WHO LET HIM IN? — by Steve Nadis
I never met Coretta Scott King but I wonder what she’d think about having President Bush deliver a eulogy for her. What have his policies that favor rich (and predominately white) people done to further the causes of racial equality that she and her husband championed? How has the gutting of social services for the poor under Bush’s watch helped black people or the nation in general? Maybe the organizers of the funeral could have told the president: “Thanks for the offer, but we’d rather have our friends speak here today.” I don’t want to make light of Mrs. King’s death, but perhaps she’s lucky not to have lived to see the day when George W. Bush spoke at her funeral.
Posted by
at
05:24:29
Some would call it an honor to have the leader of a country speaking at your funeral. Under these circumstances, you are right on the nail Snake. It seems to me that instead of eulogizing “W” and his policies will be gloating.
He wouldn’t want to speak at my funeral & if I were dead I’d feel exactly the same way.
ZARDOZ SAYS:
I DONT BELIEVE IT , THIS IS A FACT ?
- Z
Yes, more of a fact than usual, in point of fact.
I see that the right wingers are up in arms now about the few speakers who had the audacity to tell Bush that his policies are not working out so well for a large number of African Americans and the nation’s poor. I mean, I see their point, why bring up such matters at the funeral of a civil rights hero?
Well put, Doc. Next time I’ll have you write my posts. Is that ethical?
I’m so glad I’m not only one who thought it was just plain wrong to allow W to speak at her funeral. I hope she haunts him for the rest of his presidency!
You’re right Roses, it was wrong.
I think too many people spoke at that funeral using it as a political platform. It was a shame and a disgrace. Too bad Simon Cowell wasn’t there. He would have shaped it up. Someone should have harassed the train wreck that occurred at that funeral. I bet she’s rolling over and over in her grave.
OOPS I meant someone should have “harnessed” the train wreck.
I agree; it’s a shame the King family let others hijack the funeral,
What on earth are you talking about? Her funeral was “hijacked”? If anything has King rolling over in her grave, it’s the way the right-wing smear press have attacked her eulogists, and have succeeded spreading the idea that the funeral was “unseemly”.
OF COURSE, someone should point out, like Carter did, that the King’s were subjected to secret government wire-tapping (this was back in the days before FISA made it explicitly illegal).
OF COURSE, someone should make a statement like Lowry’s:
“We know now there were no weapons of mass destruction over there. But Coretta knew and we knew that there were weapons of misdirection right down here. Millions without health insurance, poverty abound, for war billions more, but no more for the poor.”
This was the funeral of Corretta Scott King, after all, shouldn’t her point of view be represented? It would be a travesty if her funeral were to be completely sanitized of anything that could be construed as critical of Bush. As it was, there was precious little of this kind of talk, given who King was and what she represented.
The Drudges and Limbaughs of this world have latched onto the idea that they can criticize the funerals of prominent Democrats and score PR points. I think it’s despicable. These are the same people who ardently defend the publication of the anti-Muhammad cartoons. They’re all for free speech as long as they agree with what you say!
Yes, Lowry’s comments drew an enthusiastic standing ovation. But so what? They applauded because they passionately believe in the same things King believed in. These were King’s mourners. They applauded because they felt Lowry’s words honored the memory of King. Mourners at a funeral should be permitted to grieve in their own way, without fear of criticism. Leave them alone!
Sorry if my comments give offense. I’d hate to be accused of hijacking an otherwise pleasant and civil blog
Thanks for your comment, Whitey. Unless I’m missing something, I don’t think we disagree.
Sorry if I got a little carried away there. Bush, Rove, et al just make my blood boil.
Mine too, Whitey. Mine too…