From Mo’Kelly’s Mailbag – Whitney, King Eddie, El and More

Here is just a sampling of the email responses Mo’Kelly has received recently.  Some were nice and supportive…others, clearly not.  I appreciate them all nonetheless.

None of the letters have been edited, so please excuse any and all spelling or diction mistakes…they’re not mine. 🙂

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Thank you for being so honest about Ms. Houston and ALL THE OTHER “ARTISTS” who have let their addictions destroy them.  My first reaction was shock, then anger, then frustration.  After reading so many accounts of Ms. Houston’s behavior, I knew it was a matter of time before this happened.  There were so many in my office who were willing to do the “Revisionist History Dance,” so to speak, it was nauseating.  I feel that our whole community is far too willing to absolve these stars of their shortcomings and look for what seem to be the easy scapegoats.  They just won’t take off their rose colored glasses to save their lives.  I realize we cannot save someone who is not willing to save themselves, but enough is enough.

I applaud your being so straightforward and refusing to give platitudes to another one of our fallen artists to satisfy some news outlet trying to get a job done.

Keep up the great work.  I’m praying that some of these people will get a clue before we lose another one of these entertainers.

Ellen A.

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Mr. Kelly,

I’m a bit sicken lately about the hate and blame Bobby Brown has and is receiving concerning his role in the death and drug addiction of Whitney Houston. There are many that blame him for her use of drugs as the one who introduced her to them and the reason for her “fall” from grace of the entertainment world.

Question 1 where do you stand on him being the cause?

Question 2 in the entertainment business its well known that music execs are generally the ones who do the introduction of the drugs do you think this is possible in Whitney case?

Question 3 It is well known that both Bobby and Whitney had drug issues, not unlike Michael J himself, so why then does Bobby not receive the same forgiveness, understanding sympathy when in fact he himself had the same problem and we knew a addict can’t help a addict when using? One last questions should not the black community embrace Bobby at this time instead of throwing him to the wolves like we do so many other of our artist when the industry has finish using them? Okay one more where are the black journalist, entertainers, public figures to defend Bobby Brown against the like of the Riveria’s and others. Okay enough just wanted your view.

Karin A.

 

(Mo’Kelly’s view…Whitney Houston is/was beloved, people want a villain, someone to blame.  At the same time, Bobby does not act like an individual worthy of sympathy.  He’s hard to like or root for given past behavior.)

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I enjoyed your comments so much on the farce of Eddie being crowned a prophet.He looks like the Devil that he is.I agree with you that this is no more than a Jim Jones,Father Devine,

Daddy Grace etc. cult.Sadly so many of our people fall prey to this Satanic influence that really has no resemblance at all to the religiion of christianity.Foolish and ignorant people have always had problems believing in a God that they cannot see.So they are easy prey for PIMPS.

All to often we as a black people condemn in whites what we condone in our own people.this is very sad.My people are destroyed because they don’t know me and the reason  they don’t know me is because their leaders don’t know me.

Each generation moves farther and farther away from God.For all practical purposes the church as a whole in this country has ceased to be a positive influence in society.False preachers,teachers and prophets abound.

I was not at all surprised at C.Dollars response but I was surprised at T.J.Jakes comment.I am a 64 year old country preacher in a small Arkansas town.The church here has become no more than a joke also.(Cult) I have been a christian preacher for over thirty years and my stand on many issues has caused me to be banned from the pulpits here.When the blind follow the blind it’s inevitable that they all end up in HELL.

Jesus did not compromise with hypocritical religious leaders.He rather denounced them and exposed their sin. He even told Judas you are a DEVIL.

This type of behavior (Jakes and Dollar and others) is comparable to policemen who have this unwritten rule that you never turn on one of your own no matter how evil and corrupt they are.  Again I Loved   your comments and now that I’ve found you I plan to stay around you (smile). keep up the great work for it is TRUTH THAT WE NEED.Take care and GOD BLESS

Herbert

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Hi Morris,

I was definitely thinking about you, and the article on El,  when I heard about Whitney.  It makes me so sad.  But you are right, there are people out there who don’t give a double darn about the human beings who are entertainers.   They forget that this is someone’s family, someone’s friend.   Real live human beings.   The charisma  that makes a great entertainer is also  a huge downfall.  They go to one person for drugs, and if they  are told no,  you need to clean up.  Well there is just another drug dealer around the corner who will sell to them.

