Poor Don Lemon. The CNN anchor just can’t seem to catch a break. Last year, he was named the “Worst Journalist of 2014.” Now, a petition calling for him to be fired from his job has begun circulating online, and it has already garnered nearly 40,000 signatures.
More than 36,500 people have signed the Change.org petition demanding Lemon be stripped of his livelihood after he had the audacity to say he needed more facts before condemning South Carolina senior deputy Ben Fields, who was recently videotaped dragging a black female student across a classroom.
Related: Don Lemon Is A Total Top (On The List Of “Worst Journalists In 2014”)
“I think there’s context to everything,” Lemon said while speaking in a panel discussion on The Situation Room last week. “It does look horrible. It does look like there’s no excuse for what he’s doing to her, but again, we don’t know.”
How about we take this to the next level?
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“[The video] only shows a small slice in time of what happened,” Lemon added. “I’d like to know more before passing judgment.”
The petition, which was started by a man named Jamell Henderson from Brooklyn, NY, accuses Lemon of “repeatedly [failing] to fulfill his responsibility to remain objective and unbiased in his work.”
Related: WATCH: Don Lemon Explains Why It’s Still Important For Public Figures To Come Out
“As a news anchor,” the petition reads, “Mr. Lemon’s job is to present the facts to the public, but time and time again, he has presented his opinion as fact—even when that opinion is contradicted by reality and common sense. That’s unacceptable for a journalist.”
Henderson goes on to say he is personally “disappointed” in Lemon, especially since he used to look up to the 49-year-old CNN anchorman.
“Mr. Lemon has failed his responsibility because he seems to forget the true essence of journalism,” the petition continues, “to present the facts and not judge, defame or antagonize. … Therefore, we are asking CNN to remove him from his position.”
Related: CNN Anchor Don Lemon: I Was Molested By A Pedophile
h/t: The Wrap
Daniel Salmeron
It’s not a journalists job to condemn anyone and he’s right that all the facts should be found before forming an opinion. I think if you’re offended by him, change the channel
SeeingAll
Don’t worry, Don. Being considered the absolute worst is almost an achievement in itself. (Think “Plan 9 From Outer Space”).
Victor Barry
I don’t have a problem with his position.
Steven Za
I am a supporter of ANYONE saying “I want more facts before forming a full opinion.”. In this case it does turn out to be what we see on the videos. It is a cop called in for a situation he should NEVER have been called into and using massively excessive force in the situation. But we live in a world right now where everyone is required to have a fully formed opinion on their first contact with a situation. Not only do we not wait for a fully fleshed out and investigated situation you are considered to be a terrible person for bringing up the wish for context before setting your opinion.
I do have trouble with what has occurred on CNN and Don Lemon has been a visible part of it. The new management wants them constantly looking harping on a single theme and beating it into the ground. But I think this is not Don Lemons fault and it is the new owners/ management staff. This though is not a case of that and is what all reporters should engage in.
Gerard William Voortman
This isn’t the 1st bullshit he’s done. He just trying to get a job at Fox.
Pedro Flores
That girl was asking for it
David Smith
that is his JOB ass holes
Hussain-TheCanadian
I really don’t like Don Lemon, before and after he came out – He doesn’t strike me as a real person, someone who lives in a bubble. He strikes me as someone who is speaking from a pedestal, completely disconnected from the people he is reporting about.
As much as I like to see Gay men and woman in a place of power, I also want them to use it for the greater good, not shit on the rest of society because they are rich or famous.
Terry Purdue
I just don’t like him period…
Allen Andrew
I completely disagree with this.
Milton Appleby
It will not happen.
Carlos Zuniga
Just the fact that there has to be cops in schools is enough to have doubt. Some kids, not all, have no respect for their parents much less for their teachers, and because they know they can’t be touch, they take advantage of the teachers. Bottom line, parents should be the ones held accountable for these kids actions, maybe then they will realize that discipline is needed at home.
Bryan Peralta-Purdy
Wait people are upset because a reporter wants more facts?
Arcamenel
I agree with this completely. Don Lemon is the epitome of an uncle tom and if CNN cared about real journalism at all they would have let him go a long time ago but let’s be honest CNN hasn’t cared about real journalism for A LONG time.
Jorge Antonio Coronel
I agree with Don show me more facts. i remember high school and some kids needed their ass kicked..
Michael Kaminski
This is bullshit. Wanting to know more of the story before forming an opinion is the essence of un-biased reporting. The language of the petion is idiotic.
