Thread: Rev. Sharpton says immigration reform is about race.

MIAMI BEACH, Fla. (AP) -- The Rev. Al Sharpton and Wal-Mart CEO Lee Scott became unlikely allies Tuesday in their call to revive immigration legislation, in speeches before the nation's largest Hispanic civil rights organization. "Congress needs to pass a comprehensive immigration reform bill now," said Scott, who heads the world's largest retailer.

Scott attributed his views in part to his Mexican-American granddaughter, who has helped him to understand immigration as more than "simply a cerebral exercise."

But Hispanics also provide a major part of the chain's business, Scott acknowledged, roughly 14 percent and growing. And their relatives are increasingly shopping at Wal-Mart Stores Inc. in countries such as Argentina and Guatemala.

Sharpton, a civil rights activist who has often railed against corporate America, went further in his support for a bill that would provide a path to legalization for many of the nation's more than 12 million illegal immigrants. He denounced TV and radio shows that foster an "us against them" mentality.

"I want to say what a lot of people won't say. The immigration debate is not simply about border security, it is a problem of America dealing with race," Sharpton told the audience of more than 1,000 community, political and business leaders, at the National Council of La Raza's annual conference.

"No one is calling for English-only tests when it comes to fighting in Iraq," he added.

Black Americans must stand up for Hispanics because the issues they face are the same, Sharpton said.

"We cannot have the tribal psychology in the civil rights movement," he said. "We must fight all for one and one for all, or we lose the moral authority to fight for anybody."

Sharpton dismissed the notion that immigrants are taking jobs from black Americans.

"What jobs?" he demanded. "Blacks were doubly unemployed by whites before anyone came across the border."

He also slammed presidential candidates he said wink at black and Hispanic Americans and say: "you know what I mean. We'll take care of you later," then ignore them in the primaries.

"No, we don't know what you mean," he said. "Do not treat us like some cheap date that you cannot take home to your mother."

But Tomar Jacoby, a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute for Policy Research who did not attend the conference, disputed the notion that opposition to last month's immigration bill was based on racism.

"Much more widespread are worries about the culture. Are we going to be speaking Spanish? Are our politics going to look like Mexican politics? Can this work?" she said.

Jacoby said some Americans are so disillusioned with the government's handling of Hurricane Katrina, the war in Iraq and even current immigration laws, that they have little confidence the government will keep its promises on new ones.

"That can spill over into bigotry, but it isn't bigotry," she said.

Sharpton and Lee spoke as immigrant rights activists discussed last month's failure to achieve new immigration laws and their strategies for renewing the debate.

Many called for more civil rights-era type protests against local anti-immigrant ordinances and efforts to reach out to local media.

"Ultimately, you can't argue with demographics," said Joe Garcia, vice president of the Democratic nonprofit NDN Network. "Being anti-immigrant doesn't work in some places, and as America changes, being anti-immigrant isn't going to work in a lot more places."

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If Sharpton can't cry "Racism" he doesn't have a job......he'll look for it or try to MANUFACTURE it anywhere he can. All he cares about is his own wallet.

In some ways I like Al Sharpton, but he is dead wrong on this one.
Illegal immigration is an economic calamity for African-Americans.
50% of black Americans with a high school degree are unemployed, according to Senator Chuck Schumer in congressional testimony.
The illegal aliens are competing for jobs with precisely those people.

According to the Pew Hispanic Center, some 800,000 illegal aliens are employed in the construction industry. Who would those jobs go to if not illegal aliens?

Promises made to black America are being cast aside because of illegal immigration.
The cost of educating illegal alien children and the American born children of illegal aliens will be some $2 trillion over 20 years. That means much, much less money will be available to deliver on the promise of equality of education for African-Americans. It could mean bad schools for just about everybody, actually.

"No one is calling for English-only tests when it comes to fighting in Iraq," he added.

I realize that expecting a logical, coherent, linear thought from James Brown's pompadoured roadie and semi-literate racial arsonist is too much to ask, but can someone please decipher the statement above for those of us who don't speak gibberish?

Sharpton is an idiot! Why people still listen to this buffoon is amazing!!

Sharpton is nothing more than an opportunistic racist.....period.....pure and simple.....nuff said.

Remember Wal-Mart keeps getting nailed for hiring illegals or hiring the subcontractors of illegals.

Also they like turning their stores into little Mexico's...

Sharpton = Opportunist

Al Sharpton is an IDIOT.

Sharpton always has to have his nose stuck in controversey,no matter what it is and the years have taught him nothing,
He has made so many stupid statements through the years nothing he says surprises me. I'm not ever sure why he believes we still want to hear anything from him at all. we don't!! He is pandering as he always does!


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