February 27th 2024.
Shortly after Donald Trump made a remark claiming that Black people can relate to him because of his past legal troubles, Reverend Al Sharpton spoke out against the likely Republican presidential nominee during an appearance on Morning Joe. Sharpton, a supporter of the "Exonerated Five" - a group of Black and Latinx young men who were falsely accused of rape in 1989, has been vocal in recent years, bringing attention to Trump's past actions. In particular, Sharpton reminded the public of Trump's full-page advertisements in New York City newspapers, including the New York Daily News and New York Times, which called for the then-teenagers to receive the death penalty.
In 2016, The Guardian conducted an interview with Yusuf Salaam, one of the exonerated five, while Trump's popularity in the Republican Party was skyrocketing. Salaam expressed his thoughts on Trump, stating, "He was the firestarter. Common citizens were being manipulated and swayed into believing that we were guilty. I knew that this famous person calling for us to die was very serious. We were all afraid. Our families were afraid. Our loved ones were afraid. We walked around with a target on our backs. It was a scary time. If this had happened in the 1950s, it is likely that someone from that darker part of society would have taken matters into their own hands and we could have been lynched in Central Park, just like what happened to Emmett Till."
Despite the impact of his advertisements and the fear they instilled in the families of the wrongfully accused, Trump has never apologized for his actions. Meanwhile, Sharpton pointed out that he has never seen or heard Trump speak out on behalf of Black people who have been wrongfully accused of crimes in America. Sharpton also delved into Trump's motivations for appearing at a black-tie event for Black conservatives in South Carolina before the primary win on Saturday.
"First and foremost, let's be clear, Donald Trump is perpetuating the harmful stereotype that Black people are criminals and therefore would be drawn to someone with a mugshot," Sharpton stated. "But the reality is, the civil rights movement was driven by Black people being arrested and fighting for their right to vote. It's truly insulting that he would try to appeal to Black voters in this way, especially when we have Black prosecutors like Alvin Bragg in Manhattan and Black women like the Attorney General of New York, Leticia James. Is he suggesting that Black people would choose him over them?"
Sharpton didn't stop there. He continued to criticize Trump, saying, "I've been a part of this movement for 40 to 50 years, and I have never seen him stand up for Black individuals who have been treated unfairly by the criminal justice system. But suddenly, he's portraying himself as a victim, being persecuted by Black prosecutors and a Black woman judge in Washington D.C. It's absolutely shameless to see Black individuals standing there and applauding him. They need to educate themselves on the facts."
In conclusion, it's clear that Black political leaders are not impressed with Trump's actions and comments. His attempts to appeal to Black voters are seen as offensive and insincere, and his track record of not standing up for the Black community speaks for itself. Sharpton and others are calling for people to see through Trump's facade and not fall for his false promises.
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