Tuesday, June 17, 2008

Keep Pimping, Keep Pimping

Do y'all remember the most famous line on on Bel, Biv, DeVoe's smash hit Poison?

Never trust a big butt and a smile....


Well, I have to admit that I'm partial to large derrieres and smiles, but I've never trusted a Press and Curl and a megaphone. Which means I always saw this news about Al Sharpton coming.

Poverty pimping to the fullest.

Check out the article, it appears the most famous perm in America, (What? James Brown is dead and Michael Jackson lives in Dubai.), is using his position as the mainstream media's spokesman for Black America to line his pockets. And not just his pockets, but the pockets of his fake-ass non-profit corporation that is surely slinging money to all of Mr. Dark and Lovely's friends in New York. Also, Rebbin Al is using all the personal information from the people who attend his conferences and other events to entice sponsors to give him more dough.

Hmmmm, why does that sound so familiar?

Pimp hard, pimp harder.

Look, before anybody gets too upset, I know the New York Post is a suspect news source only slightly better than Fox News and owned by the same cat. I read that article and I can see that it was a thinly disguised hit piece on Sharpton designed to provide cover for racists by assailing his credibility. I can see that.

But that don't make it a lie.

Shoot, check out Sharpton's response to the allegations. Basically, homeboy says that everybody is doing this and you can't prove that I'm getting paid off. He claims that all of his advisory roles have nothing to with the companies he advocates boycotting and that any appearance of a conflict of interest is off base.

Does he think we are stupid?

Man, I respect that Al is trying to eat, but when you're this obvious about shaking white folks down through claims of racism it does all other black folks a disservice. See, despite his flowery rhetoric and ability to generate media attention to injustice, Al Sharpton's first priority is clearly taking care of Al Sharpton. He ain't trying to change the world, this nigga is just trying to eat.

Really it's a damn shame. Sharpton is an astute man who understands the power dynamic in this country and understands the problems black folks have. Yet, with his actions, and his inability to keep those actions a secret, Sharpton has revealed his true motivations and has jeopardized any future protests he is a part of. Seriously, he has made it even easier for stubborn racists to ignore black complaints and chalk them all up to Mr. Conk looking for a quick buck.

I'll admit that I was never a huge Al Sharpton fan. I respected his intellect, respected his willingness to speak for the those without a voice, but, as my many insults show, I could never get past the fact that the brother had a perm. I know he calls it a tribute to the Godfather of Soul, but in my mind it was always a symbol of ignorance.

Most intelligent black people know that the root of many of our community's problems is self hatred that was created and encouraged by white people's insistence that everything black was inferior. Consequently, I believe that any man who is advocating for black people and trying to uplift our race cannot have an overt symbol of self-hatred like chemically-processed hair on his head. It sends the wrong message because of the reasoning behind the whole perming process for black men. (I have different feelings when it comes to women.)

Anyway, my bias means that I'm not surprised by this news and I'm more willing to give it credence than I would be if the Post was making similar allegations about Barack Obama or some other black person I was fond of. Nothing I've seen from Al Sharpton leads me to believe he would be above extorting money through the threat of racial protest or boycott. Nothing.

Pimps up and hoes down.

18 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'm Black and Sharpton does NOT speak for me. I wish that those CEOs would hold on to their money! He's a buffoon! Hey, New Orleans, I'm from Baton Rouge! How are things going down there?

OG, The Original Glamazon said...

Yes, that's the problem I have with both Sharpton and Jackson. It is all about pimping the pain. If Al or Jessie were Walter Lee Younger they would have grabbed that check out of Mr. Linder's hand so quick Ruth's head would have spun!

It's funny I talked to my Uncle/Godfather the other day for the holiday and he asked me why I thought the two had remained their distance from Barack. I told him jokingly told him to watch SNL's Obama files.

Then I got to thinking about it and thought has to be exposure, they can't want the light of Barry to shine THROUGH them and their paper thin motives for black folks and fighting racism.

Anyway what do you think about the Gore endorsement...i gotta ask. I mean its not surprising but I am glad it happened.

-OG

Unknown said...

I'm with you, Field, I just never really trusted him. AND I think that Jackson has been living off of the "I marched with King' thing like waaaay too many of our so called leaders. I owuld trust him more if he didn't seem like he was trying to always make it about him. Or if he didn't disappear as soon as the cameras did.
So I won't be too surprised if it is true, but I will be saddened. Personally, I'm tired of black people waiting for the next great black leader. It's you. It's me. It's each of us - now get off of your damn couch and go DO SOMETHING.

