Thursday, September 20, 2007

Sometimes there is a 'wolf'

The Rev. Al Sharpton (I'm not totally sure how he gets that title), in my opinion, plays the race card in places it shouldn't be played. And it is not just me who gets tired of him being the black spokesman, but a number in the black community do not feel he often helps their cause (says Jason Whitlock of the Kansas City Star).

And so when he came on TV this morning, I rolled my eyes, and said, "Oh boy, what's he going to say now?" Well, he actually had some good things to say. He didn't affirm that the beatings that these young black men gave the white lad were a good thing. But to call it attempted murder? Was that not race motivated?

He raised another point about the hanging of the nooses a year ago. Why was this not considered a hate crime to be tried? To say that race has nothing to do with anything here is obviously not the case.

I guess what I learned is that even though people cry 'wolf' (in my opinion) when there is no wolf, sometimes there just might be a wolf. So I probably need to hear people out better, even though I've disagreed with them in the past. Who knows, they may be right, even if only on occasion or blue moon.

4 comments:

Gus/Adri said...

Some prominent blacks disagree with the racist pronouncements of self-appointed (with the help of news media) spokesmen: notably Bill Cosby and Juan Williams.

Gail and Keith said...

While I generally discount Sharpton's rhetoric, I believe he has raised valid concerns on the Jena Six. G

Unknown said...

Gail,

I think this might be the first time I've agreed with the "Rev."

Gus/Adri said...

I wasn't commenting on the Jena six case but generally about Sharpton.