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

[governsleastgovernsbest]

Imus-Sharpton MSM-double-standard ping to Today show list.

[onyx]

I enjoy their side’s infighting.

[Puppage]

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

Like Steven Pagonis?

[Txsleuth]

Actually...I think more Freepers would vote for Al Sharpton today that George Bush..

I am not even in the mood to worry about the trivialities of people like Imus, Sharpton, Jesse Jackson or anyone else that aren’t serious people.

[governsleastgovernsbest]

Yes, but you see, that’s different, because, uh, because . . .

[governsleastgovernsbest]

I’d agree, but when ABC gives Sharpton a platform from which to address millions of people, it begins to matter.

[Puppage]

Yes, but you see, that’s different, because, uh, because . . .

Exactly!

[theDentist]

I think more Freepers would vote for Al Sharpton today tha(n) George Bush..

I think you’re wrong. We’re angry, but we’re not stupid.

[WakeUpAndVote]

Why don’t they both just go on to the View and have Rosie mediate?

[b4its2late]

The media smells blood in the water. So their adding more chum. They'd love to see any radio show host fall, except those in Airhead America. But they don't know that Imus went more left in 2000.

[theDentist]

Can you remind us what that was again? I recall a slander suit....

[Mo1]

The chic on FNC was saying that Imus shouldn't’t be fired and how people shouldn’t forget about all the charity and money he’s given to help people

Hmmm .. so basically if you give enough money .. you get a pass and can say anything you want and get away with it?

[DemEater]

How long until Imus enters rehab and come out curred?

[Txsleuth]

Have you read that thread??? LOL

[Txsleuth]

Marvin Kalb was just on Fox News and said that Imus needs to make a “statement”...but, the statement that Kalb was talking about was for Imus to RESIGN.

[governsleastgovernsbest]

It was just announced: he’ll be sharing a room at the rehab center with Isiah Washington ;-)

[advertising guy]

these inbreeds.........if Imus was to leave pMSNBC and went to ABC,the promos would be endless.

[Txsleuth]

WOW...now that is an idea.

Imus leaves where he is now...and goes to Rosieland at ABC!!

[Rummyfan]

Sure! It’s just like buying carbon offsets!