AL ON AMERICA

Notes toward a national political vision from activist Sharpton (Go and Tell Pharaoh, not reviewed), who is again considering a presidential bid.

Sharpton explores his sense of personal and national integrity and how it might guide his decisions if he were to reside in the White House. He considers himself a liberal (“one who believes in social and domestic policies geared toward people . . . not big business”) who hopes to bring the liberal wing back into the Democratic Party. Foreign policy is treated only sketchily—end the Cuban embargo, promote stability in Africa—and though Sharpton does seem keen on “alliances,” words like “when I deal with the white power structure, it’s on my terms” don’t exactly hew to the language of diplomacy. This inflexibility cuts both ways, for while brashness may not buoy foreign relations, it keeps the author to his sense of fairness, justice, and human rights within the political sphere, despite his religious convictions. He may not believe in abortion, but he believes in a woman’s civil right to choose; he may believe homosexuality is a sin, but he “will fight for people to have the right to go to hell if they choose.” He is against the death penalty; for prison reform; and for a cap on contributions to political campaigns. Health care reform gets only six pages while his disappointment in rap music gets nine, but that’s because he gets particularly exercised over lost opportunities in the African-American community. Sharpton’s version of the events at Howard Beach and Bensonhurst and of the Tawana Brawley, Amadou Diallo, and Abner Louima cases are valuable attempts to clarify misperceptions of his intentions, which were to highlight issues as a defiant advocate of civil rights: “Racism is still America’s biggest problem.”

Airy, but of a tone bespeaking Sharpton’s notions of social justice and personal responsibility.