Sharpton Quotes & Sayings

I am in hell already. I am in Israel. — Al Sharpton

It is up to us to change laws on the books like 'Stand Your Ground' laws and push elected officials to enact regulations that hold police officers to the same standards as the rest of society. This is why we vote. — Al Sharpton

Dr. King's general principles are universal. But the things he confronted took place in another era. — Al Sharpton

I always go by instinct and then wrestle with where by instinct brought me. — Al Sharpton

The United States government has the obligation to educate all young people in this country. — Al Sharpton

Not graduating high school on time leads to fewer chances of attending college and obtaining good paying jobs, and creates instead higher chances of incarceration and unemployment. — Al Sharpton

We have defeated Jim Crow, but now we have to deal with his son, James Crow Jr., esquire. — Al Sharpton

Dr. King used Gandhi's commitment to non-violence and to passive resistance. — Al Sharpton

As a preacher who has spent significant time in churches and houses of worship all across the country, I can tell you firsthand that religious liberty and freedom are principles that can never be infringed upon. — Al Sharpton

National Action Network, the group I founded, has affiliates or chapters in over 40 cities around the country. — Al Sharpton

I've never done anything else in my life other than preach and be an activist. Way before I was known. — Al Sharpton

I haven't done the things I've done to be in a sitcom. — Al Sharpton

Neither party should be defined by pandering to the outer reaches of American politics and the agents of intolerance, whether they be Louis Farrakhan and Al Sharpton on the left, or Pat Robertson or Jerry Falwell on the right. — John McCain

President Obama telling Americans not to panic in the wake of the Paris terror attacks. — Al Sharpton

If Charlton Heston can have a constitutional right carry a rifle, why can't grandma have a constitutional right to health care? — Al Sharpton

But we believed if we kept on working, if we kept on marching, if we kept on voting, if we kept on believing, we would make America beautiful for everybody. — Al Sharpton

James Brown lives, as long as someone steps out of their body and dances uncontrollably. — Al Sharpton

I always beat the sun up in the morning. It's the secret to why I'm double trouble. — Al Sharpton

They tried to say that being gay is a sin, and I said that adultery is a sin. Adultery is responsible for breaking up more marriages, but do we put that in the Constitution? It's absurd. — Al Sharpton

I've seen too much in life to give up. — Al Sharpton

The horrific cases in Ferguson, in Staten Island with the death of Eric Garner, and all across the country serve as stark reminders that we must have a say in who polices us, and how that policing is done. We must, we must, let our voices be heard on Election Day. — Al Sharpton

I think that any time you look at the fact that boycotts have historically led to change, whatever temporary inconvenience there may be, it in the long run leads toward, in my opinion, a better change for everybody. — Al Sharpton

One of the reasons I get so much joy out of my own children's childhoods is that I'm having my first childhood myself. — Al Sharpton

We have not always agreed, but I have said repeatedly and publicly many times that Al Sharpton has never counseled violence, but he gets blamed for a whole lot of that. — David Dinkins

The resignation of Attorney General Eric Holder is met with both pride and disappointment by the Civil Rights community. We are proud that he has been the best Attorney General on Civil Rights in U.S. history and disappointed because he leaves at a critical time when we need his continued diligence most. — Al Sharpton

I knew from the age of four that I wanted to preach. I didn't even consider it strange that grown people were listening to this kid preaching until I was around thirteen. I have never believed in limitations. — Al Sharpton

All women, regardless of her economic status or racial background, have a right to vote, and no politician or regressive law should prevent her from doing so. — Al Sharpton

It was better walk with dignity than ride in shame. A lot of people in Cincinnati are saying, "Rather than have the continual problems of police brutality and economic disparity, I'm willing to make some sacrifices." And I think that they ought to be respected for doing that. — Al Sharpton

If Jews want to get it on, tell them to pin their yarmulkes back and come over to my house. — Al Sharpton

Evangelicals catapulted George W. Bush back to the White House. — Al Sharpton

I'm projected as an ambulance chaser, but I'm more the ambulance. People call me because they know I will come ... I have never fought a case where they didn't ask me to come. People have
this picture like I'm sitting up in bed at night with a walkie-talkie. "You hear anything? Oh, let's run! It's Virginia today!" ... Every victim calls us ... "Who put Sharpton in charge?" The
victim! — Al Sharpton

We're not willing to give black leaders second chances because, in most cases, we're not willing to give them first chances. — Al Sharpton

If only Al Sharpton were around, Lincoln would have known he was a victim of racism. — Ann Coulter

I could take all the cartoons in the tabloid newspapers, but I couldn't take my daughter punching me in the belly and asking why I was so fat. That was my inspiration to lose the weight. And probably the last time anyone hurt my feelings. — Al Sharpton

If the black vote does not come out in big numbers in the age of Ferguson and voter ID, it will empower our adversaries and enhance our marginalization. — Al Sharpton

The right wing always mobilizes around constitutional amendments: the right to bear arms, school prayer. — Al Sharpton

I was the first candidate to come out against this war, spoke at every anti-war march. — Al Sharpton

