Free Speech Is Alive and Well At King Funeral

The outspoken Rev. Joseph Lowery, co-founder of Southern Christian Leadership Conference, ripped into President Bush during his short speech, ostensibly about the wife of Martin Luther King Jr.

"She extended Martin's message against poverty, racism and war. She deplored the terror inflicted by our smart bombs on missions way afar. We know now that there were no weapons of mass destruction over there," Lowery said.

The mostly black crowd applauded, then rose to its feet and cheered in a two-minute-long standing ovation.

A closed-circuit television in the mega-church outside Atlanta showed the president smiling uncomfortably.

"But Coretta knew, and we know," Lowery continued, "That there are weapons of misdirection right down here," he said, nodding his head toward the row of presidents past and present. "For war, billions more, but no more for the poor!" The crowd again cheered wildly.

And this from former President Carter who said among other things:

With Washington debating the legality of Bush's domestic eavesdropping on Americans suspected of al Qaeda ties, Carter also drew applause with pointed comments on federal efforts to spy on the Kings.

"It was difficult for them personally with the civil liberties of both husband and wife violated, and they became the targets of secret government wiretapping and other surveillance," he said.

This was supposed to be a funeral honoring the memory and legacy of Coretta Scott King, and instead it became a political bashfest on President Bush who was in attendance? Nice. Real Nice.

UPDATE:
Mrs. Lawhawk couldn't believe the way the speakers turned this into a political rally. It was all about King's memory and honoring her legacy, not a podium from which to try and score political points.

Agreed.

In a just world, this should backfire against Democrats. It's not a just world, so I figure they'll get a pass (again). President Bush was there to honor King's legacy and to pay respects. The actions by Lowery and Carter are reprehensible. But they got to have their say. And once expose them for the jackasses that they are.

Quick reactions have started streaming in on this politicizing of Mrs. King's funeral. Expose the Left has numerous updates (here, here, and here). Michelle Malkin has much more, as do Sensible Mom, and The Anchoress and Ed Driscoll both conclude that this was a Wellstone Redux.