Don Lemon Breaks Down Sobbing During Cornel West’s Searing Commentary on George Floyd and Police Violence
CNN anchor Don Lemon broke down live on the air as Dr. Cornel West delivered a searing commentary on police violence, in relation to the murder trial of Derek Chauvin for the killing of George Floyd.
Dr. West appeared on Thursday night’s CNN Tonight after another day of testimony in Chauvin’s trial, which has featured heart-wrenching descriptions of the events from witnesses, many of whom expressed despondency at being unable to assist Mr. Floyd.
“What is this trial saying about us as a country, especially when it comes to how we all see race?” Lemon asked West.
The professor and activist began by telling Lemon that “it takes us to the most fundamental question that has always set at the center of not just America, but the 400 years that you would my ancestors have been here, which is, do we have the will to stay in contact with the rich humanity of black people, to stay in contact with the beauty of black people, the intelligence of black people, the tenderness of black people, the soulfulness of black people.”
He referenced the testimony of Courteney Ross, Floyd’s girlfriend in life, saying “what we heard from my vanilla sister, Courteney was what? I stayed in contact with the rich humanity of brother George. I knew he was a tender man. I knew he was a soulful man. I knew he was a kind man, I knew he was a human being, faults and foibles, like all of us, no matter what color or gender or sexual orientation.
But it was West’s soul-stabbing walk in the shoes of those bystanders that really got to Lemon:
I thought about my brother George, and I thought about my brother and I thought about my father, I thought about my grandfather. I’m not going to stand there for no nine minutes and 29 seconds and watch somebody murder my father. No, no. Uh, uh.
Martin Luther King Jr. talks about pacifism. And I believe in non- violence, but I’m not going to watch that kind of murder. I love my brother, Charles McMillan. That’s why he was crying. That’s what his tears were about. He felt helpless. We not going to do that.
Some of us black folk, some of us black men, we’re not going to stand there. We’re going to have to intervene in some way. We – they aren’t going to kill us like that. And we remain spectators because somewhere I read, silence is not an option. I don’t stand with the silence. That’s the last two sentences of your letter to Drew. Your letter to your nephew.
But America needs to understand that too. We got to self-respect. We got to self-defense. And we intervene when you start killing us like that.
Lemon broke down crying for several moments, as West responded by assuring him “We intervene out of love brother. And we love.”
After recovering and speaking with his guest for several more minutes, Lemon said “Let me let you go because I got to deal with some things and you’re making me cry here on the TV. And I got to compose myself. Thank you. I love you, brother. I appreciate.”
“Love you brother. You stay strong,” West said.
In his commentary, Dr. West referenced Lemon’s letter to his nephew Trushaad Bush, published in his book This is the Fire. That letter concluded:
You’re old enough to know what’s going on, approaching the precipice where you’ll begin to understand. Soon you’ll see the difference between those who preach, those who march, and those who maintain a deferential silence while the bullhorn of racism blares the same foul tropes it’s been sounding for four hundred years. I promise you, Tru, because I love you: I will not stand among the silent. Silence is no longer an option.
Watch above via CNN.
