CNN anchor Don Lemon said he was sexually abused as a child
While interviewing three members of Bishop Eddie Long’s congregation over the weekend, CNN anchor Don Lemon said he was abused as a child.
“I have never admitted this on TV,” he said Saturday. “I’m a victim of a pedophile when I was a kid. Someone who was much older than me.”
While an expert explained how religious figures use particular language to get minors to engage in sexual activity, Lemon added, “Those are the things that they do,” he said. “The language, ‘This doesn’t make you gay, if you do this.’ ”
“I had no idea I’d say that on national TV. It just came out,” Lemon said in a Tweet Saturday evening. “Sadly, it’s the truth for so many young men.”
Based in Atlanta, 44-year-old Lemon anchors the weekend prime-time program CNN Newsroom. He joined the network in 2006.
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266 comments Add your comment
Mike
September 27th, 2010
12:09 pm
lol wut
Ashley H.
September 27th, 2010
12:10 pm
It took a lot of personal strength to open up as you did. You serve as a positive role model; someone other victims can look up to as they heal. Thank you and God Bless.
Prince Vondell
September 27th, 2010
12:11 pm
Don I need your help I have seriuos issuses in Roswell, Clayton County about Police misconduct, that sent me to the hospital, I need to expose this corruption please help me Sir.
HP
September 27th, 2010
12:12 pm
Courageous! Thank you for speaking up. I think more people speaking up will stop these predators in their path. Tell your stories, so parents can inform and educate their children about how these jerks operate and manipulate people. They can be anyone – family, friends, teachers, religious figures, even other kids. Men AND women. THANK YOU!
benny
September 27th, 2010
12:12 pm
Eddie Long sounds so guilty- He will have his day in court, but let me give you my two cents from an outside observer looking in. You don’t wait till sunday’s sermon to address your congregation then all week long invoke your attorney’s as your reason to be silent on the subject.
Why be silent if your a man of god and speak on behalf of god? Why would he need to be silent unless there was something he may say that could aid the other party? Doesn’t sound too innocent to me.
Also, Bishop Long saying he was going to fight this… That’s all you can say? You have been the pastor for 25 years there and your voice of god can allow you to say I have never… and would never…. ”
My theory on this is he can’t speak with conviction because God won’t allow him to when he is guilty.
He knows the bible- God will be your defender to the wicked, as long as you have been righteous… I didn’t see him quote that. Only referencing his attorney’s never god or jesus. A man depending on his attorney’s more than God he won’t last very long in this battle as a preacher.
kim
September 27th, 2010
12:13 pm
This story must have really moved him for him to open up like this, he and the other victims are in my prayers. He is a strong man and may soon become a postive role model to others.
Kudos to him!
Liz
September 27th, 2010
12:14 pm
Thank you for being strong enough to admit what a lot won’t. There is no shame in what an adult did to you as a child. The adult is the one who is at fault. Some people never recover you are proof that you can. Everyone deals with trauma differently. Maybe your coming forward with your story will help someone else.
Charles
September 27th, 2010
12:14 pm
What you did was brave and it further brings awareness to the matter. I was sexually abused as a kid too. By making the comment, you have just further connected with so many people who have experienced the same thing. Awesome job sir. I am now a forever fan!
KK
September 27th, 2010
12:14 pm
Thanks Don, I as a molested child, I agree with your statement. That is what the molestor or abuser will say. I noticed your guest expressions on their faces. I guess that’s why the young adults were sent as guest and not someone older. The guest didn’t have a good come back.
DUV4LUV
September 27th, 2010
12:15 pm
Mr. Lemon shares (thank you) an ugly truth that is real and has existed for so long on many levels; both private and public. Exposure & Truth are the key factors surronding this societal horror.
Kay
September 27th, 2010
12:16 pm
Amen! Benny
Calvin G. Sims, Sr.
September 27th, 2010
12:21 pm
After 21 years as an international computer consultant, I have dedicated my life (16 years ago) to developing programs for at-risk youth & families. I do this mostly because I was raped and abused as a young boy. My healing came through using my own experience to heal and protect others from the pain and bitterness that afflicted me until I found my purpose. My story can be downloaded at http://storytellers.net/saf06/cgs.htm
What struck me most about the whole Eddie Long situation is that there are 4 young men who – whether they are telling the truth or not – are obviously in pain. I am puzzled that a religious leader, as Eddie Long holds himself out to be, has not offered a single word of prayer or concern for these young men. I think that Jesus would have prayed for his accusers, not declared war on them.
pj
September 27th, 2010
12:22 pm
amen, DUV4LUV !
Teresa
September 27th, 2010
12:22 pm
You are truly an inspiration to others, thanks for sharing your story.
God Bless You!
Uncle Tom
September 27th, 2010
12:28 pm
@ Benny:
Did it ever occur to you that Eddie doesn’t have to admit/deny or explain his “alleged” actions to you or anybody else with goo-goo gaga eyes dying to know if he would have said anything about it yesterday? The only entity he should freely consult with is God, and God knows everything, or so I learned at church many moons ago.
arlene
September 27th, 2010
12:30 pm
Don, how sad for you to have kept this in your heart until you were 30 when you shared this with your mother. I hope the perpetrator is still alive, and has been faced with this dirty crime. And bless you for sharing this; maybe it will help other abused people speak up and have the blame placed on the abusers who are a sorry plague on society.
Pat
September 27th, 2010
12:31 pm
Will someone please make sure that Eddie Long (not Bishop or Pastor. Those titles are reserved for non male predators.) reads Bennie’s comments!!! Thank you Benny. I could not have said it better myself..
