# Al Sharpton is a decent man **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [October 31, 2005, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/al-sharpton-is-a-decent-man/328775 "2005-10-31T20:11:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Bob\_Loblaw\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4af34b/32.png) [@Bob\_Loblaw\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bob_Loblaw_1)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2005, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/al-sharpton-is-a-decent-man/328775/1 "2005-10-31T20:11:14Z")
in the Rosa Parks thread a poster said: “Yes, but as cleanly and as well? If the person was, to pick a name, Al Sharpton, a mouthy, lying, prevaricating, Tawana Brawley-supporting, Cop-slandering son of a bitch?” Al Sharpton supported and believed a young girl who said she had been raped by cops, and still believes it even though she has recanted. He was found liable for slander for the same. So he was wrong as most of us judge it. And he won’t admit he was wrong, as many of us wouldn’t. But the hatred of this man is unjustified if that is the reason. The true reason that anyone hates Al Sharpton is because he is an African American trying to stand up for the rights of African Americans, racism, pure and simple. No white person would be so disgustingly denouced for taking “the wrong side” once. ---
**Author:** ![Bob\_Loblaw\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4af34b/32.png) [@Bob\_Loblaw\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bob_Loblaw_1)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2005, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/al-sharpton-is-a-decent-man/328775/2 "2005-10-31T20:12:35Z")
Link to thread > **[How is Rosa Parks not the Jessica Lynch of the civil rights movement?](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=342321)** > > She refused to give up her seat, good for her, I respect that. Was she the first person to do so, no. Others refused and were dealt with quite severely. Did she lead a movement to erradicate racism, no, but she was a figurehead of the movement. She... ---
**Author:** ![FinnAgain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/finnagain/32/12500_2.png) [@FinnAgain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FinnAgain)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2005, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/al-sharpton-is-a-decent-man/328775/3 "2005-10-31T20:24:23Z")
Slimey. If you call a man out, do so to his face and at least give his name. It’s also polite to link to the other thread so someone knows they’re being Pitted. [You’re pitting E-Sabbath for this post.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=6744616&postcount=57) I also find your argument to be as distasteful as dogshit tracked onto a Persian carpet. The **true** reason anybody could have anything against Sharpton is racism? Go fuck yourself. ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2005, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/al-sharpton-is-a-decent-man/328775/4 "2005-10-31T20:35:45Z")
> [@](#): > > Al Sharpton supported and believed a young girl who said she had been raped by cops, and still believes it even though she has recanted. He was found liable for slander for the same. There’s pretty compelling evidence that he knew the event had in fact not taken place at all pretty early on. I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt at the time he jumped in (heck, everyone I knew was initially outraged on her behalf and we were totally behind Sharpton on this one), but I have to call bullshit. I’ll dig up the cite. Can’t even think of the damn book title at the moment but it’s exquisitely researched. Sharpton began dodging every attempt to secure actual evidence pretty quickly. When you read it, broken down into time, date, event, and who said or did what in the process of trying to pursue the investigation, it’s as compelling a case as an exposé of mediums claiming to be able to make tables rise. Al Sharpton is not a decent man, sorry. ---
**Author:** ![Weirddave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/919ad9/32.png) [@Weirddave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weirddave)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2005, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/al-sharpton-is-a-decent-man/328775/5 "2005-10-31T20:38:20Z")
> [@AHunter3](#): > > Al Sharpton is not a decent man, sorry. Racist! 😛 ---
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2005, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/al-sharpton-is-a-decent-man/328775/6 "2005-10-31T20:40:33Z")
Buddy, Al Sharpton is a slimy sack of shit. I remember what he did to the damn cops. I remember him getting cut. I remember a whole lot of shit, and I can’t think of one god-damned thing he’s done that wasn’t for the greater glory of Al Sharpton. Remember Freddy’s Fashion Mart? Eight people dead, all thanks to Al Sharpton. Remember Crown Heights, and how he helped there? Weasel set off the fucking riot. How bout when he praised Khallid Abdul Muhammad? That mother’s so crazy he got chucked out of the Nation of Islam. I’m a New Yorker, Bob. I don’t forget things like that. Now, how you get from that to me being a racist? Damned if I know. Oh, did you miss the bit where I slammed the Hasidic landlords of a certain area? Go on, look, it was recent. I’m an anti-semite, too! Tell ya what, Bob. How about I let my true feelings out? Right here, right now. We’d be a much stronger country if Al Sharpton and Louis Farrakhan would have died a long, long time ago. And if people paid more attention to Bill Cosby. That man was angry as hell in the 60s. You know, I bet the Cosby show, by portraying a stable, righteous family, did _more_ for self-image of black youth, than Al Sharpton’s done in his en-mother-loving lifetime. Heck. Let me just quote one line here. “That’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard.” ---