Truthiz said...

WHAT?!

Sharpton extorting $$$? AGAIN?!

Surely you jest Big Man?..LOL!

Okay seriously, FEW (if any) intelligent Black folk are "surprised" by this news.

IMO, Sharpton and Jackson are, TODAY, what they've always been_Race-baiting poverty Pimps and Poseurs.

Big Man said...

Well, I have to admit that I was a little surprised that Sharpton was this brazen about his hustle.

I knew he had a hustle, but I didn't realize it was as a straight Mafia protection money hustle.

WNG

You're right, Jesse has been eating off Dr. King for way too long. Now, I give the man credit for doing some work of his own since then, but every time he climbs on his high horse I think about that drama he had with his out of wedlock baby and I just tune him out.

Big Man said...

Anon

Things are going good down here in NO. We're still trying to recover, but there has been progress.

Anonymous said...

WOW! I always wondered how that perm stayed so tight.

I can honestly say Al understands the game. And I really believe the things he and the Rev. do makes some difference behind the scenes. They can be aggrevating when you see them on TV but think about it is there anyone out there that can do what they do. This is just my opinion. I mean there are people in my city who use government funding and claim to be implementing programs to up lift the community and dont even try and fake like the programs are in place and just take ALL the money. So if AL can male some differece keep the perm tight and keep the main thing the main thing no bid deal.

Unknown said...

Wow dp, have our standards fallen that low?
That's sad - we should expect so much more from ourselves, our communities and our leaders.

Anonymous said...

Wng

Dont get me wrong in the past yes I have held our leaders in a high regard when I was, lets just say unaware. I have not lowered my expectations I woke up.

I am not here to suggest that all political leaders and community leaders have slithered their way into kickbacks and substantial fringe benefits and backdoored their way into governmental contracts with the very companies that funded their spectacular campaigns Or pass laws to allow muti-billion dollar corps to continue to pillage through the lower and middle class families in America or even get thousands of Americans kills for reasons of profit and greed. Or that BIG business RUNS our society not the leaders. No No I am not suggesting that ALL of our leaders do such things. Im so there are 10 or 12 that got cut out the loop.

All I am suggesting is that AL my be a pain and he may not speak for all Black people. But I am sure CEO's think about him and the Rev. when they make certain decisions and that alone makes some difference. If he gets "donations" to keep his "hoes" somewhat in line I dont see the problem.

By the way Mr. Obama will not have this problem because the people funded him so he owes US! And I believe he will bring the dignity and respect back to politics and leadership.

Lenoxave said...

I am not in the least bit surprised. As a New Yorker who has watched to good Rebbun since the early 80's and the debacle that was Tawana Brawley, he has always been suspect.

It stopped being about civil rights and socio-econimic and political justice a long time ago. He's a straight hustla wrapped up in the cloak of "justice."

Big Man said...

DP

Man thanks for commenting so extensively. I agree with WNG that we need to hold Rev. to a higher standard then they one you suggested, but I'm glad to see you giving your point of view.

What I think bothers me the most, is that Rev's actions are just making things harder for the average black person. Like that sister who recently filed a suit agains Nascar for some pretty heinous behavior on the part of Nascar's employees.

Because of the combination of Sharpton's pimping and white racism, this sister's claims were mostly dismissed by the general public the same way most claims of discrimination and racism are dismissed. Now, many white folks don't want to hear about certain problems no matter who you present your case, but when you ahve Al running around shaking folks down it makes it easier for even the most enlightened white person to ignore injustice.

Al and Jesse cause a visceral reaction in white people that is not duplicated by any black person other than Farrakhan. Some of that is white people's own issues and some of that is the way the two ministers handle their business. I would like to see Al stand up for black people without thinking that also entitles them to use us to force companies to pay him off. Because that means that he is ignoring injustice at certain companies because they have lined his pockets, which means that ultimately he is selling us out.

Anonymous said...

Big Man

I guess your last sentence is what I based my opinion on. I dont think he or Rev. Jackon is ultimately selling us out therefore no problem. I can see how it seems like Mr. Sharpton is taking hush money as corporations create the illusion of promoting diversity. (A whole different subject). As a whole I think they do a good service.

I agree that generous visual helping of either one creates a numbing effect on true issues when they do arise. However, until there is evidence that he took money or channeled funds to line his pockets and prosper from injustice like the others. I would like to believe that he is using the monies donated for their intended purpose, even if that includes his salary.

