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Audacity of Truth
Whiner-in-Chief:
"[W]hether the grumbling is about Republicans on Fox or bloggers in pajamas, there's a word for what the president and his aides are doing. That word is "whining." And nothing [...] does more damage to Obama's credibility or authority than the sense that a popular president is becoming the whiner-in-chief."
- John Nichols, Nation Magazine - 10/12/09
Coretta Scott King funeral turns into a Bush-bashing fest
Expose the Left has video here and here. Don’t miss it.
The AP write-up:
The funeral took on political overtones as former President Carter said of the Kings: “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.” Later, he said that Hurricane Katrina showed that all are not yet equal in America.
And both Bush and his father winced as they sat behind the pulpit and heard the Rev. Joseph Lowery, who co-founded the Southern Christian Leadership Conference with Martin Luther King Jr., take several jabs at foreign and domestic policies.
“We know there were no weapons of mass destruction over there, but Coretta knew and we knew there are weapons of misdirection right down here,” Lowery said, complaining that were far too many in the U.S. are living in poverty and without health care insurance.
“For war, billions more, but no more for the poor,” Lowery continued, a take-off of a lyric from the song “A Time to Love” which drew a roaring standing ovation.
Bush’s father tried to defuse any political tension by joking that Lowery used to challenge him when he was president, too.
“I kept score in the Oval Office desk — Lowery 21, Bush 3,” former President George H.W. Bush said. “It wasn’t a fair fight.”
The audience showed where its allegiance lay when former President Clinton and his wife, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, came to the podium to wild cheers and a long standing ovation. He opened by saying that he was honored to be with the other former presidents. Someone in the crowd yelled out, “Future president!” in reference to his wife’s possible 2008 bid.
Kinda reminds you of this memorial service turned anti-Republican rally.
Shameful.
Hat tip: Stop The ACLU (who is on fire today)
Others commenting on this: Michelle Malkin, Iowa Voice, Riehl World View, Independent Conservative, GOP Bloggers, SoCalPundit, SusiePie, Sensible Mom, Oh How I Love Jesus
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Andrew wrote, “That’s why Coretta had to fight for it.
And therefore she is to be given respect, but to attack people outside or even at the funeral is over the line. Thats my perspective. It shows lack of class and disrespect. You can’t see that one bit Andrew?
” Thats my perspective. It shows lack of class and disrespect. You can’t see that one bit Andrew?”
I can see it. I also see that Coretta’s fight was all about going being what was ‘proper’ and ‘respectful’ and doing instead what was right.
WOW! Andrew hit on the difference and perhaps the confusion over this. Talking about Reagan’s funeral he said:
That is almost the exact opposite of the conservative view. Should Clinton die tomorrow, any conservative would go to pay respects. There is absolutely no chance that a conservative would disrepect him like two presidents and a reverend did to Mrs. King by preaching their views (except maybe Pat Robertson, but we kicked him out of the party long ago). No conservative would deign to be able to read the mind of Bill and expouse his beliefs, ever.
When ST said:
I might disagree with the hypocrite part. I think he’s really honest when he says it’s important to condemn people at her funeral. And I would even go as far as replacing ‘pathetic’ with ’sad’. Here’s why.
It’s sad that you consider it a requirement that upon her death, a whinefest should occur. Why not celebrate her? Political cr*p (can I say cr*p?) is unimportant compared to the death of a leader. As two presidents, a reverend, and Andrew illustrate, the left simply doesn’t understand this.
Andrew, the political teen site only taped the egregious speakers. The fact that Maya Angelou did not appear is proof that she understands the solemnity of death. You can read all about her speech here if you want to honor Mrs. King. I re-suggest that you actually listen to the speeches that you are supporting. Link above. I continue to believe you just haven’t heard them. Would you rather I quote them? I will do it if need be. It’s pretty selfish if you are just too lazy to listen to it though.
” There is absolutely no chance that a conservative would disrepect him like two presidents and a reverend did to Mrs. King by preaching their views (except maybe Pat Robertson, but we kicked him out of the party long ago).”
Like I said. Avoiding a funeral because it will celebrate things I consider wrong is not disrespect. Its respectful of the achievements of the deceased.
