The Double Standard: Do Minority Leaders Help or Hinder?

Question

As a young woman of color, I have evaluated the accomplishments of minority leaders in the community. In most instances, I find the actions of these leaders to be one sided and in some cases, downright unjustified.

In the situation of the black stripper being raped by the white Duke athletes, community leaders thought it was a case of racism because the defense cut large holes into this young woman's story. When it came to light that the young woman was not raped, no one apologized and Al Sharpton and Jessie Jackson disappeared as quickly as they'd come. What gives? Do you think that these leaders help or hinder the black community?

Answer 1

Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson are NOT leaders of the "Black community."

The sooner people realize this, the sooner people stop correlating what they do with the so-called Black consensus of what is and what isn't.

Answer 2

I think Jackson & Sharpton hinder and I certainly wouldn't call them leaders. They are in no way a true leader like Martin Luther King. They stir emotions and cause division among the races. They promote racism in the name of equality. I know they are representative of the black community and I feel they do more harm than good. Jackson & Sharpton should have come out and supported the Duke athletes when the truth came out, a great and true leader would've stood up for justice. Good luck. 2D

Answer 3

I wrote a HUGE response but I deleted it. I agree with the first comment. Whether I'm black or not, I'm a human with morals so I feel I can offer my input. I don't personally find separation and segregation beneficial to ANY group of people, especially when the separation is targeted against the majority group in America, because believe me, when we're blamed as a whole for SOME ignorant people, and experience slander and racism against our race, some of us tend to get angry over it too. It causes separation. Jesse and Al preach separation. They're not benefiting ANY community, and as for Al being a reverend, is racially motivated actions and speeches do not support the spirituality he's said to be an advocate or teacher of. That's all I've got to say. Unity through strength. What IS separation doing in this country? Causing battles between races when we should be working AGAINST separation and forming unity amongst us. Any leader that supports separation between people is not an advocate for a better society. They're in it for their own gain. And they're indeed, racist.

Answer 4

I am not a fan of Jesse or Al, because I do feel that they hinder the black community. It seems to me like they are out for they're own personal gain and are not trying to really help the community come up. But I do feel that there are minority leaders that actually care about the black community and are trying to make it better.

Answer 5

This is a hard one.
Jessie and Al needed to distance themselves for political reasons in this case. Sometimes I think they jump too fast and hit too hard to do much good. They shine most of the time though.

Answer 6

hinder we r the only race who have spokesman its rediculos n counter productive I honestly don't agree with many things our so called leaders say yet they have the ability to speak for myself and all black Americans without consoltation