I’ve found it quite interesting that Rev. Al Sharpton has agreed to host this coming Monday’s Raw. After all, by agreeing to appear on Raw, Sharpton, who has long positioned himself as one of the foremost leaders of the black community, would tacitly be endorsing a company with quite the spotty track record when it comes to dealing with issues of race.

So, earlier this week, I reached out to Sharpton through his "National Action Network," and asked him to address some specific racial controversies coming out of WWE, including its depiction of several racial stereotypes in some of its characters, such as the lawn mower-riding Mexicools, and the jewelry-stealing Cryme Tyme; WWE Chairman Vince McMahon using the "N-Word" while addressing John Cena in a backstage segment in 2006; the Michael Hayes – Mark Henry situation; and the Hall of Fame induction earlier this year of Bill Watts, who was fired as an executive in WCW following a 1991 interview with the Pro Wrestling Torch that was laden with racially insensitive comments about blacks.

I also pointed out the great strides WWE has made in recent years in creating a highly diverse talent roster, in which about a third of its on-screen performers are minorities.

Today, I received this statement from Sharpton, who has said he intends to use WWE this Monday as a forum to promote the importance of education for America’s youth:

"In order to raise awareness and actually do something about the devastating achievement gap in education between kids of color and their white peers the viewership of WWE events is precisely the group of people who need to be reached and involved. Reverend Sharpton has stated repeatedly that all of us must take extraordinary steps to reverse the current trend in education and that unlikely alliances (like with Newt Gingrich) and forums like the WWE should be utilized if they help close the gap.

Reverend Sharpton has led --and will continue to lead-- the fight against the use of the N-word and bigotry of all types, but until we end disparity in education, such conduct will continue. Rev. Sharpton appeared on BET while fighting against the N-word in their videos and there is no difference.

As Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama and John McCain did before him, Reverend Sharpton recognizes that WWE events provide an unfettered opportunity to raise important issues to a national audience of Americans.

Rev. Sharpton has talked to Vince McMahon who assured him that they have corrected and will discontinue any racial denigration."
 

I’m sure Sharpton had no idea about some of the racial issues that have frequently come up in WWE before agreeing to work with the company, but it’s interesting to learn that Sharpton has since raised the issue with McMahon, and even more interesting - if Sharpton’s statement is accurate - that McMahon has apparently conceded that WWE has made some questionable calls in the past regarding race, and assured him that WWE would clean up its act.