Markusfittt
I agree with Don. We weren’t there and only see a part of this.
Connie Britt
I love Don Lemon, he is one of the fairest reporters on CNN. Most seem biased and assume things. Don wants more infor and so should the sherrif who fired him. How dare you petition to have his livlihood tanken away. Should we all be fired from our jobs for and honest opinion>
tahcoboy
Has this Jamell Henderson circulated petitions for every reporter at Fox News to be fired? They all regularly present opinion as fact. Quite frankly, I believe it’s in their job description. Why is he picking on Don Lemon? It’s not like Don has set the journalistic bar that high.
Desert Boy
Don Lemon is pure comic gold. I mean, here is a CNN host who actually posited that missing Malaysian 777, flight 370 flew into a “black hole”. Best of all, he said it in all seriousness. You cannot make this shit up.
Alex Paris
I’m not a fan of don’s reporting, but this is not an instance where we disagree.
Bob LaBlah
““It does look horrible. It does look like there’s no excuse for what he’s doing to her, but again, we don’t know.”
“[The video] only shows a small slice in time of what happened,” Lemon added. “I’d like to know more before passing judgment.”
Two facts are involved here that none of the comments nor article do not touch on. For starters, no one has stated WHY the police were called in the first place. It seems a bit odd there was no reason given but even odder a police officer just walked into a classroom and told a girl lets go for no valid reason. Second, whether you like it or not, one MUST comply with the ORDERS of a police officer. A police officer does not ASK you if you want to be placed under arrest. He TELLS you that you are under arrest in an authoritative tone of voice because he knows he is taking away your freedom for an undetermined amount of time and that you are going to be placed in a place you do not want to be, jail. That is why the selection process for officers is as stringent as it is. You are being given the power of life and death and once you put on that uniform, that is exactly what you have on your side (the gun), the power of life or death.
The video shows the girl simply ignoring his commands. What else was he to do? Was she a discipline problem? Come on, give details if they are available to make us all believe he is out of bounds here. So far, none have been produced. And that is sad.
Don Lemon has been on the hit list of many of his own kind since he called for many of them to pull their pants up on their behinds, learn to speak english when they are in a job interview and try being a bit more accountable for their actions. I do not recall ANY where nor time he ever said or tried to indicate that he wasn’t black, regardless of how he strikes me as being more attracted to white man than black men. That is his prerogative and choice. As for a journalist, so far I stand with him on his decision to say ‘lets get more facts before we rush to judgement”.
Chris Duffy
(sigh)……Another day in the Outrage Culture. Have you seen the ratings? More people in this country are watching food turn in their microwave at any given moment than CNN. Hunger, homelessness, kids dying in the streets….nah. Let’s use our energy and resources to get Don Lemon fired.
First world pablums.
Masc Pride
Thanks for the link. Signed. Viral videos aside, I’m just generally sick of him. Anderson needs to go too.
alphacentauri
@Desert Boy: LMAO yes he is funny!
Charlie Garrido
I like him and he’s right.
ronniebs
It seems like the more bad publicity he gets, his notoriety increases. He now has his own show! He used to be a weekend anchor. CNN is struggling in the ratings & they need him.
Dana Hope
Reporters are not suppose to form opinions they are suppose to report – facts!
Gavin Fitch
I don’t like Don Lemon, but he’s not wrong in this situation. I commend him for wanting more information before making a definitive decision on a story.
John Malin
So, these petition signers don’t want a free press, or have anyone have the audacity to be a thinking person. I don’t particularly like Lemon, but he does do a good job. I, and all the rest of you, have the option of changing the channel whenever he’s on. Now that’s an option!
Michael Lee Dearth
I like his show and he is not wrong in this situation. I would never sign a petition to remove him from his post at CNN.
Giancarlo85
People are entitled to find more facts before they make an opinion, but he lied about that. He already made up his mind prior to saying that therefore is a shit journalist. But the truth is most American media is right wing corporate owned. Even CNN which is Fox News lite. If you want real news, try Al Jazeera English or maybe BBC.
Will Glitzern
I think he’s awesome. Go Don!
Craig Bankert
The issue is that the school decided to call the police. The policeman was following procedure. The girl resisted arrest and he took her down. He didn’t punch her. He didn’t kick her. He took her down and cuffed her. A policeman being a policeman. Blame the school not the police.
Andrew Hwang
The same Don Lemon who asked a woman why she didn’t bite Bill Cosby’s penis?