**Author:** ![MaxTheVool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MaxTheVool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaxTheVool)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2005, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/al-sharpton-is-a-decent-man/328775/7 "2005-10-31T20:42:07Z")
This is actually a topic that’s been bugging me for a while. I think Jesse and Al both legitimately deserve LARGE amounts of criticism for various things they do wrong. But people seem to go WAY overboard in attacking them, particularly in claiming that they are big hypocrites who are only interested in publicity. Now, it’s quite possible to legitimately claim that their actions have hurt the black community as a whole. But does anyone believe that they actually are actually TRYING to hurt the black community, or, if not actively trying to hurt it, just don’t care about it? I believe that both Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton honestly want to improve the lot of black citizens, and spend reasonable portions of their waking effort doing things that they believe will further that goal. Note I’m not using words like “selflessly” or “unswervingly”. But I do think they basically are trying to do what they believe are good things. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2005, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/al-sharpton-is-a-decent-man/328775/8 "2005-10-31T20:46:49Z")
**Bob Loblaw** , I don’t think you are being fair to **E-Sabbath.** You are strongly implying he is a racist because he hates Al Sharpton. Al has an ability to make many hate him. He used to be a complete rabble rouser and extremely outspoken. My own Dad and I have had arguments about him. I promise you my Dad is not a racist. …Rev Al looks for divisive issues to promote his agenda. This leads to strong opinions for and against him. I am fairly neutral. I think, he has been trying to do what he thinks is right for his entire life. I think in the last 10 years he has been working to make himself less controversial so he could take over Rev. Jesse Jackson’s mantle as best known African American politician and to keep their agenda on the democratic agenda. … **E-Sabbath.** choosing to hate him, while praising Rosa Parks, hardly sounds racists. He sounds like someone who hates Rev Al. He has many fellow travelers on this path. Jim ---
**Author:** ![brickbacon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/898d66/32.png) [@brickbacon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brickbacon)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2005, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/al-sharpton-is-a-decent-man/328775/9 "2005-10-31T20:51:24Z")
> [@Bob Loblaw](#): > > Al Sharpton supported and believed a young girl who said she had been raped by cops, and still believes it even though she has recanted. He was found liable for slander for the same. I could be wrong, but I don’t believe Brawley ever [recanted](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tawana_Brawley). However, I think you basically got it right. [This](http://www.nathannewman.org/log/archives/000719.shtml) article expresses my feelings on the matter pretty well. Politics doesn’t usually attract honorable selfless people, but Sharpton is far down the list of public figures who deserve scorn. ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2005, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/al-sharpton-is-a-decent-man/328775/10 "2005-10-31T20:51:29Z")
Years ago I was in NYC when AS was running for Congress. I heard him on a call-in radio show. The man was calm and reasonable. Maybe he is a cartoon from time to time, but I was fairly impressed that he is not a dummy. (I just checked, the guy was born in 1954, he is fifty-one. Gee he looks bad.) ---
**Author:** ![Bongmaster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Bongmaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bongmaster)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2005, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/al-sharpton-is-a-decent-man/328775/11 "2005-10-31T20:53:02Z")
Bob, you won’t catch me calling someone dead wrong on this site to often but this is one of those times. I, and others like me, dislike the man because he is sensational, often wrong, and _ **racist** _. He seethes hatred for white people. Is some of it justified? I don’t know. But I know why I dislike him and it ain’t because he’s black. ---
**Author:** ![John\_F](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/43a26b/32.png) [@John\_F](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_F)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2005, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/al-sharpton-is-a-decent-man/328775/12 "2005-10-31T20:56:28Z")
Every time I see Sharpton interviewed I can’t help but think of him all suited up in his pimp gear trying to make some kind of bizarre, double cross, crossover sting, double take, cocaine slash money laundering deal. Way to go Rev. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2005, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/al-sharpton-is-a-decent-man/328775/13 "2005-10-31T20:57:03Z")
**Bob Loblaw** , if you can give Sharpton the benefit of the doubt of being wrong and not evil, why can’t you give his critics the same benefit of the doubt and think them to be wrong about Sharpton and not racist? ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2005, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/al-sharpton-is-a-decent-man/328775/14 "2005-10-31T21:11:57Z")
> [@](#): > > I believe that both Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton honestly want to improve the lot of black citizens, and spend reasonable portions of their waking effort doing things that they believe will further that goal. Note I’m not using words like “selflessly” or “unswervingly”. But I do think they basically are trying to do what they believe are good things :dubious: Jesse, yes. Malcolm, yes. Louis Farrakhan, even — yes. Al Sharpton? No. ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2005, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/al-sharpton-is-a-decent-man/328775/15 "2005-10-31T21:16:45Z")
