SHOCKER: Sharpton radio show induced torching of Jewish store and murders

[Brian_Expat]

THIS is a man commenting on racial diversity issues?!?

http://www.nypdnews.com/freddys.html

On Friday, December 8, at 10:12 a.m., Roland James Smith, Jr., 51, a Harlem resident with a criminal record going back 30 years, walked into Freddy's Fashion Mart, a Jewish-owned clothing store at 272 West 125th Street, pulled out a gun, ordered all the black customers to leave, spilled paint thinner on several bins of clothing and set them on fire -- a fire that resulted in killing 8 people including Smith.

Smith had been part of a group of picketers, led by Al Sharpton , head of the National Action Network and Morris Powell , leader of the 125th Street Vendor's Association, who had been protesting the eviction of Sikhulu Shange, owner of the Record Shack who was subletting from Fred Harari, the Jewish owner of Freddy's.

. . . snip. . .

However, the Jewish Action Alliance released copies of a tape containing speeches broadcast on black radio stations WWRL, WLIB and KISS attacking Freddy's, made by Sharpton and others during rallies going back to August 19, 1995. The tape was presented by Beth Gilinsky to the police and to the media, including the Jewish Post. Short excerpts from these tapes were printed in the New York Times, New York Post and Daily News. (This reporter has transcribed the complete tape. All the relevant material on it has been reproduced on page 4.)

The transcript contains demagogic language: Fred Harari is called a "cracker" by Mr. Powell and a "white interloper" by Rev. Sharpton. It contains threats: Mr. Powell says of Fred Harari, "We gonna see that this cracker suffer." Mr. Shange says he "had to tell the lawyer for Freddy, ... Jeff Sutton, that you are tampering with something which you will be so sorry, that you open up a can of worms which you can never close any more."

[slinkerwink]

1. Sharpton called Fred Harari a cracker and a white interloper?

WTF? How can anyone fucking trust what Sharpton has to say in the presidential debates?

[NewYorkerfromMass]

32. and how can anyone say Sharpton was responsible for a crazy man?

indeed.

[WhoCountsTheVotes]

33. No, Sharpton did NOT call Harari a cracker

"Fred Harari is called a "cracker" by Mr. Powell and a "white interloper" by Rev. Sharpton."

Nice subject line though.

[san antonio]

2. His Anti-Semitism...

...has never been doubted. It really scared me in the past how somebody who claims to be fighting for civil rights could make the statements he has about Jews.

[Renew Deal]

3. This is no shocker.

This is old news. At least in NY.

[sleipnir]

4. Interesting to say the least.

After the debates tonight, I dropped Sharpton from my list of "To Vote For"

Now, I'm down to Clark/Kucinich/Dean

Sad day for that man, he should have thought about his comments and questions, he only ended up looking like a fool when the evidence was later presented.

[Brian_Expat]

5. More on Sharpton anti-semitism. . .

From the Jewish Post, excerpts of Sharpton's radio show:

http://www.jewishpost.com/jewishpost/sharp07.html

Good mornin’, family. The 125th Street Vendors Association is still in the process of signing up all the vendors so that we could go out there and challenge this cracker for what’s ours. Our market, our consumer market is ours. In the times that we are livin’ in, no single black organization, regardless of ideology, can stand alone in these tryin’ times we are livin’ in.

. . . snip. . .

Calling for segregation of Jews and others:

We are the people of the sun, and we must work to one thing at this point, which we have power to do, is to work on our economics; at least we have to be in control of our community. Anywhere in this world you go, you find out that everybody in their community, they run the business life. You go to the China town, you go to the Polish town, you to the Jewish town, they all run their businesses.

. . . snip. . .

Brother Sikhulu -- stand up, brother -- on 125th Street. I want to make it clear to the radio audience -- and do you hear -- that we will not stand by and allow them to move this brother, so that some white interloper can expand his business on 125th Street. And we’re asking the Buy Black Committee to go down there, and I’m gonna go down there, and do what is necessary to let them know that we are not turnin’ 125th Street back over to outsiders as it was done in the early part of this century.

:wow:

[psychopomp]

13. Incorrect

The quotes provided do not demonstrate anti-semitism.

On edit: Nothing about segregating anybody, either.

[Brian_Expat]

15. I guess they don't. . .

. . . if you believe that "Jewish businesses" shouldn't open up in "black neighbourhoods," and that Jews are "crackers."

You know, if someone told me that I shouldn't open a business in a "straight neighbourhood," boycotted it because I am gay after I opened it, and called me a "cracker," I'd assume he's homophobic. In fact, homophobic groups regularly boycott gay-owned and gay-friendly small businesses in the South over this.

The behaviour by Sharpton and those anti-gay activists is the same, the victims are just different.

[RafterMan]

23. Familiar ring

He sounds almost like a WTO protester!

Funny how a couple of remarks can send the Dean supporters scurrying like... well, you know what... when the light is turned on.

[Syrinx]

6. I thought this was very old news

I don't know what to make of Sharpton. He's been a two-bit hustler in a sweatsuit and gold chains, who incited the deaths of innocent people. But who am I to say people can't change? He's a deeply flawed candidate, but he's funny, and makes a few good points.

[san antonio]

7. I agree.

He seems to made more for talk radio that national politics.