Charles Sherwood Morrill
Sorry but asking for more information before passing judgement is being neutral and objective. Too bad most reporters don’t do this.
Eddie Electrahair
Yeah mostly signed by people whom dont even watch CNN, antigay FOX news republicans… They dont count… ð???ð???ð???
Giancarlo85
@Craig Bankert: Thanks for excusing excessive force. That’s like beating someone with a baseball because they called you a name. The cop was also fired.
http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/sheriff-announce-south-carolina-deputy-ben-fields-be-fired-sources-n452881
“From the very beginning that’s what’s caused me to be upset, and (what) continued to upset me is that he picked the student up and threw the student across the room,” Lott said.
“Deputy Ben Fields did wrong this past Monday,” [Leon Lott] added
—
His boss thinks he did wrong and DID not follow protocol.
End. Of. Story.
Alan David
He did the right thing,,,,,,We all know id we put a pettion un people will sigh it jyst like if we pull up on a bus and say get on lets go portest they will get on o=snd go
Carl McClanahan
CNN is a joke
Bob LaBlah
In a state where there was vocal protest about removing the confederate flag from the state capitol, a murder by a police officer of an unarmed black man running away, a white supremacist murdering nine blacks inside a church during prayer/bible study; no, I am not surprised the officer lost his job thanks to a kid with a cellphone.
If it turns out he was justified because the “little girl” had just; stomped the living daylights out of a classmate; slapped a teacher across the face who had told her to shut up because she was disrupting the class and had the police called on her because she was violent….then he might get his job back. It seems a bit reactionary considering how we know nothing as to why he was called in the first place. It seems very strange indeed.
Let us also not rule out that during the investigation the officer got his own ass fired due to his arrogance. That too happens. Be careful of telling people to fuck off in a politically charged atmosphere as South Carolina currently is. The local KKK ain’t offering the retirement package that he was getting. But I guess he now knows that.
Giancarlo85
@Bob LaBlah: If it was justified in the fashion you discussed, would the cop have been fired?
mr mr
Have to be honest as a black person and say that I used to like him a lot more. As of now, I’m starting to get tired of his slick ass mouth. He always has some sly slick way of denigrating black male youth that he perceives to be thugs. This is the type of man that only dates white dudes, and can’t get along in a relationship with a so called thug AKA – just another person
Gabriele Babo Galassi
@qweerty : fix these advertising banners I haven’t been able to read a single article on my phone as every page is hijacked to an App Store application or an advert that goes blank. All buttons to close the ad are actually not closing it
Baba Booey Fafa Fooey
The guy who started that petition looks like he could be a raging homophobe.
Grayson Rouque
Ha ha
Ai-Quoc N. Heller
Then I guess every FOX Anchor should be fired too
Franklin
First of all, Don Lemon has been problematic for a while. Multiple times in his tenure at CNN, he as put his foot in his mouth. Was he right that people should have all the facts. This time, yes. That being said, I think that most people have been over him for a while now, and this was the proverbial icing on the cake. As for the girl in the video, yes, she was wrong and should have gotten up when the officer told her to, and had he chosen to handle the situation in any number of other ways he’d still have a job and that girl would have probably been suspended. But that large grown man went and slung that younger and smaller female across the room, and for what? Over a cell phone. She didn’t swear at him or touch him. As an adult and a professional, I hold him to a higher standard than I do this teenager. If a man did what that officer did to his wife, or his child, in public, he would be arrested. Point blank. End of story. Also, I’m not willing to say with certainty that this incident was racially motivated, but anyone who doesn’t believe that there different standards of force applied when it comes do dealing with different groups of people is deluding themselves.
Cornellcw3
If a black police officer would have assaulted a white gay child in school the people here would be calling for jail of the officer and fire of the reporter who for 1 moment questioned the white gay child but of course since it’s not happening to them and it’s a black heterosexual girl… We need to know what did the young girl do to get assaulted in school. It must have been her fault. If only she would have put the phone away she wouldn’t have been assaulted.
Blackceo
Oh lord. Don Lemon lol. Most Black people I know would like to give him to Whites and trade him for Rachel Dolezal. In this instance, I do not think THIS was the thing to start a petition to request Don Lemon be fired. However, I didn’t need to see what happened before the video to pass judgment. The asshole cop should’ve been fired and he should be charged with child abuse from South Carolina Social Services.
