What a surprise! The Rev. Al Sharpton wants someone to apologize. This time, it is Isiah Thomas.
Sharpton says he will protest outside Knicks home games this season if Thomas doesn’t apologize for his comments about calling black women the b-word during his deposition for the sexual harassment trial he just lost.
How about this, instead, Rev. Sharpton? How about you and the Rev. Jesse Jackson apologize for railroading the innocent Duke lacrosse players first, and then you can tell other people what to do?
How about you mind your own business for once and stop trying to use people for no other purpose except to generate publicity for yourself and continue to create the illusion that you are relevant in the arena of ideas?
As usual, Sharpton is jumping into the political debate before he has the facts.
He says he is calling on Thomas to apologize “because of what came out during the deposition … when he said it was all right for black men to call black women ‘bitches,’” according to published reports. “It is inexcusable for any man of any race to call black women or any women ‘bitch.’”
Sharpton went on to say his National Action Network would picket the Garden during Knicks home games unless Thomas apologizes.
UPDATE: After speaking with Thomas by phone Saturday, Sharpton agreed that his National Network Decency Initiative would review the deposition before picketing the Knicks. “He further asserted that there must be one level of standards for all people, and as he held Mr. Imus, hip hop artists and others accountable, Mr. Thomas also had to clarify his position on behalf of all women or there will be further action,” a spokesman said in a statement released on Sharpton’s behalf.
My question to Sharpton, based on that statement, would be this: Is the Rev. Sharpton going to demand that 50 Cent and Justin Timberlake apologize for the lyrics in the following chart-topping song I was subjected to on the radio while driving my 3-year-old home from a birthday party on Saturday? Is he going to demand sanctions against the radio station, Z-100, that plays it every five minutes?
She work it girl, she work the pole
She break it down, she take it low
She fine as hell, she about the dough
She doing her thing out on the floor
Her money money, she makin' makin'
Look at the way she shakin' shakin'
Make you want to touch it, make you want to taste it
Have you lustin' for her, go crazy face it
Now don't stop, get it, get it
The way she shakin' make you want to hit it
Think she double jointed from the way she splitted
Got you're head ___ up from the way she did it
She's so much more than you're used to
She knows just how to move to seduce you
She gone do the right thing and touch the right spot
Dance in you're lap till you're ready to pop
I think I can answer my own question: No, he isn’t.
Alan Hahn is down in Charleston, where people with much better things to do (including him) are instead spending their time chasing another Sharpton non-story. Rev. Al apparently backed off after Isiah explained to him that his deposition testimony was edited in such a way to maximize his embarrassment to the jury. Now Sharpton apparently is going to take aim at the lawyers who spliced the testimony, presumably those representing Anucha Browne Sanders.
Frankly, Isiah should have told Sharpton to mind his own business.
Kevin Mintzer, one of Browne Sanders’ attorneys, is asserting that Thomas’ attorneys made no objections to the portion of the deposition that was played in court. A Garden spokesman had no comment, beyond pointing out that Thomas stated outside the courthouse that it is “always wrong for any man to call a woman a bitch. I didn’t do that, and I would never do that.” He also pointed out that Thomas addressed this matter in his direct testimony from the witness stand, which Sharpton evidently didn’t take the time to read before spouting off and demanding apologies again.
The point is, once again Sharpton is pretending to stick up for a group of people who supposedly have been wronged, when in reality he is just using someone – this time, Isiah Thomas – to give him an excuse to hear himself have a tantrum so he can raise more money for his political agenda. Thankfully, unlike the Duke lacrosse case, no one is in danger of going to jail this time over his irresponsible ambulance chasing.
Alan and I are in the process of finding out what the various attorneys in the case think about this development. My guess is, they’re either bored or laughing.
Comments (10)
I like Ken Berger and I've never even met the gentleman. His call for Sharpton to make his own apologies before calling on others to make theirs is right on the mark. Shartpton still owes the people of Dutchess County, NY an apology for vilifying them for an attack on Tawana Brawley that never took place. Sharpton and his cronies rode into town, raised hell and then fled after they painted a quarter of a million innocent people as racists. But alas, Sharpton lacks the moral fiber such an apology would take. I'm not holding my breath.
Amen Kenny !!!
Mr. Berger,
Thanks for the input on the sanctions questions I raised in a previous hit at your blog (the question with regards to what measures Stern could take).
I will be eager to here what are the attorney's opinions with regard to Sharptons Knee Jerk Politicking. I can only imagine what they'll say.
