The Scott-King Funeral Controversy

Over the last two days, the Corporate Media and blogs have been getting all lathered up over comments made at the Funeral of Coretta Scott King. My own comments on the day of her death were fairly pointed, so I certainly undertand what Rev Lowrey and President Carter had to say. (Carter had already gone on record that very same day, to say that President Bushes Extra-FISA wiretap program is illegal) so it's naturall that the moment was highly charged.

And if anyone has a right to criticize the President Bush on the issue of FISA - it's the Ex-President (Carter) who signed the FISA act into law in the first place, funeral or no funeral.

For those who were hiding under a rancid rock and missed the Funeral. Crooks and Liars has a wonderful montage of clips that was put together by Countdown with Keith Olbermann. The comments by those who cared for and admired Mrs King were clearly heartfelt. They said what they believed, and were received with cheers.

And then the storm began.

Coretta Scott King was a civil rights leader. So why was it wrong to say this?

"The struggle for equal rights is not over. We only have to recall the color of the faces of those in Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi, those who were most devastated by Katrina, to know that there are not yet equal opportunities for all Americans." -- Jimmy Carter

Coretta Scott King's family was spied on by the government. So why was it wrong to say this?

"It was difficult for them personally - with the civil liberties of both husband and wife violated as they became the target of secret government wiretapping, other surveillance, and as you know, harassment from the FBI." -- Jimmy Carter

What's transpired since has been both tragic and transcendant.

Dr. and Mrs. King and so many others, and who has dedicated his life to the principles of equality and liberty and peace -- to say that he had no right to speak as he did ignores the whole history of the civil rights movement.

"She deplored the terror inflicted by our smart bombs on missions way afar," Lowery said. "We know now there were no weapons of mass destruction over there. 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."

And it just goes to show how used to hand-picked audiences and shutting out any and all criticism this Administration and its supporters have become. Cowards, hiding behind their wall of secret service agents and GOP gate-keepers.

More from FDL.

It's nice to know that whenever MSNBC needs something said that is so ugly, so fulminatingly rancid and dog-whistle racist that even Bill Bennett will not show up and do the honors that a vile, bilious hatchet-faced nag like Kate O'Beirne is always at the ready (see video at C&L).

Why didn't she just come out and say "negroes don't know how to act at funerals?" Because that's exactly what she meant.

Digby , John and Gilliard think almost as much of Kate for having the courage to come out and scold the coloreds about remembering their place on the day of Coretta Scott King's funeral as I do.

And it's not just the Right-Wing Bloviosphere that's been trying to tamp down the enthusiastic anti-Bush sentiment of the "village negroes" who don't know how to smile, genuflect and keep their dirty mouth's shut whenever Da Prez comes to town. It's CNN.

CNN just took one of the most important speeches in the last 6 years and grossly distorted it by seamlessly splicing out the 23-second standing ovation that interrupted it:

http://mediamatters.org/items/200602080008

For many of us the high point of the funeral was the standing ovation Lowery got when he said:

"We know now there were no weapons of mass destruction over there {standing ovation}... but Coretta kew and we know that there are weapons of misdirection right down here. Millions without health insurance. Poverty aounds. For war billions more but no more for the poor."

You can view the clip and the (complete) standing ovation here:
http://www.crooksandliars.com/2006/02/07.html#a7056
http://www.canofun.com/cof/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=1...

Why was this part of the eulogy so important? Not just what Lowery was saying about WMDs -- many people have said that before. And not just because he was the first person who managed to say it to Bush's face -- although that was pretty satisfying too.

The reason this part of Lowery's speech was so moving was because the audience reaction showed us that we are not alone. This is the kind of proof we hardly ever get to see -- it shows that people who are pissed off about Bush's WMD lies are a strong, brave and powerful majority.

Which is exactly why CNN had to edit out that standing ovation. The neocons are weak and they're a tiny minority of this country -- but with their Mighty Wurlitzer they've been managing to keep a lid on the fact that the rest of us are strong. We are the overwhelming majority. The people who support Bush are a tiny, whiny minority.

The CSK funeral is the first time in 6 years anyone has stood up to Bush and told him the truth to his face. That's why the right wing is going crazy over this funeral, and that's why CNN is censoring it, and trying to get us to go along with their attempts to dictate what is appropriate "funeral etiquette" for a deceased political figure.

William Rivers Pitt.

The funeral for civil rights leader Coretta Scott King on Tuesday was quite a sight to see. The depth of sadness in the room could not be overcome by the happiness that came with the celebration of her life and accomplishments. It was the measure of Mrs. King's impact upon our society that four presidents - Carter, Bush, Clinton and Bush - sat before her flower-draped casket and spoke of her life.

And then, of course, the foolishness began. The nattering nabobs of network nonsense blithered into their cable news studios to deplore all the political statements which were served up before the appreciative crowd in that church. It was the Wellstone funeral all over again.