Also do you have more info about the NASCAR suit? I heard it on ESPN but they referred to it as sexual harassment.

Anonymous said...

Okay, I'm going to have to be the lone dissenter here.

as you already stated Big Man, any article by the Rupert Murdoch owned New York Post with mucho grains of salt. They will often leave out major pieces of context -- if not lie outright. I don't know if this point can be overstated.

Also, there is a fine line between a "shakedown" and activism against corporations. If Sharpton helps a company with a terrible record of diversity implement successful changes, then I don't have a major problem with him being hired as a consultant or receiving sponsorship for conferences. It only becomes an issue if that corporation hasn't made significant progress. Now I am not dismissing the shakedown possibility, but according to this criteria then every single politician in America is a "shakedown artist". No exceptions.

Big Man said...

MODI

And there you have it. To a certain degree, politicians are all shakedown artists, even O-tastic.

But, you're point about the Post is noted. And you and David raised some good points against my blog, which I appreciate.

Anonymous said...

I'm going to have to side with MODI on this one. Aside from the fact that I'm the biggest Sharpton apologist that I know of, I got over his perm when I had to pick between him and Carol Moseley-Braun in the 2004 Presidential Primaries--I QUICKLY got over it and listened to what he said.

As a listener to his radio program whenever I get a chance, I think the guy is on point most of the time as far as his talk show. I think the big problem with the Al and Jesse haterz is that most people are so ANTI-Al and Jesse that a) they never listen to anything they have to say because they base they're opinions on the soundbytes from the MSM and b) never offer any other alternative to Al and Jesse.

These two are the ONLY and yes the ONLY two black men in this country who at the drop of a hat can call a national news conference--well, two of three counting your friend O-tastic. That alone is more than enough for me. It says a lot about blacks in the media and what power do we really have.

I mean, we can sit here moan and complain about how bad Al and Jesse are, but how many of us have had babies out of wedlock--stop gettin on Jesse for it, he aint Jesus and never claimed to be. How many of us over worry about how our hair is EVERYday, men included, cuz I'm sure one of em, I wanna make sure my 360's are in order EVERYDAY--so stop gettin on Al for his hair.

Personally, I'd challenge all the Al Sharpton hataz to listen attentively to one week of his syndicated radio program and hear what the man is really saying. Is he perfect? No. Do I agree with how he handled the situation with a Haitian immigrant and her daughter getting raped, but him choosing to defend the black MALES that committed the crime over the females--NO (nor did I agree with the bastion of femininity that was Renita Weems blog just doing an Alice Walker drive-by assault of black manhood either, but that's neither here nor there).

Just listen to what he said, and jeeeesh...stop reading the Post, it's nothing more than glorified boo-boo paper.

And much love to the 7th Ward...Gentilly all the way baby!!!

JLL

Anonymous said...

This reminds me of the episode of South Park where Stan's dad says the n word on TV and is made to kiss Jesse Jackson's ass in apology because Jackson told Stan's dad he was the emperor of black people.

The fact that Sharpton's gettin this cash off of white fear of racism should be sickening to the blacks he is exploiting.

Anonymous said...

"I could never get past the fact that the brother had a perm. I know he calls it a tribute to the Godfather of Soul, but in my mind it was always a symbol of ignorance.

Most intelligent black people know that the root of many of our community's problems is self hatred that was created and encouraged by white people's insistence that everything black was inferior. Consequently, I believe that any man who is advocating for black people and trying to uplift our race cannot have an overt symbol of self-hatred like chemically-processed hair on his head. It sends the wrong message because of the reasoning behind the whole perming process for black men. (I have different feelings when it comes to women.)"

This is such a contradiction.
What do you mean you have different feelings for women? I don't get it. Both black men and women have the same hair.

Anonymous said...

"I could never get past the fact that the brother had a perm. I know he calls it a tribute to the Godfather of Soul, but in my mind it was always a symbol of ignorance.

Most intelligent black people know that the root of many of our community's problems is self hatred that was created and encouraged by white people's insistence that everything black was inferior. Consequently, I believe that any man who is advocating for black people and trying to uplift our race cannot have an overt symbol of self-hatred like chemically-processed hair on his head. It sends the wrong message because of the reasoning behind the whole perming process for black men. (I have different feelings when it comes to women.)"

This is such a contradiction.
What do you mean you have different feelings for women? I don't get it. Both black men and women have the same hair.




Raving Black Lunatic