Black Community News News and Commentary for Christians
Al Sharpton’s penchant for incendiary rhetoric has made him a lightning rod for critics throughout his career. This year, however, he has been a virtually ubiquitous fixture in the ongoing racial discord that followed the police-related deaths of two black criminal suspects.
Sharpton’s quick reaction to these incidents has corresponded with violent protests and threats against law enforcement officials across the nation. His perceived role in fomenting this widespread animosity was evident in the responses to a number of recent Twitter posts.
Tuesday, he solicited users’ input regarding the three biggest stories and figures from 2014, providing his critics with a forum in which to call out his own actions throughout the year.
@TheRevAl Ok…
1) Your taxes
2) You fomenting racial hatred and murder
3) Your continued butchering of the English language
#KeepingItReal.
— Rusty Shackelford (@rshackelford14) December 30, 2014
He received a similar response to a subsequent post promoting his discussion of the year’s top issues.
@TheRevAl address how an illiterate anti-Semitic schmuck like you is called a "civil rights leader" when youre a common criminal! #TaxEvader
— Mathew S Harrison (@MathewSHarrison) December 30, 2014
Critics also showed up to dominate the responses to Sharpton’s discussion of New Year’s resolutions.
@TheRevAl I am going to treat law enforcement with respect and pay my taxes. Maybe you should do the same. #fakerev
— Todd Boender (@TBoender) January 2, 2015
Perhaps a post asking Twitter users what they’d like to see in 2015, however, gave his detractors the most inspiration.
@TheRevAl @smokey maybe use your money to pay taxes? Stop race baiting ?
— Ray Sefcik (@RaySefcik) January 2, 2015
@TheRevAl @smokey I'd like to see your head be smaller than your body; then go to prison for life.
— Conservative Cane (@gordonsolie) January 2, 2015
@TheRevAl @smokey you in jail and broke would be nice.
— richiec51 (@richiec51) January 2, 2015
Photo credit: a katz / Shutterstock.com
BCN editor’s note: This article first appeared at Western Journalism.
