Al Sharpton peddles old Democrat lies about civil rights and race
President Trump recently said that he has done more for Black Americans than any President since Abraham Lincoln. A bit of campaign hyperbole? Sure.
On several occasions, Al Sharpton has used his appearances on MSNBC to push back against Trump by rhetorically asking if the former President had done “more than FDR … more than John Kennedy … more than Lyndon Johnson … more than Barack Obama?
Sharpton’s response reflects the Democratic Party’s long standing false narrative of civil rights advocacy. In answering Sharpton’s questions about Roosevelt, Kennedy, Johnson and Obama – as to whether they are better for Blacks than Trump — the respective answers are “no,” “no,” “yes” and “not really.”
Franklin Roosevelt
One of the greatest misrepresentations of American history in terms of race and civil rights is the claim that FDR was a proponent of civil rights. In fact, he was an avowed white supremacist – personally and in terms of policies. His appointments to the Supreme Court were largely hardened racists – most notably Hugo Black, a one-time Ku Klux Klanner.
Before going on to the High Court, Black was instrumental in structuring and implementing Roosevelt’s New Deal policies. They were all intentionally designed and administered to take jobs away from Blacks for the benefit of the Depression-desperate White workers. Prior to the Depression, Black and White unemployment numbers were about the same – approximately 4 percent. As the Depression rolled on, White unemployment rose to the 20 percent range, while Black unemployment hit as high as 50 percent. That is the result of job shifting. The NAACP at the time renamed the National Recovery Act (NRA) as the Negro Riddance Act.
(My book – due out in mid-August — covers in great detail how each New Deal program was intentionally racially crafted and administered to the disadvantage of Black Americans.)
FDR’s racism was deep and personal. Following the 1936 Olympics – in which Black track star Jessee Owens was the national hero who embarrassed Hitler – the President invited only the White athletes to the White House. When Owens was told how Hitler had snubbed him, Owens responded that it was not only Hitler who snubbed him, but his own President. “I didn’t even get a telegram,” he said.
FDR’s racist policies can be traced to the income inequality between Blacks and Whites that exists to this day.
(In a speech to a Black church audience, a woman said that Roosevelt brought Blacks out of the depression. I pointed out that statistically – unemployment rates — Black America had never yet recovered from the Depression.)
As a Navy official, FDR was an implementer of President Wilson’s order to segregate the military and the Executive Branch of the federal government. Though FDR promised to end that segregation, he never did so in his twelve-plus years in office. He repeatedly opposed Republican bills to make lynching a federal crime.
John F. Kennedy
Jack Kennedy was a racial hypocrite. He would speak in support of civil rights when campaigning and oppose civil rights legislation when in the Congress. He voted in lockstep with the southern Democrat segregationists. He voted against the 1957 Civil Rights Act passed by President Eisenhower and Republicans in Congress.
Kennedy voted for Eisenhower’s 1960 Civil Rights Act but as a political gambit during his presidential campaign – and only after he had voted with the Democrat’s racist southern bloc to strip out the enforcement provision – necessitating what became the 1964 Civil Rights Act.
In his 1960 presidential campaign, Kennedy proposed a civil rights bill. When elected, he had it assigned to the Senate Rules Committee headed by racist Chairman Howard Smith, who preemptively announced that it would never be given even a hearing. And it never was. In 1963, Kennedy again proposed his civil rights bill as a campaign promise. He had it sent to the same Committee with the same chairman and the same result.
Black civil rights leaders were constantly critical of Kennedy’s commitment to civil rights. The Kennedy Presidential Library website refers to Kennedy’s lack of serious support for civil rights legislation – even his own rather tepid proposals.
“But Kennedy’s narrow election victory and small working margin in Congress left him cautious. He was reluctant to lose Southern support for legislation on many fronts by pushing too hard on civil rights legislation.
This is where Trump falls short. For his long record of civil rights opposition, Johnson had an epiphany. There can be no disagreement with the fact that Johnson put his full influence and power behind the 1964 Civil Rights Act and the 1965 Voting Rights Act.
To gain passage of the civil rights legislation, Johnson had to rely on overwhelming support from congressional Republicans to overcome Democrat opposition in Congress — including the first-ever defeat of a filibuster of a civil rights bill. It is sad – but arguably true – that there would not have been any civil rights legislation at the time if it were not for Kennedy’s assassination, Johnson’s conversion and overwhelming GOP support in Congress.
Barack Obama
One cannot not put President Obama in the same hypocritical category as FDR and Kennedy, but his accomplishments regarding civil rights are few and far between. In many ways, he was a classic Democrat establishmentarian. As a product of the racist Democrat political machine, Obama was not one to make waves.
