Sharpton Speaks at Oxford, Addresses Whether America’s ‘Institutionally Racist’

Reverend Al Sharpton spoke to the Oxford Union in London today about racial progress and addressed the question of whether institutional racism currently exists in America.

Sharpton addressed recent tensions in the U.S. over race and policing issues. He said while trying to reform law enforcement, it’s important not to forget about “supporting what is appropriate to protect all of us – particularly in the communities where we have a disproportionate amount of crime.”

And as for whether America is institutionally racist, this is what the MSNBC host had to say:

“The America under Barack Obama is not the same America that it was under James Madison or Thomas Jefferson, and it will not be the same 100 years from now, if we keep on fighting. So as you wrestle with this question of ‘Is American institutionally racist?’ my answer is: America is in transition. And that transition will occur, and continue to occur.”

It should be noted there have been reports Sharpton was initially scheduled to participate in a debate on the subject of institutional racism in America with several others at Oxford, including Fox News contributor David Webb. Sharpton, however, ended up giving the speech and not participating in the debate, which carried on anyway earlier today.

[image via screengrab]

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Follow Josh Feldman on Twitter: @feldmaniac

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