Archive for the ‘Al Sharpton’ Category

September 26 | Governance at the Local Level | The Conversation with Al McFarlane – Post News Group

By Jeffrey L. Boney, NNPA Newswire Contributor

After meeting in-person for the last time in 2019, the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation (CBCF) will be holding the nations leading policy conference in Washington, DC from Wednesday, September 28, 2022, through Sunday, October 2, 2022.

This years Annual Legislative Conference (ALC) theme is Advancing Our Purpose. Elevating Our Power.

The ALC is extremely crucial this year, as this November is election season, and this 2022 midterm election will be a strong litmus test for the future of how public policy decisions will most likely impact the African American community for years to come.

At the upcoming policy conference, the CBCF will be introducing a new hybrid ALC structure, which will give interested attendees the option to attend in-person or with free virtual and on-demand offerings.

With the rise of legislation, such as Critical Race Theory (CRT), there is a strong and overexaggerated push by many to white-wash history and hype a false narrative that seeks to turn a blind eye to racism and the barbaric institution of slavery.

To ensure we as a people never forget the horrific institution of slavery, U.S. Congressman Al Green (TX-09) will be hosting a seminar at the ALC entitled Designation of a Slavery Remembrance Day on Thursday, September 29th at 2 pm EST at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center.

This session will discuss the importance of commemorating the lives and contributions of enslaved Africans whose suffering and centuries of free labor provided the foundation for our nations wealth period. The desired outcome is for more people across the United States to solemnly commemorate August 20th annually as Slavery Remembrance Day and to thank President Biden for his recognition of Slavery Remembrance Day.

Civil Rights activist Rev. Al Sharpton will speak and participate in this important dialogue.

Congressman Green states that he chose Rev. Sharpton to speak at the seminar primarily because he is one of the great messengers and thinkers of our time.

Rev. Sharpton has the unique ability to explain concepts in ways that resonate and make lasting impressions on people, says Congressman Green. The ability to utilize mnemonics is essential to the topic of Slavery Remembrance Day, given the central theme is to always remember. We must optimize the opportunity for attendees to remember and recount the message of the importance of Slavery Remembrance to others. We must always remember and enumerate the horrors of our nations seminal sin to prevent replication of this horrific crime against humanity.

According to Congressman Green, it is important to remember slavery because having the true history of it told will inspire African Americans to take pride in being the descendants of enslaved Africans.

Enslaved Africans were the very people who were the source of the centuries of suffering and free labor upon which our nations wealth was acquired, states Congressman Green. Currently, too many persons of African heritage are ashamed to be introduced as the descendants of enslaved Africans. The truth is that enslaved Africans are our nations foundational mothers and fathers. They are the greatest contributors to our nations wealth. As such, we should be proud to be descended from them. They were most responsible for our nations the prosperous agrarian economy and among its least beneficiaries. They built the White House and the U.S. Capitol; two global symbols viewed as bastions of democracy. If the truth be told, they were the greatest contributors to building the foundational American economy and infrastructure. The enslaved deserve to be honored for what they suffered to build this country. We must revere the enslaved as we revile slavery.

Slavery is Americas Original Sin and for too many years, people of African descent were subjected to this barbaric and legalized institution in America without barely even a mention of them in school textbooks.

Congressman Green sponsored H.Res.517The Original Slavery Remembrance Dayin the 117th Congress of the United States, to ensure that history and the memory of the millions of victims of African descent who suffered the horrors of slavery will never be forgotten.

Congressman Greens resolution has over 130 co-sponsors in Congress, and also gathered support by pastors and organizations nationwide, including the National Action Network, the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, and the Anti-Defamation League.

Congressman Green specifically chose August 20th as the day of remembrance, because it was on that day in 1619, that the White Lion ship arrived at Point Comfort, near present day Norfolk, Virginia, carrying the first enslaved Africans brought to the English-speaking American colonies. He held his inaugural Slavery Remembrance Day Commemorative Breakfast and Legislative Update on Saturday, August 20th, at the Power Center in Houston, Texas, where nearly 1,000 people attended and expressed their unwavering support for the commemoration.

It has been over a century since slavery was abolished in the United States, yet the insidious progenies of this horrific crime against humanity remain. They remain evident in areas such as healthcare, lending, incarceration, homeownership, as well as our nations classrooms where efforts to white-wash history and restyle slavery as involuntary relocation are afoot.

According to Congressman Green, everyone benefits from remembering the tragedy of slavery because everyone benefits from knowing our true history.

