I noticed something in the ABC report on Aretha Franklin's funeral...

[Archae]

Sure was musically good, and had some good speeches.

But in a still taken when Stevie Wonder was playing a tune, I saw Louie The Lip Farrakhan behind him.

What the hell was that Jew-hating SOB doing there?

[shanny]

1. Was Aretha Jewish?

[oberliner]

5. How is that relevant to the question asked?

[shanny]

6. I looked at the question asked.

Is there something about being a Jew-hater that would make one an Aretha-hater?

[oberliner]

8. The question seemed to be along the lines of why would anyone want an anti-semite present?

[shanny]

10. I looked at it as who tf is that guy daring to honor Aretha Franklin

to which I answered, anyone with one functioning brain cell (maybe not two, I grant you) and this is about her, not anything else. Apparently for someone, his views do not rise to the level of disapprobation accorded to Rump, and on this day, I'm OK with that.

[hlthe2b]

2. Apparently his family felt he had to be invited? You should have seen how uncomfortable Al Sharpton

was, having to sit next to him... He was damn near in Jessie Jackson's lap, trying to stay clear. LOL

[nolabear]

3. Thank goodness he wasn't invited to speak.

I don’t know. Not my business why someonevwanted him. But nobody schmoozed him.

[Archae]

4. Someone should have said to him "Get the hell out."

[still_one]

7. no, that would have focused attention on him, and distracted from the event celebrating Arethea's

life.

It would have been nice if he hadn't been invited of course, but from what I gather from some of the posts, he was essentially not paid very much attention to, and that probably is sufficient under the circumstances.

[shanny]

11. this

[jaysunb]

9. I suppose it would surprise you to know Minister Farrakhan is well respected in

the black community.
You and others don't get to choose our leaders or friends for us. Those days are long gone.

[malaise]

12. Yep

That simple

[oberliner]

15. That's BS

He is a hateful, vile human being.

[HipChick]

16. So is Trump...

But does he represent all white people?

[onenote]

34. No. But if a celebrity's family invited Trump to attend that celeb's funeral

We'd be discussing it here, wouldn't we?

[oberliner]

14. No, he's not

He is an anti-semitic bigot.

[Archae]

17. No he is not "well respected."

He has followers, yes.

So does Richard Spencer.

Anyone who "well respects" Farrakhan is a total asshole.

Doesn't matter if they are white, black, Asian, whatever.

[uponit7771]

21. No ..... He's not at all... Maybe in some parts of chi town but no where else

[ariesgem]

25. Exactly...

Well said..

[left-of-center2012]

13. Maybe he and Aretha were friends.

[Blue_true]

23. Both grew up in Detroit.

Even big cities get small for members of minority groups. He may have seen Aretha perform before both went on to become well known.

[oberliner]

33. Farrakhan grew up in Boston

[Blue_true]

35. But his adult life was not there. I made an error on where he grew up.

I stand behind the rest. I am not trying to defend him, I loath him and what he stand for in terms of ignorant racism. Blacks have a legitimate beef with Whites concerning the actions and response of Whites to racism, but Farrakan does not remotely articulate that beef constructively.

[oberliner]

36. He did not live in Detroit at any point in his life

[Hekate]

18. I noticed something on the DU reactions to the funerals of two public figures this week...

The absolute certainty that some people have that they ought to be the judges of who gets to attend, to speak, and why.

[Archae]

19. I just have this rather distinct aversion to people who say this...

Farrakhan: "Is the Federal Reserve owned by the government?"
Audience: "No."
Farrakhan: "Who owns the federal reserve?"
Audience: "Jews."
Farrakhan: "The same year they set up the IRS, they set up the FBI. And the same year they set up the Anti-Defamation League of B'nai Brith...It could be a coincidence...[I want] to see Black intellectuals free...I want to see them not controlled by members of the Jewish community."[14]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nation_of_Islam_and_antisemitism

[Hekate]

20. So do I, but it's not my funeral

[Tipperary]

28. Boom! Spot on.

It has been interesting here lately.

[oberliner]

31. Would it bother you at all to see David Duke at the funeral of someone you admire?

[Blue_true]

22. I have no love for him, but he is from Detroit.

My guess is he knew Franklin for years. I am sure that neo Nazis somewhere near where I live likely know me and may come to my funeral, although I loath their beliefs, strange things happen in life.

[jaysunb]

24. He's from Boston n/t

[oberliner]

30. Where did you get the idea that he is from Detroit?

He's not.

[Raine]

26. I was shocked to see him sitting there

I looked at least 2-3 times to see if it was really him!

[OneBro]

27. Anti-Semites should never be legitimized.

My reaction was the same as it would have been had I seen David Duke or Alex Jones sitting prominently at McCain’s funeral. I was stunned, saddened and disappointed to see that someone who preaches hate of my Jewish brothers and sisters was sitting on that stage as though he wasn’t the hateful equivalent of David Duke or Alex Jones.

[oberliner]

29. Thank you for this post

Could not agree more.

[DrDan]

32. seems to me funeral attendees are invited at the discretion of the mourning families,

not those viewing from a televisions screen.