February 07, 2006
Manners Escape the Left - Disgrace King Funeral
As I discuss issues with people on the left (why, oh, why do I do that?), I often find that they lack any class at all. (What a surprise.) It's almost as if they have a unique form of Tourette's syndrome which causes them to blurt out leftist slogans and political drivel at inappropriate times. Hollywood stars are famous for this at award shows. Today, we saw a classic case of the left using the podium and cameras to make statements totally inappropriate for the occasion--a funeral, of all things! At the church services for Coretta Scott King, Rev. Joseph Lowery of the SCLC and President Jimmy Carter both used their allocated time to honor Mrs. King by launching into attacks of President Bush seated behind them--the President of our country who took the time to come down for the funeral and to speak a few words in honor of the deceased. Much of Lowery's and Carter's audience punctuated the bad behavior with clapping and laughter. What a total disgrace and lack of class.
From The Atlanta Journal-Constitution:
The funeral tributes for Coretta Scott King took a twist toward political rally when the Rev. Joseph Lowery criticized President Bush’s policies on Iraq and military spending.Former President Jimmy Carter also took a swipe at the Bush administration’s response to Hurricane Katrina.
Lowery, the 85-year-old friend and former lieutenant of Martin Luther King Jr., launched his criticism with a smile as Bush and First Lady Laura Bush sat behind him.
And more from The Drudge Report:
Today's memorial service for civil rights activist Coretta Scott King -- billed as a "celebration" of her life -- turned suddenly political as one former president took a swipe at the current president, who was also lashed by an outspoken black pastor!The outspoken Rev. Joseph Lowery, co-founder of Southern Christian Leadership Conference, ripped into President Bush during his short speech, ostensibly about the wife of Martin Luther King Jr. "She extended Martin's message against poverty, racism and war. She deplored the terror inflicted by our smart bombs on missions way afar. We know now that there were no weapons of mass destruction over there," Lowery said. The mostly black crowd applauded, then rose to its feet and cheered in a two-minute-long standing ovation.
A closed-circuit television in the mega-church outside Atlanta showed the president smiling uncomfortably.
Former President Jimmy Carter later swung at Bush as well, not once but twice. As he talked about the Kings, he said: "It was difficult for them then personally with the civil liberties of both husband and wife violated as they became the target of secret government wiretaps." The crowd cheered.... Later, Carter said Hurricane Katrina showed that all are not yet equal in America.
You would think that there could be one occasion, just one, where politics could take a back seat to decency. But, never with the left. They are so desperate for attention and approval, that they pick their audiences and act up like the bad boys in grammar school trying to get laughs from their classmates. Don't most people grow out of that?
The next time I attend a funeral where there is political speech from the left, you will find that I have left.
Posted by Woody at February 7, 2006 07:40 PM | TrackBackRev. Lowery is an American hero and a prophet who today spoke truth to power. He stands with Rev. King in the great tradition of prophetic Christian ministry. Thanks be to God. There was no lack of class shown at the funeral – only love for Mrs. King and respect for God who calls his people to do justice.
Posted by Chuck Currie at February 7, 2006 08:53 PM
Chuck, I must emphatically dissent.
While I do agree that speaking truth to power is part of the Christian prophetic tradition, what Rev. Lowery and Mr. Carter did at the funeral was not "speaking truth to power". Rather their speech was an ambush of an invited guest -- a grave affront to hospitality, which is another cardinal Christian virtue. (c.f. I Peter 4:8).
Funerals are to honor the departed and to celebrate their life. It is appalling and beyond my comprehension that a guest would abuse that event to attack another guest. And when the attack is directed against the President of the United States who is there as the representative of the American people, it represents an attack is against our civil institutions and an affront to all Americans. It's even worse that a former President would be the agent of such an offense. When civil decorum vanishes, our country is in grave danger: "a house divided against itself cannot stand".
Posted by civil truth at February 8, 2006 01:16 AM
I'm totally shocked that the funeral of a political figure was a political event. Oh, wait.
Posted by Chuck Norris at February 8, 2006 11:54 AM
I am more offended by the President's aversion (failure) to meeting with historical organizations such as SCLC and the NAACP because these organizations do not traditionally lean to "the right". Historically, African-Americans relied on the church to receive political and social information (pertaining to the "Black Experieince"). It is offensive to label things which you do not understand as disgraceful and classless. If African-Americans (like Rev. Lowery and the Kings) did not dispute the politcal leadership, we (yes, I am African-American) would still be suffering the indignities of "the majority". I could go on but I have the sense that they stone "liberals" on this site...