“It’s sad that you consider it a requirement that upon her death, a whinefest should occur.”
It was a sixhour long funeral. Whats sad is you disagree with a few things there and call it a whinefest. Whats sad is people see calls for correcting injustice, a continuing of her struggle, as a ‘whine.’
” I continue to believe you just haven’t heard them. Would you rather I quote them? ”
They’re saved on my hard drive. Did you like the ‘together at last’ line? You get my problems with political teen. He’s not interested in the funeral, in celbrating Coretta. Only in scoring points by highlighting a few minutes of the six hours of it.
J Rob- westboro authored a press release declaring their intent to protest. i happened to catch an early version of a wikipedia article that cited said event as fact. the article was quickly reverted, and i amended my claims. my bad. your charge of laziness is baseless and wrong- i’ve done nothing but 1) my day job and 2) research to defend my claims since making them, and i’ve amended them. i would argue that to be disingenuous i would need to knowingly obscure information, and to be intellectually lazy i wouldn’t bother to do more research and continue to think about this. so back up.
and do you really believe that anti-Bush statements by a clergy person are grounds for loss of tax-exempt status? really? do you also think Pat Robertson should be defrocked because he ran for the presidency and his organization’s tax-exempt status revoked for its regular participation in the political process?
i would also add that the fact that Phelps affiliates with democrats only affirms my belief that blind party affiliation is a bad idea. so back up.
that aside, the fundamental point i’m trying to make, and what i think andrew is trying to say, is thus:
the point of a funeral is to honor the deceased. period. the people who knew the deceased best are in charge of constructing the funeral in a way that they beleive honors said deceased.
if the people who actually knew the deceased think that criticism of war is an appropriate way to honor the deceased, then that is ok by me.
is anyone else able to see how the criticism and the criticism of the criticism can be similarly construed as political exploitation? anybody?
Mrs. King aside, it’s not about ’scoring points’. I will assume you understand what we on the right are saying about disrespect. What you do after you understand that is up to you.
The biggest problem with Liberals is their hyperinflated egos. Andrew here wouldn’t attend Reagan’s funeral if invited because andrew didn’t like him — andrew’s ego would not permit him to show respect for someone whose views he disagreed with. If I were invited to speak at Carter’s or Clinton’s funeral, not only would I attend out of respect for the families and the office they held, but I would try like hell to find something to praise about them. I sure wouldn’t stand up there and rant about how they were the worst Presidents of my lifetime so far, and how their policies did terrible harm to this country. I definitely wouldn’t make a speech attacking the current President, whoever he or she might be. It’s not the time, and it’s not the place. But Liberals have no sense of dignity or decorum, because they see themselves as far more important than others.
” Andrew here wouldn’t attend Reagan’s funeral if invited because andrew didn’t like him — andrew’s ego would not permit him to show respect for someone whose views he disagreed with.”
I would show respect. I would do so by letting there be a celebration of the man’s life and achievements. I’m not scared that people would do that. I would expect people to do that. Its just not for me.
- Andrew… In some ways you continue to amaze with your willingness to jump into the wood chipper of stupid indefensible positions. Reagan was the all time showcase example of just how totally out of step and wrong the left can be. One hour after he was inaugurated the hostages were released in Iran, exactly because they knew they couldn’t get away with the fun and games they enjoyed under the Jhimmy admin. The bleating of the moonbats began almost immediately, and continued, unabated, right up to the time he shamed Gorbachev into tearing down the wall. You could hear the Liberal wailing from Berkeley to Anaheim.
- Andrew, you and the left are just wrong, and you were never more wrong than you were during Reagans administration. It was actually embarrassing to watch you foam at the mouth, so completely out of touch with the world. Just stop. I’m embarrassed for you at this point. The reason Lowery didn’t mention Bobby as the perp in the wiretapping of King is that one of His lefty sychophants, Bobbies brother Kennedrunk, was sitting right behind him. Thats the typical “historical revisionism” the left has raised to an art form. Kennedy and King were political enemies, and the left knows that. So instead we’ll compare “wiretapping” of political foes to something (enemy survailence during wartime) that is totally different in the Bush admin. just to take a cheap shot. Your leadership are idiots Andrew, and you’re not making yourself look good by following them, much less defending their mendacity…..
