Rudy Kisses Butts
Embattled mayor embraces a harsh critic, but still can't find forgiveness in some African American quarters.
Referring directly to Butts, Sharpton said, "If you are not going to stand for nothing, you should sit down and shut up. If you are afraid, stay home! But I'm not afraid of Giuliani; I don't care what he comes with. It's ridiculous!" he added. "It's an insult to our ancestors. And for me to sit in that room today and look at the pain while Mrs. Diallo watched [the reconciliation] is an insult to our people all over the world. How do we look in Guinea tonight? How do we look all over this country tonight? A bunch of shameless, back-biting people!"
The mayor continues to refuse to meet with Sharpton, who responded to the snub by saying he would meet with Giuliani "only if he called me and told me he is going to resign." Sharpton says he is more concerned about promoting a list of 10 reforms that would help avert police brutality. They include forming a civilian review board to oversee the NYPD; the appointment of a special prosecutor to monitor police corruption, brutality, and misconduct; and a demand that the police department better reflect the racial and ethnic makeup of the communities it serves.
"Personally, I don't care if Giuliani never reaches out to Sharpton," Charles Barron says. "I hope he doesn't. This is not about hugs and kisses."
Additional reporting by Karen Mahabir
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