Shame on Al Sharpton

. . . is media spotlight more important than keeping previous commitments . . . more important than debating, and talking about the seriousness of social issues, among intellectuals/scholars/students/community? Apparently so . . .

The panelists at Wednesday's State of Race forum argued against the use and the banning of offensive racial slurs - without the Rev. Al Sharpton, who was conspicuously absent from Wednesday's forum.

Sharpton was scheduled as a panelist but did not attend for unknown reasons, according to College Council President Bryan Mashioff. The other panelists were Harvard law professor Randall Kennedy, Emory journalism professor and Pulitzer Prize-winner Isabel Wilkerson and Emory's Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost Earl Lewis.

The seventh in the annual series, the event was sponsored by College Council.

Sharpton appeared on "Larry King Live" later on Wednesday evening. State of Race organizers said they were disappointed that it seemed he had skipped his commitment at Emory to appear on the show.

"No one can really say, except for him, why he did what he chose to do," College Council Vice President Jason Bradford said, "but it certainly wasn't very professional."

Mashioff said he was still pleased with the event.read more