- The display by the left yesterday. Its simple. They’re desperate. Desperate people do desperate things. Maybe it wasn’t obvious because the left always screams as loud as they can, but if you paid attention you might have noticed that less than half the crowd was doing all thet yelling. The new Elephant in the room that has the Liberals running scared is their “plantation/race card” hold on Black America is slipping. What the left does not want them to realize, is that victimization only works up to a point. After that you need to tack off into personal achievement and discard “victim” politics, or you’ll forever limit yourself. It will be interesting to see how much longer the Black community will be willing to join in the outreageous bigotry and shameful cartoons attacking prominent Americans just because their Conservatives. At some point they’re going to say….”Hey wait a minute….why are we doing this.. wasn’t that the whole dream….. for our leaders to “make it”…. This is nuts”…..
- The Dems know all this. When it comes to pass, all the race baiters like Sharpton and Jackson will be out of business. They also know that. So expect things to get really ugly before its over. But in the end they can’t win. You can’t make people keep themselves from full and complete “colorless” citizenship, just to hang onto power.
- When Hillery talks about “Plantation Congress…” ect, it doesn’t ring well. when Bill does it he sounds like a good ole sympathetic guy. When Hillery does it, its sounds like “Oh you poor incapible souls….Let us elite Liberals take care of you….”. I’ve had several Black friends tell me its really upsetting them, as did a number of things the Left engaged in, during the past few years. the political chickens the left has let loose are going to come home to roost…
- Its going to be interesting……
- Bang
“One hour after he was inaugurated the hostages were released in Iran, exactly because they knew they couldn’t get away with the fun and games they enjoyed under the Jhimmy admin.”
Not because of promised missle sales. Everything the left can’t be.
“The reason Lowery didn’t mention Bobby as the perp in the wiretapping of King is that one of His lefty sychophants, Bobbies brother Kennedrunk, was sitting right behind him.”
Lowery didn’t mention any wiretapping.
For Coretta, as you might know, the issue is not democrat vs. conservative. It is right vs. wrong. Don’t try to turn this event into a partisan thing. Its about wrong vs. right, not dem v. republican.
Yup, and the Dems are wrong…
“For Coretta, as you might know, the issue is not democrat vs. conservative. It is right vs. wrong. Don’t try to turn this event into a partisan thing. Its about wrong vs. right, not dem v. republican.”
- Precisely Andrew. Since you posted that, what part of “Coretta deserved better than having her well deserved moment of honor being turned into a leftwing political screed fest”… can’t you comphrehend?
- Bang
“For Coretta, as you might know, the issue is not democrat vs. conservative. It is right vs. wrong. Don’t try to turn this event into a partisan thing. Its about wrong vs. right, not dem v. republican. ”
Congrats, andrew – we’ve finally gotten you to spin around into agreeing with the rest of us.
“Since you posted that, what part of “Coretta deserved better than having her well deserved moment of honor being turned into a leftwing political screed fest”… can’t you comphrehend?”
The part where she WAS a “leftwing political screed”! Do you know who or what she stood for? Pacifism, social justice, and agitation!
“Congrats, andrew – we’ve finally gotten you to spin around into agreeing with the rest of us”
Oh, I think i’ve been right all along. Some people are intent on turning this into a partisan score. People who don’t like what was right about Coretta. People who are afraid of what she points out is wrong with our country, regardless of the party in power doing the wrong.
“Yup, and the Dems are wrong…”
And the point goes over someone’s head.
- The left has hijacked Coretta’s ideas and warped them to their agenda. That won’t work either Andrew. If repeating all the Liberal distortions are all you’ve got…. Next!…..
“The left has hijacked Coretta’s ideas and warped them to their agenda. That won’t work either Andrew.”
Indeed. We’ve sanitized them.
“Indeed. We’ve sanitized them.”
- How “elitist” of you….
- Well apparently you need to fire your laundryman and go for some new sanitizing because through a number of Democratic, and Republican administrations the percentage of “out of wedlock” births, and fatherless families in the Black communities rose from 23% in 1970, through Lyndons admin, to 78% through Clinton/Bush terms. Since you lefties live and die by polls I’ll assume you take note.
