It's apparently not enough for CNN "anchors" to throw lightning bolts of commentary on their own shows. They show up at other hours on CNN shows to editorialize.
Don Lemon joined CNN Newsroom Monday afternoon to opine on Oprah Winfrey's Sunday night CBS interview with Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle. He declared the entire British monarchy is self-evidently racist and that Markle is just latest black person to be unfairly condemned by white people who are "not relevant anymore."
Lemon was ranting was the part of the interview where Markle falsely implied that their son Archie was denied royal titles and therefore security because he is mixed-race, as well as alleging that there were broader concerns within the family about his skin color, but Markle refused to name these alleged racists. Lemon wants all the critics to just go away, because they shouldn't matter.
LEMON: I wonder why these people always try to explain what someone else's experiences are. And why all of these privileged people, most of them on social media, white women, who are criticizing Meghan and Harry and Oprah for what they were about to do and then the interview as well. Why is that -- why do you have to get on social media and weigh in on everything that has to do with black people and racism? Especially if you are a white person in this country. Unless you are going to be helpful and open about it instead of saying it doesn't exist. “Oh, my gosh, how dare you, they see everything through the eyes of this.”
Why don't you try to look at it with some understanding with an open mind instead of always criticizing especially people who have built their reputations on criticizing people. And you know who you are. Because you do it every time. Every time there is a story about criminal justice or something black or Colin Kaepernick or Meghan Markle, they always have to rush to Twitter and criticize someone or get in on it because they want relevance. Well, you’re not relevant anymore and stop trying to be relevant on the backs of black people.
Having an open mind would require the presence of evidence from someone who has a history of politicizing what is supposed be an apolitical position.
Lemon began by mocking the idea that anyone could believe the family and system is not racist.
I don't think Oprah, I don’t think anyone who watched it, especially any one person of color is surprised that the British family -- that there was racism there. That is what a, the monarchy is based on, heredity, hierarchy, a caste system, bloodlines. And so the whole institution is built on a racist structure. So there should not be a “oh, my God,” the British family is racist. Of course they are racist.
That's what the entire monarchy is built on: the racism, the family that is supposed to be in it only by birth. So far by birth it has only been white Royals on the British throne. That's it. We shouldn't be like “oh, my God, the British family is racist.” Yeah, the system is racist.
Don Lemon finding systemic racism everywhere and telling white people they're irrelevant was sponsored by Applebee's.
Here is a transcript for the March 8 show:
CNN
CNN Newsroom
1:11 PM ET
DON LEMON: I have to tell you, I don't think Oprah, I don’t think anyone who watched it, especially any one person of color is surprised that the British family -- that there was racism there. That is what a, the monarchy is based on, heredity, hierarchy, a caste system, bloodlines. And so the whole institution is built on a racist structure. So there should not be a “oh, my god,” the British family is racist. Of course they are racist. That's what the entire monarchy is built on: the racism, the family that is supposed to be in it only by birth. So far by birth it has only been white Royals on the British throne. That's it. We shouldn't be like “oh, my god, the British family is racist.” Yeah, the system is racist.
BRIANNA KEILAR: You say people weren't surprised but Harry explained that he was surprised, right? That he didn't really see it until he had to see it through the eyes of Meghan Markle, through the eyes of a black woman who he loved and then he said it was immediate being confronted with this, Don.LEMON: That part was no surprising because as we always say, that is what privilege is all about. If it doesn't -- you don't have to deal with it, then it didn't exist for you. Look at all the criticism -- before the interview aired there were people on social media saying who were saying “I can't believe, why are they doing this, oh whoa is me, they’re rich, they’re wealthy, they’re royal,” what have you, not even knowing what the interview was going to be about. Not even knowing someone else's existence. I wonder why these people always try to explain what someone else's experiences are.
And why all of these privileged people, most of them on social media, white women, who are criticizing Meghan and Harry and Oprah for what they were about to do and then the interview as well. Why is that -- why do you have to get on social media and weigh in on everything that has to do with black people and racism? Especially if you are a white person in this country. Unless you are going to be helpful
and open about it instead of saying it doesn't exist. “Oh, my gosh, how dare you, they see everything through the eyes of this.”Why don't you try to look at it with some understanding with an open mind instead of always criticizing especially people who have built their reputations on criticizing people. And you know who you are. Because you do it every time. Every time there is a story about criminal justice or something black or Colin Kaepernick or Meghan Markle, they always have to rush to Twitter and criticize someone or get in on it because they want relevance. Well, you’re not relevant anymore and stop trying to be relevant on the backs of black people. That's what I will say to that. Of course I am not surprised that Harry was introduced to racism through his wife. And he felt it in a personal way. That's how it happen. I am a black man from the South who is engaged to a white man from the east end of Long Island. There were revelation force him, and still are in our relationship because it wasn't something he had to confront on a daily basis. Now he does. Now Harry does. So, it means the world to him. Harry has a black child and a black wife now, so it is personal.
