In what should have been a celebration of the life of the late Coretta Scott King, certain folks just couldn’t help but make a political statement. Note the following statements made by the “Reverend” Joseph Lowery.
“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 there were no weapons of mass destruction over there.” At which point Lowery got a huge ovation.
[…]
Then Lowery dropped another rhetorical bomb. “But Coretta knew and we knew that there are weapons of misdirection right down here. Millions without health insurance, poverty abounds. For war billions more but no more for the poor.”
Yay, free speech. Sure, this in-duh-vidual has the right to say what he wants to, and has the right to be disrespectful towards the President sitting behind him. We can even feel a little sorry for this former head of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (a political organization), since he apparently has few opportunities to make a statement anyone will listen to these days. But on an occasion that is intended to honor and show respect for the dead, this is a pretty sad demonstration.
Of course, he wasn’t the only one to take political advantage of the pulpit today. Former president Jimmy Carter (friend to everyone except the country he once led), weighed in with a sideways comment on the current wiretapping questions being kicked around congress:
“It was difficult for them personally with the civil liberties of both husband and wife violated as they became the targets of secret government wiretapping and other surveillance and, as you know, her harassment by the FBI,” Carter said, receiving a loud and long ovation.
These people should be ashamed of themselves; Lowery, Carter, and those who applauded their inappropriate remarks. Freedom does not eliminate personal responsibility, and I would like to think those who spent their lives working for freedom, equality, and civil rights would be the first to condemn such blatant abuse of their memorials.
Rest in peace, Ms. King.