- Also since the Liberals have led the Black caucus since the early 70’s I guess we could say that all your wonderful Social programs have been a resounding failure and Black Americans have been no better off during Democratic admins than Republicans.
- Hmmmmm…. Despite all the leftist screeching for the past 35+ years about working for the underdog, something seems to be wrong with this picture.
- You think?
- Bang
Andrew needs to get Hannitized!
Alexis, read what I said, “This was supposedly a Christian funeral. Any clergyperson who would not only allow, but actively participate in it becoming a political rally should be defrocked and his/her church’s tax exempt status revoked.”
I said this because the pastor is responsible for what is said and done from his pulpit…period! The fact that Lowery led the charge into partisanship speaks for itself. Every election cycle we hear the left whining about conservative churches being partisan while ignoring their own sins in that realm. When John Kerry goes into a church and campaign contributions are solicited and received on his behalf (monetary and otherwise) that church’s tax exempt status should come under review at the very least. The same goes for whoever his opponent is. That game has to play both ways or not at all.
This should have been a funeral to celebrate the life of Mrs. King. What it became lays at the feet of the pastor in charge, as should the consequences.
Cheap political thuggery by a washed up hack touting a worn out and discredited ideology of the victimhood of all the poor lil’ ol’ negroes who cannot do for themselves without the help of (name your group or agency here).
Pathetic group of hasbeens.
- One think I have to say is that our President showed a hell of a lot of class, going into that rats nest of Liberal wingnuts, knowing full well from the names on the RSVP list what he was in for, and he responded with grace and proper respect for Coretta’s moment of honor and recognition, not allowing the crass, fecklessness of his opponents to shake his resolve. The left may be a long time realizing the contrast, and cost to their cause, in those TV pictures for all the nation to see….
- Bang
What astonished me about this situation (that the side of the political aisle which prevents public speakers from making their point at college campuses, from protesters who claim censorship when it’s only the time and place they choose that most non-political people object to, that a side which credits itself with being more sensitive to nuances…and it doesn’t get more nuanced than death and mourning, my friends) should not understand why most people are disgusted by what happened yesterday at Mrs. King’s funeral.
Unlike many Conservatives, I suspect Mrs. King probably told Reverend Lowery alllll the things he mentioned in his eulogy — so in that respect, I don’t think we can inject our values about it, just because it would be unthinkable for us to hold such a bile-spewing “celebration” in front of a casket containing a person’s body.
But I also know that Mrs. King conducted herself in an impeccable manner publicly, partly because she was protective not only of her image, but more importantly, of Dr. King’s.
In this way, I think what we saw, might not have been to her taste.
It doesn’t matter if she fought a million battles for peace (non sequitur though that seems), you don’t behave in a spiteful, bitter manner in public, if you want to be taken seriously.
Since yesterday, I have spoken to a few black acquaintances, including my postman, about the tenor of the funeral, and they were almost to a man and woman, appalled.
Shame.
Cheers,
Victoria
J Rob-
i promise, i really did read what you said:
“This was supposedly a Christian funeral. Any clergyperson who would not only allow, but actively participate in it becoming a political rally should be defrocked and his/her church’s tax exempt status revoked.”
that is not an even remotely reasonable assertion. are you really suggesting that Christians not be allowed to have political views, or express them, even when ? i am a pretty big fan of separation of church and state, but that is severe, even for extremists like me.
religious leaders tell their congregations what to think on political issues ALL THE TIME. pat robertson, the people behind Justice Sunday, that guy who threatened to kick people out of his congregation if they voted for Kerry, the UU minister who compared the 14 components of fascism to the current administration in a sermon.
after lots of re-reading, i think to have any validity, your statement had to be accurate in calling this a “political rally.” how was this a political rally? were any signs waved around? balloons dropped from the sky? photo-op waving and infant kissing?
in your reply post, you make a good point: if campaign contributions are being solicited by or at churches, it is probably a good idea to review them. i agree.
i continue to assert that angry posts and cable news shouting (ie, Kate O’Beirne) over politics at Mrs King’s funeral seems to be exactly the same as what the complaining is all about: namely, that a funeral is being exploited for political purposes. frankly, i think it’s worse: how can Kate, or any of us, honestly claim to know what is and is not appropriate behavior at the funeral of Coretta Scott King, or say what would have wanted? wouldn’t her long-time friends, and her family, know best how to honor her? isn’t it possible, even reasonable, that a lifelong political actvist who opposed all war all her life be pleased to hear her fellow freedom fighter speak against the war in Iraq? after all, a speaker criticized Vietnam at Dr King’s funeral.
