Dozens of Congressmembers, Senators, Mayors, and even Presidents gathered at the historic Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, Georgia to commemorate the life of Congressman John Lewis (D-GA), a civil rights icon and titan of justice.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), lifelong activist James Lawson, and Presidents George W. Bush and Bill Clinton spoke in memory of Lewis.
One of the final speakers was President Barack Obama, the first Black President of the United States, who credited the Congressman with making an impact over the course of his life and eventual tenure in the White House.
In a speech befitting the Congressman's legacy, President Obama called out injustices that fly in the face of everything Lewis fought for, such as limited voting rights and civil rights.
It sounded a lot like Obama's criticisms were directed at his successor.
Barack Obama, #MyPresident:
President Obama eviscerates Trump without ever mentioning his name.pic.twitter.com/2UGVY7jhts
— Bill Madden (@maddenifico) July 30, 2020
Obama didn't say Trump's name, but he did invoke the names of famous racists who stood in the way of the Civil Rights Movement:
"Bull Connor may be gone, but today, we witness with our own eyes, police officers kneeling on the necks of Black Americans. George Wallace may be gone, but we can witness our federal government sending agents to use tear gas and batons against peaceful demonstrators."
He also alluded to those who sought to legislatively invalidate the Black vote:
"We may no longer have to guess the number of jelly beans in a jar in order to cast a ballot, but even as we sit here, there are those in power who are doing their darnedest to discourage people from voting by closing polling locations and targeting minorities and students with restrictive ID laws and attacking our voting rights with surgical precision, even undermining the Postal Service in the runup to an election that's gonna be dependent on mail-in ballots, so people don't get sick."
Obama may not have said Trump's name, but Trump's actions in the past few days alone made that unnecessary.
The same morning of the funeral, Trump continued his campaign against the validity of voting by mail, and even mused about postponing the election—something he constitutionally has no power to do—until it is, what he deemed, "safe."
The day before the funeral, Trump gloated that Americans living their "Suburban Lifestyle Dream" that they would no longer be "bothered" by low-income housing being built in their neighborhoods. The racist dog whistle was a continuation of Trump's lifelong fight against accountability to the Fair Housing Act.
This month, Trump's Department of Homeland Security deployed anonymous militarized police to Portland, Oregon, where they detained protesters in undisclosed locations, transporting them in unmarked, non-government vehicles.
People longed to go back to the days of Obama.
Everytime i hear him speak now, or Michelle for that matter, I cry. I can't help it. Its a deep mourning for intelligence, high character, well spoken, well thought out people at the podium. Its a morning for what has been lost which can hopefully be found again.
— Where is the Love? (@rockymtnkelly) July 30, 2020
He has such a lovely, melodic, calming voice and his speeches were all just magnificent. One of the best speakers and representation of the U.S. we've ever had. God, how I wish he could re-run...or that we could talk Michelle into running!!!
— That Southern Lady (@ThtSouthernLady) July 30, 2020
I miss someone who knows how to give a great speech & uses words of that have more than 4 letters in them!
— Vicki Huddleston (@realtybird) July 30, 2020
God, I miss him!
— Sandra Owen (@Sandysings1966) July 30, 2020
I forgot what it was like to watch a President speak with dignity, coherently, and with inspiration.
— Virginia (@Virginia61092) July 30, 2020
Others venerated the memory of Congressman Lewis as well.
Throughout his life, John Lewis taught us that while the journey toward equality is not easy, we must be unafraid and never cower and never, ever give up.
It's up to all of us to carry on his mission. pic.twitter.com/VUJdegsBuw
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) July 30, 2020
There's no more appropriate way to honor the life and legacy of John Lewis than by fighting to expand the rights he almost died for. As @BarackObama said, let's keep marching. pic.twitter.com/xgUI7pAaMv
— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) July 30, 2020
if JOHN LEWIS' funeral isn't the appropriate time for the first black president to "get political" about VOTING RIGHTS and those who would suppress the vote, then there is literally no appropriate time to do so https://t.co/DpwAWkyVEZ
— Wesley (@WesleyLowery) July 30, 2020
Observations from today:
1. @repjohnlewis is true hero
2. I miss @BarackObama
3. Love always wins.
— Jeff Van Harlingen (@MrV1010) July 30, 2020
At the end of his speech, Obama stepped to the side, and immediately put on a mask, in compliance with CDC guidelines— something Trump did not do publicly until 140 thousand Americans were dead.
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