Prometheus 6

Thank You, Sir, May I Have Another? Sharpton Puts Obama Through a Political Hazing Ritual

Listening to Al Sharpton rip into Barack Obama this week made me wonder: why is it that African American leaders so often feel compelled to give the back of their hand (to say nothing of the serrated edge of their tongue) to emerging black leaders? Is it jealousy? Ego? An unwillingness to give up power?

WTF?

It's not that Sharpton didn't make some valid points: no one is suggesting that blacks should automatically support Obama just because he is black; and asking Obama why he backed Joe Lieberman over Ned Lamont or voted for tort reform are legitimate questions. But Sharpton's tone was so aggressively dismissive, you could almost picture him drilling holes in his paddle as he spoke.