January 20, 2009
It's been awhile since we had a letter...
Dear Rev. Lowery,

It was a big day for you, huh? I mean, you lived through the civil rights movement, and here you are, in front of gazillions of people, giving the benediction at the inauguration of our country's first black president. That must be a pretty exciting feeling! Rock on.

transcript of the Rev. Lowery's prayer:

Lord, in the memory of all the saints who from their labors rest, and in the joy of a new beginning, we ask you to help us work for that day when black will not be asked to get back, when brown can stick around -- (laughter) -- when yellow will be mellow -- (laughter) -- when the red man can get ahead, man -- (laughter) -- and when white will embrace what is right.

Let all those who do justice and love mercy say amen.

AUDIENCE: Amen!

REV. LOWERY: Say amen --

AUDIENCE: Amen!

REV. LOWERY: -- and amen.

AUDIENCE: Amen! (Cheers, applause.)

END.


Here's the thing, Reverend- you screwed up. I know, I know, you were just making a play on some old Jim Crow era poem/song, but unless they bothered to follow up on your comments, my generation wouldn't know that. Instead, they would see you as a racist old man, marring what was a momentous day not just for you, but for the whole country. They would see you as a man who is a racist in his own right. Frankly, they probably see you as jerk.

While I personally can't imagine the ideological shift I would have to undergo in order to vote the most liberal man in the senate into the office of the President, now that he is elected, I can sit back and appreciate that this is a big day for the African American community. I can see how this changes things for young minorities who now have hope that they too can really go places. I'm sincerely happy for them, and for men like you who have been waiting so long for a strong black leader to be accepted into the mainstream. I mean, if I my side of the aisle had to lose the election, at least the country seems to be getting something good out of it, right? But really, this was going too far.

I'm offended as a white person. I know it's stupid, because I don't know you and all, but really, my feelings are a little hurt. That just seemed like a cheap shot.

For the browns and the reds and the yellows, I'm horrified.

And, probably because I am a recovering baptist, I'm absolutely appalled that you placed your little joke in the middle of a prayer. Ummm, hello? Sacrilege. I don't think prayers are the place for jokes. Traditionally speaking, those go at the beginning of a speech.

Bad form all around, Reverend.

Sincerely, Slush

2 Comments:
Blogger lawyerchik said...
Well said, Slush!! Nice letter. If you want to send it, feel free to tell them that Lawyerchik approved that message, too!! :)

Blogger Katrina said...
Yeah, I'm sad to say there were a lot of classless things happening on this historic occasion. The one that burned me up? The crowd singing the NaNaNaNa song to Bush as he left. Seems that some of the lefties didn't get the memo about "setting aside childish things."