HOWEVER, it seems as though many people can’t have two thoughts at once. I mean hell it seems like many people have a tough enough time having one thought but I digress. My point of view in this is that it was excessive for that office to flip the table and toss that girl across the room like a rag doll. BUT, the female student isn’t off the hook former role in this. Who the hell do these entitled kids think they are these days that feel as though they don’t have to follow authority?If I am that girl’s parent or guardian (we learned that she is in foster care and had a recent close loss in her life) I am digging in that school’s ass for allowing that officer to do that to my child and then I’m going to get in her face with hot breath asking her why the hell she A) had her cell phone out in class, B) didn’t put it away when told to, and C) why she defied the request of the teacher, administrator, and then the officer to leave the room. There doesn’t have to be an either/or here. The two are not mutually exclusive. The cop was wrong for what he did and its totally separate from the girl’s defiance of authority.
The school needs to revise its policy in how they handle these situations. I have seen kids in classrooms who were flipping chairs and cursing and throwin things escorts out with less force so the chorus who thinks she “deserved it” can sit all the way the fuck down. There were other ways to handle that situation. But yes, something about kids these days who think they are above being told what to do and think they don’t have to follow rules is out of control and if my child was one of the people in that class I am pissed at that girl for making my child miss out on valuable learning time because the teacher had to redirect her ass for god knows how long because she wouldn’t put her fucking phone away. You’re not in school to be on the phone. I would never think to be disrespectful or insubordinate to a teacher growing up because my parents believed in whooping ass. They always told me that Imwas a child and that even if the teacher or authority figure was in the wrong that I come and tell them and let them deal with it because I was a child and needed to stay in a child’s place.
So while I didn’t need to see more video to pass judgment on that piece of shit cop, this petition is dumb. Raven Symone has a similar issue with a petition being circulated to get her fired from The View for essentially taking my point of view; that the cop was dead ass wrong, but that the girl shouldn’t have been on her damn phone and shouldve put it away when asked and left the room when asked.
northwest
Let me head over to sign this petition. Don is an ignorant clown who believes the best way to get ahead is to make sure he sides with anyone who’s anti-black, anti-minority. He’s a sellout and a phony. If a black cop were brutally tossing around a white kid the way that cop in the video did with the black girl, I don’t think too many people would be talking about “getting more facts”, they’d be talking about getting a rope to hang him, facts be damned.
Blackceo
@northwest:
Now that I agree with. Let the optics have been like you said and the chorus saying she deserved it would be very different. Like…I don’t have time to even entertain the people who think that girl deserved that. My intellect won’t allow me to engage in such stupidity.
animaux
Currently there are petitions against two African American celebrities, Don Lemon and Raven-Simone, started by African Americans themselves, claiming that “they don’t represent us”. Is it a coincidence that one is a gay man, the other a bisexual woman?
Alan David Smith
he asked for more facts before offering a opinion. how is this a bad thing. it is supposed to be a news program.
Cornellcw3
@animaux: Currently there are 2 African Americans in the media making a complete mockery of an entire race by tap dancing on TV every day and one just happens to be gay and the other is bisexual but says she doesn’t like labels. She doesn’t like being an African American so fine, we don’t want her to be on. It’s that simple. Even Ravens father has apologized to the black community for her idiotic comments but for some odd reason if you offend African Americans, whites will hire you and you’ll get promoted which will we black people call tap dancing for ol massa which Don Lemon and Raven have down to a T. Not to mention Ben Carson, Stacy Dash and Clarence Thomas. They’ll do or say anything to get your approval even if that means saying that they won’t hire African Americans based on their names. SMDH
spiffy
I don’t watch CNN so I don’t really care. But is no one going to bring up the fact that Mr. Lemon is 49??? Either he’s got great genes or he has an amazing makeup person.
And since when has a petition ever successfully removing someone from his or her job? Not in the US, not in my recent memory anyway.
BigWill
“I’d like to know more before passing judgment.”
The petition…accuses Lemon of “repeatedly [failing] to fulfill his responsibility to remain objective and unbiased in his work.”
What?
I don’t have cable, so I don’t know Don Lemon’s work personally; whenever his name pops up in the news, it seems like it’s generally not favorable. That said, in this instance, the guy starting the petition doesn’t have an understanding of objectivity.
Cam
The main issue with Lemon on the full clip isn’t his opinion, he kept trying to cut off and talk over the woman who had a different opinion.
It was bad TV.
Billysees
He’s a journalist and they are critical observers.
Billysees
He’s a journalist and they are critical observers.
jlongnyc
Can we get one of these petitions going to fire Joe Scarborough?
