On MSNBC's "Morning Joe," Al Sharpton argued the White House's hosting of a UFC event symbolizes a regression to antebellum-era entertainment for slave masters. He connected this to Trump's display of Andrew Jackson's portrait, citing Jackson's slave ownership and the Dred Scott decision, and called for resistance to what he sees as a concerted effort to undo civil rights progress.
On Friday's broadcast of MSNBC's " Morning Joe ," Reverend Al Sharpton delivered a pointed critique of a recent UFC event held at the White House. Sharpton framed the event not as a simple sporting exhibition but as a symbolic gesture harkening back to a darker era in American history.
He argued that the spectacle of sanctioned combat on the presidential lawn was an intentional effort to regress the nation to a time when fights were staged for the amusement of slave owners. This, he suggested, is part of a broader political agenda to reverse the progress made by civil rights movements. Sharpton connected the current administration's actions to the legacy of Andrew Jackson, noting President Trump's decision to hang Jackson's portrait in the Oval Office.
He highlighted Jackson's history as a slave owner and his nomination of Roger Taney, the Chief Justice who authored the pro-slavery Dred Scott decision. Sharpton questioned why this controversial figure was chosen for such prominence, positing it as a deliberate signal of a desired return to a pre-Civil War social hierarchy.
He called for bold and unapologetic resistance to these perceived regressive efforts, urging a celebration of those who fought for equality rather than the Founding Fathers who espoused virtues they did not extend to all people. Sharpton emphasized that the journey from slavery to the presidency of a person of color was paved with immense sacrifice-bloodshed, jail time, and beatings-and that this history must be remembered, especially in the face of ongoing battles like partisan redistricting that threaten voting rights.
He stressed the importance of marking the anniversary of the March on Washington by loudly reaffirming the struggle and its heroes, asserting that the UFC event is a troubling cultural signifier aligned with attempts to erase these hard-won gains and resurrect a glorified, oppressive past
Al Sharpton White House UFC Event Trump Andrew Jackson Slavery Dred Scott Civil Rights Morning Joe Resistance
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