Al Sharpton Calls For Michael Jackson 'Love Vigils'

LOS ANGELES — The Rev. Al Sharpton has delivered a sermon in Los Angeles where he called for nationwide "love vigils" for Michael Jackson on Tuesday.

The civil rights activist addressed congregants at the First African Methodist Episcopal Church on Sunday.

Sharpton is urging people to gather in schools, community centers and churches to honor Jackson on Tuesday, when a public memorial service will be held at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.

Comments

[Steamboater]

It's never really about anything other than Sharpton. As long as he gets his face in the news, that's all that matters.

[Steamboater]

Sharpton gets more nauseating all the time.

[Softnsweet]

So does your face! Leave Sharpton alone, he has your number!!

[marignymitch]

You obviously are buying what he's selling.

[HarlemFreeThought]

In a fair debate pls state historically and logicically your point.

[EStreetShuffler]

And then how about a vigil for the men and boys in therapy because of their creepy sleepovers with Jackson through the years?

Is Al worried that Jackson's death won't get enough attention without him inserting himself into every aspect of this thing? There are probably other people and issues more worthy of his energy and ability to attract attention, don't you think?

[kutkreata]

Give it a rest. He was acquitted on 14 counts by a jury of his peers.

Hilarious at how theatened some people are over Jackson, Sharpton and the coverage of MJ...

*smh*

[BrotherOrchid]

Threatened? by Jackson?, Sharpton? are you serious?

[TheBlackCat]

Now I'm not speaking about Michael Jackson's case in particular...

but, as a general rule, let's not pretend a jury's decision, be it guilty or innocent, is an ACTUAL determination on someone's true guilt of innocent.

Were the cops who got off scott free in a court of law for the Rodney King beatings, or the shooting of Sean Bell, innocent just because a jury of their peers acquitted them?

[-0013]

OJ was aquitted by a jury of his peers as well.

You inviting him over to carve the turkey this thanksgiving?

[eleanorhawking]

Dear Gosh. No one is threatened by MJ. He has passed on and depending on your belief system, is either being judged, or is just GONE. Sharpton is a flat-out joke to most people with a brain, whatever the color, and as for being threatened by the coverage - most people are just sick of the whole mess.

[jaschrod]

He was acquitted in 2005. In 1990, he paid made a two million pay off to settle out of court a child molestation case. In 1995 he made another pay off of fifteen million to settle another child molestation case out of court.these pay offs pretty well eliminated two people from testifying in order to show a continued illegal action with kids. I do not know about you, but if it walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, it must be a duck.

[yossarrian]

The most disturbing aspect to this whole ordeal is, putting all the freakiness aside...the costumes, kids, chimps, fantasy lands, the trials, young boys etc., he just wasn't that good of a musician. He had a weak voice, he didn't play an instrument, his songwriting was childish and without the genious of Quincy Jones he would have been left in the musical dark ages.
He was a pretty good dancer but that's not music.
He's in the same league w/ Madonna, Elvis, Brittany Spears, Jonas bros. and his sister Janet....minimal talents who rely on a young naive fan base, props, dozens of dancers, costume changes and massive marketing to cover for their lack of musical talent.

[donia1970]

...pretty good dancer? Good enough for Fred Astaire to claim Michael was his successor.

[BrotherOrchid]

Did you create that "fact-iod"?. Fred Astaire’s “successor”. That is insane !!!. MJ was no Fred Astaire. How many (dozens of) movies did MJ produce, direct, or star in? was MJ a choreographer? MJ hired people to produce his music, write his music, and “his” dance moves were taught to him by others, some deluded folks even think that MJ invented the Moonwalk, he did not

[amorvincitomnia]

Look he was seriously eccentric, troubled and pretty creepy at the end but as an entertainer he was in a league of his own.

[Softnsweet]

I agree!

[TanzaniteDiamonds]

You cannot compare Britney Spears and the Jonass Bros. to Michael Jackson. Both of those Mickey Mouse acts -- are not even in the same league --- as Michael Jackson. Look at any old YouTube videos of Michael (especially when he was younger), and the talent is there, right from the start; he had genuine talent.

But I do think that this ordeal with Sharpton will just give MJ fanatics (there's a fine line between "fan" and "fanatic"), to be more fanatical; another kind of "idol worship".

Michael Jackson was an incredibly talented entertainer. I'll always be a fan of his music, but I don't condone "idol worship" for any human being. Sharpton is just adding to the hooplah of making this a full blown circus, and the media is having a field day. Sadly, I don't think he's doing it intentionally. I believe he really thinks he's doing a "good thing".

[-0013]

The fact the you group Elvis with Spears, Madonna, and the Janet Jackson indicates that your opinion on all things music is useless.

[dteg]

Music is to be enjoyed. You are over analysing it. Everyone has different taste and yes Michael Jackson was a genius and great preformer. He definetly grew as an artist which most preformers don't

[Anthony Lema]

Al & Jesse need to retire and fade away. They are boring and irrevelant.

[kutkreata]

To you. To many people like me they are appreciated.

[gpeach36]

For what reason, to keep division of races in the news? To bring attention to themselves? To blame everyone but mj for his problems? These two are embarrassing. I remeber during the Obama speech at Lincoln Park the night he was elected seeing Jesse Jackson looking around for a camera, not crying at all and when he found the camera he suddenly was all teary eyed. WHat a phoney.

[Softnsweet]

I second that!

[wordvarc]

Mr. Narcissist inserted himself into 2nd page news again. Sharpton's continued pandering of this recent tragic death appears to be simple hollow shameless self promotion.