Even as a community organizer, state senator and U.S. senator, Obamae focused on getting welfare benefits into the community rather than challenging city hall on its pervasive institutional and systemic racism. He followed the longtime Democrat tradition of expanding welfare benefits in place of fundamental constitutional civil rights – making welfare the new civil rights.
While the liberal press fawned over Obama – making him a civil rights icon merely because he is Black — civil rights leaders and activists were less laudatory. Black journalist Lauren Victoria Burke summed up Obama’s legacy vis a vis Black America under the headline, “Is Black America Better Off Under Obama?” Her article covered several major areas – such as education, employment and income inequality – to show how the statistics were no better, or even worse, under Obama. In summary, she wrote:
“What planet African Americans are doing ‘better off’ on is unknown. What is known is that President Obama is about to leave office with African Americans in their worst economic situation since Ronald Reagan. A look at every key stat as President Obama starts his sixth year in office illustrates that.”
According to Burke, even Al Sharpton was critical of Obama’s efforts in terms of civil rights. She added:
“In 2011, when Al Sharpton told CBS’ 60 Minutes that, ‘Obama already said he won’t do anything for Blacks, duh,’ it signaled that Black civil rights leaders would not push the first Black president hard on Black issues. Sharpton has been in the White House 61 times since 2009, probably more than any member of Congress, including leadership, over that period. With that type of access to power, one has to ask: Where are the positive policy results?”
Burke’s report also reveals the hypocrisy of Sharpton, who is more the creature of the Democrat political establishment than a true civil rights leader in the spirit of Martin Luther King.
GOP Presidents
In proposing exceptions to Trump’s claim, Sharpton skipped over Republican presidents – who arguably had stronger civil rights records than Trump and the presidents Sharpton named – with the exception of Johnson.
Eisenhower completed the desegregation of the military that President Truman had dallied over for three years after his Executive Order integrating the armed forces. Ike also passed the first two civil rights bills since the Reconstruction Period of the 1860s and 1870s.
President Nixon proposed and passed the significantly important and successful Affirmative Action programs that opened job and other opportunities for the Black Community. He also pumped billions of dollars into the development of Black enterprises.
And if you go back to the post-Civil War era, President Grant’s administration oversaw the passage of constitutional amendments, laws, regulations and court cases giving meaning to the Emancipation Proclamation.
Summary
In terms of civil rights – and the respective role of the two major parties—there is lots of room for dialogue and debate. But one thing is clear, Sharpton’s spin on civil rights is prejudicial disinformation by both omission and commission. He is peddling a false narrative – a widely held misbelief — contrary to the facts of history.
He has been doing this sort of partisan race-baiting for most of his life for his own political and financial interests. That is evident in the fact that he has rarely confronted the Democrat establishment for its role in institutional racism in America’s major cities, in which millions of Black Americans remain segregated, oppressed, impoverished, under-educated, poorly housed and unsafe.
Sharpton’s most recent dishonest performance on television is just more of the same old Sharpton spewing out the same old lies.
As far as Trump is concerned, his statement can be said to be over the top … exaggerated … or typical campaign rhetoric. But he CAN fairly claim to be better than many past presidents in delivering for Black Americans –especially the millions trapped in modern day de facto segregation in Democrat-run cities. And he was most certainly better than FDR, and Kennedy. Not as accomplished as Johnson — and arguably better than Obama. And of course, better than President Biden. Which is why Black voters are trending to Trump and the GOP.
So, there ‘tis.
“He is appointments to the Supreme Court were largely hardened racists – most notably Hugo Black, a one-time Ku Klux Klanner.”
Black joined the KKK to get elected. He lasted less than five years and renounced his membership. They gave him a “grand passport,” which he lost and never used.
“”Before becoming a Senator I dropped the Klan. I have had nothing to do with it since that time. I abandoned it. I completely discontinued any association with the organization.”
For the scotus, Black confirmed by the Senate by a vote of 63 to 16 (six Democratic Senators and 10 Republican Senators voted against him); there were about 10 Republicans voting for him.
Black as a senator filibustered an anti-lynching bill. As a Scotus, he voted for Brown v Brown with the rest of the court. In US v Price, he voted to send the KKK to trial. Beyond Horist’s typical grandstanding, hyperbole, and generalizations of all liberals be bad, Horist offers little specific acts of racism that cannot be refuted as to the racist actions of Hugo Black. Much less “hardened racist.” Less than five year membership to KKK as a younger man trying to get elected in Alabama. Withdrew, recanted, and showed remorse. But he’s a liberal and Horist must not believe in second chances for his perceived enemies that he fears.
