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Sharpton Chides Local Leaders and Officials In Megan Willimas Case
January 2nd, 2008
I reported 3 weeks ago, at The Jena 6 Blog, about the legal circus surrounding the Megan Williams case.
Well, recently Al Sharpton was in Charleston and he took to task both local politicians and so-called civil rights leaders alike.
The story from Blackpressusa.com
Sharpton Calls Megan Williams Case ”National Disgrace”
by Cash Michaels
Special to the NNPA from the Carolinian
CHARLESTON (NNPA) - Calling the alleged rape and torture of Megan Williams a “national disgrace” that was “barbaric and racist,” the Rev. Al Sharpton has chided local Charleston, West Virginia politicians, Black leaders and Black ministers for turning their backs on the 21-year-old African-American woman, just because they disapprove of her legal advisor, Black nationalist leader attorney Malik Zulu Shabazz.
“This crime has nothing to do with any of us,” the civil rights leader told over 100 participants for Megan during a rally at First Baptist Church. “This has something to do with upholding the law for all of us. “Any public official or preacher that cannot put the pain of the people above the differences of the leaders, is not fit to be a public official or preacher.”
Sharpton was speaking specifically about Charleston Mayor Danny Jones, who unsuccessfully tried to stop the Nov. 3 march and rally in support of Megan led by Shabazz, and the local Black Ministerial Alliance and NAACP, who both admittedly backed off of any public support of the black female alleged victim at the request of Logan County prosecutor Brian Abraham.
In fact, per Abraham’s demand, Megan did not attend the Dec. 18 rally. The prosecutor says he fears the rallies, marches and controversy generated will only serve to poison the predominately White prospective jury pool against the Black woman.
Sharpton told the crowd at the church that:
“As long as you rape and call our daughters the nigger word and don’t handle it. You can bet we will be back in town,” Sharpton added.
The activist said history has proven that black leadership cannot afford to allow “strategic disagreements” about philosophy and tactics prevent them from working together on their “collective responsibility” to answer the call of their community when there is trouble.
“If you’re scared, say you’re scared. Don’t try to rationalize it,…then sit down, shut up, and let somebody else handle it,” Sharpton said.
”The best way to keep us out of town is to handle hate crimes the right way here in town.”
“If you’re scared, say your scared” - I love it.
Read the full story here
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5 Responses to “Sharpton Chides Local Leaders and Officials In Megan Willimas Case”
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Yobachi Boswell is creator and publisher of BlackPerspecitve.net. I’m a writer, activist and political watcher based in Nashville, Tennessee. I’ve also been know to do some spoken word and MCing in my day.
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I’m no big fan of Sharpton,(I don’t hate him either) but he is right about the fact that disagreements over philosophy and tactics shouldn’t interfer with leaders collective responsibility to support the community, bring issues to the fore and encourage people to be activists.
Yeah Urban Scientist, Malcolm X made the same point 40 years ago saying (paraphasing) that if we have the same goals Black leaders shouldn’t fight over tactics. It’s something I’ve always heed when I’ve had riffs with local organizers in Nashville, and is why are was initially resistant in going after Michael Baisden initially.
I tried to find Malcolm’s quote for this post; but had no luck.
It is impossible for all parties who are invested in any cause to completely agree. Sadly, it is these petty disagreements that so often inhibit actual progress.
That’s true; we have to get beyond the pettiness and beyond self.