Al Sharpton always has to share the spotlight, even if it means hogging the

[cboy4]

stage in death of an icon.

:eyes:

[begin_within]

1. But he did make an excellent point:

that some people are praising Jackson today while they were ridiculing him yesterday...

[maxsolomon]

5. at least i'm consistent then

i did both on both days.

[4lbs]

9. I praise MJ for his musical contributions. I ridicule him for his inane belief that it's ok for a

grown man to sleep in a bed with children that aren't even his own.

I feel the same way with the looney Republican actors Jon Voight and Robert Duvall.

I like their contributions to film, and will continue to watch movies in which they have major roles. However, if they appear on a talk show to try to spout their political or ideological views, I'll watch something else.

I like most of Michael Jackson's music. I appreciate his contributions as an artist.

However, I will also say he was one disturbed individual that needed quite a bit of psychological help.

[begin_within]

10. Your sig pic is hilarious.

[Dappleganger]

31. Well said.

[cboy4]

13. Yea, he would have have trampled over people using walkers, standing in

a food line, to have been able to hog the stage -- regardless of whether Jackson had been ridiculed yesterday.

I think Sharpton does some very good work now and then.

But more than anything, he's just full of himself.


edit....TYPO

[sandnsea]

14. And he stood by Michael when few others did

I thought he was wonderful and appreciated the comments on James Brown too.

[cboy4]

15. The Rev. Me Me Me!

[Forkboy]

38. This from an OP who once said he didn't mind being called out because he likes the attention.

[Mike Daniels]

46. Praise now, ridicule yesterday because only in death did the talent rise over the tragedy

Jackson is not unique in that his talent, which really hasn't been on display for a long time, was taking a back seat to his more recent personal tragedies.

Objectively, Jackson hasn't been in the news for his talent for over 15 years at least. One could legitimately argue as well that he hit his artistic peak with Thriller and that Bad and Dangerous were musical steps backward (regardless of their commercial success).

And, it should go without saying that when you've spent (at least) the last 15 years acting more like an eccentric flake than a ground-breaking artist it's reasonable to assume that you're going to become a joke.

So, while Sharpton may be right in his observation he's also ignoring that the ridicule comes from the reality that Jackson's best years were long behind him and his recent past was becoming the common image of his life.

[Mike Daniels]

47. delete/accidental duplicate of prior post

[Cash_thatswhatiwant]

2. ugh, i know. Can we get a news conference from a doctor or a family member before al sharpton

holds one? jeez.

[Subdivisions]

3. Stand by for Jesse. n/t

[Left Is Write]

4. I admit being very confused about *why* Al Sharpton was speechifying.

[Bucky]

6. Yes shame on him for elbowing his way into the TV studio & forcing them to broadcast that interview

[EFerrari]

7. It's all right. That's what he does. And I also remember him

going to talk to black audiences in 2004 when no other candidate did. You take it all together, it's a package.

[Chisox08]

8. Was a TV camera there? If yes

Then that explains it. When was the last time you seen Rev. Al Sharpton in a church, is he still a preacher?

[ellacott]

43. I saw him in church last summer

Yes, he still is a preacher.

[Neecy]

11. I don't agree

They were close friends and if I recall correctly, Sharpton was one of Jackson's most vocal defenders during the 2005 trial. Certainly he can comment on the death without 'hogging' the stage.

[cboy4]

17. LOL! Of course he was one of the most vocal defenders!

It provided him a stage.

[madinmaryland]

23. Great. Using the death of person to trash someone else. At least

you aren't trashing the man who passed away.

Thanks, cboy.

[cboy4]

25. Why would I trash one of the greatest performers of all time?

Al Sharpton, on the other hand, should be ashamed of himself for running to the podium as fast as he did before the King of Pop's body even had a chance to cool.

[madinmaryland]

30. Dude! You are using the death of a person to trash someone else.

Sad. just very sad.

[CatWoman]

18. thank you Neecy

the sanctimonious and self righteousness permeating this place has sickened the fuck out of me.

[Neecy]

19. yeah, it's getting pretty thick in here

[CatWoman]

20. and I have to get away from it

it is truly disgusting.

[gizmo1979]

12. Rev. AL is the man.

He's a media whore.He's a riot though.

[Uzybone]

16. thats very unfair to Al in this case

he want to the Apollo and the cameras followed. Its not his fault they broadcast his speech. He was very close to MJ.

[cboy4]

21. LOL

:eyes:

[Octafish]

22. He brought up the Democratic Party and how MJ supported the Cause.

Al's got his faults, but he does Fight the Good Fight.

[madinmaryland]

24. Alerting for extreme Stupidity!

[cboy4]

27. I have a right to my own opinion about Sharpton. You have a lot of nerve trying

to transform this thread into a flame fest for the only purpose of trying to get it locked.

If you don't like it, nobody is stopping you from starting your own thread praising Sharpton.

[madinmaryland]

29. I don't give a shit about sharpton. The point is, you are dancing on someone who

body has not even cooled off.

SHAMEFUL!

Let it go for a couple of days.

