SHARP TALK FROM SHARPTON
ABOUT THE REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS

t a recent Saturday morning Action Rally, broadcasted "Live from the House of Justice" over WLIB and WWRL radio, probable Presidential candidate the Rev. Al Sharpton had much to say about both the Republican and Democratic Parties. As usual, he got right to the point and laid things bare.

About Trent Lott's resignation from his position as Senate Majority Leader after having made racist comments, Sharpton stated, "My position is that just because Trent Lott has stepped aside does not mean the problem is solved. Nor does it mean that we in the human and civil rights community ought to step aside from putting pressure on this administration and the Republican Party and the reactionary forces in the Democratic Party." He said there are important issues such as the need to extend unemployment insurance and the question of whether Bush's tax cuts to the rich will end up being permanent. "If we let them just make Trent Lott the scapegoat," he warned, "they will be able to skin and grin and photo-op and then turn around and do us in on matters of substance."

Sharpton conjectured that one reason Trent Lott became so careless in his comments was because for the first time in many decades the Republicans had control of the White House and the Congress. Therefore, Lott thought, "There's nothing in our way. We can dismantle what occurred in the 60's, the Supreme Court is stacked our way, and even if one or two of the judges leave, Bush will appoint their replacement." Noted Sharpton, "He thought they had reached political heaven so his lips got loose because his heart got happy. But believe me," he continued, "what dropped from his lips should be a wakeup call to all of us to realize that the good ol' boys are rounding up the troops. And we'd better round up ours to fight back. Otherwise they will have taken the town while we lay sleeping. If we understand where we are, we'll see that we've got more reason to be energized and active than we ever have."

Sharpton also made it crystal clear that he was talking about a whole lot more than racism. There are a whole bunch of Trent Lott types "who are convinced that they have the tracks greased, and they're ready to roll against the interests of most people in this country. They deregulated business, which has led to Enron and WorldCom and other things. They cut taxes for the rich, they're taking away social programs, healthcare means nothing, and seniors can't afford prescription drugs. Unemployment is on the rise; we had one of the worst Christmas seasons - the economy is not there. And," he went on, "they're talking about war on Iraq and wuffing at North Korea. I'm telling you, the jig is almost up, and you better get up now or forever hold your peace. We're not talking about what can happen; we're talking about what is happening."

Sharpton also pointed out that the Republicans did all this in the face of a Democratic Party surrender, and that the Democrats have been no great shakes when it comes to racism either. For one thing, Senator Tom Daschle, who is white, took it upon himself to forgive Trent Lott for his racist remarks. "How do you go to a press conference where a man has insulted Blacks, and, without consulting Blacks, accept an apology on something that didn't relate to you in the first place?" he inquired.

But Daschle's behavior is indicative of the mind-set the Democratic Party as such has towards people of African descent. "They talk to us and behave like we are political property rather than political participants standing up for our own interests," stated Sharpton. And he told of being asked if he runs for President, won't he take away some of the other candidates Black votes? "Like they own Black voters," he said. "The arrogance!" And he demanded, "Why aren't these other candidates seen as taking away my votes? You will never see one of them on a talk show being asked, 'Are you going to try to take away Al Sharpton's votes?'

"I'm ahead of some of them in the polls," he continued. "Why don't they drop out and support me? But that's unthinkable. The assumption is that they have a political reality and we don't."

Referring to the racist tactics used in Mark Green's recent campaign for Mayor, Sharpton said that, as to people of color, the Democrats feel, "It's all right if we insult them, marginalize them, offend them; they've got to cooperate. If they don't cooperate, they're troublemakers, and they can't be trusted." And he stated resolutely, "That's right! You can't ever trust me to cooperate with being insulted, offended, and disrespected. Don't trust me to do that!"

People in the audience were swept to their feet as Rev. Sharpton completed his remarks by invoking the image of the people in power relegating Blacks to the kitchen to prepare the meal while they sit down at the table to enjoy the sumptuous feast. Putting the political aficionados on notice, he said, "You're going to learn in 2004 that the boys and girls ain't in the kitchen any more. When you pull up to the dinning room table, I'm going to pull up, too. And I hope you've got someone in the kitchen because we aren't cooking."

Combining the image of kitchen work with campaign work, he commented, "We're supposed to cook up the base, get out the flyers, rev up the crowd - that's kitchen work! It's time to go to the dining room table where business development, contracts, the power of the criminal justice system are discussed, where lawyer's licenses can be restored, where communities can be empowered." He concluded, "We don't want your spot in the kitchen. We're pulling up to the table."