News
Lemon
continued from page 2
snowball among black gays?
DL: I don’t know. But I do think it helps
the next person, because I get positive feed-
back every day from someone who has read
my book.
KW: See, you’re not just a journalist. Plus
look at all the blowback from your recent
remarks agreeing with Bill O’Reilly about
the black community.
DL: I don’t feel any blowback, but I will
say this, whether you agree with whatever I
said or not, at least I got a conversation
started. That was my goal, and I think I
accomplished it. I think if you’ve watched
or read my work over the years, you know
that I’m pretty much at the top in terms of
taking on issues that have to do with
African-Americans and profiling, and with
race and racism. What I love about CNN is
that, yes, we believe in diversity of bodies,
but we also believe in a diversity of opinion.
So, whether my bosses agree with what I
said or not, it doesn’t matter. We’re in the
business of journalism here. Journalism is
about having a diversity of opinion. And
just because I’m African-American does not
mean I have to feel a certain way because
I’m black. You don’t have true freedom
until you allow a diversity of opinion and a
diversity of voices.
KW: I always feel that I’m black, so
whatever my opinion on an issue happens to
be is a black opinion.
DL: That’s a good way of putting it.
[Laughs]
KW: But do you fear being pigeonholed
as a buddy of O’Reilly?
DL: There are many things that Bill
O’Reilly and I disagree about. I just happen
to agree with some of what he had to say on
this issue, but not all of it. Does that mean I
co-signed his whole being and existence?
No?
KW: Is there any question no one ever
asks you, that you wish someone would?
DL: Yes, what do you get from icons like
Dr. King, Malcolm X and John Lewis?
What I get from them is personal empower-
ment, personal responsibility, and that the
only thing you truly own is your mind. And
once you truly own your mind, you’re free.
KW: The bookworm Troy Johnson ques-
tion: What was the last book you read?
DL: The last two books I read were: “The
New Jim Crow” by Michelle Alexander,
and “Man’s Search for Meaning” by Viktor
Frankl, a Holocaust survivor.
KW: When you look in the mirror, what
do you see?
DL: Besides all the flaws, I see the kid
that I once was. [Chuckles] Seriously, what
stares back at me is someone who lives in a
constant state of gratitude, regardless of
what’s going on in my life. Just this morn-
ing, when I woke up, I walked into the bath-
room, looked in the mirror and said, “Look
how far you’ve come. I’m grateful for this
day. And for those fat cheeks. And for the
KW: What is your guiltiest pleasure?
DL: Sleep. I loooooove to sleep. I also like salty,
plain potato chips and Lindt dark chocolate
with a touch of sea salt.
You can decide for yourself what is the best
way to respond in the face of discrimina-
tion. How to carry yourself with dignity.
What matters is how you think of yourself,
and having presence of mind. Once you get
that right, it doesn’t matter what anyone
thinks of you, because you know how to
carry yourself in the world.
boldness that you have. And for the stances
that you take. And I know that you’re going
to be okay. And I want the next person who
looks like you whether they’re 1 day-old or
15 years-old to be better than you and to
have a better life.” I swear to God I just said
that this morning in the mirror. So, it’s
funny that you asked that question.
Check Out
The Skanner News
Turn-the-Pages WebPaper
Go to www.theskanner.com home page
and click on ‘Turn the Pages’ button to
view our complete newspapers, exactly
as they are printed,
but on-line!
Just click to turn
the pages and
click to zoom.
Page 8 The Seattle Skanner August 21, 2013
Don Lemon
KW: The Ling-Ju Yen question: What is
your earliest childhood memory in Baton
Rouge?
DL: Sitting in my grandmother’s kitchen
at about 3 or 4, watching her talking on a
yellow telephone with a long cord. I spilled
my drink, and my sister scolded me, “Every
time you spill something!” And I asked my
very understanding grandma’s permission
to go to the bathroom.
KW: Can you give me a Don Lemon
question?
DL: Yeah, this question has gotten to just
about everyone I ask. It even made Wendy
Williams cry. It’s, “Who do you think you
are?”