Sharpton and Rangel on the Racial Politics of Waste
Al Sharpton is going Michael Bloomberg one better in a fight over garbage facility siting here at the OEM building in Brooklyn, where the mayor is urging state lawmakers to approve a citywide garbage plan that includes using a state park in Manhattan as one of the trash-processing locations.
"The mayor has said this is a city issue -- to me, it's also a civil rights issue," said Sharpton. "It seems to me ironic, if not pathetic," he continued, that some liberal lawmakers are opposing the plan.
Representative Charlie Rangel, who spoke immediately after Sharpton, added, "To get caught up in the politics of the day, the children really deserve better." Rangel also said somewhat pointedly that the "other side" -- lower Manhattan lawmakers including Assembly members Deborah Glick, Richard Gottfried and Linda Rosenthal -- isn't willing to share the real reason for their opposition publicly.
- Poll
- Obama (D)
- McCain(R)
- Spread
- RCP Average
- 49.6
- 43.8
- Obama +5.8
- Candidate
- Favorable
- Unfavorable
- Spread
- Obama
- 54.9
- 36.1
- +18.8
- McCain
- 50.7
- 39.6
- +11.1
I'd like to see Sharpton and Rangel come to the public housing residents of Stanley Isaacs Houses and Holmes Towers or the East Harlem kids at Asphalt Green recreational center to explain just how racially insensitive it is to oppose putting a massive 6-day-a-week garbage transfer station right next to their homes and playgrounds. Enough with the ethnic mau-mauing, race-baiting charlatans!
anonymousnyc
Yes, and if there is a "real reason" for the "other side" disputing the placement of the garbage station in the middle of Hudson River Park Trust property, let Rangel state what it is instead of just making innuendos. As to Sharpton's statement that the placement is a civil rights issue, I might have agreed with him if "the three" or four were just opposing all placements within their district or neighboring district. But the facts are that they came up with proposed alternatives near the Javitts Center, which is not a community of color and would not entail a violation of the court/previous legislative settlement on the use of the Hudson River Park Trust company.
Also, if Sharpton is so concerned about civil rights, etc., how come he went along with the Ratner plan-which violates the civil rights of so many people?