MSNBC: Report: Family ties Al Sharpton to Thurmond

Paper: Civil rights activist descended from slaves held by late senator’s kin […] NEW YORK – Genealogists have found that civil rights activist the Rev. Al Sharpton is a descendent of a slave owned by relatives of the late Sen. Strom Thurmond, a newspaper reported Sunday.

I dunno how I’d take this news, if it was me – I dunno how I’d react. After all it took place at least 150 years ago – if not 200. Does it really matter? “The sins of the father” stuff – biblical in origen, but does it really have a place in today’s world, not matter how despicable your great-great-great-great-great grandfather was? I dunno – I only looked back on my tree to my great grandparents… It might even explain why Al’s pissed off all the time and such a rabble rouser. I just hope that he keeps perspective: just because this is in his history, it doesn’t mean that all white people that he sees are guilty of it in this life or in their ancestry.

After all, while the Civil War was going on, all my ancestors were sipping espresso on the shores of Italy – I had nothing to do with any of this mess!