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DEL.ICIO.USEverson: Imus, Coretta and a double standard
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Rep. Melvin Everson last week managed to upbraid four local and national luminaries over their use of racial slurs or their failure to condemn them.
Everson called shock-jock Don Imus’ on-air reference to the Rutgers University women’s basketball team “inexcusable.”
The Snellville Republican also took to task Democrat Roberta Abdul-Salaam, a fellow African-American Georgia House member, for saying a word this newspaper won’t print.
On April 11, a House committee voted down Abdul-Salaam’s proposal to hang a portrait of Coretta Scott King at the state Capitol. The action enraged Salaam, who said that the committee’s action “was just like calling Mrs. King a nappy-headed [expletive].”
“I am equally as upset with Rep. Roberta Abdul-Salaam due to her emotional outburst and comment,” Everson said in a prepared statement. “Being African-American did not give her the right to make such comments.”
Then Everson turned his fire on two bigger-name black leaders.
“Where were Reverends [Jesse] Jackson and [Al] Sharpton when this most recent event took place? Honestly, I am disappointed in the leadership in the African-American community since they have not moved as swiftly to condemn Rep. Abdul-Salaam’s comment as quickly as that of Imus,” Everson said. “Everyone who uses this kind of language should be denounced.
“The African-American community should be the first ones held to this standard, not the last.”
Permalink | Comments (6) | Post your comment | Categories: Gwinnett Insider
Comments
By jc
April 29, 2007 8:46 AM | Link to this
Sharpton and Jackson, saying that blacks are wrong, how absurd.
By jc
April 29, 2007 8:55 AM | Link to this
I love how Sean Hannity tore apart Sharpton the other night.
By Bruce Wilcox
April 30, 2007 12:26 AM | Link to this
What a sad state we have in Georgia, last week an entire forest in Israel was named in honor of Coretta Scott King, yet this woman loved by the world is forbidden to have her portrait beside her late husband Dr. King in the Capitol.
Gee a Republican taking to task a Democrat who used the same insulting language that Imus did to show her distain and disgust for the actions of the Republican legislature. A politican taking advantage of a situation, that’s news.
Maybe Rep. Melvin Everson just feels guilty and knows that bashing the right people down here in Georgia makes you one of the boys.
By Regularjoe
April 30, 2007 9:10 AM | Link to this
Rep. Everson is a good man. He is not the first black person to condemn Abdul-Salaam’s comments.
This quote was taken recently from the AJC:
Black leaders distanced themselves from Abdul-Salaam’s comments.
‘I think the two are completely different,’ said state Rep. Al Williams, chair of the House’s black caucus.
‘I don’t see the committee’s action as racist. I see it as inaction and shortsighted,’ he said. ‘I use the word racist like I do love _ I’m sure when I use it.’
Although Williams and others may disagree with the decision, like Everson they agree this woman was out of line, and she was.
By Karen
April 30, 2007 9:30 AM | Link to this
Regarding Everson: People who live in glass houses should not throw stones. Over the years Everson’s skin has become lighter and lighter. Everson should drop the subject. His comments are a moot point and definately not newsworthy. There will always be those politicians who thrive on these topics so as to make news for themselves. Ask yourself why and then vote.
By Bobby
April 30, 2007 1:18 PM | Link to this
Wow Karen! Are you really calling out Everson for not being “black enough”???
Sounds like you are part of the problem in this country!