If concluding that Sharpton is a wacked out bone head (and one who actually IS a racist in more ways than on) who is only out for number one makes one a racist…well, I suppose I’m a racist then. I seriously don’t see how one could even honestly defend the guy, but hey, it takes all kinds to make the world go round… -XT ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2005, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/al-sharpton-is-a-decent-man/328775/16 "2005-10-31T21:18:35Z")
I have nothing but scorn for Sharpton and Brawley. Women who lie about being raped only make it THAT MUCH HARDER for the legitimate victims, which, suffice to say, definitely do NOT need that. That they would do so only to help their own fucked up agendas is beyond vile. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2005, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/al-sharpton-is-a-decent-man/328775/17 "2005-10-31T21:27:52Z")
> [@xtisme](#): > > If concluding that Sharpton is a wacked out bone head (and one who actually IS a racist in more ways than on) who is only out for number one makes one a racist…well, I suppose I’m a racist then. I seriously don’t see how one could even honestly defend the guy, but hey, it takes all kinds to make the world go round… I guess my question for folks would be, if Sharpton is doing so much to hurt the cause of civil rights, why are so many folks who are interested in the issue of civil rights supporting Sharpton? It seems likely to me that he’s a blowhard with a cavalier attitude toward the truth, who nonetheless gets stuff done and who is effective at achieving his aims through sometimes dishonorable means. Daniel ---
**Author:** ![brickbacon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/898d66/32.png) [@brickbacon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brickbacon)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2005, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/al-sharpton-is-a-decent-man/328775/18 "2005-10-31T21:30:25Z")
> [@E-Sabbath](#): > > We’d be a much stronger country if Al Sharpton and Louis Farrakhan would have died a long, long time ago. And if people paid more attention to Bill Cosby. That man was angry as hell in the 60s. Are you black, because I know plenty of black people and few of them share your outlook. Instead of telling us what helped our self-image, and pontificating about shit you probably know little about, you should shut up and stop making an ass of yourself. First, Farrakhan and Sharpton are separate people, and should be evaluated separately. Second, if you really want anyone to take you seriously, you should try to avoid talking about the benefits of people dying. It’s just not tactful, nor is it productive. It means nothing- especially since the perspectives, and opinions he’s advocated wouldn’t die with him. If you truly believe he is a self-serving, race-baiter, then someone else would (in all likelihood) be there to replace him. There’s no shortage of people willing to exploit others for personal gain in this country. Either way, it’s a stupid thing to say, and is (sadly) indicative of the level of discussion on this board whenever race comes up. Third, you clearly know very little about Bill Cosby aside from him hawking pudding, and slandering [poor](http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4628960) people. Cosby is a hypocrite. He bitches about poor blacks not speaking standard English, but had no problem making money off Fat Albert. Not mention the [adultery](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Cosby#Controversy), and accusations that he’s fondled and drugged a number of women. Real great role model. > [@E-Sabbath](#): > > You know, I bet the Cosby show, by portraying a stable, righteous family, did _more_ for self-image of black youth, than Al Sharpton’s done in his en-mother-loving lifetime. I doubt it. Al Sharton has been an advocate for blacks, and poor people in this country. He actually helps people. While the Cosby Show was great entertainment, I sincerely doubt large numbers of people were moved by it. It was a show, like Seinfeld, Friends, or ER. Do those shows want to make people want to move to NY or become doctors? The Cosby Show was more about showing white people that black people were capable, than it was about teaching black people anything. The show was made for white people, and it was wildly successful in that regard. However, your argument that it was more important than someone who has stood up for the civil rights of disadvantaged people for decades is silly. Sharpton’s not always right, nor is he always on the moral high ground, but he’s actually taking part in individual people’s lives. That, to me, is far more valuable than much of what Cosby has done (not to say Cosby is a terrible person, and has never helped anyone). ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2005, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/al-sharpton-is-a-decent-man/328775/19 "2005-10-31T21:31:12Z")
> [@Left Hand of Dorkness](#): > > I guess my question for folks would be, if Sharpton is doing so much to hurt the cause of civil rights, why are so many folks who are interested in the issue of civil rights supporting Sharpton? > > It seems likely to me that he’s a blowhard with a cavalier attitude toward the truth, who nonetheless gets stuff done and who is effective at achieving his aims through sometimes dishonorable means. > > Daniel I completely agree with you, but do you equate hating him with being a Racists? I really **Bob Loblaw** was over the top. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2005, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/al-sharpton-is-a-decent-man/328775/20 "2005-10-31T21:34:21Z")
> [@jrfranchi](#): > > I completely agree with you, but do you equate hating him with being a Racists? > I really **Bob Loblaw** was over the top. Yeah, **Loblaw** is not really worth worrying about; if **smartguysmile** was Tarzan, **Loblaw** is Cheetah. Hating Sharpton no more makes you a racist than hating Dworkin makes you a sexist. Daniel [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/al-sharpton-is-a-decent-man/328775.md?page=2)