Victoria,
Edited. –ST I promise that black people overall had little problem with what happened at the funeral. The biggest reaction that I’ve heard is the outrage of having a governor who campaigned on the confederate flag sitting center stage at Coretta’s funeral.
Also, while you can applaud W’s lack of reaction, look at the pictures of his wife pouting at Coretta’s funeral as if they should have bowed to her. The lack of class on Laura Bush’s part is despicable. This event had nothing to do with her. I’ve never heard her say more than two words about the civil rights movement. What a lack of class.
cripes, that was long. i hope people take the time to read it.
i also wanted to say this: a disturbing trend is to see any criticism of the current administration, its policies, or its war characterized over and over as crazy, unhinged, out of touch, impolite, uncivil. political speech at a funeral is not civil. t-shirts with anti-war statements at the state of the union are undignified. political cartoons that satirize rumsfeld by using his own words to criticize his rejection of Pentagon-sponsored research that the army might be cracking under the Iraq pressures are “shamless” and disrespectful of our troops. oh, and my favorite, Democrats asking tough questions of a Supreme Court nominee about some of their grave concerns are TOTALLY CLASSLESS!!! instead of perhaps doing their jobs? frankly i would expect and welcome the same questions at any judicial nominee, from any president.
so when is the appropriate time to have dissent?
the problem with this administration is that it is extremist, yet passes itself off as mainstream. it is not.
Alexis asked, “so when is the appropriate time to have dissent?
You are doing so now.
The point is that the dissenting message is way off target.
Then as a typical liberal with condescension you offer a laundry list of a message that has false premises for each point. It’s about YOUR message.
Ignoring your laundry list (which would take paragraphs each to respond to) I believe that liberals/Democrats have been dissenting and loudly. It would be respectful and civil for them to take one day off (while at a funeral) to stop trying to score political pints. It’s SICK!
I would have to agree with Alexis on one thing. The administration is not mainstream. The mainstream American wants less taxes, less entitlements, and less government spending. Bush is most definitely to the left of mainstream. The prescription drug plan proves it. Not to the extreme left as alexis suggests, but to the left nevertheless.
“This was supposedly a Christian funeral. Any clergyperson who would not only allow, but actively participate in it becoming a political rally should be defrocked and his/her church’s tax exempt status revoked.”
During a six hour long funeral when we bury a dedicated pacifist no-one is supposed to mention that war is bad. How christian
Also. How christian that a preacher isn’t supposed to moralize, to tell us what is right and what is wrong.
It’s already clear that you don’t have the respect required to go to the funeral of such a great woman. Why do you continue to belittle her with additional comments?
She was a great woman, and accomplished great things. Please please please stop minimizing her with your gripes with the current administration. I’d be ok if it reflected on you, but you are making it reflect on her. It is painful to hear you make her death a political issue about current events.
“It is painful to hear you make her death a political issue about current events.”
But its not her death people are talkign about. Its her life of pacifism. A pacifism that is not mainstream.
And you think they were talking about her life!?!?!? You never got around to actually listening to them did you (that’s not a question. The answer is obvious).
I give up. You either will not or can not understand that respecting the dead is not even similar to making a political statement.
When Steve Jobs passes, let’s not waste time on what a great man he was, let’s talk about how people who don’t own Apple computers are fools.
I will tell you that I despise people who stick with a position even when they realize it is a foolish one. There is not much that is more pointless. I understand that it is EXTREMELY difficult to admit when you are wrong, but it’s a sign of inner strength when you do.
