We never thought we‘d invoke Bishop Eddie Long‘s name in the same sentence as the likes of Tiger Woods, Kobe Bryant, Mike Tyson and other disgraced sports and entertainment icons who were torched by sexcapades. But there is a pattern developing with so-called victims turning around and shaking down their famous “aggressors“ for thick stacks.
See if you’ve noticed a trend: Some famous or influential personality of impeccable stature allegedly engages in sexual indiscretion of some nature. The person or persons (in Tiger’s case, a village) are willing participants. Down the road, the alleged victims set aflame the famous person’s carefully cultivated image by announcing that they like it rough and nasty and have the audacity to demand recompense for their “injuries” or for being treated like scum.
I wanted to upchuck my breakfast cereal back into the bowl as I watched Tiger’s mistresses, one by one, get on national TV to let the world know how humiliated they were by Tiger, used by Tiger and … oh, by the way … they need multiple bundles of Benjamins to help them heal their emotional wounds.
And in a way, that’s what I see happening here in the case of the pastor of mega church New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in suburban Atlanta. At the very least, it is the stance that Long and his lawyers are taking to impugn the credibility of the two (now three) men who make the extremely explosive charge that Bishop Long is a down low homosexual. And this after Long put on a march to denounce gay unions.
“Bishop Long categorically denies these allegations and it’s really unfortunate that these men have gone down this road and taken this course of action against someone who’s helped them,” Long’s lawyer said in a press conference. “Let’s talk about those two men who are making these allegations — [they are] not innocent victims,” he said, detailing how the two broke into Bishop Long’s office and robbed him of jewelry and other items they could get cash for.
I am not a connoisseur of American jurisprudence, so I’m not trying to emulate the bubble-headed Nancy Grace and try to say who is plausible and whose credibility is worthless. I can say that this scandal has a stench to it that is overwhelming, including the fact that these men want sizeable donations to their personal bank accounts. And it is troubling that at least one of Long’s accusers resorted to breaking into the bishop’s property prior to filing the lawsuit. That is scandalous in and of itself.
Most people who believe in a higher power will undoubtedly take this to heart: the truth always seem to reveal itself, sooner or later, one way or another. Oftentimes the truth stings even as it heals. So even as man fails us, the truth never does. –terry shropshire