You’re a good one to talk about second chances. But in recent decades Robert kkk Byrd became the darling of the democrats
Frank Stetson …. You cannot seem to comprehend. When Black was shaping the racist New Deal he was still close to the KKK and as senator aligned to the racist southern Democrats As you note he voted against laws outlawing lynching and he as Justice, he upheld FDR’s sending Japanese Americans to concentration camps. His public record of racism has few exceptions. The point I made is that Black was in his most racist period when he was shaping racist politics for a racist FDR. His later rejection of the KKK did not end his racists actions. Like too many democrats you are ignorant of the truth and you prefer to stay that way. You wallow in the Democrats” false narratives. Consequently, your responses are getting more and more ignorant and unhinged.
I comprehend just fine, Mr. Horist, check your own comprehension at the door…..
Black quit the KKK in 1925; some say because he had a “grand passport,” he quietly re-upped in 1926, but he claims to have quit in 25 and never used the passport, claimed he lost it. He becomes a Senator in 1927. When did he “craft” The New Deal? That’s the timeline, I wallow in no false narratives there.
And thanks for the name calling. Good to see you have not changed. Again, when you can’t argue intelligently, go for the body blow.
Frankie, you’ve been drinking the feces Kool-Aid for far too long!!! You talk like the Yellow-dog democrats of yesteryear!!
No, you don’t Frank. You do NOT get the true picture of anything. You only want to put out your own rhetoric and go against anything everyone says. You just want to see you stuff out in print as if that makes you a big man. Since when did become the owner of this website? You try to make it your own website. Let me tell you that you do Not own this site. We are all on to you by now. Many of us don’t even believe your evil thoughts anymore. I for one do not nor will I ever believe you. I tell the truth. You tell lies, lies and more lies. I believe in the good. It looks like you do not. You have hurt yourself greatly. Now you will never be able to redeem yourself. I suggest you start to pray., You really need it!
Af u spew opinion. I usually state facts, source many. If you see a specific misstatement of fact, show me.
Otherwise, stfu. I would care nothing what your opinion of me is.
You have a specific fact you contest, fire away. Otherwise you are just playing with yourself.
Frank Stetson …Black remained a racist in virtually all his policies and actions. For the rest, you will have to read the book. You level of ignorance cannot be cured in quick exchanges.
Larry, you were doing good (my rating system is helping you be a better Larry) until you sank back into the old Larry insults.
Also, this article was all documented in the news. The KKK (which this article was not really about, but leave it up to misinformed Stetson), the KKK was totally Democrat. Formed by the Democrats and operated by the Democrats, isn’t that right, Mr. Democrat Stetson?
Robert Byrd was never a darling of the Democrats.
Yes, the KKK is a Dixiecrat creation and owned by the Democratic party. Most DIxiecrats went Republican or the way of the do-do around the time of LBJ when Democrats embraced civil rights and left the DIxiecrats behind. See Nixon’s southern strategy……
Frank Stetson … Your astonishing ignorance is showing, Byrd was given leaderships positions by Democrats. He was widely praised as “the conscience of the Senate.” When he died Hillary Clinton called him her mentor and role model. Even as he defended the KKK as a social club … and used the term “white niggers in an interview in later years. And the fact remains that 99 percent of the southern Democrat racists office holders remained Democrats and racists. Democrats did not embrace civil rights around the time of LBJ. They fought it … voted against it … and even filibustered to stop it. And your allusion to the bogus interpretation and reality of the so-called southern strategy again reveals your blind acceptance of false narratives. People like you are the reason I wrote the book — especially folks who cling to the political narratives in the face of the facts and the truth. You stupidity astounds me.
Well there you go again Larry, more insults following what started as an intelligent comment. I can see I have more work to do with you!
By the way, you are clinging to some political narratives in the face of the facts and truth as well Larry. The real question is, “Does your stupidity astound you as well?”
Al sharpton has been a liar and race baiter his entire life. he is so completely racist that even hardcore racists are amazed by the racist stuff sharpton says.
Al Sharpton is one of those people who just cannot hear his on racist language. he lacks self awareness.
Lacking self awareness in the democrats world means you can be aborted. their standard lien is that a baby can be aborted up until it is self aware with self aware not being defined, limited by age or, limited by function. Al Sharpton lacks self awareness.
I agree, Lyin. Frank Stetson is just like Sharpton, too!
