As thousands gathered on the National Mall to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington, MSNBC host Al Sharpton had a message for the young people — pull up your pants and respect the women.
The “Realize the Dream” rally, hosted by the Reverend’s not-for-profit organization National Action Network, was more about decrying gun rights and the Supreme Court’s Voting Rights Act decision than actually remembering the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. But Sharpton took the time during his lengthy remarks to admonish the youth of America, namely young African-American men.
“We need to teach our young folk, I don’t care how much money they give you, you don’t disrespect your women,” Sharpton said. “No matter what they promise you, make it clear that you know that Rosa Parks wasn’t no ho and Fannie Lou Hamer wasn’t no b**ch.”
Sharpton told the crowd that it was important to give young people dreams again, just as King dared to dream of a better America in the face of those who wanted him dead. But in order to give young people dreams, the country needs to better fund the public school system and make it a place for young people from diverse backgrounds to thrive.
“You wonder why they’re walking around with their pants down,” he said. “Because that’s what you wear in jail. And if you think that’s where you’re headed, you might as well get dressed before you get there. We need to give them dreams again, not to worry about sagging pants, but sagging morality. If we told them who they could be and what they could do they would pull up their pants and go to work.”
But more than that, Sharpton admonished those at the rally to watch how they address one another and make sure they treat each other with respect. He encouraged the young people to remember that their success came from their ancestors and to not take it for granted.
“Don’t you think that men — like men like Medger Evers — died to give you the right to be a hoodlum or gave you the right to be a thug,” he challenged.
