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     Spreadem |
NEW YORK - The Rev. Al Sharpton is a descendant of a slave owned by relatives of the late Sen. Strom Thurmond — a discovery the civil rights activist called "shocking" on Sunday. Sharpton learned of his connection to Thurmond, once a prominent defender of segregation, last week through the Daily News, which asked genealogists to trace his roots. "It was probably the most shocking thing in my life," Sharpton said at a news conference Sunday, the same day the tabloid revealed the story. Some of Thurmond's relatives said the nexus also came as a surprise to them. Doris Strom Costner, a distant cousin who said she knew the late senator all her life, said Sunday she "never heard of such a thing." "My momma never would talk to me about nothing like that," Costner said of ancestors who owned slaves. "She only talked to me about good things." The revelations surfaced after Ancestry.com contacted a Daily News reporter who agreed to have his own family tree done. The intrigued reporter then turned around and asked Sharpton if he wanted to participate. Sharpton said he told the paper, "Go for it." The genealogists, who were not paid by the newspaper, uncovered the ancestral ties using a variety of documents that included census, marriage and death records. They found that Sharpton's great-grandfather, Coleman Sharpton, was a slave owned by Julia Thurmond, whose grandfather was Strom Thurmond's great-great-grandfather. Coleman Sharpton was later freed. Thurmond, of South Carolina, was once considered an icon of racial segregation. During his 1948 bid for president, he promised to preserve segregation and, in 1957, he filibustered for more than 24 hours against a civil rights bill. Sharpton, who ran for president in 2004 on a ticket of racial justice, said he met Thurmond only once in 1991 when he visited Washington, D.C., with the late soul singer James Brown, who knew Thurmond. Sharpton said the meeting was "awkward." "I was not happy to meet him because what he had done all his life," Sharpton said. Thurmond was seen as softening his segregation stance later in his life. He died in 2003, at 100. The long-serving senator was originally a Democrat but became a Republican in 1964. Thurmond's children have acknowledged that Thurmond fathered a biracial daughter. Essie Mae Washington-Williams' mother was a housekeeper in the home of Thurmond's parents. Telephone message left by The Associated Press on Sunday for Strom Thurmond Jr. and an attorney who once represented Thurmond's biracial daughter, Essie Mae Washington-Williams, were not returned. | ||
| Bluzm2 |
Sharpton is an idiot and a poverty pimp. Where ever there is a camera or a racialy charged crowd, you find the "Reverand Al". He does far more harm than good in my opinion. | ||
| Brentmiller |
He's the second best race pimp in the USA. | ||
| Buellshyter |
Haven't heard much from number one, Jesse Jackson, in a while. | ||
| Jimidan |
It's gettin' kinda racists in here, ain't it? Al Sharpton has one of the sharpest minds in the country. He has an unusual talent to be able to see right through the BS (not Bachelor of Science) and tell it like it is. His participation in the Democratic Presidential debates proved that he could hold his own with anybody, and that his perspective on national issues was very perceptive...as history has shown, much of it has come true. But yeah, he is black so that makes him a pimp of some sort, right? Sad. Jimidan | ||
| Slaughter |
Wow - Sharpton and Thurmond, HOMEBOYS by HERITAGE! (kinda) | ||
| Xbullet |
not it at all, jimidan. he's a pimp because he takes the people that come to him for leadership and uses them to fund his lifestyle without regard for their well-being. just as a pimp does with his hookers. i have heard sharpton's radio show here in the atlanta area. i listened first out of curiousity, and now i listen once or twice a week. i do not agree with his politics, but i can agree that he is an intelligent individual capable of debate. but everyone on debate team in high school knows that you don't have to believe in what you say to win the debate. you just have to make points. sharpton and jackson preach a sermon that leads the "black community" (quotes because that's the phrase those two use) to believe that they are owed something by the white race (read "entitlement"). this does NOT improve the situation of the "black community" as he calls it because it does not encourage responsibility, self-reliance, or accountability (read "the american way") on the part of individuals. if sharpton and jackson truly wanted the "black community" to rise out of poverty, etc., these two leaders would encourage people to take INDIVIDUAL responsibility to better ONESself, rather than constantly lumping individuals into one big "community" with one unchanging identity. if a black individual becomes successful, obama for instance, you see stories about whether he is "black enough"?!?!? why would jesse and al not want to see a successful black man? because men like obama are individuals who have chosen to succeed by pulling themselves up by their own bootstraps (read "the american dream"). and if the members of the "black community" all decided to take individual responsibility and be accountable for themselves alone instead of being part of the "community," the reverends would be out of a job. now look, we on badweb are only usernames and print. and i don't care what race anyone is under that racesuit and helmet. it doesn't matter. we are individuals. we are individuals who have made decisions in our lives that have put us in a position to have the extra money for motorcycles. we didn't do that as a result of our group affiliation. we did it through good work ethic and a drive to succeed. i don't want to be remembered as a badwebber (ie, a part of a community). i want to be remembered as "you know...bullet. the guy who never washed his bike because he was too busy riding it...." "oh yeah, him!" how do you want to be remembered? I'm goin riding.  | ||
