Yesterday, we reported on how just after playing a clip of the pastor who delivered the eulogy at the Freddie Gray funeral leading the congregation in an impassioned chant of "no justice, no peace!", Joe Scarborough claimed that the riots that ensured were "something that no one inside that funeral could have ever have wanted." The chant wasn't the pastor's only incitement. He also told the congregation that "somebody is going to have to pay" for Gray's death.
So when that pastor, Jamal Bryant, appeared on today's Morning Joe, don't you think Scarborough would have challenged him over his incendiary remarks? Think again. There was not a word of Bryant's incitement. To the contrary, Scarborough gushed: "we were all moved by that extraordinary eulogy you gave a couple days ago," and a bit later former RNC Chairman Michael Steele thanked him for "your voice in this time in the city."
It's true that Bryant's eulogy also criticized people in the community who "sit on the corner drinking malt liquor," gamble and walk around with their pants hanging down. Kudos for that, but Scarborough and his show failed to paint the entire picture of the message Bryant delivered. Why?
JAMAL BRYANT: You mighty people accomplish what you will. This is not the time for us as a people to be sitting on the corner drinking malt liquor. This is not the time for us to be playing lottery or to be at the horseshoe casino. This is not the time for us to be walking around with our pants hanging down past our behind. This is not the time for us to have no respect for our legacy and for our history. This is not the time for tattoos all over your neck. But lift up your head, all ye and be ye lifted up that the king of glory shall come here.
MIKA BRZEZINSKI: That was Reverend Jamal Bryant, a pastor of Empowerment Temple AME church in Baltimore delivering a eulogy at Freddie Gray's funeral. And the Reverend joins us now on Morning Joe: good to have you on the show this morning.
JOE SCARBOROUGH: Reverend, we were all moved by that extraordinary eulogy you gave a couple days ago.
. . .
JAMAL BRYANT: I'm excited because Baltimore has turned the page and we're starting over again.
MICHAEL STEELE: Pastor Bryant, it's so good to see you, and thank you for your voice at this time in the city.
