I won’t pretend to be particularly moved by the recent passing of Coretta Scott King. Don’t get me wrong, she was an astounding woman who leaves behind an amazing legacy and I don’t doubt that my life today would be very different if not for the work of her and her husband. Her passing is a sad event, though it hardly caused a ripple in the personal lives of many. The world really did lose an iconic civil rights figure, one whose name was enough to inspire many to action.

Despite all that, it was with vague and detached interest that I watched the news coverage of her funeral, which brought out thousands of mourners, four presidents and numerous senators, congressmen and religious leaders. By the time it was over, I was absolutely appalled and embarrassed.

I am, by no means, a fan of the Bush administration. I proudly voted Democratic in the past two elections, yet I cringed at the comments of former President’s Carter and Clinton and the overt partisanship of their “eulogies” at the funeral of Mrs. King.