Ethnically Speaking by Larry Meeks

Dear Larry: I find it really confusing that people like Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton call themselves civil rights activists, when they have expressed forms of prejudice and discrimination toward others, and then become indignant with others doing the same thing.

A person of color or any minority can buy a home or own a business in a predominantly white community. In 1995, Sharpton led a protest against a Jewish shopkeeper, who opened up a store in the Harlem district, and called him a "white interloper."

In recent events, like the Duke lacrosse rape case, Sharpton and Jackson still stood by the alleged victim's side when it turned out that the rape was a hoax. Why do they not distance themselves from her, and come to the aid to the accused, whose lives she ruined?

During the Michael Richards incident, Richards did everything he could to redeem himself after he made those racial tirades at a comedy club. He met with Jackson and Sharpton, hoping to defuse the situation, but afterward, they accepted his apology but demanded a boycott on "Seinfeld" DVDs.

In the Don Imus case, they demanded that Imus be fired for his remarks toward the Rutgers's women's basketball team. However, they have publicly expressed bigoted remarks themselves.

In my opinion, a civil rights activist is a person who stands up for the rights of all people, not just one group.

Question: If you were in the same room with them, what would you say? — Patrick

Dear Patrick: I would tell both of them they are hypocrites and an embarrassment to both the minority community and me.

My e-mail and snail mail has been inundated with responses regarding the double standard dished out to Imus.

The overwhelming number of replies feel there is a double standard and think Imus was held to a different standard. The following are but a few:

From Mike C.: I am disgusted by double standards, whether they be racial or Bill Clinton's condemnation of others. I am very surprised that the American public can't or won't see past the end of their nose to be completely intolerant of this situation.

From Steven: I have read thousands of articles, some quite heated, regarding the double standard that exists in our society. Only the stand taken by Bill Cosby states your case better.

From M.A.: Jessie Jackson and the other double-talking parrots remind me of a quote I once heard that "many believe that wrongs are not wrong if it is done by nice people like ourselves." They see nothing wrong with their behavior, but heaven help the ones they don't like who are doing the same thing. How do you spell hypocrite?

From Toni: Imus was wrong, but the double-talking people are "wronger." Please excuse the coined word. In this case I think it's a perfect fit.

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