Aretha Franklin's family says pastor's eulogy was “offensive and distasteful”
Rev. Jasper Williams Jr. has received widespread backlash
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CELEBRITY Aretha franklin
Aretha Franklin's family came out with a formal statement saying that they denounce the eulogy that was given at the iconic singer's funeral. Vaughn Franklin, Aretha's nephew, criticized Rev. Jasper Williams Jr., saying that the eulogy was both “offensive and distasteful” and failed to honour the Queen of Soul's life, according to the New York Post.
In a statement delivered on behalf of the entire Franklin family, Vaughn described the pastor's speech, saying, “He spoke for 50 minutes and at no time did he properly eulogize her.” His eulogy “caught the entire family off guard,” Franklin added. “It has been very, very distasteful.”
Throughout the eulogy, Rev. Williams said numerous controversial statements. He minimized the Black Lives Matter movement by saying, “Black lives must not matter until black people start respecting black lives and stop killing ourselves.” Then went on to claim that black women could not raise black boys to become men, despite Aretha Franklin having raised her son.
Rev. Williams was chosen by the family because he had delivered the eulogy at Aretha Franklin's father's funeral service.