| Akbuell |
Sorry, Jimidan, but Sharpton is one of the most committed racists ever. I happen to remember what he said about the criminal justice system, and the prosecutor in particular (and what should happen/be done to him) in the days following Tawana Brawley's discovery in a park. I do not remember hearing him make a retraction, much less an apology, when it was proved that Brawley had staged the whole incident to keep from getting in trouble for sneaking out of the house to party. Until he quits leading every play w/the race card, I just ignore him. And at last report, Strom Thurmond was dead, and his condition was not expected to improve, and the Civil War was over a long time ago, so who cares? I'm going to rotate the valve stems in my tires. Have fun, keep the rubber side down. | ||
| Jimidan |
I had to ask the question. I don't know who the guy you were calling "Sharpton" is, I have never seen that guy. I know some instances where he and Jackson have used their celebrity and influence to try and help someone out, and it turned out badly because they were lied to by the 'injured' party. Is that what you are talking about? For every one of those cases, there have been many more successful resolutions. I guess that perceptions of who someone is, based on mostly second hand info, is a very personal thing, and certainly you may have different data to make your determination than I do. I have never gotten the impression that he did any of the things you just mentioned...most of which sound like interpretation based on opinion. I certainly have never heard Sharpton say that he didn't think Obama was black enough, although I have heard that term bandied about on the 24 hour news channels. I assumed that they didn't have much to talk about that day...no bimbos shaving their heads or waking up dead. I already took my bike ride today...what a rush. By the end of the week I will be riding every day in Daytona...yes! jimidee | ||
| Jimidan |
Sorry, Jimidan, but Sharpton is one of the most committed racists ever. I happen to remember what he said about the criminal justice system, and the prosecutor in particular (and what should happen/be done to him) in the days following Tawana Brawley's discovery in a park. I do not remember hearing him make a retraction, much less an apology, when it was proved that Brawley had staged the whole incident to keep from getting in trouble for sneaking out of the house to party. Until he quits leading every play w/the race card, I just ignore him. And at last report, Strom Thurmond was dead, and his condition was not expected to improve, and the Civil War was over a long time ago, so who cares? I am glad that you have determined that racism (white on black) is over. I think it has come a long way in the last several years because of guys like Sharpton and Jackson, not in spite on them. They tell it like it is, whether it be an inconvenient truth or not, PC or not. They can be taken to the cleaners by opportunistic liars, like any one else. I think the case you mention has made Sharpton much more cautious of about who he goes to bat for these days. He ain't stupid. I think that there is more racism that is black on white these days, but white on black has hardly ceased to exist. I think that the influx of Mexicans have taken some of the heat off of black folks lately...I am not sure why that is. Could it be we have a new whipping boy? jimidan} | ||
| Xbullet |
i don't see the need for a whipping boy. that's the very mentality that the reverends drive into peoples' heads! there is no whipping boy in the U.S.A. unless you choose to be that. That's what freedom IS! you can be the whipping boy in some other country and come here and become the CEO of a major corporation if you set your mind to it and do what it takes to get there. "if you do your best and still don't succeed, then you did not do what was necessary." -churchill..paraphrased. | ||
| Hughlysses |
Back to the subject which started this discussion, when you look at it, this is a pretty flimsy connection between the two men. It boils down to Sen. Thurmond's great-great-uncle owned Rev. Sharpton's great-grandfather. It made for a good headline. I think it would be far more interesting and educational to find the descendants of the black warriors in West Africa who sold Rev. Sharpton's ancestors into slavery in the first place. | ||
| Not_purple_s2 |
I'd just like to say that I have nothing to say..... oh... wait. Damn! | ||
| Akbuell |
Daytona!!!! Good for you. Bike week is a hoot. BTW, if you get the chance, swing by the Volusia Co Speedway for the evening 1/2mi dirt track races. (From Daytona, head north to Ormond Beach, then take a left and head west on 40. The track will be on the right, not too far from Barberville) Good racing; worth a stop, esp if you have never watched a flat-track race. As always, watch for squids and cagers. I envy you the trip.  | ||
| Jimidan |
