(ThyBlackMan.com) The Don Lemon you saw in the morning is the same Don Lemon I used to watch at night. I admit I had my concerns about him leaving the night line up. I wondered if it was going to put him on the path to getting fired. There are many things one can say contributed to Don Lemon and CNN parting ways. We can look at his comments about women, and we can also look at the disrespect he endured at the hands of the women he shared the platform with. One can argue he was difficult to work with…whether he was or was not he wouldn’t be the first. You see, I’m neither a Republican nor a Democrat…I’m not a conservative nor a liberal; I am a moderate Independent. When I have no problem calling either side out on their foolishness.
With that being said, one can’t say Don Lemon didn’t make some people unhappy when he insisted on not allowing Republican Presidential Candidate Vivek Ramaswamy to re-write history, while trying to tell a Black person about what it means to be Black in America. As I watched this exchange a few things crossed my mind: where is Vivek Ramaswamy getting his facts because the history is grossly wrong, I appreciate Don Lemon for using his platform to speak against the insulting rhetoric I heard, I felt Don Lemon was going to lose his job, and though a topic for another day…this is why I can’t buy into the POC concept. Billionaire John Malone wants to see a different CNN, and those in the know are aware of his liking of Fox News.
It was only a matter of time before Don Lemon would have been fired as he doesn’t for the mold of where CNN may be headed. If you followed CNN during, at least, the last 3 elections some could argue it was left leaning while Fox News is right leaning. Don Lemon has never shied away from speaking up regarding issues that affect the Black community…especially when those issues are national news. What viewers might want to consider is why a Presidential candidate was allowed to spew incorrect history that is absolutely insulting to a demographic in this country and the journalist calling him out is wrong? The commentary of Vivek Ramaswamy sounded like something one could expect from Fox News, but we weren’t watching Fox. The bottom line is one really could argue that this was the interview that did indeed get Don Lemon fired…this interview gave CNN an out.
The change we’re about to witness with CNN is unfortunate and well timed. It is happening as we gear up for another Presidential election. This change can make viewers feel like they might be getting ready to watch Fox News 2.0. The commentary will not be the same for this upcoming election. This will definitely favor conservative viewers and conservative Republicans, so there will be no balance anymore. CNN will not be returning to journalism…some can argue it is about to abandon journalism, and what we watched happen to Don Lemon could be seen as proof of such. The question is how many CNN employees are about to lose their job? There will be guest panelist we might no longer see and that disappointing. I don’t expect to see too many panel discussions with the like of Dr. Marc Lamont Hill and Angela Rye, but this was seen with Don Lemon. I admit I appreciated the times that I watched CNN and was able to see black journalists speaking truth & facts properly representing a voice for Black Americans that is often stifled or simply missing. I feel as though I may miss them on panels during election coverage offering the same perspective…one I can relate to. I feel it might be missing because Don Lemon’s voice will be missing.
The bottom line is Don Lemon did not change; the direction of CNN changed. They may have fired him for speaking the truth on a matter whereby Black history was being purposefully misinterpreted for the purpose of defending the NRA and giving them a narrative that simply didn’t exist. I’m sure there are many reasons that can be argued as the cause of Don Lemon no longer working for CNN, but those reasons do not indicted CNN…and they have some responsibility to bare. This interview stands out loudly, and if it was the reason I hope Don Lemon knows there are those who appreciate him taking the position a Black person in America has a right to take. No one should feel comfortable falsely explaining history to us…especially when we know the history and life in it’s consequences.
Staff Writer; Christian Starr
May connect with this sister over at Facebook; C. Starr and also Twitter; MrzZeta.
Also via email at; CStarr@ThyBlackMan.com.