‘Are You That Blind?’: John James Reminds Al Sharpton He Exists After Claiming His State Has No Black Congressmen

Republican Michigan Rep. John James ripped Rev. Al Sharpton on Thursday for falsely claiming that Michigan has no black representation for the first time in decades.

After Sharpton made this remark on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe,” James told the left-wing reverend that he will not be erased simply because he does not fit into Sharpton’s “bigoted” narrative of what a black man ought to believe. He then challenged Sharpton to a debate on how Democratic policies have affected black families and communities.

“Al, are you that blind? I’m here and I exist whether you like it or not. I went to war for the right to think for myself. You are not going to erase me because I don’t fit your bigoted idea of what a black man is or has a right to be,” James said in a video uploaded to X. “I’m a West Point grad, Ranger qualified Apache pilot, combat veteran and businessman. I have one wife, two master’s degrees, three kids and I am the black congressman from Michigan. And yes, I am a Republican, not because the party’s perfect, but because it’s the platform that most aligns with the economic and moral values that my grandmama taught me.”

“But unlike some people, 🏛️Politics has not become my religion, though. Michigan is my mission field, and service is my calling,” James continued. “My loyalty is to God, my country and my family. In 2024, more young black men gave President Trump a serious look for jobs, paycheck, safety and respect. Your blindness, Reverend, is part of the reason we can’t have nice things, but we can change that.”

In 2024, Detroit, Michigan, had the second-highest violent crime rate among the 30 largest cities in the U.S., according to Security. org.