Cornel West says both Dyson and Sharpton have prostituted themselves for Obama

Cornel West says both Dyson and Sharpton have prostituted themselves for Obama

By Yvette Carnell

     What we all witnessed at the 50th anniversary of the March On Washington was the coronation of one very prominent pundit–Rev. Al Sharpton. Sharpton’s claim to fame is that of street activist, but he tossed aside the role of amplifying the voice of the masses in favor of a more lucrative gig once President Obama was elected. And Sharpton’s unyielding support of President Obama, even when it means muting the protestations of the people, has Dr. Cornel West fuming.

    In reaction to the 50th anniversary commemoration, Cornel West blasted Michael Dyson and Sharpton, both of whom heap praise on Obama but are miserly in their criticism of the first Black president.

“Brother Martin himself, I think, would’ve been turning over in his grave,” West said of the event. “[King would have wanted] people to talk about Wall Street criminality, he wants people to talk about war crimes, or drones dropping bombs on innocent people,” he said.

“Instead,” he said regrettfully, “we saw the coronation of the bonafide house negro of the Barack Obama plantation, our dear brother Al Sharpton.” West then added that Sharpton’s unprincipled position was “supported by [MSNBC analyst] Dyson and others who’ve prostituted themselves in a very ugly and vicious way.”

West, along with co-host Tavis Smiley, insisted that both men have been bought out.

In a 60 Minutes interview, Leslie Stahl described the new and improved Sharpton as “tame.” Sharpton also admitted during the segment that he’d agreed not to criticize the President at all, foregoing his role as agitator in favor of a more lucrative role as political insider. Stahl said that the Obama Administration was rewarding Sharpton with access in exchange for his “change from confrontational to accommodating,” and it seems that Sharpton’s  prominent role at the 50th anniversary of MLK’s “I Have a Dream” speech certainly reflects that exchange.

For what it’s worth, Dyson, who once called Obama Pharaoh and not Moses, has changed his tune as well.