I cannot imagine where we would have been without BET. Many like me who operate in black America can only get our balanced story told nationally on BET talk shows. — Al Sharpton

exploded behind them as they sprinted from the burning building. Paul's quick decision to destroy the rifle shack and all of the artillery inside turned out to be a great idea. It evened the territory, or at least prevented it from getting worse. With only one handgun, the convicts were limited in their scope and threat. Colin was out of the picture, at least for a while, locked away in his ditch jail until someone came along to roll the tractor off Charlie's homemade trap. That meant two of the cons would be searching for them since Dewey would probably stay in the dining hall to oversee the other counselors. Ritch knew Dewey would not — Ben Sharpton

Countries around the world have their own immigration laws and methods of dealing with a recurring theme: desperate people searching for peace from volatile parts of the world. And nations everywhere thrive and prosper from the contributions of immigrants and the children of immigrants - including right here in the U.S. — Al Sharpton

As a kid who grew up chubby, I just marveled at the fact that I could be thin. — Al Sharpton

When you're dealing with boycotts, you don't need everyone. You just need enough to be effective. — Al Sharpton

Getting Democrats organized is like herding cats. — Al Sharpton

You can't get a solution if you won't talk to the people that have the problem. You can't ever have healing if the patient is left out of the operation room. — Al Sharpton

And here come the Left Brothers - Al "747" Sharpton and Jesse "DC 10" Jackson - barreling in for a landing on top of Goodell's dome. And this time every black person with an ounce of common sense and self-respect is riding shotgun with Jesse and Al, who have justifiably voiced their displeasure with Limbaugh's ownership bid. — Jason Whitlock

It is true that Mr. Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation, after which there was a commitment to give 40 acres and a mule. That's where the argument, to this day, of reparations starts. We never got the 40 acres. We went all the way to Herbert Hoover, and we never got the 40 acres. We didn't get the mule. So we decided we'd ride this donkey as far as it would take us. — Al Sharpton

The promise of America is one immigration policy for all who seek to enter our shores, whether they come from Mexico, Haiti or Canada, there must be one set of rules for everybody. We cannot welcome those to come and then try and act as though any culture will not be respected or treated inferior. We cannot look at the Latino community and preach 'one language.' No one gave them an English test before they sent them to Iraq to fight for America. — Al Sharpton

I'm never going to be fat - never again. I'm going to make it easy on my pallbearers. — Al Sharpton

I can call a march, and thousands come out, and I happen to have access to the White House at the same time. — Al Sharpton

My ordination in the Church of God in Christ was at age 9, and I later became a Baptist minister, which I am today. — Al Sharpton

There's no reason why children in inner cities or rural areas do not receive the same quality education or opportunities as those in suburbs or wealthy neighborhoods. If we truly believe in giving all citizens a chance to pursue happiness and pursue their goals, then we cannot continue to marginalize entire groups of people. — Al Sharpton

In Staten Island, when you have video showing the alleged chokehold used on Eric Garner, why not go to trial and have the officer(s) explain the tape, and then this jury can determine guilt or innocence? The tape should guarantee that there should be a trial. — Al Sharpton

If you can get the proper definition of trouble, then we can find out who the real troublemakers are. — Al Sharpton

The boxing world is full of all kinds of corruption. — Al Sharpton

Giving someone their style or bumping up their sense of style to be a better version of what it is, is part of the fun of what I do, and I actually approached Al Sharpton. They didn't come to me. — Carol Friedman

Better to die of something than to die in old age of nothing. — Al Sharpton

Following Michael Brown's death, I went to Ferguson and met with his parents. I stood with them as they tried to hold their heads high and deal with both their immense loss and the larger issues of police-community relations. — Al Sharpton

You know when Sharpton and I walked in, it was like ... big commotion and everything. But everybody was very nice. And I couldn't get over the fact that there was no difference between Sylvia's restaurant and any other restaurant in New York City. I mean, it was exactly the same, even though it's run by blacks, primarily black patronship. — Bill O'Reilly

I've been able to reach from the streets to the suites. — Al Sharpton

Bill Clinton strikes me as the kind of guy who goes wherever the polls lead him, rather than leading the polls. — Al Sharpton

It is time to bring down the volume and bring up the program. — Al Sharpton

I think that you can't choose leadership. You have to deal with the leadership that the people respond to. — Al Sharpton

I have the right to express myself. Once we get through expressing, do we really move forward in society. — Al Sharpton

We cannot reform institutional racism or systemic policies if we are not actively engaged. It's not enough to simply complain about injustice; the only way to prevent future injustice is to create the society we would like to see, one where we are all equal under the law. — Al Sharpton

Jesse Jackson and Al Not-So-Sharpton would be lisping their ebonic mumbo-jumbo that the policy and the president are racist and bigoted. — Ted Nugent

When people discuss the 1960s and the great Civil Rights Era, they often speak in romantic terms as if there wasn't immense work put in, and as if there wasn't immense sacrifice that took place. But none of those battles were easily fought and won; there were sustained movements behind them. — Al Sharpton

