On Monday, New York Post writer Steve Serby began his column with, “Good for Tom Coughlin. Good for Coughlin for tightening the noose around Plaxico Burress.”
Al Sharpton thinks that was racist, and he wants the Post to apologize.
“To make such a blatant racist statement about an African-American football player with a neck injury is completely unacceptable,” Sharpton told the New York Daily News. “Clearly, the racial connotation is very disturbing. … This is the verbal reflection of a hanging noose.”
Sharpton said the Post would face consequences if it doesn’t take action, although he didn’t say what, exactly, he wants the Post to do, or what he’ll do if the Post doesn’t act.
“They have to act swiftly,” Sharpton said. “If we don’t see action, I will lay out exactly what that is … we would like to talk to someone there about whether it was the writer or editor who let this in.”
Sharpton said he doesn’t necessarily think Serby intended anything racist with his words, but that he believes the Post still needs to address the matter. So far, the Post has not commented.