I worry so that I may never see my friend El again.  But at the same time I have to protect myself for my family and for me.  So for now I just stay away and pray.  One more thing Morris,  I became a loyal reader of your column after you did one of the most touching  articles ever about domestic violence against women.  And yes I lived through that.  But I am free now.  And loving and living life.  Oh my goodness when I saw James on Dr. Drew, all I could think was God thank you for giving me the strength to walk away from people I just really love.  James looked so bad.  Just between you and I there is no other way for the DeBarges to overcome this demon,  unless they are not all clean at the same time.

Why do I feel like yours and my paths were meant to cross?

Sincerely,

Jolene S.

 

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Hi Morris, 

Your article is well written but lack common sense. How can an African-American who isn’t part of Eddie Long’s church and is also unfamiliar with him be responsible for his walk in life? The actual individuals who are responsible for perpetrating a fraud are Eddie and who ever knowingly condonded his behavior. In today’s society doubt and distrust is the new black. Speculation and suspicion doesn’t render an individual to a status of guilty. I’m saying this to let you know that even if someone in his church felt suspicious tha Eddie was on the down-low to whom would they broadcast these assumptions?  I am a born-again Christian who loves Jesus and people to the best of my ability.

I attend a so-called “mega-church” and have experienced tremendous life changes that I was unable to get anywhere else. The reason why these mega-churches are here is because they work for many people. I’m sure the earth will tremble when writers such as yourself openly write articles that celebrate the good that mega-churches have done like feeding the poor in India and Africa, reducing criminal behavior in African-American communities etc.

In no way am I suggested that Eddie Long not be held accountable. I do know that I’m not personally involved in the daily activities of their congregation and don’t know what has transpired between this pastor and his congregants – but it seems that you were there every day taking notes? That is funny. I’ve got a great idea…how about contributing something positive to the black community whom you are a member I presume? With access to thousands of readers? How about using your profile and skill for the greater good rather than for bashing. I don’t know like creating a healing forum. Where people can explore there feelings about what happened.

Isabella S.

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Mr. Kelly,

you summarized the crux of your outrage by writing:

“Three separate ethnic and/or social constituencies used their social capital to leverage media and public opinion to force an immediate redress of issues.”

But the African American Church and the African American Community it has informed, are unique and completely distinctive constituencies.

First, the African American Community is heterogeneous and not monolithic; so in many ways there is no single “African American Community.” Such conceptualization is in itself is an antiquated construct. In 2012, and many would argue emerging from the post Civil Rights era, we now have African American Communities.

From an historical perspective, the African American Church has never been able to effectively address issues of sexuality; neither heterosexual nor homosexual. Please see Traci C. West article, ” A Space for Faith, Sexual Desire, and Ethical Black Ministerial Practices,” where she recounts the sexual inappropriate behavior of Abernathy, Lyons, If Eddie’s misconduct had been heterosexual, it would have gotten a pass as did the Pastors whom West identifies in her article. Therefore, from an informed perspective, Jakes and Dollar are correct to give Eddie a pass. After all, misconduct is misconduct and he paid heavily to those he abused. And let’s be fair, he did not abuse all the African American children in the community, though there were several.

The larger point here is the African American Church’s inability to address issues of sexuality, even as African American women are disproportionately infected with HIV from brothers like Eddie, on the down low. A preferred destination in our thinking is to come to understand that human sexuality is not a binary, but rather resides along a continuum.

If Eddie could have been respected as a gay pastor – from the beginning, much of this might never have happened. In order to build his congregation, it was necessary to hide, to deceive, to be on the down low;  visibly portraying a heterosexual Black male image which ultimately led to this debacle. That is the lesson of the Eddie incident, and it cannot be corrected by a community nor communities, but only through a broader understanding of the interface between sexuality and spirituality, African American Christian theology and the African American body – both male and female. This is our challenge in the 21st century.

Peace to you my brother,

 

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Why would any of them speak against their own kind,men of God my foot. Didn’t your mama tell you “Bird of a Feather Flock Together.Red bird don’t hang out with Eagles,Eh? Not only that but these high faulting men,I won’t call them preacher,won’t help the people in their own communities.

Ask them to tell you the names of the people even in the areas of their mega churches,how are these people?.Are they saved?.How are the children in the schools near the churches faring?.How many drug dealers have they gone outside of their big fancy churches and invited( in person) to know Christ.I am so glad that God is pulling the sheets of of All of these False men.

Church has become nothing but a MONEY MILL! They themselves,all that you named in that article, are nothing but a cult. Go to you tube,type in Black Mason,also look up illuminaties. PLEASE be Careful!!!! The young man that did the videos I’m told ended up dead.

 

Patricia H.

 

The Mo’Kelly Report is a syndicated politics and entertainment journal. Visit https://mrmokelly.com for the latest from Mr. Mo’Kelly. Contact him at [email protected].

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