While polls on Wednesday seem to show that most Americans think there was too much political talk during Coretta Scott King’s funeral in suburban Atlanta on Tuesday, the Political EYE says, “So what?”
All America, not just black America, should be cheering the Rev. Joseph Lowery, former presidents Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter and other speakers for seizing the New Birth Missionary Baptist Church pulpit and turning it into a bully pulpit.
Lowery used a witty poem to decry President Bush’s decision to lead the nation into war with false evidence, while ignoring the poor and those who are underinsured or have no health care insurance.
Carter did not let the president’s irresponsible position on domestic surveillance without a warrant escape criticism, and thank goodness that he threw the government’s pitiful racist reaction to Hurricane Katrina victims in his face too.
Bush, who should have been turned away at the door by the King family, was allowed to speak, along with three other living presidents.
He offered platitudes and false praise for a woman his political base despises and a Civil Rights Movement he endeavors to eliminate.
When Bush spoke, the tension in the church was palpable. It’s amazing no one shouted “hypocrite.”
Of course, the funeral was held at the New Birth Missionary Baptist Church, where money is king and its pastor, Bishop Eddie Long, is in Bush’s back pocket. Long supports the faith-based nonsense of the Christian Right and uses his church to spread hate and fear of homosexuals. Both are in direct opposition to what Coretta Scott King stood for in life and now in death.
Congressman Wm. Lacy Clay said he doubts that the words Bush heard in the church on Tuesday will have any impact on the president.
“Absolutely not,” Clay told the American upon leaving the funeral.
“He’s too smug. None of his policies will change. He won’t heed anything that he heard. None of this will sink in.”
When Clinton, with his wife Sen. Hillary Clinton of New York at his side, received a thunderous ovation, you could see the jealousy on Bush’s face. It was a telling moment for the president who was first handed the Oval Office by the U.S. Supreme Court and is now disliked by more than half the nation.
Let’s get back to the so-called Rev. Long. He preaches “prosperity gospel,” a twisted ideology that concludes that the godly will be rewarded with earthly riches.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that Long received more than $3 million in salary, benefits and perks – including the use of a $350,000 chauffeured Bentley – between 1997 and 2000 from a charity he founded and also owns a private jet. In response, Long said, “Jesus wasn’t poor.”
Bernice King, Coretta and Martin’s youngest daughter, is a minister at New Birth. She warned the congregation of the sin of “materialism” during her mother’s eulogy. The EYE’s guess is that she wasn’t looking at Long when she spoke those words.
If black Americans are truly going to overcome racism and disrespect in America, they must speak often and speak up – even if it means chastising a president during an angel of mercy’s funeral.
And Black America must decide if the Bishop Longs of the world are part of the solution or only tighten our shackles.