Given that The Stand Campaign seems to target quite a few youth, I'd have to argue that Long was right not to attend. It's not to say that he shouldn't be invited to participate, but the numerous lawsuits against Long would make him a terrible distraction for an event that seems to contain so much positive energy.
The sex scandal against Bishop Long continues to exist as the silent cloud over the head of a powerful pastor. With each passing Sunday, the number of headlines about Eddie Long seem to decline. Far fewer Americans are wondering about the status of the negotiations than there were when he was first accused of sexual coercion by the four young men who once attended his church.
Given that America has such a short memory, I actually wonder if there is a possibility that Eddie Long can refurbish his tortured image. What leads me to believe this is possible? Well, it's actually Toyota.
I was in the parking lot of Wal-Mart with my daughter today and I saw a really nice, shiny Toyota truck. I then realized that just a few months ago, Toyotas were considered by many to be the maker of the most dangerous cars in America. One scandal after another hit the media showing that the design of Toyota cars and trucks was faulty, leading to embarrassing Congressional hearings and the scorn of the American public.
When I mentioned Toyota's negative publicity to my daughter, she barely knew what I was talking about. All she knew was that the Toyota in front of us was shining and appeared to be safe. In just a few short months, the world almost seems to think that Toyota is just another company.
Given that other brands are able to recover so quickly, I seriously wonder if the brand of Eddie Long can make an equally quick recovery. Members of the church are very forgiving, and some members are so loyal to Long that he could have had sex on tape without them believing that he actually did it. So, I have no doubt that no matter what the outcome of Bishop Eddie Long's situation, there will be some members of his church who support him.
Dr. Boyce Watkins is the founder of the Your Black World Coalition and a Scholarship in Action Resident of the Institute for Black Public Policy. To have Dr. Boyce commentary delivered to your email, please click here.