Bush got a serious smack down during the funeral of Coretta Scott King from both a Reverend and a former president. Here's some excerpts (Remember, Bush was sitting right there):
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.
"But Coretta knew, and we know," Lowery continued, "That there are weapons of misdirection right down here," he said, nodding his head toward the row of presidents past and present. "For war, billions more, but no more for the poor!" The crowd again cheered wildly.
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 as Bush, under fire for a secret wiretapping program he ordered after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, again smiled weakly.
Later, Carter said Hurricane Katrina showed that all are not yet equal in America. Some black leaders have blamed Bush for the poor federal response, and rapper Kayne West said that Bush "hates" black people.
4 comments:
People have the right to free speech, but damn, I sure hope that people don't talk about political issues at my funeral, no matter how true the points are that are being made.
I have to disagree with you guys. Coretta Scott King was a political and social activist. That's what her life, and the life of her husband, was all about.
So the fact that people brought up political and social controversy during her funeral seemed fitting to me.
It would be like a bunch of rock bands playing at the funeral of Mick Jagger of The Rolling Stones whenever he dies. Or a bunch of comedians telling crude jokes at the the South Park creators' funeral. Would that be irreverent? Yes, probably. But it would be fitting. I don't know about you, but I hope people raise the roof at my funeral, if I even have one.
What does "raise the roof" mean? It sounds suggestive to the point where I'm not sure I'd want to attend.
tacky? Watch the whole speech on "crooks and liars" and tell me that Lowery's comments were tacky. I would be thankfull if someone dropped a bomb of a speech like that on my casket. That was awesome!
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