Posted by Springbird at February 8, 2006 12:27 PM
No, Springfield. You will find that we encourage different ideas and treat liberals much better than conservatives get treated on their sites. Thanks for posting.
The President has not seaparated himself from black organizations. They have separated themselves from him and most of America, too. Consider not only Lowery's remarks but, also, the recent ones of the NAACP's Julian Bond liking Republicans to Nazis. I also had a very unhappy experience with a higher-up at the SCLC, who was in a rage because of his pure hatred of whites.
I do understand courtesy and hospitality, which should have been extended to every guest at the funeral. Lowery, Carter, and many of the attendees need lessons on those.
Posted by Woody at February 8, 2006 05:44 PM
Chuck Norris wrote: "I'm totally shocked that the funeral of a political figure was a political event. Oh, wait."
Chuck, when Tommy Lasorda and Babe Ruth died, did people at the funerals play baseball?
Posted by Woody at February 8, 2006 07:19 PM
I'm happy that someone spoke the truth. It beats listening to hypocrits like Bush. I'm sure Coretta was turning in her coffin when Bush spoke. Remember the truth will set you free!!
Fly Coretta Fly!!
Posted by Meg at February 9, 2006 01:27 AM
"when Tommy Lasorda and Babe Ruth died, did people at the funerals play baseball?"
When Babe Ruth died, I'm sure as hell they TALKED about baseball!
And the only prominent Tommy Lasorda that has died recently is the ex-LA Dodger Managers son, Tommy, who died of AIDS in 1991.
Of course, at the King funeral, they were going to be talking about Civil Rights, and pacifism, and the progress of Blacks in America. They probably wouldn't have talked about wiretaps, except that the subject had resonance to today.
Interestingly, were it not for the topicality, the topic of wiretaps would probably be embarrassing to the King family - since it would highlight the revelations of Kings adultry, which would be sort of out of place at his widow's funeral. But then, with a Karl Rove sitting in such a powerful position (can anyone imagine any political appointee from a past administration retaining his job with the cloud he's under?), and Rove's history of dirty tricks, and the incredible political power that wiretaps can provide (which was, after all, the goal of the King wiretaps - to dig up dirt that could be used to discredit him politically) it was going to come out.
What Bush had to deal with was kind of a minor techtonic release. The man shows no signal that he ever takes outside criticism seriously, and then he shows up at a funeral for someone whose life seems diametrically opposed to his. I'm glad that he's been a man about it, and not gone around whining - it's about time that his supporters just follow his lead.
Posted by Phil at February 9, 2006 08:20 AM
Oh, Phil. So, Republicans should not say anthing when the Democrats launch a dirty attack? Sorry, but that's politics. Republicans have as much right to respond, and rightfully so, as Democrats do in stating false issues.
At the funeral, they did more than "talk" about politics. They practiced a dirty form of it by using it as a forum to sling mud at the President of the U.S. seated behind them and who was a guest and who represented all Americans. Those attacks were no more approrpriate than you standing up at a funeral and talking about all the bad things the deceased thought about all the attendees and then going on to discuss who had affairs with him.
By the way, it was the Democrats who wire-tapped King.
Anyway, thanks for dropping in and giving us your side.
Posted by Woody at February 9, 2006 12:10 PM
BTW, Phill, you are correct about Tommy Lasorda still being alive. Because there have been so many years since I've heard anything about him or from him, I made a bad assumption. http://www.deadoraliveinfo.com/dead.nsf/lnames-nf/Lasorda+Tommy
Posted by Woody at February 9, 2006 02:52 PM
It is interesting that the people at the funeral responded with such joy at the comments about the Kings being subjected to illegal wire taps. Looking at history one would discover that this comment is much more condemming of Robert Kennedy who authorized these illegal wire taps, than it is condemming of President George W. Bush.
It is obvious from the response that the people who took this comment as a criticism of President Bush, that they have forgotten the true history of that time, else they would not likely have applauded so joyously at a criticism of their liberal Democratic Robert Kennedy.
I wonder why Senator Ted Kennedy was not appropriately shamed by the comment? Do you suppost he has also forgotten this part of history?
Posted by Jim Thompson at February 9, 2006 04:32 PM
