Sharpton just finished appearing on Paula Zahn in response to the memes coming from the Romney camp saying he had made a bigoted statement when discussing the history of slavery in the Mormon church in a recent debate with Christopher Hitchens.
First of all - it was most interesting that none of Sharpton's critics had to this point mentioned the fact that it was Hitchens who initiated the matter in the debate two nights ago. Hitchens pointed out that up until 1965 the Mormon doctrine held to the idea that the "Sons of Shem" were lesser humans.
Blacks have the right to be offended at such a theological doctrinal position in any faith system.
Sharpton reasserted after Zahn played the clip at least twice, that he was in fact making a theological distinction between the non-bibliocentric view of the Jesus/God that Mormons worship, and that of Evangelicals, Catholics, and Orthodox.
The statement that Sharpton made WAS bigoted - not on substance but rather because he questioned Romney's sincerety.
Let's face it Jews don't recognize Jesus and therefore they believe that Christians are not "true" believers. (Of course they are not by Jewish doctrine.) Christians see that Jews don't recognize Christ's diety and assert that Jews are not "true" believers - because unless they practice Messianic Judaism - they do not recognize Christ the Messiah. Neither Jews nor Christians view Mormons as "true" believers because according to their doctrines they aren't. To recognize these differences is NOT bigoted.
What Sharpton did was question Romney's genuine belief. Sharpton was claiming that Romney didn't truly hold to his beliefs.
The problem with giving the Nappy-Headed Reverend his 16th and 17th and 18th and 19th and 20th minute in the spotlight on this issue is that now he has given the occassion of the remarks context, and in doing so he has figured out how to REALLY pummel Romney amongst African American voters. (Many of whom would have been sympathetic to MANY of Romney's ideas.)
Now - when it comes to mainstream blacks Sharpton's bullhorn will repeatedly imply that Romney is racist because he was part of the LDS prior to the retraction of the racist "Sons of Shem" doctrine.
This all could have been avoided all together if everyone had given the yapping terrier Sharpton the dignity his original statement deserved - NONE!
This was a bad night for Romney, Republicans, Blacks, and the election of 2008.
The heartbreak reality is - it didn't need to be...