Giancarlo85
So can we get an article on the huge losses yesterday? This is why you don’t let civil rights go to ballot. Voters should never vote on those legal matters.
MinnesotaNotNice
I’m not a fan of Don Lemon or that of CNN, but in this instance, he is absolutely right. What exactly happened before the moment that someone began recording this on their cellphone? I’ve yet to read or hear anything of any substance which addresses that question. Yes, I think how Ofc. Ben Fields responded and handled the student was grossly over the line of conduct and unnecessary as the video doesn’t show any resistance on the part of the student. Maybe there’s a huge missing piece to this story that need to be uncovered? That is the role of journalists…..find all or as much of the evidence from ALL sides, present it publicly and let the legal process handle the matter from there.
Ummmm Yeah
Where do I sign?
Ummmm Yeah
He’s been nothing but a cop hating CNN agenda puppet up to this point. I don’t care if he got it right this one time. He still needs to go.
Cam
@Ummmm Yeah:
Fine, provide links
KanoChris
Hey Jamell Henderson from Brooklyn, NY,]. If you don’t like Don Lemon change your news feed to FOX. You can get some good BIASED reporting there!
Love you Don. Hang in there!
Creamsicle
I’m pretty sure the bulk of people signing this are doing it because they’ve felt that Don Lemon is a d has been terrible for years. I don’t pay him much mind, but it seems to be a recurring theme on even the joke news programs like the Daily Show, the Nightly Show, and the Colbert Report back when it was still on the air, made multiple “Don Lemon is awful,” jokes.
Spencer696969
@David Smith: His job is to report the facts, not have an opinion. This is why he tops the Columbia Journalism Review’s list for “worst journalism.”
Arcamenel
What more facts could you possibly need? Cops are in schools to PROTECT KIDS not throw them around like rag dolls. If a student isn’t being violent or threatening to use violence against other students, officials, or themselves then there is no reason for a cop to be called. You have guidance counselors and a number to reach a child’s parents for any other reason. Whenever I hear someone say “we don’t have all the facts”, all I hear is “that n*gger probably did something to justify it” and don’t think being black absolves you from this kind of thinking.
Will L
I agree with his wanting more facts before forming an opinion. So often (especially on Facebook) we see the tail end of some altercation and are expected to light the torches and go after someone. Any situation can be presented from two totally different angles. I like to hear both sides before I form an opinion.
Alistair Wiseman
How dare Don Lemon stray from the liberal reservation?!?
“I disapprove of what you say, and I will publicly shame you, lobby to have you censored and demand you be fired from your job!”
Yes, that certainly is progressive.
s312g
@Blackceo: They didn’t call the police. He’s a school resource officer. They work inside the school.
On another note, I can’t stand Don Lemon. However, saying that “As a news anchor,“Mr. Lemon’s job is to present the facts to the public, but time and time again, he has presented his opinion as fact—even when that opinion is contradicted by reality and common sense. That’s unacceptable for a journalist.” Is bullshit. They’re mad that as a black man he’s not agreeing with other black people. He’s being neutral. He doesn’t know if he agrees or disagrees because he just doesn’t want to base his opinion on a short video that doesn’t show context.
However, I do think he’s a horrible journalist.
Captain Obvious
I love the comments on this article after so many “black” posters called me all kinds of crap and said black people don’t bully each other. Now Don Lemon and Raven Symone must be fired from their jobs because the black majority doesn’t agree with the way they speak or present their own opinions.
Welcome to the reality of being black. If you think they reserve this attitude just for tv personalities you’re sadly mistaken. Being black in America is like being surrounded by popular kids who will tear you down any time you aren’t doing EXACTLY what they’re doing and saying EXACTLY what they’re saying.
It’s very interesting when the people are also black and gay considering being gay is also one of those things “frowned upon” when you’re black.
Being black is the new slavery because you’re not allowed to be your own person. You have to always be ready to blame white people for everything, be paranoid of white people, and immediately without hesitation take the side of any black person no matter what they’ve said or done.
Dress the same, talk the same, act the same, or you’re “trying to be white”.
Don Lemon gets referred to as an Uncle Tom because he doesn’t always side with a black person in political matters. That’s the state of modern day “blackness”. Boiled down to a color, no opinions allowed, hive mind or get out.
LibraOracle
Pretending to want him fired for not judging a man who’s dragging a girl without knowing the specific reason is just covering the fact he’s hated for being either black or gay maybe both…society has serious issues.