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Aretha Franklin family responds to eulogy: 'Distasteful, offensive' - Detroit Free Press
Vaughn Franklin, a nephew of the late singer, provided a statement to the Free Press late Monday. He was speaking on behalf of the Franklin family, said publicist Gwendolyn Quinn, who has represented the family since the singer's Aug. 16 death:
I want to speak on behalf of the Franklin family as it relates to the comments that Rev. Jasper Williams, Jr. made on Friday during my aunt’s Celebration of Life service on Friday, August 31. We found the comments to be offensive and distasteful.
Rev. Jasper Williams spent more than 50 minutes speaking and at no time did he properly eulogize her.
My aunt did not ask Rev. Jasper Williams, Jr. to eulogize her before she passed away because dying is a topic that she never discussed with anyone.
Our family asked Rev. Jasper Williams, Jr. to perform the eulogy because he eulogized our grandfather (Rev. C. L. Franklin), my aunt (Erma Franklin) and my uncle (Cecil Franklin). However, there were several people that my aunt admired that would have been outstanding individuals to deliver her eulogy including Dr. William J. Barber, Rev. Al Sharpton, Dr. Michael Eric Dyson, Rev. James Holley and Pastor E.L. Branch.
We feel that Rev. Jasper Williams, Jr. used this platform to push his negative agenda, which as a family, we do not agree with."
I want to speak on behalf of the Franklin family as it relates to the comments that Rev. Jasper Williams, Jr. made on Friday during my aunt’s Celebration of Life service on Friday, August 31. We found the comments to be offensive and distasteful.
Rev. Jasper Williams spent more than 50 minutes speaking and at no time did he properly eulogize her.
My aunt did not ask Rev. Jasper Williams, Jr. to eulogize her before she passed away because dying is a topic that she never discussed with anyone.
Our family asked Rev. Jasper Williams, Jr. to perform the eulogy because he eulogized our grandfather (Rev. C. L. Franklin), my aunt (Erma Franklin) and my uncle (Cecil Franklin). However, there were several people that my aunt admired that would have been outstanding individuals to deliver her eulogy including Dr. William J. Barber, Rev. Al Sharpton, Dr. Michael Eric Dyson, Rev. James Holley and Pastor E.L. Branch.
We feel that Rev. Jasper Williams, Jr. used this platform to push his negative agenda, which as a family, we do not agree with."
https://www.freep.com/story/entertainment/music/aretha-franklin/2018/09/03/aretha-franklin-family-responds-eulogy/1188364002/
And that is was...from saying African-American single Mothers cannot raise their Sons, to this "Pastor" saying HIS WORDS---> Black Lives Don't Matter. Rev. Jasper Williams should have been shoved out of the pulpit and escorted out of the Church, as he used the Homecoming Service of Queen Aretha Franklin to "push" his sick agenda. Disgusting.
He owes the Franklin Family, an apology, immediately.
