Indiana

When Sharpton Speaks

By Abdul Hakim-Shabazz

Believe it or not, when I went to the news conference this afternoon with Al Sharpton on Indianapolis’ east side, I really did try to keep an open mind.  No matter how offensive I find Al Sharpton and insulting he is to anyone with a brain, I told myself to play it straight.  No matter old and tired I find his hair, wardrobe and rhetoric, I was not going give him the benefit of the doubt.  Oh well.

Sharpton was supposed to speak to us press folks for an hour.   He showed up nearly a half hour late, only spoke to us for 10 minutes, said nothing of substance and left early.  My father had a word for people like that, but I won’t use it in mixed company.  The sad part is that no one from the Black Ministers Alliance told us he was running late or really said anything to us until Sharpton arrived.

What little Sharpton did say was merely the parroting of what the Black Minister’s Alliance had to say.  He added nothing significant to the conversation.  He repeated their calls for a federal review of the Brandon Johnson case, which is already taking place.  He called for civilian oversight of the police department internal affairs division, which already exists.  And he called for all the officers involved to be fired, even the one IMPD says intervened and was actually the hero in all this.

To be honest, I am seriously debating whether to go to his speech this evening at Eastern Star.  I’m really searching for anything of significance he might have to say to anyone with synaptic activity between their ears and I can’t think of anything.

If I was Brandon Johnson, I would rather take another police beating than have Al Sharpton and the  Keystone Cops organization known as the Black Ministers Alliance, speak for me. It would definitely be less painful.

You can hear his comments below.

al sharpton

Editor’s Note: We did have a bit of an exchange during the news conference and shortly afterward.   Sharpton is definitely a piece of work, among other things.

Full post as published by Indiana Barrister on July 11, 2010 (boomark / email).