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IS AL SHARPTON RESPONDING TO DAVID BANNER?: In response to editorial-cartoon, he says, 'don't send a boy to a man's fight.'
"In our fight throughout the history of the National Action Network we have never been silenced by apologists for racism, police brutality and government neglect, nor will we be silenced now by some buck dancing rapping Uncle Toms that try to divert our fight with their masters to them."
*Today by commenting on an editorial cartoon, which appeared in Friday's edition of the (Jacksonville) Florida Times-Union newspaper, Rev. Al Sharpton also appears to be responding to rapper David Banner.
As you know, Sharpton has been on a crusade for rappers to eliminate the words "ho," "bitch" and "nigger" (and all variations) from their recorded music and of course Banner has relentlessly lashed out at him here on EURweb and other sites.
Sharpton's response seems to address both the cartoon/editorial (see below) for having the gumption for using the word "ho" and in the last paragraph, he all but names Banner who's has been relentless in attacking him. By inference, Sharpton says his fight is not with Banner or anybody other than the powers that be.
"Our fight is not with some paid self-hate promoters, our fight is with the companies that uphold a standard that will not allow gays, Jews or police to be disparaged in music but will allow our women to be disparaged."
Below the cartoon is the National Action Network/Reverend Al Sharpton's complete response.
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From Friday's (08-17-07) Florida Times-Union cartoon-editorial by Ed Gamble
Aug. 20, 2007 - former Presidential candidate Reverend Al Sharpton, one of the leading civil rights advocates in the country, was appalled to see the aforementioned cartoon that ran in the Florida Times Union on Friday and is using this cartoon as further proof that the hip hop community and those who market them must be held accountable for the destruction they are causing in the Black community.
The word "ho" is so commonly used by hip hop artists that it has become such a despicable part of American vernacular that mainstream media outlets are now using it. And part of the reason that Rev. Sharpton has targeted the media companies that have hip hop artists that capitalize off of the sales from this word is because it has become a tool for dehumanizing and breaking down the image of black women and the pervasive misogyny in hip hop music can no longer be accepted. Fighting against the disrespect of mothers, sisters and strong resilient black women is a integral part of Rev. Sharpton's Decency Initiative at the National Action Network which was founded after Imus called the women of the Rutgers women's basketball team "nappy headed ho's." The National Action Network has begun a divestment campaign to begin draining state pension fund money from record companies that utilize the public funds to degrade women. Further, by romanticizing the "Don't Snitch" mentality it is encouraging the continuation of police brutality, racial profiling and the lawlessness of a corrupt society. The idea of making Blackness synonymous with thuggery and gangsterism is unacceptable.
People and artists that attacked the National Action Network’s August 7th “Day of Decency” forget that it was women that called for the event and these women did not attack any artist by name but attacked the policy of standards by the record companies. It is curious to Reverend Sharpton that some artists would take it upon themselves to get into an argument that was not directed at them. According to Reverend Sharpton: "I suppose that any time you attack the master that the Uncle Toms will take it upon themselves to defend the master and in our fight throughout the history of the National Action Network we have never been silenced by apologists for racism, police brutality and government neglect, nor will we be silenced now by some buck dancing rapping Uncle Toms that try to divert our fight with their masters to them. Our fight is not with some paid self-hate promoters, our fight is with the companies that uphold a standard that will not allow gays, Jews or police to be disparaged in music but will allow our women to be disparaged. My fight is with the record owners that have a double standard not the rappers that are employed by them so don't send a boy to a man's fight."
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