Their was alot of back and forth at the Alan Hahn Blog about the topics of the Jerome James signing and his constant minor injuries as well as which young pup would be cut before the regular season. The debate spilled over into near WWIII proporions. I just gave my take on why I was frustrate with Jerome and basically made the contention that the trade, while making sense at the time of the signing, was a mistake in hindsight. Also that Jerome James's lack of motivation to take his role, even as a reserve, seriously and come into camp in decent shape stings when one considers the potential in additional young talent the Knicks have at camp and might have to cut. That got me to my next point which was while the James signing is an acknowledged mistake, why would Thomas just want to let go of a rookie, which many think have potential, just to possibly watch that rookie end up on an Eastern Conference Opponent and bite us in the arse if he develops his potential. I said that it would be a better idea to trade one of the pups out west for cash considerations to avoid having Thomas compound the James signing by letting a rookie land on the Celtics to bolster their anemic roster.
What's your take on my contention?
Thanks again.
I was directed here by some fixers! Way to go brother Ken.
Just as Sharpton should have looked into the facts before speaking, maybe you should take the time to learn about Sharpton's actual relevance in the black community. Your rant is as irrelevant as someone ranting about Britney Spears' lack of talent. The fact is, since the media, mostly the white mainstream media, believe that Sharpton and his partner in shame Jesse Jackson, speak for all black people, nothing gets attention unless one of them is around. Maybe if the media paid more attention to the real community activists instead of giving these two insitgators the time of day, as you just wasted emotion and keystrokes doing, they wouldn't have such an audience. But then that wouldn't fit into the media's divide and conquer scheme which is why Sharpton even exists as he does. Blacks read the rants, sit back and laugh as the media gets itself all worked up whenever Al or Jesse chase a camera, since we've always known these two were nothing more than attention seekers. So basically Ken, what are you so mad at? Why do you deem Al Sharpton's actions and words worthy of wasting your time on a non issue? As Sharpton should stick to what he does, maybe so should you. Because to someone who's know Sharpton's MO since forever, you're ridiculously late to the party. I can't give you a rousing ovation
*I can't give you a rousing ovation for regurgitating things that have been said for the last 20 years.
Mr. Berger,
I'm glad Al isn't only holding Imus accountable. As for the song you mentioned - please note:
1 - Why in the HELL would you allow such a song to play around a 3 year old?
2 - what do you mean 'subjected to'? Weren't you the adult in the car? Couldn't you simply turn the station?
3 - Al has been on record so many times attacking rap artists for their songs that it's becoming nauseating. Most of the media (ah hemm) never cover him when he rips rap artists for their comments.
4 - The real problem w/ the song isn't the artists as much as it is the record companies and the radio stations. Al isn't going outside of the home of Isiah b/c he's problem seems more directed toward the MSG employee ... who happens to be Isiah Thomas. Similarly, you don't go after Imus - you go after NBC and CBS radio.
5 - Point blank - what Isiah said was wrong and I'm glad to see somebody w/i the black community doing more than simply reporting the story.
you accuse sharpton for speaking before knowing the facts. in this case, he is speaking against thomas using the term "b**ch* in reference to a black woman. what part of that isn't factual?
and then you say that sharpton should mind his own business? a large part of the black community see sharpton as a leader and a voice who speaks for them. just because he's not relevant in the arena of white ideas doesn't mean he's not relevant. if he's not relevant than why do the press cover his press conferences?
lastly, your argument in the update is not a good one. basically, you're saying, "well if you think this is wrong, why don't you speak out against every single instance of it?" sharpton picks the thomas case because it is a very high profile one that is likely to generate attention, dialogue, and hopefully action in response to sexual harassment in the workplace. and surely, you can't think that is a bad thing?
Berger I won't waste as much space as you. Your article was way off base. THE Rev. Al is a great man but, he chases ambulances too much. He is complaining that a man called a woman a bit*h... how is that bad? Get a life and recognize he does a lot for the Black Community.
I am very sick of Al Sharpton. I was upset that he flew down to NC to attack those boys from Duke before any of the facts of the case come out. I am African-American and I got alot of grief from other African-Americans becuase my take on the Duke accusation was "If they did do this thing, then it is awful. However, I am going to reserve judgement until I know the facts." I was called a "white apologist", "Uncle Tom", ect..
Well the facts come out, it turns out that the girl was lying all along. All of sudden it got very quiet, everyone wanted this issue to go away. People refused to acknowledge that they were wrong.
Al Sharpton should apologize for getting it wrong.
All those women groups who protested Duke games should apologize fro getting it wrong.
You would think that Al would have learned his lesson, but he has not. Once again he says he will protest and demonstrate without knowing the facts. Isiah did not call say it was alright to call ms. Brown a bitch. He said that he sees a distinction between a white man saying that to a black woman and a black man saying that to a black woman. He didnt say either is right. He didnt say one was excusable.
Al needs to check his facs before he grabs the jogging suit and microphone.