Maintaining an accurate account of our history, and history in general, is essential for the present as well as for posterity, as it offers an accurate understanding of the worth of people and society, Congressman Green explains. It explicates the present and provides the foresight to sculpt the future. It allows for introspection and extrospection of our triumphs and tragedies. It is the lodestar to unity and the lodestone for justice.

Congressman Green also emphasizes that national days of remembrance are a means by which to commemorate those impacted horrific events, as well as prevent tragedies from fading from our memory.

Currently, there are National Days of Remembrance for the Holocaust, Pearl Harbor, and 9/11, says Congressman Green. Each day honors the memory of the lives lost to these atrocities. But now, America does not have an official day of remembrance to honor the millions of African persons who were abducted and shipped to the Americas to be sold as property as part of the Atlantic Slave Trade. Slavery Remembrance Day does the same as these other Days of Remembrance by honoring the millions of enslaved Africans who were kidnapped, shipped to the Americas, and sold as property.

President Biden released a statement marking Slavery Remembrance Day, stating:

More than 400 years ago, twenty enslaved Africans were forcibly brought to the shores of what would become the United States. Millions more were stolen and sold in the centuries that followed, part of a system of slavery that is Americas original sin.

Great nations dont hide from their history. They acknowledge their past, both the triumphs and the tragedies. Today is a day to reflect on the terrible toll of slavery, and on our nations profound ability to heal and emerge stronger. Despite the horrors they faced, these men and women and their descendants have made countless contributions to the building of this nation and the continuous effort to realize the American ideal. I was honored last year to declare Juneteenth a national holiday, another moment to reflect and rededicate ourselves to becoming a more perfect union. And its why my Administration will continue the hard, ongoing work to bring true equity and racial justice to our country.

Im grateful for the efforts of Congressin particular, Representative Al Green and Senator Elizabeth Warrento recognize the significance of this day.

Congressman Green extended his sincerest gratitude to President Biden for issuing his statement and complimented him on his willingness to acknowledge and believes that the presidents statement further illustrates why we need to recognize August 20th annually as Slavery Remembrance Day.

Those attending the ALC are strongly encouraged to attend the Designation of a Slavery Remembrance Day seminar on Thursday, September 29th at 2 pm EST at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center.

The post Congressman Al Green Holds National Slavery Remembrance Daywith Rev. Al Sharpton as Guest Speaker first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

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September 26 | Governance at the Local Level | The Conversation with Al McFarlane - Post News Group

Black Enterprise CEO Earl ‘Butch’ Graves Jr. Speaks With Rev. Al …

BLACK ENTERPRISE President & CEOEarl Butch Graves Jr. joined Rev. Al Sharpton on MSNBCs Politics Nation Sunday night to discuss black voting, environmental racism, and the importance of local elections.

With just two months until the midterm elections, Black men and women across the country must be prepared to vote. Graves discussed the role Black media plays in educating Black people on candidates, their platforms, and which races are important.

Black media has to be out informing our people about the importance of voting and why its so important because what is taking place in Georgia and Texas where theyre standing in the way of people getting out to vote will have an impact for dozens of years if we dont come out in strong numbers, the Black Enterprise CEO told Sharpton.

Black Americans were largely credited with helping President Joe Biden win the state of Georgia in the 2020 presidential election. Additionally, Black residents in the Peach State helped Rev. Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoffwin their state senate runoffs, giving Democrats control of the Senate.

The two men also discussed environmental racism, climate change, and the fact that the city of Jackson, Mississippi is in its third week without water. Graves talked about how climate change disproportionately affects Black and Latin Americans.

The environmental issues disproportionately impact Black and Brown communities and so we cant just focus on things having to do with police violence or other things that we deem important, not that theyre not important, but we have to understand that all of these things when they vote against having EPA segments and restraints on things having to do with pollution, the aftermath of that is what you see in Jackson, Graves said, adding that Black politicians have been warning Mississippi this would happen for at least a decade.

Sharpton concluded the segment by asking Graves how Black men and women participating in local elections can help the recovery of Black businesses, which fell by 40% at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.

We have to vote for those people who are going to take care of us and the reality is thats not often been the case, Graves said.

Having Black politicians to represent us in local races, in midterm races, we need to see a population of politicians that is representative of the population in general and thats not what we see. it is imperative that we get out and vote for people that look like us, that represent us and Black-owned media will play a substantial role in making sure that happens.

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Rev. Al Sharpton’s daily meal is kale salad – Page Six

Not even Sylvias famous soul food can get the Rev. Al Sharpton to break his strict one meal a day diet of kale salad with boiled eggs, tomatoes, cucumbers.

The reverend was spotted at the iconic Harlem eatery last weekend, and he told us he brought his own kale salad, cuz I know they dont have kale there, he said.

