Page 4 - Florida Sentinel 12-24-21

Editorial
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Letter To The Editor
In His Interview With VP Harris, Did ‘Charlemagne tha God’ Go Too Far?...
BY BENNIE KELLY
The Radio Personality who is 43 years old and reportedly has an estimated worth of $10 million, devised the stage name of "Charlemagne", derived from his street name as a drug dealer, "Charles," and developed a new per- sona based on Charle- magne (aka Charles the Great), who ruled much of Western Europe circa 800 A. D. He added "Tha God" because it "sounded cool."
Lenard Larry McK- elvey, better known as “Charlemagne tha God” is a syndicated radio show host, among his many accomplish- ments, he is best known for being co-host of the nationally syndicated hip-hop iHeartRa- dio program The Breakfast Club. He is also a social media influencer; an executive pro- ducer with his own production company, CThaGod World and co-host of the popular podcast Brilliant Idiots. The entertainer has chosen to raise the ire of Vice Pres. Harris by doing to her what he has built his career on doing to other people.
Although he has been on the air in this market for less than a year, (iHeartMedia Hip Hop “95.7 The Beat” WBTP Tampa switched from Steve Harvey’s morning show in May 2021), Charlamagn has a long history of controversial comments and confrontations.
Prior to his work on The Breakfast Club, he worked as a radio personality for several radio stations and also spent time as second mic on The Wendy Williams Show, taking that job after he was fired from his post at Philadelphia radio station 100.3 The Beat, (many believe Jay-Z was behind that firing). He once gave himself the title "Prime Minister of Pissing People Off, the Archi- tect of Aggravation, and the Ruler of Rubbing People the Wrong Way,” so it is no sur- prise that he would pounce on the opportunity and be direct or confrontational in his tone with the Vice President.
Vice President Harris appeared on Charlemagne’s “God’s Honest Truth” which airs on Fridays at 10/9C on Comedy Central, where she was asked “who is the Presi- dent, Biden or Manchin?” The VP became almost irate and rightfully so. Perhaps we have come to accept and en-
CHARLEMAGNE THA GOD
courage disrespect in a way that shouldn’t be tolerated to- wards our Black leaders.
We have seen how Don- ald Trump attacked Black press members and the way Black media personalities have exploited other Black in- dividuals in the media and on social media platforms for the betterment of their own ca- reers.
Former Pres. Barack Obama has been critical of what he referred to as the “call-out culture” -. 'I do get a sense sometimes now among certain young people ... that the way of me making change is to be as judgmental as pos- sible about other people and that's enough.' Obama said that achieving change was a much more difficult issue than simply using social media. 'That is not activism; that is not bringing about change. If all you're doing is casting stones, you are probably not going to get that far,' the 44th United States president said at the Obama Foundation sum- mit in 2019.
Particularly frustrating is the fact that Charlemagne, a Black radio personality, would invite the highest ranking Black woman in the history of the U. S. Gov’t on to his show and trigger the forceful re- sponse given by the Vice Pres- ident; the question was framed as a provocation and was received as such.
Did he go too far? Sure he did. Some Republicans and Conservative pundits have al- ready begun to use the inter- view segment as ammunition in their efforts to discredit VP Harris and to criticize the Biden administration in the press and on social media plat- forms, questioning her tem- perament and leadership abilities.
Charlemagne tha God
was recently awarded an Hon- orary Degree from his native SC HBCU, South Carolina
VICE PRESIDENT KAMALA HARRIS
State University; he is an ac- complished Author, Business- man, Actor and Radio Personality - BUT he should not be given a pass for his dis- respectful tone with Vice President Harris as she de- fended the Biden Administra- tion’s works.
Charlemagne later praised the Vice President’s forceful response, saying, "That Kamala Harris, that's the one I like. That's the one that was putting the pressure on people in Senate hearings. That's the one I'd like to see more often out here in these streets."
The "Breakfast Club" radio show host ripped Manchin throughout his talk with Har- ris, saying the centrist law- maker is "ruining this country" and "blocking progress." The TV personality's comments came as Democrats in Con- gress have expressed frustra- tion with Manchin over his hesitancy to back the $2 tril- lion social spending and cli- mate bill before the end of 2021.
Asked why Manchin is "al- lowed to constantly hold up Biden's agenda," Harris replied that "every vote mat- ters" in the 50-50 Senate. "We have to listen to the voices who represent their districts," she said.
The Comedy Central host on Friday tweeted a clip of the interview, which was trending on Twitter on Saturday.
“Our @VP can absolutely be the superhero that America needs to protect democracy if she applies *this* type of pas- sionate pressure to progres- sive roadblocks like (Manchin),” he wrote.
We should hold all of our leaders accountable, but let us also call out the members of our community that use their platforms to tear down our elected officials and impede progress in our communities and in our Nation.
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The Christmas Gifts Of Remembering Others
e extend our well wishes to our readers, advertis-
ers, supporters, and the entire community for a blessed and Merry Christmas, 2021. Indeed, this is truly a season of blessings, merriment, and thankfulness for most of us. If you believe in the true meaning of Christ- mas, give gifts that don’t cost a dime. Try practicing the gifts of peace, prayers for others, forgiveness, kindness, goodness, gentleness, joy, love, patience, self-control this Christmas season and throughout the coming year. We all should be thankful that we are yet alive in spite of the Coronavirus.
If there will be an empty seat at your table for Christ- mas, we send you the gift of our love and condolences. We wish for you the peace and comfort of God, family and friends, a healing, and a reminder that the sun will shine again. Gift a call on Christmas to someone who lost a loved one this year. If you have a home or apartment that you don’t worry about losing, remember and pray for the more than 600,000 Americans who are experiencing homelessness. Help a homeless person or someone hav- ing trouble with paying their mortgage and rent.
Moreover, if you know someone who will be spending Christmas alone, remember them and invite them to din- ner with you and your family. Twelve percent of Ameri- cans will spend Christmas alone this year. If your pantry and refrigerator are full, remember the 38 million fellow Americans who are hungry and without food. If your chil- dren will have gifts and toys under the Christmas tree, re- member the one in five children who will not receive a Christmas gift unless you give them one.
Be thankful if you have a job this Christmas because, while unemployment is at its lowest right now (4.2%), there are still seven million Americans who do not have jobs.
Finally, if you are healthy, you are the recipient of in- comparable grace and mercy, so remember and pray for those who are fighting heart, diabetes, cancer, kidney dis- ease, Alzheimer’s and other diseases. Give them a call if you know someone who is sick.
Telephone calls, prayers, hugs, and kind words are priceless for people who are in need of them. So, make someone else’s Christmas merry with these priceless gifts.
Merry Christmas!
W
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