Old-school eulogy at Aretha Franklin funeral ignites wrath

[EasyAce]

https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/old-school-eulogy-aretha-franklin-funeral-ignites-wrath-005834257.html

DETROIT (AP) -- A fiery, old-school eulogist at the funeral of Aretha Franklin fell flat for many in the crowd and prompted a social media uproar when he declared "black America has lost its soul," black women are incapable of raising sons alone and the Black Lives Matter movement is unfounded in the face of black-on-black crime.

And that was just 26 minutes into the nearly 50 minutes of words provided by the Rev. Jasper Williams Jr. of Salem Baptist Church in Atlanta as Franklin's marathon funeral wound down Friday.

Williams, who also eulogized Franklin's father, minister and civil rights activist C.L. Franklin, 34 years ago, was excoriated on Twitter and elsewhere for misogyny, bigotry and the perpetuation of false science on race. He also blamed integration and the civil rights movement for ripping the heart out of black micro-economies that once relied on black-owned small businesses such as grocery stores, hotels and banks.

As he wended his way through the need for more African Americans to return to church and more men to return to their families, the heat turned up online, with younger people declaring rhetoric such as that of Williams is why they left their churches to begin with.

At one point, Williams asked: "Where is your soul, black man? As I look in your house, there are no fathers in the home no more."

As for black women, he preached that "as proud, beautiful and fine as our black women are, one thing a black woman cannot do, a black woman cannot raise a black boy to be a man" . . .

. . . "It amazes me how it is when the police kills one of us we're ready to protest, march, destroy innocent property," Williams began. "We're ready to loot, steal whatever we want, but when we kill 100 of us, nobody says anything, nobody does anything. Black on black crime, we're all doing time, we're locked up in our mind, there's got to be a better way, we must stop this today."

Do black lives matter?

"No, black lives do not matter," Williams said. "Black lives will not matter, black lives ought not matter, black lives should not matter, black lives must not matter until black people start respecting black lives and stop killing ourselves" . . .

[Applewood]

Funny how all the media coverage of the funeral did not include any part of Rev. Williams' speech.  But if people were offended by this man's words, then this country is really going to hell in a handbasket.

[EasyAce]

Funny how all the media coverage of the funeral did not include any part of Rev. Williams' speech.  But if people were offended by this man's words, then this country is really going to hell in a handbasket.

In more ways than we can probably count, our country has lost its marble. Singular.

[LMAO]

 This preacher spoke the truth but  was this appropriate at a funeral ?

[InHeavenThereIsNoBeer]

This preacher spoke the truth but  was this appropriate at a funeral ?

That's a very good point.

[DB]

This preacher spoke the truth but  was this appropriate at a funeral ?

Maybe that's what she wanted him to say/address.

[INVAR]

Funny how all the media coverage of the funeral did not include any part of Rev. Williams' speech.  But if people were offended by this man's words, then this country is really going to hell in a handbasket.

Given all the ridicule and contempt one receives when mentioning other biblical and moral truths right here and on nearly all the "Conservative forums" I haunt - I would say that a whole lot more folks than we would like to think are offended by the Truth and God's Word when it contravenes popular thought and political opinion.  The disdain for anyone espousing morality crosses both aisles, and both major political parties.

[verga]

While all of this needed to be said,I am not 100% convinced that his was the proper venue for it.

[Applewood]

Guys, I would say even worse inappropriate behavior occurred at the funeral:

www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2018/09/01/aretha-franklin-mourners-bash-trump-at-singers-funeral.html

IMHO, I would say Rev. Williams remarks were far more appropriate than the behavior of the {expletives] described in the above link.

[mountaineer]

Guys, I would say even worse inappropriate behavior occurred at the funeral:

www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2018/09/01/aretha-franklin-mourners-bash-trump-at-singers-funeral.html

IMHO, I would say Rev. Williams remarks were far more appropriate than the behavior of the {expletives] described in the above link.

The whole spectacle (what I read about it, anyway) made me cringe. Really, changing her clothes multiple times, as if she were a Barbie doll? Louis Farrakhan? Were they trying to out-circus the McCain family?

[libertybele]

This preacher spoke the truth but  was this appropriate at a funeral ?

In my opinion, absolutely. The funeral was live stream and the message was clear. It is time for blacks to realize that they need to unleash themselves from their own chains of racism and self-defeat. That racism and self-defeat in part has been a result of the liberal DEMs making them dependent on government; a government whom they've been told consists of angry, rich conservatives who are against them. Nothing could be further from the truth.  Black lives do matter, and they need to get rid of the liberal mindset that has convinced them that they don't count and society is against them. They don't need to be on welfare, they can lift themselves out of poverty. Right now we/they have a President who has brought black unemployment to levels lower than have ever been recorded in history.

[Applewood]

The whole spectacle (what I read about it, anyway) made me cringe. Really, changing her clothes multiple times, as if she were a Barbie doll? Louis Farrakhan? Were they trying to out-circus the McCain family?

I don't know how much of this spectacle was her idea or maybe her family's and/or handlers.  Maybe the clothing and shoes were her wishes.  I had an aunt who wanted to be laid out in an elegant negligee and she was.  But I remember my mother saying at the time something like "why would she want to be dressed in a negligee when she never could afford to wear one in life?"  LOL  I don't know.  Maybe some people want to go out in style. 

I myself have already told my family I want to be buried in a pair of comfortable, elastic waist jeans and the rattiest old t-shirt in my closet. I was never stylish or elegant in life.  Not about to be when I'm dead.

[libertybele]

I don't know how much of this spectacle was her idea or maybe her family's and/or handlers.  Maybe the clothing and shoes were her wishes.  I had an aunt who wanted to be laid out in an elegant negligee and she was.  But I remember my mother saying at the time something like "why would she want to be dressed in a negligee when she never could afford to wear one in life?"  LOL  I don't know.  Maybe some people want to go out in style. 

I myself have already told my family I want to be buried in a pair of comfortable, elastic waist jeans and the rattiest old t-shirt in my closet. I was never stylish or elegant in life.  Not about to be when I'm dead.

As for the spectacle(s) that surrounded the funeral.  To me she seemed like a very classy lady and my guess is most of the pomp and circumstance wasn't her idea.  Lots of people wanted to partake and honor her in their own way.  Her funeral was in Detroit and Farrakahn and Jackson were in attendance, along with Slick Willy.  Nothing more needs to be said really.  I grew up in the suburbs surrounding Detroit (starting in the '60s) and the lifestyle of many in Detroit at the time was indeed different.  The history and culture of Detroit though is very interesting and very deep; Motown, the auto industry, inventors, etc. 

[Suppressed]

I've got this shirt reserved for the purpose, to remind everyone not to make a big deal (and to give a smile to Star Trek fans)...

[Hoodat]

"No, black lives do not matter," Williams said. "Black lives will not matter, black lives ought not matter, black lives should not matter, black lives must not matter until black people start respecting black lives and stop killing ourselves" . . .

Word.

[dfwgator]

I believe deep down Aretha would have agreed with everything this pastor said.

[Applewood]

I've got this shirt reserved for the purpose, to remind everyone not to make a big deal (and to give a smile to Star Trek fans)...

Excellent choice!

[Suppressed]

Excellent choice!

Thanks!

[Suppressed]

[dfwgator]

I'd like to think that Aretha would have been appalled by this.

She was a devout Christian in real life.

[LadyLiberty]

Perhaps he was sending a message to the two Reverend Race Pimps behind him, Sharpton and Jackson.

[Wingnut]

They always want to have "The Converstion" but it is never the right time or place.

Go figure.

[skeeter]

People of all stripes turn their backs on the truth these days.