PA Bill Number: HB2311
Title: Establishing the School Mental Health Screening Grant and Development Program.
Description: Establishing the School Mental Health Screening Grant and Development Program. ...
Last Action: Laid on the table
Last Action Date: Sep 23, 2024
Sheriff David Clarke Takes Down CNN's Don Lemon On Anti-Police Rhetoric :: 07/19/2016
Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke took on CNN host Don Lemon and the Black Lives Matter movement Sunday, calling both to account for the slayings of three Baton Rouge, La., police officers.
Lemon started off the interview by saying, “Horrific day. I spoke to the heads of the sheriff department and the police department and the state police down there, and they told us that their hearts were reeling. Their message is peace and coming together in the country. What’s your message?”
Clarke snorted and said, “You don’t believe that for one minute, do you?”
Advertisement – story continues below
“That their message is?” Lemon asked. “That’s what they said to me.”
“Any protests over the deaths of these cops today in Baton Rouge?” the sheriff said. “Any riots or protests over the police officers in Dallas, Texas?”
Lemon responded, “I asked you if, what’s your message to the people? Their message is one of peace. What is your message?”
“My message has been clear from day one two years ago,” Clarke said. “This anti-cop sentiment from this hateful ideology called Black Lives Matter has fueled this rage against the American police officer. I predicted this two years ago.”
“OK, sheriff,” Lemon said as he tried to counter Clarke. “With all due respect, do you know that this was because of that? As a law enforcement officer?”
“Yes, I do,” Clarke said. “I’ve been watching this for two years. I predicted this. This anti-police rhetoric sweeping the country has turned out some hateful things inside of people that are now playing themselves out on the American police officer.”
Clarke then focused on the media’s selective reporting.
“I want to know, with all of the black-on-black violence in the United States of America — by the way, when the tragedies happened in Louisiana and Minnesota, do you know that 21 black people were murdered across the United States? Was there any reporting on that?”
“Sheriff, please, let’s just keep the volume down here,” said Lemon. “Can we just keep it civil?”
“I’m looking at three dead cops this week, and I’m looking at five last week, and you’re trying to tell me to keep it down?” asked Clarke. “Don, I wish you had that message of civility toward this hateful ideology, these purveyors of hate. That’s what they do. These people preach bile and virtue in the name of hate.”
“What it sounds like to me is that you’re accusing me of violence and supporting something, a narrative that I’m not necessarily in support of,” said Lemon. “If you’re, if that’s what you’re accusing me of violence, then you can leave. I don’t support violence of any kind against police officers, against anyone, so if you’re accusing me of that then you’re welcome to leave.”
Clarke, however, was far from finished. He asked Lemon if the journalist would condemn the anti-police rhetoric of Black Lives Matter.
“As a journalist sitting here on television, I don’t have to condemn anyone, anything, that is something that you should ask other people around the country,” Lemon said.
“Well I do. … There’s only one group in America — one, Don — that truly cares about the lives of black people in these urban ghettos, and it’s the American police officer who goes down there on a daily basis, puts their life on the line to protect who? Black people,” said Clarke.