Sharpton told us he started eating one meal a day about four years ago.

I eat around noon every day, and thats it. I have the salad and at night, I may have one slice of whole wheat toast because my doctor said I have to have some kind of protein, he said.

Sharpton was at Sylvias celebrating with his daughter Dominique, who was recently eliminated from the celebrity reality show, Claim to Fame, in which contestants guess over celebrity connections or offspring.

[Watching her on TV] was surreal they had no idea who she was, he gushed. I never wanted my kids to be just Al Sharptons daughter. I wanted her to be on her own, and shes doing that, he said.

Sharpton and Dominique were wrapping up a rally in Harlem for his National Action Network organization, when Rev. Jessie Jackson surprised them and suggested, we take Dominique out, Sharpton said.

He then called the restaurant and asked if he could bring his kale salad. Sharpton quipped, they broke soul food etiquette, by letting him in with the dish.

But, we went over to Sylvias, and they ordered all the soul food they wanted and I ate my kale salad, he said.

Working out and eating kale has helped Sharpton stay lean.

At my height maybe 15 years ago I weighed 305 pounds. Today, Im 132 pounds. I just made up my mind, and I just did it. Cold turkey, he said.

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Rev. Al Sharpton's daily meal is kale salad - Page Six

Rev. Al Sharpton Claims The Bible Endorses Abortion – We Love Trump

Im not sure what Bible Rev. Al Sharpton has been reading

On Thursday Sharpton joined Chris Jansing Reports to answer questions about abortion.

Sharpton stated that the Bible is all about choices and because the Bible is all about choices people should have the choice of whether or not to have an abortion.

In Mathew 7:15 it says Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheeps clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.

The false prophets nowadays wont be wearing red outfits and devils horns but rather expensive suits and big words.

Life News added these details:

President of National Action Network and MSNBC PoliticsNation host Al Sharpton joined Chris Jansing Reports on Thursday to discuss abortion and religion. Sharpton didnt understand how one could be a good Christian and be pro-life because, according to him, the Bible is about choice.

Jansing led Sharpton with some polling data, there was a Gallup poll back, I think it was the fall of 2020 showing the black committee has slowly become more accepting of abortion over the past couple of decades, but there are deeply held religious beliefs playing into this, especially with older black voters who are incredibly reliable and incredibly important to Democrats. So, how should Democrats be thinking about this? Because obviously they want and need to hold onto those voters.

Sharpton urged Democrats to message it in a way that it is about choice. Its not about saying Im voting that I support abortion or not.

For Sharpton, the choice is not between abortion and no abortion, but whether theyre going to have a safe abortion. We always had abortions, but we had these back alley, very risky abortions and were saying that rather than have people in those situations, they should be able to choose whether or not they want to do, even if it is something that I do not believe in.

Turning to the religious question, Sharpton claimed, The Bible, if youre using this as a religious argument, the Bible is about choice. You can go to heaven or hell. Theres nowhere in the Bible that says you had to go to heaven.

One hopes that when presenting the question of heaven and hell to his congregation, Sharpton does not go full relativist as he did here. The man who goes around portraying himself as a civil rights leader also failed to realize that owning slaves was also once considered a perfectly normal and legal choice.

Blind to that, Sharpton continued, So, where do we get this theology of forcing something when the reality is you cant even Biblically base that. Its a question of choice. If you are a minister, as I am, you can preach to people to convert them, you do not make laws to compel them.

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Rev. Al Sharpton Claims The Bible Endorses Abortion - We Love Trump

Al Sharpton Calls on PayPal to Cut Ties With Controversial Phoenix Suns …

The Rev. Al Sharpton is urging American financial technology company PayPal to end its partnership with the NBAs Phoenix Suns and its owner,Robert Sarver,who is facing allegations of racism and misogyny.

{snip}

Mr. Sarvers leadership has been riddled with credible allegations of racism, misogyny, and harboring a toxic work environment.

Sharpton, the founder and CEO of the National Action Network, noted that PayPal has made significant contributions to fighting institutional racism and advancing diversity and inclusion in the aftermath of the nationwide protests and unrest following the police murder of George Floyd in May 2020.

{snip}

Yet, PayPal has continued to do business with Robert Sarver, who is a known perpetrator of racism and hate, and is now expanding its business relationship with Mr. Sarver internationally, Sharpton added in his letter. {snip}

Sharptons letter comes after the NBA announced in Novemberthat it had launchedan investigation into the Suns organization and Sarvers conduct following an ESPN report that detailed allegation of racist and misogynistic behavior toward coaches, players and employees.

{snip}

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Al Sharpton Calls on PayPal to Cut Ties With Controversial Phoenix Suns ...