Let's be clear. The life of Coretta Scott King was one that involved politics from every angle. Any lifelong struggle against poverty, racism and war is going to be a life immersed in politics. That is simply the way it is; because so many politicians and political ideologies center around statements and legislation that directly add to the burdens of the poor and minorities, any person choosing to fight poverty and racism is going to wind up dealing in politics.

Gandhi was elected to no office in his entire lifetime, but every action he took involved politics. The same can be said for Martin Luther King, Jr., who won no elections but changed politics in America forever. Coretta Scott King held no office, but her work affected the politics of this country in every way. Ask Gold Star mother Cindy Sheehan, who received a warm telephone call from Mrs. King while standing vigil outside George W. Bush's ranch in Crawford last August. If this was not a political act, then political acts do not exist.

Politics belonged in that church on Tuesday. Period.

From Dkos.

Now, in the wake of Mrs. King's funeral service, the Republicans and right-wing influenced MSM are complaining because people who came just to put in an appearance -- at a funeral, no less -- might have been offended by what they heard there! They are offended for President Bush as though Mrs. King's funeral was about President Bush! They are offended about mention of Katrina's wake as though her funeral was about Heckuva Job Brownie! They are offended about mention of the FBI's illegal spying on Dr. and Mrs. King as though mentioning the important events of the life of the deceased was, somehow, impolite! They are offended that allies of the deceased honored their alliance! They are offended that genuine affection for the deceased was given precedence over the feelings of people who showed up at the funeral of a person they didn't particularly know or didn't particularly like, which is, to put it bluntly, precisely what "making an appearance" is.

President and Mrs. Bush made an appearance at Mrs. King's funeral. Let me emphasize that again. President and Mrs. Bush made an appearance at Mrs. King's funeral. The funeral was not for the Bushes, it was not about the Bushes, and -- as hard as it is for Presidential egos to fathom -- the comments there were not directed at the Bushes. Those comments were for the family, friends, and admirers, in that order, just like at any other funeral. The 9,900 people at the funeral who actually loved, knew, or admired Mrs. King, were the ones who actually liked the so-called "offensive comments! They clapped. They laughed. They remembered. They were inspired.

And then Gilliard brought it all home.

When black people were dying in New Orleans, they called us everything but a child of God. We were animals, looters, out of control.

Not one of these people said this was a lie, a slander. Jonah Goldberg laughed at the idea of people drowning in the Superbowl. They cheered the idea of black people being shot in the streets. They said we were too stupid to leave the city when they had no cars and no money

While Bush sat on his hands.

So now, these filthy vermin want to give us lectures. They can eat their lectures.

We don't care what they think. They may have their lackies, and they best keep their mouths shut about this, but 98 percent of blacks have no use for the GOP.

What? They think we don't know they're racists? They hated Dr. King and his wife in life and now in death. They hate that blacks and latinos no longer live in peonage. Only one of their bought and paid for fools would attack how Mrs. King was buried. To the rest of it, it was a fittintg tribute and making Bush sit there for hours was wonderful. He was told the truth and he couldn't run.

They didn't help us back then, they won't help us now, not when they can spit on us, and now they want to give us lectures? Please, please send Lynn Swann, Ken Blackwell and Michael Steele out to denounce this, do us this favor. Tell us how the GOP really likes black people.

Help remind us why blacks vote Democratic.

http://stevegilliard.blogspot.com/2006/02/spare-us-lect...

The idea that Bush could walk into a Black Church at the Funeral of a prominent Civil Rights Leader, the widow the *THE* Civil Rights Leader - a Church filled with people whose approval rating for Bush (2%) is almost negative if you account for a 3% margin of error - the idea that the same person who just a week ago claimed that he would "Do his Part" to foster bipartisanship just before he dove face first into a series of vicious partisan attacks -- is full on Wingbat Crazy.

The idea that we in America who are supposed to be guaranteed "Free Speech" are not supposed to use that speech when the oppurtunity comes to speak TRUTH 2 FREAKING POWER, is just plain nuts. That's not the behavior of a free society, it's the behavior of serfs, chattal that cower in fear and bow in supplication to the whims of their Lords and Masters.

"I love my people, I love my people.... PULL"

Peasant screams in the back ground as he's throw skyward as a target for the king's skeet shooting. (History of the World Part I)

That is the behavior of the Republican party, but is not the behavior of Americans. There were many reasons why Marie Antoinette was eventually beheaded - this is kind of thing is just one of them.

It's exactly the kind of thing that both Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King and Coretta Scott King stood stauchly against.

Goodbye Coretta, you'll be sorely missed - but not forgotten.

It's our turn now, our turn to stand up in the face of international bully's who wear badges and flag-pins. It's our turn to change the world into a place we can be proud of. A peaceful world for our children.

May the (true) Lord grant us 1/10th strength that you so gracefully displayed.

Vyan