Why Was Coretta Scott King's Funeral a Political Forum?

[BurgundyNGold]

Does anybody else feel that partisan political remarks made by Jimmy Carter and others during the funeral were just completely inappropriate? This was HER funeral and HER remembrance. These people should not have insulted her memory with their political diatribes.

How classless.

[redskin_rich]

What was said? I saw something on this but didn't read the story.

[BurgundyNGold]

Originally Posted by redskin_rich

What was said? I saw something on this but didn't read the story.

Jimmy Carter lambasted the adminstration's handling of Katrina and Rev. Joseph Lowery slammed Bush on Iraq and on his efforts to help the poor at home.

Here's a link to a story about it.

None of it is necessarily wrong, but there's such a thing as the proper place and time for that sort of talk. A eulogy at a funeral for another person is not one of them, IMO.

[Spence]

Yeah, the Drudge Report was the first to really push this line and Fox News quickly picked it up and has been running with it ever since. I can see how some of the remarks would make some people, especially those on the right wing, feel uncomfortable. I expected her funeral to be political because her life was so political. I guess how you view it depends on your politics and whether or not you think funerals should necessarily be apolitical events.

[BurgundyNGold]

Originally Posted by Spence

Yeah, the Drudge Report was the first to really push this line and Fox News quickly picked it up and has been running with it ever since. I can see how some of the remarks would make some people, especially those on the right wing, feel uncomfortable. I expected her funeral to be political because her life was so political. I guess how you view it depends on your politics and whether or not you think funerals should necessarily be apolitical events.

That's the thing. I saw it on CNN this morning and while I don't necessarily disagree with what was said, I just feel that this was her last big hurrah, you know? And what do some folks choose to do with it? Reduce it to a political scrum. I thought it was a disrespectful display for a classy lady.

[dukeuch]

Originally Posted by BurgundyNGold

That's the thing. I saw it on CNN this morning and while I don't necessarily disagree with what was said, I just feel that this was her last big hurrah, you know? And what do some folks choose to do with it? Reduce it to a political scrum. I thought it was a disrespectful display for a classy lady.

I, of course, disagree. Bringing up King's beliefs and fights against injustice and pointing out their relavence today as well as 40 years ago is a perfectly appropriate eulogy. What better last hurrah than to say, "she fought the good fight irght up until the end"? This was not the rabid attack many news reports are trying to make it out to be.

[redskin_rich]

Originally Posted by BurgundyNGold

Jimmy Carter lambasted the adminstration's handling of Katrina and Rev. Joseph Lowery slammed Bush on Iraq and on his efforts to help the poor at home.

Here's a link to a story about it.

None of it is necessarily wrong, but there's such a thing as the proper place and time for that sort of talk. A eulogy at a funeral for another person is not one of them, IMO.

I tend to agree with you but obviously the remarks were only made because Bush was there in attendance. The question would be, how would Mrs. King have felt about the comments made. Those close to her would know and its up to them if it was out of place or not.

[BurgundyNGold]

Originally Posted by redskin_rich

I tend to agree with you but obviously the remarks were only made because Bush was there in attendance. The question would be, how would Mrs. King have felt about the comments made. Those close to her would know and its up to them if it was out of place or not.

That's an interesting point. Maybe she would've said the same things herself, only she didn't get the chance. If her family had said that, I suppose I might be more inclined to agree, but I doubt that President Carter was over every Sunday for dinner. I think he was likely just a tactless old fool playing politics.

[redskin_rich]

Originally Posted by BurgundyNGold

That's an interesting point. Maybe she would've said the same things herself, only she didn't get the chance. If her family had said that, I suppose I might be more inclined to agree, but I doubt that President Carter was over every Sunday for dinner. I think he was likely just a tactless old fool playing politics.

I can't disagree with you there.

[akhhorus]

Originally Posted by BurgundyNGold

That's an interesting point. Maybe she would've said the same things herself, only she didn't get the chance. If her family had said that, I suppose I might be more inclined to agree, but I doubt that President Carter was over every Sunday for dinner. I think he was likely just a tactless old fool playing politics.

Well, the angle I heard, that made a lot of sense was that King and her husband used the pulpit for political change and weren't afraid from that base to say things that needed to be said. In the strict sense that it was a generic funeral, the topics were wrong; but considering how the Kings fought power from that medium, it was appropriate in that way.

And if Bush is so insulated that he can't handle (or his supporters percieve that he can't handle) someone questioning him in public, then we're all in deeper poop than we think.

[dukeuch]

Originally Posted by redskin_rich

I tend to agree with you but obviously the remarks were only made because Bush was there in attendance. The question would be, how would Mrs. King have felt about the comments made. Those close to her would know and its up to them if it was out of place or not.

Oh, I get it. When Bush showed up Carter put his "no-Bush" speech back in his pocket and pulled out his "Bush here" speech.

Please.

[BurgundyNGold]

Originally Posted by dukeuch

Oh, I get it. When Bush showed up Carter put his "no-Bush" speech back in his pocket and pulled out his "Bush here" speech.

Please.

Do you really think that Carter would've brought up the administration's abysmal response to Katrina if he wasn't there? Well, in your words ....

Puh-lease.

[redskin_rich]

Originally Posted by dukeuch

Oh, I get it. When Bush showed up Carter put his "no-Bush" speech back in his pocket and pulled out his "Bush here" speech.

Please.

I was referring to a few specific remarks made during the speech, not the entire speech. Of course, I'm also making the assumption that Carter has enough brain cells to improvise a sentence or two rather than just read a prepared speech verbatim.
But feel free to carry on with the notion that Carter would have brought up surveillance and wiretapping regardless of whether Bush was there or not, I could use a laugh this morning.

[skinfanatic]

i think these kind of funerals always turn into political forums, esp given her history. maybe its the media coverage that cause the politicians to lose control and have to be classless.