Americafirst … Frank clings to his erroneous beliefs because he lacks objectivity and intellectual curiosity. He is indoctrinated but not educated. That is why he thrives on long repetitious screeds in the hope that his mendacious opinions and personal attacks will find some fertile ground. Not a chance.
You know Larry, you can just state the facts without all the ad hominem embellishment. You seem to wallow in it like a pig in shit. You know if you can prove it, I will accept it. You just lack the proof so often and slum to the ad hominem because you ain’t got the goods. Here’s the history channel for Horist’s educational value: *https://www.history.com/news/kkk-supreme-court-hugo-black-fdr*
“The History Channel expert concludes: “After 34 years on the bench, Black retired from the Supreme Court in 1971 and died shortly thereafter. In his career, Black had fiercely advocated for Civil Rights and the Bill of Rights and he had been a Klan member and filibustered against an anti-lynching bill in the Senate. His checkered legacy reflected not just a changed man—but a changed nation.” and much more to support my case and refute Horists.
“Black remained a racist in virtually all his policies and actions” Nope. Many experts disagree. Many experts also see The New Deal as beneficial to blacks. Just not as beneficial as to whites to the point of discrimination in some cases.
I was way off on Byrd and Horist spot on with the Hillary comments. Second chance in action. And once Horist had his dog down, he just had to pummel me. Whatever. “Humble in Victory, Gracious in Defeat.” Sigh.
I will hold firm on the Black comments, plus Horist timing on the KKK vs. his time in the Senate where he crafted New Deal legislation is fractured and just does not line up.
People can change Horist and most Americans, apparently not you, believe in the second chance. Black gets that.
For FDR, Tom, I was trying to portray the way you did. Instead of convert, I would go with “convenient” too. That is, to get anything done, you had to smooze the dixiecrats just like Trump smoozes white supremacist organizations today. After all, there’s some fine fellows on both sides says the Trumper. He knew what to do but did not have the balls or persuasive power to do that. I would like to have seen him step up, but I like the New Deal outcomes as well.
Again, Mr. Horst —- if you see a “mendacious opinion,” or “personal attack, specify it or STFU. Your generalizations, stereotyping and hate mongering just show the fear you live under.
“Democrats did not embrace civil rights around the time of LBJ. They fought it … voted against it … and even filibustered to stop it.” Really, all Democrats? Because I do not think you are accurate here.
“People like you are the reason I wrote the book.” What book? I don’t see no stinkin book…..Lots of hat, no cow.
Tom, there are many kinds of racists in this world including you and I who, whether we like it or not, support systemic racism, at minimum. Lots of flavors here but when it comes to Horist and Democrats, he only see white supremacists. How you can call FDR a white supremacist is beyond me. Don’t think that hyperbole will sell many books either.
Frank Stetson …. Hugo Black was a strident racist at the time of the New Deal. He played a role in the crafting of the programs to be intentionally racist against Blacks. Whether he found religion 30 or 40 years later is debatable and irrelevant to this issues of the New Deal. I call FDR a white supremacist because he considered Blacks and Asians as inferior humans. He was part of the progressive movement that peddled phenology and other racists pseudo sciences. He believe that intimacy between Blacks and Asians was “unnatural.” He said that birth of a child of an Asian and Caucasian would have “unfortunate” results. The record is long and compelling.
Virtually every Republican in Congress supported the civil rights acts of 1957, 1960,, 1964 and 1965 — with Democrats on opposition and attempting to filibuster. Between 1865 and 1957, Democrats were successful in blocking civil rights legislation — often with the filibuster.
And as usual, your nasty and inaccurate characterizations of me and snide comments expose your obsessive hypocrisy.
AFu could not explain how I am like Sharpton if your life depended on it. Weak tea dude.
Horist sings his 50-year experiential refrain: “One of the greatest misrepresentations of American history in terms of race and civil rights is the claim that FDR was a proponent of civil rights. In fact, he was an avowed white supremacist – personally and in terms of policies. His appointments to the Supreme Court were largely hardened racists – most notably Hugo Black, a one-time Ku Klux Klanner.”
Klanner? I think it’s Klansman. Like Kingsman but with a sheet, not a suit.
I debunked the Black spin. Yes, like FDR, he did it to get elected to a State position. He has many an action that proves differently.
FDR, a white supremacist? Passing a law that disadvantages blacks or does not advantage them equal or better is NOT white supremacy. Like one politician, I thought LBJ, said: sometimes you have to get along to git along. Given Elenor alone, I find it hard to put FDR in a white supremacy coat as Horist spins. Yes, he knuckled under a lot to get stuff done, but he did get a fuck of a lot of good stuff done. Not busted, but I do not see it as harsh as Horist the hater.
