NYPost

Rev. Al Sharpton Calls NY Post Article "Insulting" SEPTEMBER 01ST, 2001

The Reverend Al Sharpton had some tough words Saturday for a New York Post article that said too much was being made of the death of singer Aaliyah.

"Sure, her death's tragic -- but this is too much," was the headline of Friday's post article, in which columnist Rod Dreher suggested that the pop star's funeral was overblown and better suited for someone like a princess, not a singer.

Sharpton and friends of Aaliyah said the article was racist, and insulted the memory of "an accomplished, hard- working African American."

"To act as if her jumping the hurdles of show business and achieving some respect meant she was less than someone else is an offensive, insulting and racist presupposition," Sharpton said.

Sharpton also says critics have no right to tell others how to mourn. Saturday, the Post printed some angry letters it had received in response to the article.

-- Anonymous, September 01, 2001

Answers

I never heard of her...but then I am getting "old"..I like soft rock and country, not RandB

-- Anonymous, September 01, 2001

I never heard of her either. I wonder, is it possible for Sharpton to ever make *any* statement in which he doesn't use the accusation of racism at least once? Wait till the ETs get here. Bet Sharpton will have a field day with his racism rants then. Especially if they land on the front lawn of some white person, rather than Sharpton's place.

-- Anonymous, September 02, 2001

I hadn't heard of her until she died. I may have heard her music, but I don't pay much attention to who is singing, usually. I had heard Cher's latest song several times before I was told that it was her. LOL

If it sounds good, I'll listen to it. I rarely pay attention to the words.

I do not like RAP.

Rock from the 50's thru the 70's is okay. I enjoy Pink Floyd, and instrumental music such as they produced. I like classical as well. Bach, Beethoven, Mozart, etc. Country music is good. Achy breaky heart cracks me up.

I used to listen to radio stations while working, but they fade in and out as people move around in the building, and the machinery interferes as well. Lately I have been listening to our local NBC tv station, which broadcasts on FM. Not much interference on that one, and Dateline is on most every night. One thing though, when I listen to the news on radio, I have become aware of the fact that the talking heads don't realize that there are some people in the audience that can't see what they are talking about. They do not describe what they are showing most times.

-- Anonymous, September 02, 2001

BF, have you tuned in to any of the Fox news shows? O'Reilly Factor, e.g.? Such a refreshing change! I hadn't watched a talking heads show in YEARS until I relatively recently started watching Fox News.

-- Anonymous, September 02, 2001

Well, on Saturday's I listen to NPR's "All things considered,' and then 'Prairie Home Companion.' Then, at eight I switch back to NBC.

I don't know if FOX is broadcast on FM around here.

-- Anonymous, September 02, 2001

Ah, right, you're at work during those hours, forgot. But you can watch the news channel during the day!

-- Anonymous, September 02, 2001

Watch news during the day? What about my soaps? LOL

I rarely watch tv, period. Only sunday and wednesday nights. And not even then sometimes.

When I do watch tv, it's Star Trek or some sort of sci-fi, or a cable movie channel.

I am getting into the Dateline shows though, since they seem to be on most every night I work.

Local news is mostly depressing news about the fall of society around here. I can't remember the last upbeat story I heard. I used to watch only for the weather, but I can get that, with better coverage, on the net all day long.

-- Anonymous, September 02, 2001

BF..we have the same taste in music..today we were working out side on the patio..with the Floyd blaring out the box!!!

which soaps...My favs are DOOL and Passions, have watched Days for 30 something yrs.....

-- Anonymous, September 03, 2001

I was kidding about the soaps, actually. for a short while I would try to catch the one with a character named Tabitha, who was an old witch that had been defeated by another witch who it so happens has been reborn in a young girl.

anyway, Tabitha has this little doll named Timmy, and when no one is around other than Tabitha, Timmy is a real person.

Hilarious!

-- Anonymous, September 03, 2001

I used to watch "Dark Shadows." I haven't had the TV on in months, and still have video tapes of last season's "X-Files" and "Voyager" to watch! In addition to Barefoot's NPR list, I like "This American Story," an NPR program on Sat. afternoons, and sometimes I turn on "Car Talk" on Sat. mornings if I'm running errands. Lately, I've been listening to Harry Potter tapes (children's story about a boy wizard)during road trips. I just finished book 1. What a delightful listen! They're available in the public libraries.

Although I'm enjoying being "unplugged," I will need to spend an afternoon getting caught up on mass culture before the onslaught of the fall meeting season.

-- Anonymous, September 03, 2001

But now that Reno is a strong definite maybe for gubernatorial candidate, you all must start watching a bit of Fox. I can't wait for this--it will be hilarious. O'Reilly must be making big sacrifices to the political gods for this to happen! It's a Fox dream come true. I don't care about her sexual preference and I don't think Fox will make that big of a deal about it--unless, of course, she's caught in bed with a live boy or a dead woman, LOL! (Paraphrasing Gov. Edwards there.)

-- Anonymous, September 03, 2001