I have been going to Daytona every year, except one (wrecked my van), since 1998. I always camp out in my van and trailer the Buell. I have some friends from FL that I meet and hang with, who are flat track fans too. We spend a couple of evenings out at the Volusia Speedway...gotta love their barbeque sandwiches and 50/50 tickets. We always hit the stadium for the short track action too. I am a track rat though, and spend most of the time during the days in the International Speedway watching roadracing. I have become an ardent historic racing fan too. I will be pulling for Walt to qualify and The Worm to win in the 200. | ||
| Frankfast |
" I think it would be far more interesting and educational to find the descendents of black warriors in West Africa who sold Rev. Sharpton's ancestors into slavery in the first place." Yup. And I guess that would make us just as primitive and barbaric as they were. (Message edited by frankfast on February 27, 2007) | ||
| Jimidan |
Xbullet sez: i don't see the need for a whipping boy. that's the very mentality that the reverends drive into peoples' heads! there is no whipping boy in the U.S.A. unless you choose to be that. That's what freedom IS! you can be the whipping boy in some other country and come here and become the CEO of a major corporation if you set your mind to it and do what it takes to get there. I don't see the need for a whipping boy either, but it seems to be that a significant part of the US population does. It seems to be concentrated in blue collar Southern Conservatives, but not entirely. It definitely is occurring where I live in central KY. This phenomena was not brought to my attention by either of the reverends in question...I am a sociology/psychology double major, so I am very observant of social trends. I wish it weren't so. I have even had black folks tell me that they have seen a difference for the better in racial attitudes towards them since the Mexican illegal immigration issue has taken to the forefront. Since blacks are only 11% of the population, and not increasing significantly, they are no longer seen as a major threat. There are still a lot of white folks who do not like black folks though, as the vestiges of slavery will not go quietly into the night. The research indicates that latinos will be in the majority in the US in as few as 35 years, which scares the bejeezus out of many people, thus they have become the new gorilla in the closet. I find it interesting that some black youths are more openly hostile towards whites for their perceived racist attitudes towards blacks...when in fact, the whites in question may not be exhibiting any signs of that at all. The black youths do not seem to be aware yet that things have changed since the Mexicans are the new menace to white America. Some almost seem disappointed... jimidan} | ||
| Ryker77 |
"The black youths do not seem to be aware yet that things have changed since the Mexicans are the new menace to white America" Working class Americans of ANY color do not seem to be aware yet that things have changed since the ILLEGAL insurgent hispanics have invade America. -- | ||
| Xbullet |
"There are still a lot of white folks who do not like black folks though, as the vestiges of slavery will not go quietly into the night. " there are those on both sides of the fence who pick at the scab of history. and if the wound is continuously reopened, it will never heal. "I find it interesting that some black youths are more openly hostile towards whites for their perceived racist attitudes towards blacks...when in fact, the whites in question may not be exhibiting any signs of that at all. The black youths do not seem to be aware yet that things have changed since the Mexicans are the new menace to white America. Some almost seem disappointed... " where does this mentality among young black males stem from? who is preaching this? | ||
| Buellshyter |
new gorilla in the closet. what in the hell | ||
| Thansesxb9rs |
This is kind of a funny read. My take on racisim is that there are always going to be people that want to blame something on someone, white or black doesn't matter it is just another reason to blame someone for your problems because that is all racisim is anymore. The problem is the media hypes up the racisim card in our country and makes it look like a bigger problem then it really is. When you look at the size of our population how many of you have seen real racisim, like when my roommate got beat up infront of his daughter because he is Jewish (yes it was a skin head). I have never seen true racisism, I have seen people get upset with others and call them names. Name calling is very minor compared to what racisim used to mean. How about the picture I emailed to a good buddy of mine that is black, it had a black guy holding a watermelon in each arm and a chicken on a fence in front of him the punch line was "What a predicament". He knew and I knew this was all in good fun and he came back with another crack at me with a pic that said you my cracker and I hate white people. That is the difference between racisim and a sense of humor, when you do not take these things seriously and can laugh at them. I guess I maybe sheltered since I grew up in the North have been in the so called ghetto and not feel threatened or go visit my brother who lives in a predominately Latino area and not feel threatened to leave his house at 2am. I think that black on black violence is way more common today then white on black violence like the two above politicians would want you to believe. |
