ABC Gives Sharpton Platform to Opine on Imus; No Mention of Rev's Racial Controversies

NewsBusters ^ | Mark Finkelstein

[governsleastgovernsbest]

If George Allen turned up on Good Morning America to protest an incident of alleged anti-white bigotry, what are the odds the GMA host wouldn't mention Allen's macaca moment? I'd say they'd be a Dylanesqe "Love Minus Zero."

But when GMA aired a clip this morning of Al Sharpton expressing his outrage over Don Imus' recent comments about the Rutgers women basketball players, not a discouraging word was heard about Sharpton's history of racially-charged statements and actions that go far beyond the former senator's gaffe.

View video here

GMA CO-HOST CHRIS CUOMO: Now leaders in the African-American community are targeting Imus as a racist.

SHARPTON: I am not one that feels this can just go away, without establishing a serious precedent that enough is enough.

If Sharpton feels Imus should be fired, as his words and the GMA graphic seemed to imply, that is certainly his right. But how could ABC have given Sharpton such a platform without mentioning the Rev's own run-ins on matters racial? This is, after all, the man who burst onto the national scene as propagator-in-chief of the Tawana Brawley hoax, perpetuating the worst kinds of stereotypes. The man whose "white interloper" remark in the infamous Freddy's affair ended with a mass shooting and store-burning in which seven people died. The man who in the midst of a racially-charged atmosphere in Brooklyn leading to riots in which a Chassidic Jew was stabbed to death, referred to Jews as "diamond merchants." Jeff Jacoby, columnist at the Boston Globe, details the Rev's controversial past here.

But again, ABC referred to Sharpton only as an African-American community "leader," with nary a word suggesting that the man casting stones at Imus is hardly without sin when it comes to slinging racial epithets and stereotypes.

The MSM's double-standard strikes again.

Contact Mark at mark@gunhill.net

[Scotswife]

does this mean abc will allow civil engineers and demolition experts have their say about Rosie?

[ozzymandus]

Go to www.negrospace program.com, if it’s still up.

[Continental Soldier]

In all of this there is one thing that should not be forgotten. Exactly, who is IMUS that he should insult those Rutgers college girls playing basketball for their school? They are not public figures who go before the cameras and microphones every day. They played basketball and they tried to win a national championship. Again, who is IMUS to insult them? And to insult them on national radio/television?

[Sam Ketcham]

Research NASSA on the WWW. You will find that there is a humorous, sort of anti establishment, video produced, written and acted by American Negroes. You’ll have to ask them why they spelled it with two “Ss” I don’t know.

[Anti-Bubba182]

“SHARPTON: I am not one that feels this can just go away, without establishing a serious precedent so I can enhance my power and income bigger than Jesse Jackson...and make me tall and muscular instead of a fat greasy troll.”

[katieanna]

Thanks for the answers. You all have a good evening. God bless, Kate.

[ken21]

BLACK GROUP CRITICAL OF SHARPTON’S CIVIL RIGHTS FLIP-FLOP
usnewswire via bloomberg no url | 11/7/3

Posted on 11/07/2003 11:27:13 AM PST by NativeNewYorker

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1016996/posts

[hotshu]

Imus has made a career of the insult. Nobody on the left complains when Imus calls the President stupid or when he refers to the Vice-President as “pork chop boy” or as a lying weasel.

The double standard is alive and well in the drive-bys. Verbally assault religion and conservatives and you get praised; make an offensive comment about women or any minority and there will be hell to pay!