Reverend Al Sharpton arrives at a party to celebrate the 24 American Idol semi-finalists at Cinespace in Hollywood February 18, 2006. REUTERS/Max Morse
Posted on 03/12/2006 5:34:11 AM PST by Libloather
Sharpton: Don’t let whites redefine us
March 12, 2006
By Andy Grimm / Post-Tribune staff writer
Reverend Al Sharpton arrives at a party to celebrate the 24 American Idol semi-finalists at Cinespace in Hollywood February 18, 2006. REUTERS/Max Morse
GARY — A New York teenager named Al Sharpton left the 1972 Black Political Convention here believing that blacks could win any elected office.
Nearly 30 years later — and two years after a failed run for a presidential nomination —
Sharpton returned to Gary’s West Side High School as Saturday’s keynote speaker for the 2006 National Black Peoples Unity Convention.
Though the four-day conference was intended to map out economic strategies for black Americans, Sharpton’s half-hour address chastised his audience for giving up cultural and political power to whites in recent decades.
“We’re going to have to reclaim our community and get organized,” he said, “because what they have done is ... redefine what blackness is, redefined what leadership is, and if they can redefine what blackness and leadership is, they they don’t have to worry about us going anywhere because by definition, we’re not going anywhere.”
Sharpton was the last of several high-profile speakers at the conference, dubbed “Gary II” by organizer Richard G. Hatcher, who was in his first term as mayor during the 1972 gathering.
Illinois Senate President Emil Jones addressed the gathering before lunch, and the scheduled afternoon speaker, U.S. Rep. Charles Rangel, D-N.Y., canceled his appearance because of a personal emergency, organizers said.
On the last full day of the conference, which ends early today after a forum on Hurricane Katrina, the outspoken minister spoke to an audience of about 200 in the West Side gymnasium.
Contrasting the energy of black leadership today with the group that left Gary in 1972, Sharpton decried the black community’s backing of Democratic candidates despite a party agenda that has often ignored the community’s needs.
Sharpton, who has sparred with Democratic leaders and taken campaign contributions from groups and individuals with ties to the Republican Party, bashed former President Clinton and his wife, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, R-N.Y., who is considered a likely candidate for the 2008 Democratic nomination.
“All of a sudden, in the ’90s, the black political leader of America became Bill Clinton,” Sharpton said to applause from a crowd of around 200. “(Informed black voters) were calling a white male from Arkansas — who advocated the death penalty, the crime bill and the welfare reform bill — black.”
Sharpton added later: “We’re waiting around to see if Hillary is going to run, like if Hillary does run, she’s running for us or will address our agenda.”
In a session with reporters after the speech, Sharpton would not say whether he would run for president in 2008.
The activist criticized the images of black youth perpetuated by white-owned record labels, noting that a hip-hop song titled “It’s Hard Out Here for a Pimp” won an Academy Award last week for Best Original Song.
Sharpton also backed the Rev. Jesse Jackson’s call to protest the April 22 special election in New Orleans, supporting Jackson’s legal challenge on grounds that residents displaced by the flood would not be able to vote because of onerous election rules.
“All of a sudden, in the ’90s, the black political leader of America became Bill Clinton,” Sharpton said to applause from a crowd of around 200.
A few years back jesse jackson was on a t.v. show where a lamp blew up and he turned white and jumped under his chair in a half second.
Gotta believe if a vehicle backfires this turd sharpton is under a rock in half a second too.
I know I'd be nervous if I were him.
Sharpton was caught on video trying to become a Coke (and I don't mean the drink) dealer by the FBI. Shortly before he ran for President the tape was released and ran for one or two days on the cable news networks. To the best of my knowledge, the MSM never covered it, or covered it in passing fashion.
Remember, if Big Media doesn't cover it, it must not be news.
Honestly, Al, I dont think about blacks enough to want to define them. Or much less bother to redefine them. Get over yourself @$$hole.
Al to Blacks: Stay losers so you need me.
All because HE didn't win(be given) the presidential nomination, he has to tell blacks how to thinkk?
When are these folks gonna let go of race and join the mainstream?
I guess when it ceases to be profitable.
How about just being people and quit being so racist!
Someone's getting wise...
Are you sure you're not talking about The Former Twelfth Lady's appearance on 60 Minutes in January '92?
"Don’t let whites redefine us -- Because these guys represent True Blackness"
Cerberus at the river Styx
As long as negroes permit Charletons such as the "Rev. Al," to practice racism as their spokesman, they will continue to strive for acceptance in elections at the national level. In NJ, Where Gov. Corslime placed significant amounts of money into the hands of the negro "leaders," the buying of votes is common practice.
Yet another Sharpton article with no mention of the Tawana Brawley hoax.
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