Aretha Franklin’s family is highly displeased with Rev. Jasper Williams Jr. ‘offensive and distasteful’ eulogy at the Queen of Soul’s funeral. Franklin’s nephew Vaughn Franklin, spoke to the Associate Press and said, “[Williams] “spoke for 50 minutes and at no time did he properly eulogize her.” He went on to say, “We feel that Rev. Jasper Williams, Jr. used this platform to push his negative agenda, which as a family, we do not agree with.”
Of the criticism, Williams said, “I understand it. I regret it. But I’m sorry they feel that way.” One of Williams’ controversial statements—that black-on-black crime devalues the Black Lives Matter movement—received pushback from Stevie Wonder at the funeral, AP reports. Williams had said, “Black lives must not matter until black people start respecting black lives and stop killing ourselves.” When he added, “No, black lives do not matter,” Wonder yelled out, “Black lives matter.” Williams also said that a black mother alone can’t raise a black boy to be a man, describing children living in fatherless homes as “abortion after birth.” Aretha Franklin raised four boys as a single mother. (Pitchfork)
source – pitchfork
