Shades of Sharpton

We seem to be in the “sentence first, verdict afterwards” phase of the Trayvon Martin affair. Speaking outside of his New York City headquarters, Al Sharpton said that it is important to show “sustained indignation” over Martin’s death. Has that cretin ever beat the drums for a cause that had truth or justice on its side? If so, I don’t remember it, but I suppose there’s always a first time. Jay Nordlinger’s NR profile of Sharpton provides essential reminders of his track record.

Sharpton spoke at a protest rally in Martin’s hometown of Sanford, Florida on Thursday night. Sharpton has been stoking the outrage big time on his MSNBC television show. At the protest, Sharpton declared with Martin’s parents at his side: “Trayvon could have been any one of our sons. Trayvon could have been any one of us.”

Where Sharpton treads Jesse Jackson can’t be far behind. Jackson says he will speak at a Sanford-area church Sunday and then attend a rally in the city Monday.

Our president has shown his characteristic leadership (from behind) by a thinly veiled declaration of racial solidarity echoing Sharpton’s — a nice touch. What a crew.

Is motorist Rodney King available for comment?

Mark Twain’s Colonel Sherburn had the number of Sharpton and his ilk: “Now the thing for you to do is to droop your tails and go home and crawl in a hole. If any real lynching’s going to be done it will be done in the dark, Southern fashion…”

A couple of news accounts that complicate the governing narrative are reported here (by Fox Tampa Bay) and here ((by the UK’s Daily Mail). Glenn Reynolds also notes this report (by Fox Orlando).

Coincidentally, the ongoing trial of Shawn Tyson for the cold-blooded murder of two British tourists in Sarasota provides plenty of ground for outrage and “soul-searching,” but you probably haven’t heard much about it. The UK’s Daily Mail carried an excellent account earlier this week.

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