Al Sharpton

I think he serves a purpose. I don't know if he's doing it intentionally, but he is forcing people to remember that racism is real and that it exists in the world, etc. However, I would seriously doubt this is entirely intentional. He sems like a bit of a schmuck to me. There could certainly be better people to speak out against racism (against all groups, not just blacks), but he's doing it, and that's at least somewhat admirable, despite his failings.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Originally Posted by Drex

His root goal is laudable, but I think he's missing the mark, and has been for years. I don't think his virulent crusades end up helping end racism at all - they mostly just point out that it's there, and give it press coverage. Then someone wins money, or the media stops caring and we never find out the end result, or it's decided that something wasn't racially promoted, and then all of a sudden out pops Al Sharpton on the other side of the country, screaming bloody murder because another act of racism has occurred and no one's 'stood up' for those poor people's rights yet. Just seems a bit farcical to me. I don't do racism, but I don't see a need to fling racist situations in people's faces.

Unless it's me complaining that no one takes me seriously because I'm pale yellow. That's just funny.

Racism is ugly. It's pretty easy to ignore when it's not all around you but a guy I was pretty good friends with was seriously, and honestly afraid of black people. Not even like, jokingly, or just of those who might be crackheads (PG county lol) and potential muggers (downtown DC double lol), but of pretty much anyone who was black. He was a perfectly intelligent person otherwise, but he'd just been raised such that he was afraid of black folk. It was really ugly to see. The guy is a good friend, but really... uh, that's not a side of him I like to see.

There's nowhere I can't reach.