawana Brawley, that was a joke and a half. Jesse Jackson surely has gone through a transformation. I used to look up to him, no more. I live in the boogiedown Bronx, I remember this incidents, and enough. Sean Bell case is turning into a freak show still. It is not a racial case at all. We need Leaders with real credibility and sense of community. We have a ways to go. We are on the path though. thanks.

Answer 4

Problem is racism toward white people is being used to blame everything on white people and racism, just look at the post by Ms. Saldana trying to align black people and hispanics against white people. Even the way she and others lump white people all together by use of words like "they", and "them". Face it while some people may look different and some people may be racist, that is no reason to also be racist, because in the end we are all the same race, the human race.

In the end crying wolf too many times causes more problems than it fixes.

I also agree with Cherry's- Al Sharpton and JJ don't represent me, they should step aside for some newer leaders.

The only people I Think Al and JJ represent are those in the media that want them to represent all black people, because its easy to get a video/soundclip from their publishers for the news.

Answer 5

I agree with your call.
Yes some blacks use the Race card & the drive by media Loves it.
I blame those, But then the Blacks have NO Real leaders since Martin Luther King was killed.
Jackson & Sharpton are Race Leeches.
Liars & Bigots themselves.
They produce Race hate.
They are = toTerrorists.
NO exceptions.
I blame BOTH sides in Jena 6 case.
Id hang:
City Hall
School Bd.
alone.
This reeks of 1907 mindsets vs 2007.

Answer 6

I have long maintained that the meaning of any word suffers it's true intent when used inappropriately. Racism is chief among those words. It is the ignorant among whites who somehow consider the black man as the root of all problems and it is the ignorant among blacks who give them cause (I didn't say "justification, I said, "cause"). I am not familar with the Sean Bell case, but the Jena, Louisiana situation in regards to the actual incident occurred last December and is being attached to an earlier incident whch happened a full year ago this month which did not involve any of the people involved in the three months later beating incident. Where was Sharpton during that time, were the cameras not yet in place? A Judge based his justifiable decision to set a high bail for one of the kids because of the kid's previous arrest record. It appears to me that Sharpton is willing to completely overlook the fact that ONE (white) kid was severely beaten by SIX (black) kids so now he's got his shorts in a knot because one of the six can't make bail and has been in jail for several months - probably with a lot of others, including whites, who also can't make bail. I haven't heard Sharpton mention "racism" when he talks about the SIX black guys beating up ONE white guy, so I guess his point of view regarding that matter is that they were just having good, clean, fun! Non-sense! If there is racism involved herein, it's when six black kids beat up their former football teammate and classmate who happened to be white. PS: When one of my nephews went to jail a number of years ago on drug related charges, he couldn't make his $150,000. bail either and he's white! Ironically, the bail was set by a black Judge and you know what? Not one person in my nephew's family even had the thought that race played a part in the bail being set so high. I'm affraid that we're never going to get past hate in this country and, in my opinion, Jessie and Al serve only to aggrivate the situation.
Sorry, spell check not working - please excuse any errors.

Answer 7

I think Rev Al Sharpton and Rev Jesse Jackson should take a step back and see what kind of mess they've stirred up. I believe that they are making blacks and whites seem way more racists then they really are. Sure there are racists people in this country but not everyone in the south or wherever are racists.

Answer 8

I think Al Sharpton and Rev. Jessie Jackson are only in it for the money, most people don't know that they get paid to come to those rallies and marches. They use a bunch of big words to make themselfs seem important but they ain't about s**t. They use every excuse to call something racist so they can get paid.

Answer 9

i think we are crying "racism" too soon...honestly, it was wrong for violence to come into play on either party. i think al sharpton and jesse jackson make the situation worse at times. like jesse jackson made a comment about barak obama not being "black enough"...that was uncalled for. i think because we have been treated unfairly in the past, we are quick to throw the racist card down. im listening to michael baisden show right now and he is highly upset because someone (a black person) said that the party in jena, la lasted longer than the protest...

Answer 10

How did those two grandstanders ( Jerkson/Sharpless) even get hold of the story? It was first disclosed by a black radio station with very poor ratings. Bet their ratings are excellent now. Sharpless immediately started whining about the all white jury until he learned that blacks were summoned but had no interest . When questioned about that, he quickly changed his rant to just overall " pain and suffering in America by black folk". This man sets black and white and green and purple America back every time he opens his self serving mouth.