Al Sharpton: He's a controversial figure, but he's always an essential voice in civil rights issues and many people depend on his leadership and inspiring words. He spoke to an estimated 25,000 people at a rally for Trayvon Martin yesterday in Sanford. But what was he doing at a rally on the same day his mother died?
Ada Sharpton died at the age of 87 yesterday in Dothan, Alabama. Ordinarily you'd be on the first plane you could get when your mother dies. And you know he'll be criticized for it. But I think he did the right thing. Al Sharpton is here for the living -- even as he speaks at a rally for a dead child. In a way, it honors his mother more.
Yesterday Al tweeted, "I am on the flight to Florida and will move forward with our plans to protest the killing of Trayvon Martin. My MOM would have wanted me to." Nothing is going to change for Al's mother. But there are people who wanted to hear from Al and who appreciate his leadership at a time like this. And I'm sure it meant a lot to Trayvon's parents, Tracy Martin and Sabrina Fulton.
Ada Sharpton's mother suffered from Alzheimer's disease and dimentia. Her passing is still sad, but in this case she has been slipping away from Al for years, and he would have said goodbye to her many times before now. Meanwhile, Tracy and Sabrina need support, and I'm glad Al chose to be there for them.
Do you think Al Sharpton was right to attend the rally when his mother had just died?
Image via Freedom to Marry/Flickr
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Comments 25
p.s. It's Dothan, Alabama; not Dotham, Alabama.
from the Bethany Perry School of Political Correctness (We give bonus points for pulling the Race Card!)
"Calling him a pimp, billsfan, is racist in and of itself"
Please explain, beth, why calling Sharpton a "poverty pimp" (which is a good description of him BTW) is "racist".
The man is a tool. It's all about Al, not his mother, not Trayvon Martin. At a such a difficult time for the parents, I would not want a man like Al Sharpton anywhere near me or my family -- he's a race-baiter extraordinaire, an attention-hog, and a proven liar. Shameful.
Tawana Brawley, anyone?
Bethany, why is it racist? Do you automatically assume that all pimps are black? It sounds that way to me and maybe you're the one who is racist?
Still trying to figure out how calling a black man a pimp is racist?
he's doing good in lew of his own tragedy they have both lost someone important