As a Baptist minister, I don't have the right to impose my views on anyone else. If committed gay and lesbian couples want to marry, that is their business; none of us should stand in their way — Al Sharpton

In the world of celebrity, there is one universal law: if there's a scandal or death, Al Sharpton will be there. — Shawn Amos

When we look at the situation in Ferguson, Missouri and the tragic death of Michael Brown, we are reminded of the importance of who we elect to our city councils, who sits on our local board of education committees, who we pick to represent us in Congress, in the Senate and more. — Al Sharpton

Who defines terrorists? Today's terrorist is tomorrow's friend. — Al Sharpton

I've never seen an effective boycott that didn't work. — Al Sharpton

James Brown became my father. He would talk to me the way a father talked to a son. He became the father I never had. — Al Sharpton

When the culture of police departments is sometimes infused with bias or preconceived ideas against certain groups, there needs to be reform and retraining throughout. And unfortunately, we cannot rely on local departments to police themselves; we need intervention from the top. — Al Sharpton

While the rest of the country waves the flag of Americana, we understand we are not part of that. We don't owe America anything - America owes us. — Al Sharpton

I won vice president of my student body in high school. That doesn't mean anything. — Al Sharpton

Let me be clear: as I have said repeatedly, I do not believe that all police officers are bad, nor do I believe that most are bad. But there must be a transparent, impartial and fair system to judge those that engage in criminal or unethical acts. — Al Sharpton

The Democratic Party hasn't whipped anybody into a frenzy. The assumption is that the people that are marching and protesting and standing up against this don't have enough sense to stand up for their own interests. — Al Sharpton

I've seen enough things to know that if you just keep on going, if you turn the corner, the sun will be shining. — Al Sharpton

If O.J. had been accused of killing his black wife, you would not have seen the same passion stirred up. — Al Sharpton

Everything from who sits on your local board of education to the prosecutors and judicial appointments in your area and much more are all impacted by who holds political office. — Al Sharpton

If you play the theatrics too much, you get in the way of your own cause. — Al Sharpton

There are white n*ggers. I've seen a lot of white n*ggers in my time. — Al Sharpton

John Kerry is recovering nicely after having prostate surgery. But the doctors did tell him it would be several months before he could be sexually active again. All the other Democratic candidates have been very supportive. Joe Lieberman called to wish him the best. The Rev. Al Sharpton called to offer prayers. Former President Bill Clinton called Mrs. Kerry and asked if she was lonely. — Jay Leno

I was there during the first elections in South Africa. I watched them take down the apartheid flag and raise the new flag. — Al Sharpton

This is not about what party you're part of. This is about right and wrong, ... the conscience of this nation. — Al Sharpton

Either we need to redefine what probable cause means and say that police are not subject to it, or we arrest officers right away just as we would with any other person accused of committing a crime. Either we write new laws or enforce existing ones; we cannot have it both ways. — Al Sharpton

America can't work for only some people and become a dream for all people. It has to work for everyone. And even though everyone might not end up at the same place, if everyone starts with the same beginning, then that's the dream fulfilled. We all don't have the same abilities, but we should have the same opportunities. — Al Sharpton

Like myself, President Obama is the father of two daughters. He understands the obstacles that they face as women, but he also understands the emergency of the state of young black men in America. — Al Sharpton

I don't think Dr. King helped racial harmony, I think he helped racial justice. What I profess to do is help the oppressed and if I cause a load of discomfort in the white community and the black community, that in my opinion means I'm being effective, because I'm not trying to make them comfortable. The job of an activist is to make people tense and cause social change. — Al Sharpton

My ministry's always been one of social activism. I think a responsible minister must be at some levels involved in the social order. — Al Sharpton

Throughout my years championing for civil rights, analyzing politics and advocating on behalf of the voiceless, I am disturbed the most when harmless children suffer because of politics or detrimental policies. — Al Sharpton

The dream was not to put one black family in the White House, the dream was to make everything equal in everybody's house. — Al Sharpton

In 1999, I was in St. Louis with Martin Luther King III as we led protests against the state's failure to hire minority contractors for highway construction projects. We went at dawn on a summer day with over a thousand people and performed acts of civil disobedience. — Al Sharpton

If it weren't for the mentorship and guidance from people like my mother, James Brown and others, I wouldn't have been able to make something of my life. — Al Sharpton

In New York, you are competing with Times Square lights and all of that, so you've got to be 300 pounds and crazy to get anyone's attention. Then, you can refine yourself. I always knew under those 300 pounds and tracksuits was a refined, slim, dignified man. — Al Sharpton

We're not anti-police ... we're anti-police brutality. — Al Sharpton

What do we want? Dead cops. When do we want it? Now. — Al Sharpton

How do you make things fair? — Al Sharpton

Any use of the names of Eric Garner and Michael Brown, in connection with any violence or killing of police, is reprehensible and against the pursuit of justice in both cases. — Al Sharpton

But resist we much. We must, and we will much- about that- be committed. — Al Sharpton