'This is not about black versus white, it’s about right versus wrong' - Rev. Al Sharpton on the Black Lives Matter movement
Rev. Al Sharpton, who gave a eulogy at George Floyd's funeral, appeared on Good Morning Britain where he responded to Piers Morgan's request for the "correct response" to people saying "white lives matter, all lives matter."
"There's never been any argument that white lives matter. There's never been any debate. When a white life is taken, it is litigated, prosecuted and if convicted, incarcerated. The problem has been it has not been equal on the other side. There has been no need to say white lives matter, that has been a given and the system has worked that way. It has not worked that way for black lives. We are not saying black lives matter more, we are saying black lives matter as much, equally and should be treated the same," the civil rights activist said.
Speaking about Dominic Raab thinking taking the knee was from Game of Thrones and that it was about subjugation, Mr Sharpton said: "The opposite is true… I think that people should be well informed so they don’t confuse or misinform the public and to take a stand on something or at least say, ‘I am ill-informed and don’t want to discuss it at this time’. Bad information only adds to the kind of divisiveness we are trying to fight."
During his appearance on Good Morning Britain, Rev. Al Sharpton also spoke to Patrick Hutchinson, the man captured on camera saving a white protester.
On meeting him, he said: "Well, first of all, I’m very honoured and happy to meet him, even if we are meeting over television."
He said he was doing his morning workout when he saw the picture on the news and that it "warmed his heart."
"As a student of Martin Luther King who also, therefore, studied Gandhi, Gandhi said, ‘We must become the change we seek’, you demonstrated that without opening your mouth, without any drama without any press notices. I want you to know, you put the movement in a keener perspective than anything those of us who have been out there could say or do. Words could not pronounce how much I admire what you did," he said.
Patrick replied: "It’s a great, great honour to meet you.” He added his family passed on their regards and he was nervous meeting the Reverend. I’m glad I’ve done something that has pushed this along, this whole movement, this whole change we are striving for. I’m just glad I’ve been able to do a small thing to help it."
Mr Sharpton added: "We are not marching out of hate, we are marching out of love for everyone…you demonstrated that."
Patrick went on: "I would like to think the actions of my friends, as well as some of the other protesters, that helped saved that man. That in itself tells you white lives do matter, we are showing with actions. It’s not about that. It’s about an equal playing field for all of us..."
He added he wanted people to call out racism wherever they saw it and to stand by those fighting for equality.
Mr Sharpton said we could now be on the "precipice of change", before adding: "I totally agree with Patrick, this is not about black versus white, it’s about right versus wrong…human value is for everyone."