Sharpton Upset: 'Reckless' Rioters Are Destroying the Black-Owned Stores!

One might think that MSNBC might give Rev. Al Sharpton the day off when the hot topic is protesters burning down buildings. In 1995, Sharpton's protest against the "white interloper" who ran Freddy's Fashion Mart in Harlem led to a fire where seven people died of smoke inhalation (and the arsonist shot himself).

Discussing the rioting in Minneapolis on today's Morning Joe, Al Sharpton began by telling protesters that the goal of a fair criminal justice system wouldn't be achieved by "appearing" to be criminal themselves. He warned that people would "exploit" that. A clearly upset Sharpton then said:

"As I walked around Minneapolis yesterday . . . some of the stores that are being damaged are black-owned stores! So we cannot become so reckless that we are destroying each other in our rage. "

Would Sharpton be less upset, and the rioters less "reckless," if only non-black-owned stores were destroyed? What happened to "we're all in this together?" Or is that only for pandemics?

Also on Morning Joe, reporting from Minneapolis, NBC's Shaquille Brewster said that "all" of the protesters he interviewed oppose violence. All? Brewster needs to get around more.

Brewster also said that his crew had "planned to be at the 3rd Precinct, where the fire happened." The fire "happened?" Another regrettable case of spontaneous combustion?