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Sharpton
apologizes after making comments comparing gang member
to Dubya
Metro - 07/09/03
SOUTH CENTRAL, LA -- Crumbling beneath
an avalanche of criticism, Democratic presidential candidate
Rev. Al Sharpton reluctantly apologized today for his
comment, comparing a Los Angeles area gang leader to
President Bush. The Los Angeles gangster, backed by
community gang supporters have made repeated demands
of Sharpton that he apologize for his insensitive remarks.
“We all know George W. Bush is
the most evil man in the World and to be compared to
someone like that is just hurtful,” said the unnamed
gang leader. This particular gangster is well known
in the community for a gang assistance program he hopes
to see signed into law by the next democratic president.
The Sharpton campaign has been
about the comment and has never denied that the Reverend
intended to hurt the gang member’s feelings.
"I'm in Los Angeles. For a gang
leader to approach me and say, 'What’s up fool'
almost like daring and provoking me," Mr. Sharpton
said, "he sounds more like the President than the
good Christian gangsters I know in South-Central.”
The “challenge,” as Rev.
Sharpton describes it, came on a day when the Reverend
was feeling a little under the weather. He had just
finished a ‘mega plate’ at the local Louisiana
Chicken and Chinese, on the corner of Western and Jefferson,
when a pair of angry young men approached him. Without
identifying themselves, the men demanded the Reverend
consider their proposal for gang-aid, which would provide
financial assistance to LA gang members who can’t
find work slangin’ drugs or pimpin’ hos.
Sharpton dismissed the two and an argument ensued.
During the verbal altercation, that’s
when Mr. Sharpton compared one of the two to President
Bush. “If you think you can always have your way,
you are no different than George W. Bush,” Sharpton
said. According to eyewitnesses, the gang member burst
into tears, ran to his waiting car and sped off.
Sharpton, still feeling ill from the
food, left the scene in the back seat of a large sedan
driven by an unknown campaign aid.
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