[cboy4]

35. .....

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_vMq1J9yGgdo/SKxio0NJ7FI/AAAAAAAAD9w/0QnhYVOAGT8/s400/filing+a+restraining+order.gif

[madinmaryland]

36. ..

You lose an argument, and now you start posting silly stuinflammatory stuff on a public message board.

Sad.

[Name removed]

26. Deleted message

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

[Odin2005]

28. That's par for the course for Sharpton.

[fishwax]

32. what a crock

but it wouldn't be DU if somebody didn't take a shot at Sharpton ...

[madinmaryland]

34. You would think the OP would not be so biased and inflammatory...

But whatever.

[Forkboy]

33. Peering into my crystal ball I can see the future of this thread.

[Generator]

37. LOL

Everyone is always hating on the Al. I mean wtf? I like Al. He's a loudmouth and the right despise him-good enough for me. At is especially annoying because I ENJOYED his contribution to the primary and all my own husband could do his trash him. But I like rabble rousers, god damn it!

[HamdenRice]

39. I'll note the OPer is not from NYC and probably has no idea what Sharpton's role is in NYC politics

Nor, would he know that people are spontaneously gathering in front of the Apollo Theater in Harlem where the news media are looking for reactions from all kinds of African American New Yorkers.

What a mean spirited jerky OP.

[cboy4]

40. I'm not from New York Ciy?

What, just because I live in Roseville, California because of my job, I couldn't possibly have been born and raised in NYC? :eyes:

[HamdenRice]

41. So let me get this straight. You work in California, but were in Harlem yesterday?

And that's how you saw the spontaneous gatherings near the Apollo and the context in which Sharpton spoke?

Was this by astral projection? Or mental teleportation? Or remote viewing?

Btw, "from" has meaning other than "place of birth." I'm currently "from" Queens, but I was born in Brooklyn.

[cboy4]

42. Keep digging fool

Just to recap what you said:

"I'll note the OPer is not from NYC and probably has no idea what Sharpton's role is in NYC politics"

You didn't say anything about me not being in NYC .. You accused me of not being from NYC.

How fucking stupid do you think I am?

[HamdenRice]

48. "How fucking stupid do you think I am?"-You know I can't answer that question

without violating DU rules on civility. But I appreciate the fact that you asked the question yourself!

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

Would you describe yourself as being a DUer from New York at this time?

But we get your bigger point. You're part of the contingent on this thread that hates Al Sharpton, hates Jesse Jackson, hates ... fill in the blank.

[cboy4]

51. You won't answer the question, will you?

How sad and pathetic.

[HamdenRice]

52. You want me to answer the question, "How fucking stupid do you think I am?"

And you think it's sad and pathetic that I am respectful (in accordance with DU rules), kind, and generous enough not to want to answer that question honestly?

:silly: :crazy: :silly:

[cboy4]

54. LOL. Not only did you accuse me of not being from New York City, you

also insinuated that I don't know what was going on in Harlem, even though I watched the whole news conference on a device called a television.

Oh how I get bored handing people like you their asses on a platter

Candy from a baby.

Know what I mean HamdenRice?

Of course you don't know. lol

[Starbucks Anarchist]

44. There's an amazing invention called television.

Maybe you've heard of it?

[HamdenRice]

49. Dag, what happened to you, lo these last few weeks?

I thought you had disappeared!

[cboy4]

50. +1

[ellacott]

45. The OP also doesn't know the history of Micheal and Rev. Al

Michael idolized James Brown and James Brown was Rev. Al's "adopted" father. That's how they first met. When Micheal had legal problems getting out of his Sony contract he went to the National Action Network for help. Rev. Al marched with Michael at Sony headquarters. When James Brown died Michael called Rev. Al because he wanted to view the body before the funeral. Rev. Al arranged for him to do that and talked him into staying and speaking at the funeral.

They were closer than many people know.

[Karenina]

53. . .

[cboy4]

55. Keep telling me what I don't know ellacott!

The spectacle you're making of yourself is more than worthy of an admission fee.

[ellacott]

56. You don't know

Stop trying to play it off. If you knew you would have understood why he chose to speak.

[cboy4]

58. I already said he does some good things. But that doesn't hide the fact that:

http://bp2.blogger.com/_-VRtK6dReGU/RnEMOhntDMI/AAAAAAAAAJQ/zLglxPhWLDo/s400/gainusa+attention+whore.jpg

[superduperfarleft]

57. As a disinterested observer...

it's not HamdenRice and ellacott that are looking ridiculous.

Al Sharpton and Michael were very close. Just because you didn't know that when you started the OP doesn't mean you're suddenly justified in running around calling people stupid.

edit: And it's ironic that someone who makes an OP that is deliberately inflammatory and flamebaitey is calling other people attention whores.

[cboy4]

59. Yea, someone on the moon could die, and you can bet Sharpton would

trample men, women and children to get to the microphone.

"Flamebaitey"?

Okay then!

[aaaaaa5a]

60. I thought the Sharpton press conference last nigh was ridiculous!

Why did the TV networks take it live?