Demand ADL Hold Al Sharpton Accountable for His Anti-Semitic Actions
Political activist Rev. Al Sharpton has a long history of anti-Semitism, including a leading role in one of the worst anti-Semitic riots in U.S. history.
Yet the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) – whose founding mission is to “stop the defamation of the Jewish people” – has chosen to partner with Sharpton without even asking for a public apology.
ADL leadership needs to hear from Americans of conscience like you that this betrayal of core values for political expediency is unacceptable.
The ADL’s stated mission is “To stop the defamation of the Jewish people, and to secure justice and fair treatment to all.” To that end, the organization once spoke unequivocally about Sharpton. In a 1992 report in the aftermath of the Crown Heights riots, the ADL assigned Sharpton “a leading role” in the pogrom and named him as one of nine “Black Figures and Community Activists who have Promoted Anti-Semitism.” The report also noted that Sharpton co-chaired an event honoring notorious bigot Louis Farrakhan.
In 1992, Sharpton defended gross anti-Semitic comments by Professor Leonard Jeffries, going so far as to declare, “If the Jews want to get it on, tell them to pin their yarmulkes back and come over to my house.” Protesters led by Sharpton called Jews “bloodsuckers” and threatened to “burn and loot the Jews.” One demonstrator then did exactly that, shooting seven people in a store.
After years of confronting Sharpton’s anti-Semitic track-record, the ADL has recently joined forces with Sharpton. ADL’s CEO Jonathan Greenblatt has appeared on Sharpton’s MSNBC show, joined him for Capitol Hill press conferences, and partnered with Sharpton to boycott Facebook.
As Tablet magazine noted, ADL CEO Greenblatt has “refused even to seek out the most minor price from Sharpton for bringing him back into the fold of acceptability—not even a simple apology that would at least telegraph a distaste for anti-Semitism to Sharpton’s many followers. Greenblatt couldn’t even muster that small gesture.”
The ADL needs to hear your voice. Using the form on this page, take a minute to send an email or tweet to the ADL demanding the organization stop betraying its founding mission. No partnering with Sharpton until he takes demonstrable action to atone for his anti-Semitic behavior!