Frank Stetson … Stop being stupid. You are sounding crazed. You write: “Passing a law that disadvantages blacks or does not advantage them equal or better is NOT white supremacy.” Good God! That is white supremacy by definition. And FDR’s white supremacy is shown in a life time of examples. Eleanor was not. She often tried to get FDR to abandon his racism, but never succeeded. The facts are in the historic record. You seem to be stuck on ignorance — and determined to stay there.
Well Frank, I once upon a time saw it as you do. But having reviewed one chapter in Larry’s soon to be released book I did see a different view that I was able to verify.
I am now of the opinion (and I told Larry this) that FDR appears to me to have been what I would call a “covert racist”. I am not an FDR expert but FDR’s opposition to the Tuskeegee Airmen escorting our bombers in WWII’s significant battles is not only documented, it became a movie – and a darn good movie too! It was only FDR’s wife Eleanor that put the squeeze on FDR’s opinion of black pilots by disobeying her husband and getting into the copilot seat of one of the Tuskeegee Airmen’s planes to go for a ride. Also it is well documented that FDR had a major stake in a spring fed water healing (his polio) swanky upscale resort where only Whites were allowed to experience the soothing healing waters. Blacks were sent to a different club.
So I have modified my view of FDR to “covert racist” which means that he publicly supported some civil rights, he made sure the official record put him in a favorable light, but he seemed to channel much of his legislation through people / committees that were led by racists. And in many cases when dealing with the states on civil rights issues, he would simply defer to the state decision from racist led state government committees and commissions, and never attempt to intervene.
So I do understand Larry’s position on this one. And yes you are correct, FDR did get many things done. Personally, I do not see FDR as harshly either – I am somewhere between you and Larry on this one.
This article gets a Stop The Spin rating of 2. For the most part, Larry has reported cherry picked facts, but, the facts are true as far as I know.
There are a few areas where Larry could have achieved balance if he was interested in balance. For instance:
1) Larry writes, “President Nixon proposed and passed the significantly important and successful Affirmative Action programs that opened job and other opportunities for the Black Community. TRUE!!! BUT what Larry does not say is that the primarily GOP appointed SCOTUS shit-canned the program in 2022 when the Court found that Harvard and the University of North Carolina’s affirmative action programs violate the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. Goodbye AA.
2) The article title indicates the focus of the article will be Sharpton but there seems to be more focus on FDR and Dems in general, including Dem presidents – this is not necessarily bad but does show how Larry’s mind tends to drift on his most favorite of topics which is bashing Dems.
3) The article does not point out one central theme in the lives of both Trump and Sharpton for which they are alike – both are attracted to only those events that generate more donations for them. Trump has his conviction. Sharpton has his George Floyd. To this Independent / Unaffiliated voter, both are worthless!!!
As I said, to this Independent / Unaffiliated voter, both Trump and Sharpton are worthless!!! Both go where the money is. Trump is probably the better grifter and outright liar. Sharpton is the better spinner. But both could have been members of The Four Tops!
Trump’s claim that he has done more for Black Americans than any other president since Lincoln is not really a big deal since most post-Lincoln POTUS’es did little to nothing for Black Americans. So I say to Felon Trump, “Hey felon! That’s a pretty low bar!” Also not everyone agrees with Trump, see *https://www.vox.com/21524499/what-trump-has-done-for-black-people* The wins Trump claims come with a combination of caveats and skepticism, according to policy experts. They also ignore the ways his policies are furthering racial segregation, not to mention stoking racial divisions and violence. You can read more about this at *https://www.politico.com/news/2020/11/01/trump-black-americans-policies-433744* So as usual, Trump is lying or at least half lying in many of his Black American claims!
One good thing that Larry writes is that POTUS Johnson did more and Trump cannot measure up to Johnson’s efforts. This proves Trump is a liar and that Larry knows he is lying. If Larry can see through Trump’s Lincoln lie, then Larry can see the other lies as well – he’s just drinking the Kool Aide, for what reason, well who knows?
Tom…It is called objectivity. I call out lies on all sides. I have been a harsh critic of Trump’s personality and his lies. But you do not read objectively. You live to obsessively disagree with almost anything I write — and then throw impersonal insults as filler. When it comes to Biden lies — which I also call out — you go “crickets.” You and Frank are obsessed with attacking my accuracy …my opinions … and my credibility. Methinks, you guys should review your comments and consider your own credibility.