Goose: Imus; Gander: Sharpton
The Reverend Al Sharpton may not believe in karma. He's a Christian, of sorts, after all.
A couple of days ago he said, "'As for the one Mormon running for office. Those who really believe in God will defeat him anyways. So don't worry about that, that's a temporary situation.'" USAToday.com. After being called on the comment, he apologized, kind of, to the Mormon Church, "'I would apologize for not being clear. So let me be clear. I do not disrespect anybody's belief.'" kls.com, a TV station website in Utah.
According to ABC4.com, I think a Utah TV website:
"On his radio show Thursday, Al Sharpton issued this apology: 'If...any member of the Mormon Church was inadvertently harmed or bothered or in any way aggrieved because of the distortion of my words or the lack of clarity of my words, they have my sincere apology.'
But compare this apology to what Sharpton said just hours before. Sharpton called on Mitt Romney to explain his membership in a church which once barred blacks from holding the priesthood. Al Sharpton: 'If prior to '65 or '78 - whenever it was - they did not see blacks as equal. I do not believe that as real worshippers of God because I do not believe God distinguishes between people.'
Sharpton also told the Washington Post: 'What is bigoted about asking...about a denomination based on racism.'
In addition, the New York Times quotes the Reverend as saying: ' believe if any religion preaches supremacy or unequalness, they are not true believers in God.'"
Imus said "nappy headed ho." Bad thing to say. He immediately back tracked, apologized, apologized again, and again. Rev. Sharpton insisted upon his head. He got it.
The Reverend has a radio show. Should he be fired? If he has any other gainful employment, will his employer(s) dismiss him for the good of the country's civil discourse, to bring us all together, or whatever it was that CBS said when it dumped Imus?
My thought, no. The people that pay Reverend Sharpton aren't in the billionaire club that CBS and MSNBC are members of. Reverend Sharpton's employers will see his comments as grist for the racial mill they are paying him to grind. Can you be both grist and the grinder?
7 comments:
If Sharpton really thinks he can decide who is and isn't Christian, then he really is in the wrong field because the Bible states "judge not" and that's ALL the man does.
And when rappers can make millions singing about nappy headed hos and putting women down and using every disgusting word there is...the hypocrisy far outweighs anything that IMUS said.
I know African Americans who think Sharpton is a cross THEY have to bear. Just as Bentsen told Quayle "sir, you are no Jack Kennedy" someone needs to remind Sharpton "Dude, you are no Martin Luther King, Jr."
I don't believe that Al is a Christian, but that's just my personal opinion. I think he's a politician who uses his title as a shield against criticism.
His apology was meaningless. Basically he said "if someone misunderstood me then I'm sorry to hear that." Yeah, hardly an expression of repentance. Sociopaths do not feel sorry for wrongs they have done. They regret getting caught, but nothing more.
Until this mini-scandal I had not even registered Mitt Romney on my radar screen. I think it has helped him.
Al will not lose his job for being a racist, a Mormon-hater, or any other kind of hater. In fact, he won't even lose his job for not having any listeners. He's above the rules applied to mortal men.
My problem with Sharpton doesn't lie with what he said about Romney and the Morman Church. My problem is he took a shot at them, issued a non-apology and took on the mantle of the aggrieved, misunderstood man who just wants to create a "dialogue."
He professes not to understand the comparisons made to Imus. Both are professional dissension mongers, inserting themselves into matters that create visibility and ignoring matters that would take true effort to address.
In a way, I don't have as much of a problem with Imus as I have with Sharpton. Imus has never professed to be anything but the controversial radio jock that he is. For better or worse, everyone knew how he earned his salary. Sharpton, whether you categorize him as a minister or civil rights activist or politician, never accomplishes anything. He talks incessantly to no effect, other than self-aggrandizement.
Can you be both grist and the grinder?
Seems so. I was particularly amused by the part where he says "...inadvertently harmed or bothered or in any way aggrieved because of the distortion of my words...".
Translated: If your offended, it's your fault, the media's fault, anybody's fault but mine.
The rule seems to be that you can attack groups but not individuals. I think Imus could have gotten away with it if he had talked about women athletes in general instead of one team in particular.
I don't think that's a good thing.
This may not be the worst thing Sharpton has said, but I'm sure he has in the past. You are right though, nothing will happen to him. And one reason is the the Mormons are not going to be up in arms about it.
I came back to read what comments might be in here and just as I suspected, they were good ones. I can't come right out and say whether A.S. is a christian because that would be putting myself "down" to his level. I just know I'm not impressed with him on any level, spiritually, politically or human.
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