[slinkerwink]

8. I'd say his good points pale in comparison to his history

[Brian_Expat]

9. Yep

Sad, too, that some candidates would rush to back up anything Sharpton says about race to get political advantages. Last time Sharpton race-baited, 8 people died and a Jewish man lost his business because he had the "temerity" to open it in a non-Jewish neighbourhood.

[Syrinx]

17. I agree

I was trying to be fair. :)

[forgethell]

31. People can change,

Al Sharpton hasn't. The first thing you need to do when you have been wrong is admit that you have been wrong, aapologize ti the people that you wronged, and make whatever restitution that you can.

Which of those has Big Al done?

[killbotfactory]

10. Sharpton a sleazeball?

No way! He has such a good reputation. This will ruin him.

[mbali]

11. Let the trashing begin . . .

Sharpton told the world that Emperor Dean is nekkid as a jaybird, so it's time to dredge up bullshit seven-year-old discredited stories like this to smear him.

But that doesn't change anything. Al Sharpton didn't tie up Howard Dean and force him not to appoint any minorities to his cabinet during his entire tenure as governor of Vermont. All Sharpton did was to state the facts, which Dean admitted, albeit reluctantly. No amount of dogging out Al Sharpton will change that.

By the way, the story you cite does not claim that Sharpton made any antisemitic comments. Please be accurate.

Moreover, as another poster noted, this is "old news." Interesting, this "old news" wasn't of any interest to Dean supporters until Sharpton called your guy out.

Hmmm.

[Brian_Expat]

12. "Old news"?

It's frightening that:

1) Other campaigns would seek to parlay the race-baiting of a known racist to further their own campaigns;

2) That the targeting of a Jewish store, with anti-semitic rhetoric by Sharpton, and the murder of black patrons for shopping in a Jewish store -- a direct result of Sharpton's campaign -- is "old news" and "no big deal."

[RafterMan]

20. Math?

How can you only have 955 posts? You started that many anti-Clark threads on Thursday!

Sharpton has always been a mixed bag. Funny how it took a jab at your candidate to activate your sense of social justice.

Quite the crusader.

[ecstatic]

27. Weren't the Jewish stores anti-black?

Isn't that how the controversy began in the first place? Sharpton came up from the worst of circumstances, and yes he was angry. He doesn't act that way anymore, but many of these issues that plague the poorest communities still need to be addressed.

[Halle]

35. Just curious

How is a store anti-black?

Do you mean like the corner stores that gouge people?

I honestly don't get what you are trying to say here.

Thanks.

[Printer70]

14. Agreed- Sharpton's past haunts him like no other candidate...

...for some reason. I don't know what it is.

[Clark Can WIN]

18. But isn't it the great Dean himself who now says that we shouldn't be

concerned with what someone said or did 4,6 or 10 years ago?

WHICH IS IT? Cause if it's good enough for the goose.............

[Printer70]

19. Dean didn't bring up Sharpton's past

What are you talking about?

[Clark Can WIN]

24. But you are..............

Do you disagree with Dean about the relevancy of words and actions of the past?

He seems to think (at least in reference to himself) that the past does not matter. He also seems keen to bring it up against others. I was wondering if this double standard was......... well.......... standard among Dean, his campaign and his supporters.

[Andromeda]

22. Do some research...

I don't have a link handy but google "Tawana Brawley." That will tell you something about Al Sharpton's past.

[Red_Storm]

30. You're right.............

Rev Sharpton exposed Dean last night for the hypocrite that he is on issues of race and now all the lil' Deanies are out in force , goin after Sharpton's head......

[Wonco_the_Sane]

16. Sharpton...hairpice??? yes or no????

Sorry.

Al does seenm to be a bit of an "albatross" for us. Time to step back and endorse a winner friend. C'mon people, there are hundreds (thousands?)(millions?) of qualified black men and women who could run for president today over Sharpton and better serve the party.


It's getting embarrassing to see him up there any more.

I will support whichever Dem gets nominated (Dean!) but I fear 90% of Americans would pick shruby over Al based on hair alone. :))

P.S. 87% of all statistics are completely made up!!!

[Name removed]

21. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Clark Can WIN]

25. Funny that so many Dean supporters now suddenly hate Sharpton

"Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain" - The great OZ

[ecstatic]

28. I agree and I don't like it

No candidate is above criticism. None. No candidate will receive blind support from me.

[SadEagle]

26. And I thought supporting Pataki and Al Damato was Sharpton's low point.

But no, he is not only in bed with NY/Republicans, he is involved in anti-Semitic actions to boot. I wonder how much damage he will do to minority rights w/his campaign.

[candy331]

29. Sharpton could have used this opportunity to

redeem himself and get some measure of respectability. I was hoping that would be his aim as many people have things in their past they wish they had not done or at least done differently but they make amends and changes. Even if his point with Dean was valid he trashed it with an outright frontal attack. Does he not know that his record is there for the public to dissect also? Of course he is a want to be and lost a golden opportunity to at least to be taken seriously so the blame for it is all his. I guess it is true in this case "a leopard can't change it's spots"


"Dean 04"

[Sir_Shrek]

34. Old news.....

....

[Constitution]

36. This is low. This kid of slander of Sharpton comes across as racism.

What is going on here is a combination of guilt by association and to blame Sharpton for because he had the nerve to object to bad behavior on the part of a white man.

Dean was involved in the covering up of the shooting of a black family in Vermont. Attempts were made to get a prosecution going but Dean and his anti-black attorney-general wouldn't allow any prosecution. This is far worse.