[kutkreata]

No, he's trying to keep the Whyte controlled media from focusing only on tabloid journalism instead of recognizing the many great accomplishments that MJ made.

[Trueheart]

No, he's not. He is setting MJ up so high that his reputation can't help but fall. Totally disrespectful. Are you saying that only Whyte people think Jackson had problems?

[BrotherOrchid]

Pleeeeese*****MJ was tabloid-ism personified, his life was a (self-created) media circus, why would his (tragic, untimely) death not mirror his (tragic, unfulfilled) life?. The ”people” who view MJ as a saintly figure , diminish the lives and sacrifices of REAL AMERICAN HERO”S. And as for the abuse claims***The poor are not to be believed anyway, they are all liars, Only the rich and famous are honest, god-fearing, and beyond reproach. RIGHT?

[eleanorhawking]

Lord, have Mercy! What a circus. Is Bubbles coming?

[escribacat]

LOL

[marignymitch]

Totally unneccessary. Vadge and Sharpton are on the scene.

[mimigrammy]

I love Michael Jackson for his talent, peaceful spirit and his charitable giving. I will never believe he molested any child, but Reverend Al is taking things too far. He need to reel in his grief and need to be in the spot light. Michael Jackson would not appreciate some of his misplaced words and actions.

[kutkreata]

So you know what MJ would appreciate? Amazing.

[BrotherOrchid]

Sharpy-tongue debases himself again, groveling at the feet of the rich and powerful, perhaps they will fling him a few coins, he'll do anything for those coins.

[HarlemFreeThought]

Clueless......Low life

[BrotherOrchid]

Wake up > HarlemFreeThought (I guess the “free thought” part of your screen name only applies to people who agree with you)****MY CLUE was the decades of "do-nothing", go nowhere leadership that sharp-tongue has "offered" the Black community. He has managed to do precisely NOTHING; he has not founded any Cultural Institutions, Historical Societies, Libraries, Scholarship Funds. Sharpy has not made any serious sustained effort to provide any long-term solutions to the many problems confronting Blacks in America. He is a huckster. You need a clue***

[kutkreata]

co-sign

[ohiodem250]

Every time you say MJ's name in July a soldier in Iraq "loses his wings."

[trinidadgirl]

One thing about Rev Al...'he tells it like it is'! I like Rev Al because he says what people like to cover up! And, somebody has to straighten out the msm and their gross exaggerations and detrimental spins and slants! Go AL!
For those who think of MJ highly ,hold your love vigils and enjoy...for those who don't, couldn't care less, still feel the need to regurgitate his idiosyncracies, ...simply go about your day without interruption.
Yes, folks, it's that simple!

[melgris]

Al Sharpton will be for anything that buys him tv air time.

[hrholmes]

Should we each bring a little boy too? The Staples place will be a freak show for the ages! lol

[CHARLESTHETENTH]

Both Al Sharpton and Jessie Jackson are a disgrace to their own race. They have done nothing for their own people except show up for photo opportunities in times like these.. It is obvious they enjoy the celebrity status and they could have done so much more with it. Both travel and live well....their income never questioned?? Look around..whether this country or other parts of the World, like Africa, when it comes to the Black poor and neglected it is mostly White people that respond to their needs...missionaries, volunteers, church groups and such....you never see the Al Sharpton's or Jessie Jackson's....they're to busy working on their own image to have time doing the important things for their own people...like promoting a love fest for Michael Jackson or being one of the first on scene after MJ's death to make sure the Media captures their image. What charities, rescue missions, homeless shelters, neighborhood programs, housing projects, health clinics, school programs etc do they represent or are involved in to help their own people?? And when are their own people going to demand more from them and others like them? Mayor Barry of Wash DC fame comes to mind!!

[Dupree]

First of all, YOU do not speak for the African American community. YOU are on the outside looking in and your vision is obscured. YOU said to look at Africa or other parts of the world...it is the white people that responds to them...let me correct you. Apartheid was not a "black idea" that whites people benefited from. Nor was slavery. It was only fitting that the descendants of the ones that benefited the most of their hard labor ....and received an inheritance based on the free labor of a people ...would be in a better position to help out....after all...who hands built their plantation of which they reaps the benefits for years and generations to come.

I appreciate the fact that Sharpton and Jackson is speaking out. I may not always be on the same page as they are...but they helped a lot along the journey...and they are bold activist that do not shy away from telling it like it was and like it is.

[TheBlackCat]

I personally suspect that Sharpton and Jackson are opportunists and media hounds more than anything all, but overall I agree with your point. White people are simply in a better position both socially and financially to work on charitable causes which have a wider reach.

African Americans DO help their own people...but it is typically at a community level and not something that people outside of the community are going to know about, unlike well publicized national efforts that white people are more likely to be involved with. I am white and middle class but after college I was broke and lived in a poor neighborhood that was almost entirely black. I couldn't believe that amount of community organization that went on. When someone needed help with child care, with domestic abuse, with theft from their store...it wasn't benevolent white people who swooped out of the sky to help them. And IF the cops were called, which people had for the most part learned not to even bother with, nothing ever happened. it was unofficial black community organizers who lived in the neighborhood who made a difference.

[kutkreata]

Co-sign Dupree. Very well said.

[Steamboater]

Jackson and his "hymie" remark and exptring money using guilt as a weapon and Sharpton playing the race card with his incindiery racism in regard to Tawana Brawley. Not exactly two men to be admired.

[yellowdoggie]

Well, here is Rev. Al telling us all how we ought to be acting and reacting. Thanks, Al. I wouldn't know how to behave if you weren't here to school me.