Baklava
i would very much like to hear the false premises in each of my points.
the major criticisms of the behavior at the funeral seem to fall into 2 categories: 1) political speech has no place at funerals and 2) critical speech of Bush’s policies is disrespectful to Bush
1) the funeral of a progressive, political, anti-war activist, who devoted her life to progressive, political, anti-war causes, is probably going to contain some progressive, political, anti-war speech from some of her progressive, political, anti-war friends. her friends and family saw it fit to honor her that way, and it just doesn’t seem right to tell people they aren’t mourning correctly. when musician Gram Parsons died his friends set his body ablaze in Joshua Tree Nat’l Park- because he had said that was what he wanted.
how is it not an equal form of political exploitation of the event to go on the cable news circuit and decry the behavior as Democrats acting nutso and uncivil? did kate o’beirne offer any discussion of who this woman truly was, what her work was all about, how she told the president to his face she did not like the war back in 2004 (at her husband’s grave, no less)? if she did, i would be pretty impressed.
2) the comments made at the funeral were fully in line with and a promotion of everything Coretta Scott King stood for. how is that Bush-Bashing? or unhinged, partisan politicizing? if King made a name for herself as a global leader through support of nonviolence and the healing power of love, why can’t we talk about her views at her funeral? this service was for and about Coretta Scott King. that she and our current president did not see eye to eye on issues like the Iraq war does not mean that to talk about her worldview in front of said president is “disrespectful.”
dissent is essential to democratic society. the exchange is (mostly) the kind of reasonable, issue-based debate that i wish we could see more in our government. thanks for letting me hang.
again, this is not about liberal/conservative/democrat/republican/whatever. those are relatively arbitrary terms used to pull the public into choosing sides based on wedge issues, spin, and lies. we might actually find out we have a lot more in common with one another Other Team than they thought if they just sat down and talked about things, much to the chagrin of many of elected class.
cripes, i can’t type.
correction:
we might actually find out we have a lot more in common with those on the “Other Team” than we think if we just sat down and talked about things, much to the chagrin of many of the elected class.
“And you think they were talking about her life!?!?!? You never got around to actually listening to them did you (that’s not a question. The answer is obvious).”
They talked about making her life last forever.
AR said, “2) critical speech of Bush’s policies is disrespectful to Bush
Nobody said this. Only you.
AR said, “dissent is essential to democratic society.”
During a memorial/funeral? Remind me to ask these kinds of questions of my next potential mate. I’ll want class. I’m not making a put down. I’m hoping you learn from my point.
“They talked about making her life last forever.”
Nnot even close to reality. You should be ashamed. Why do you bother posting here, if you are just going to make something up?
“During a memorial/funeral?”
Dissent is essential to the memorial of a dissenter!
Everyone dissents Andrew. That’s why classy people act different at different times. There are times and places.
“Everyone dissents Andrew.”
Dissenting at some time is different than living the life of a dissenter. Not everyone does it like the Kings.
Alexis, the under the current law in the US, political discussions in church are forbidden. A pastor may not endorse a candidate, may not even say why he believes one is right or wrong based on the tennants of his/her church. Just mentioning how a candidate’s record measures against the church’s beliefs invites scrutiny. That is the law as passed by a dem controlled congress. If they do not wish to abide by it, then they should stop obstructing its repeal.
That said, I agree that a church ought to be able to look at the political landscape and say, this is what we believe and this is where the pols differ. That is not available (seems that is a tacit endorsement), especially in election years.
Are you saying that the Kings would be funeral dissenters? That would be accusing them of no class Andrew…..
I wouldn’t have said that. You can’t say what Coretta would’ve said or done at a funeral but I’m sure (my opinion) that she would’ve carried herself and spoken in an dignified and civilized and tactful way.
“A pastor may not endorse a candidate, may not even say why he believes one is right or wrong based on the tennants of his/her church. Just mentioning how a candidate’s record measures against the church’s beliefs invites scrutiny”
Good thing he spread the pain around.
“Are you saying that the Kings would be funeral dissenters? That would be accusing them of no class Andrew…..”
Look up Dr. King’s speech at the funeral of the 4 little girls killed in that church bombing in Montgomery Alabama. Then tell me he has no class.
A class act
“A class act”
A good one I just read basically says: Maybe the funeral speeches should have begun with “friends, romans, countrymen, Lend me your ears.”