CNN anchor Don Lemon said Monday that Jesus Christ, during his time on Earth, was not perfect.
Lemon was making a comparison between Jesus and the Founding Fathers, arguing that men like former Presidents George Washington and Thomas Jefferson should not be “deified” because even Jesus was “not perfect” while he was human. (RELATED: ‘Very Disappointing’: Don Lemon Lectures Drew Brees For Comments On Protests At Games)
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Lemon was speaking to fellow anchor Chris Cuomo during the transition between their shows when they addressed the fact that protesters were continuing to call for the removal of certain statues and monuments — and in some cases, toppling them without permission. (RELATED: ‘I’m Glad You’re A Mind Reader’: St. Louis Homeowner Snaps At Chris Cuomo In Heated Exchange)
“Jesus Christ, if you that’s who you believe in, admittedly was not perfect when he was here on this Earth,” Lemon said. “Why are we deifying the founders of the country? Many of whom owned slaves and in the Constitution, the original one, they didn’t want — they put slavery in there.”
“They knew they had an inconsistency with the logic,” Cuomo cut in. “All men are created equal except these men.”
“We have to stop deifying them,” Lemon went on to say that the U.S. Constitution had created a blueprint but one that was not perfect because it was written by humans who were also imperfect.
“Nothing human is perfect,” Cuomo agreed, adding, “We are all fallible.”
Cuomo went on to tie in President Donald Trump, arguing that his supporters could no longer simply claim that they liked specific policies without “owning” the bad things as well.
“You don’t get a pass. You don’t say I support him because I like the deregulation but I’m not about that. No. You vote for all of it. You get all of it,” Cuomo said. “You own it.”
“It’s the last gasp for bigotry and racism,” Lemon added.