Why did they do this? Why was Jew hater – the ultimate racist – Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan sitting front and center on stage during the funeral for Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin?

Sitting with Farrakhan were the not so Rev. Al Sharpton, long-time-civil-rights-activist Jesse Jackson and low and behold former President Bill Clinton. All four were sitting together and smiling at one another during the long ceremony celebrating the lengthy and phenomenal career of this girl who rose from the church choir to become an American treasure.

Franklin’s funeral was perfect for her. Gold-plated casket carried in a classic-white-antique Cadillac hearse followed by a long procession of pink Cadillacs. Everything was going good until Farrakhan walked out on the stage and sat down next to the likes of Sharpton, Jackson and Clinton.

If Farrakhan was invited by Aretha Franklin — as part of her final wishes — well then so be it. But if the truth were known the behind-the-scenes funeral planners probably staged this unlikely scene for some odd and unknown reason because his presence made no sense and he was totally out of place. If you claim kinship to Farrakhan – you are courting the devil.

Aretha Franklin stood for everything totally opposite of Farrakhan – who really is an evil man with a long history of hate. It’s easy to understand Sharpton and Jackson going along with this sham, but President Clinton? During Hillary Clinton’s run for president Farrakhan is well documented referring to her as a Nazi-like Hitler candidate. She was sitting there on stage as well, but further down the line. Politics knows no shame.

Perhaps President Clinton did not know about sharing the stage with Farrakhan with the world watching. Maybe he didn’t want to cause a scene by getting up and walking out. Conceivably he didn’t realize he as being set up by Farrakhan, Sharpton and Jackson – three men who thrive on racist controversy.

President Clinton has some explaining to do. Chances are he won’t comment and just let it go. Whatever explanation he may have might just make the situation worse. But seeing those four men sitting and standing together left millions of people shaking their heads in disbelief.

While the Queen of Soul was being laid to rest, the world stage also focused on the week-long funeral for long-time Arizona U.S. Sen. John McCain, 81, who died of brain cancer at his Arizona home. It all got very political very fast. President Donald Trump was not invited to any of the many funeral celebrations in Arizona, Washington, DC and at his final resting place the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md. – where he graduated from in 1958.

However, Vice President Mike Pence, Defense Secretary Gen. James Mattis and White House Chief-of-Staff Gen. John Kelly played numerous public roles representing President Trump and his administration all at the invitation of McCain and family who planned out his elaborate week-long funeral. The president loaned the McCain family the use of Air Force Two to transport McCain and family from Arizona to Washington. The president’s daughter Ivanka Trump and husband Jarod were spotted at the National Cathedral in Washington.

One of President Trump’s biggest mistakes were his comments directed at McCain early on during Trump’s presidential campaign. Those negative comments drove a wedge between Trump and McCain that never died down.

During Saturday’s funeral ceremony at the National Cathedral, President Trump was noticeably absent as three former Presidents – Bush, Obama and Clinton – sat in the front row with their First Ladies along with the McCain family. Bush, Obama and daughter Meghan McCain all eulogized the late McCain. They all took veiled shots at President Trump.

Such controversy coming from two funeral events that should have sparked no controversy. Everything gets politicized these days. Everybody is taking political shots at the most inappropriate times just because mainstream media is broadcasting to the world and loving every minute.

So what if President Trump did not get invited to McCain’s funeral? There are many U.S. military veterans that did not like Sen. John McCain – for whatever reason. But McCain was a real American hero worthy of the honors bestowed on him.

The vision of McCain’s long-black-shiny Cadillac hearse flanked by four-uniformed-motorcycle police officers driving to and from the many ceremonies and airports will long live in America’s memory, not the cheap shots taken at President Trump’s expense.

About the Author Britt Nelson relocated to Costa Rica in 2011 from Florida, where he served as news editor for the Palatka Daily News, a newspaper owned by the New York Times Regional Newspaper Group (NYT-RNG) for 20 years.

Nelson served the NYT-RNG for 18 years in Tennessee, Kentucky, Virginia, North Carolina and Florida as a correspondent, reporter, staff writer, senior staff writer training new reporters, copy editor, page designer, editorial writer, editorial page editor and editorial board member.