Progressive Professor's Controversial Rant: Al Sharpton Is 'Bonafide House Negro of the Obama Plantation

Outspoken Prof. Cornel West called the Rev. Al Sharpton the "bonafide house negro of the Obama plantation" during an impassioned interview in which he also tore into President Barack Obama, along with others who spoke at the 50th Anniversary of the March on Washington this week.

Dr. Cornel West (Credit: AFP/Getty Images)

West said the MLK anniversary event lacked “truth” and merely offered a “sanitized” version of King’s vision, especially in light of who the civil-rights icon became by the end of his life.

“Brother Martin himself, I think, would’ve been turning over in his grave,” West said of the words spoken at the event, adding that instead "we saw the coronation of the bonafide house negro of the Obama plantation, our dear brother Al Sharpton."

Rev. Al Sharpton speaking at the MLK 50th Anniversary (Credit: AP)

West added that Sharpton is supported by the likes of MSNBC analyst Michael Eric Dyson "and others who’ve really prostituted themselves intellectually in a very ugly and vicious way.”

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West and his co-host Tavis Smiley both lamented that black leadership has become “so sold-out” so as not to have the courage to be a “bull in the china shop,” break rank, and talk about “racism, poverty, and militarism” at an otherwise “bought-out” event.

This is not the first time West has referred to Sharpton as being “on the Obama plantation.” The radio host made the same claim in July when he felt Sharpton did not advocate hard enough for a Department of Justice “civil rights” prosecution against the recently-acquitted George Zimmerman.

"Martin Luther King, Jr. had a dream; Barack Obama's got drones," West said. "Martin Luther King, Jr. had prophetic mission; Barack Obama's got deadly missiles that he's ready to use; he already used them in Libya. And of course on the continent of Africa they've got what? Twelve centers for drones? Under his administration? For what?"

Listen to the exchange from PRI via YouTube:

(H/T: Mediaite)

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