A visit from the Reverend

The IU Auditorium will play host to the dynamic and controversial words of an American civil rights icon tonight. The Indiana Memorial Union Board is bringing the Rev. Al Sharpton to campus today at 7:30 p.m. \nSharpton is coming to IU as part of his "Al on America" tour, an act more like a comedy routine than a sermon, said Eric Eisenberg, the assistant director of marketing for the Union Board.\n"This is more of a lighthearted thing," he said. "This is 'Al on America.' It's got comedic value; it's not a hard-edged lecture." \nEmma Cullen, the political vice president for the IU College Democrats, said although a lot of his speech will be devoted to humor, Sharpton is an important speaker on campus.\n"He was a presidential candidate, and he proved that yes, a black person can run for president for this country," she said. "And though he wasn't taken very seriously, he still helped open the doors for minority politicians."\nEisenberg said the Union Board chose Sharpton because he brings a different perspective to campus.\n"One of Union Board's main goals is to bring diverse opinions to the students," he said.\nSharpton is most recently famous for his bid for the 2004 Democratic presidential nomination, where he dropped out of the running days before the first primaries opened their polls. Nonetheless, he was the second major black presidential candidate of the 21st century. \nSharpton initially rose to fame with his civil rights campaigns, including the 1986 protests he helped organize after a black man was run over by a car in New York City while fleeing a white mob, according to Wikipedia. \nBut Sharpton's reputation is far from pristine. He has been called an agitator who uses racial tension to his own personal gain by his critics. \nBut Eisenberg said the Union Board embraces Sharpton's potentially divisive positions on issues.\n"We're not afraid to have controversial viewpoints," he said. "We just want people to come out and listen and start an open dialogue."\nDavid White, political vice president for the IU College Republicans, said even though most conservatives disagree with Sharpton on many issues, he will be attending the speech.\n"I'm going with a group of College Republicans because we support political discourse on campus no matter what side it's on," he said. "And I get a real kick out of Sharpton."Eisenberg said he encourages any students who disagree with Sharpton or the Union Board's decision to bring Sharpton to campus to join the Union Board.\nBut he said the disagreement is good.\n"If anything, it will get people out, and it will get them talk," he said.\n-- Contact Staff Writer Michael Zennie at mzennie@indiana.edu.