Open Mind
September 27th, 2010
12:31 pm
@Calvin Sims. In his opening remarks who did tell his congregation not only to pray for him but all of those involved in this case to include the alleged victims. Don Lemons was very corageous in his actions. But although most cases are similar each case should be judged on the merit of the evidence that surrounds that particular case. This is amn emotionally charged case that will not have a happy ending regardless of the outcome.
theight
September 27th, 2010
12:32 pm
I to was a victim but it was a female that did it to me. It happend for about 4 year from age 5 to 9. I didn’t realize until my early teens what was actually happend until a couple of years later. I thought it was a normal act. I remeber times she would tell me to drop my pants and lay on my back. I never told anybody about it until i went on a mens conference held by the university I attended. It just came out and after that about 90 percent of the young men there also gave similar stories. I never would have thought.
Theresa Walsh Giarrusso
September 27th, 2010
12:33 pm
God bless him! It was brave to share that and I am sure it will help others open up and get help.
Miss Sophia
September 27th, 2010
12:33 pm
I’m so proud of you for following your heart. God bless us when we bless others and what you released over the airwaves this past weekend BLESSED SO MANY. Great is your reward in HEAVEN.
puzzledbyu
September 27th, 2010
12:34 pm
@mike who said ” lol – wut” .. not sure what you meant by that but if for some reason you think sexual abuse is something funny then there is something wrong with you! Hopefully I just took that wrong! No one could really be that IGNORANT and know how to post a BLOG!!
boxer
September 27th, 2010
12:36 pm
please close this ignorant blog!
D. Angela
September 27th, 2010
12:36 pm
Thank you for your courage! While so many are spending so much time trying to defend ‘the Bishop’ we lose focus on the victims. No one knows how abuse feels unless they have been abused themselves. Don’t care what the position is, it is WRONG to touch children sexually!
Michael
September 27th, 2010
12:37 pm
I am 56 yrs. old and a survivor of sexual abuse. It started when I was 7 and went on for years. I was assaulted by a male and a female, both was at least 8-9 yrs. older. Don you are an example of a real man, thanks for the courage and wisdom to speak out!
ATL Guy
September 27th, 2010
12:42 pm
I went through a very similar experience at the hands of an older family member from the age of 9 through 14. It still pains me this day to think of what I had to go through. I certainly commend Don for having overcome his abuse. I still struggle and for me its day to day. I don’t want my experience to color what may have happened between Eddie Long and those boys but I can tell you it’s a hurtful thing to have gone through.
hotlanta
September 27th, 2010
12:43 pm
This is Eddie Long talking to Frank Ski. “Sit Booboo sit, rollover, bark 3 times, go and get the ball. Good Boy you did good today”. Tomorrow we are going to do hoop tricks.
Fergie
September 27th, 2010
12:43 pm
If I had been accused of such an evil act as what this pastor is accused of doing, my first statement would have been. “I did not do this and will fight these accusations”.
pops
September 27th, 2010
12:43 pm
I think the Gay Community of Atlanta should show up at Bishop Long’s church and let him know that now is the time to come out.
Janice
September 27th, 2010
12:48 pm
Love you, Don. Watch you every day.
Paula
September 27th, 2010
12:49 pm
POPS AGREE WITH YOU AND@ BOXER SHOW UP WITH THEM
OneFreeMan
September 27th, 2010
12:50 pm
You da man! There are so MANY victims afraid to tell it. I’ve heard from a few….God Bless!
Karen
September 27th, 2010
12:51 pm
I commend you for your courage and selflessness. You forgot about Don to help others by sharing your story. What an amazing leap of faith and a HUGE accomplishment for dealing with what you had to experience at the hands of a monster. I have the utmost respect for you for sharing your story to the world. You are my hero for this hour!
pw
September 27th, 2010
12:52 pm
Don – thank you for recognizing the pattern when you heard it and speaking out. It takes a man to stand up when he knows something is wrong and that is what you did. Stay strong my brother.
Lawanda M.
September 27th, 2010
12:52 pm
It took some guts for you to admit that on air. I have gained so much respect for you and CNN. Saturday night was REAL TV
Jen
September 27th, 2010
12:53 pm
I continue to be shocked at how widespread sexual abuse is. Victims should never have to hide or feel ashamed. Thank you for sharing Mr. Lemon! These predators have to be stopped! Hopefully, other victims will hear your story and speak up as well.
Lawanda M.
September 27th, 2010
12:54 pm
Also, you were the voice that the victims were waiting to hear. Noone spoke about praying for the four boys. God Bless You
Paula
September 27th, 2010
12:55 pm
boxer
September 27th, 2010
12:36 pm
please close this ignorant blog
PLEASE THE ONLY ONE IS IGNORANT IS YOUR ASS I HOPE THIS NEVER HAPPEN TO YOUR KIDS IF YOU HAVE BALLS TO HAVE SOME OR YOUR FAMILY MEMBERS HOW DEAR EVEN WASTE THOSE SILLY ASS COMMENT ON SOMETHING AS HEART FELT AS THIS SUBLECT THIS ASS WIPE THIS CONFUSSES PEOPLE IN LIFE SOME PEOPLE EVEN TAKE THIER OWN LIFE BEHIND STUFF LIKE THIS GOING ON WHY HELL WILL THESE HUMAN BEING COME OUT AND LIES ABOUT THINGS AS THIS YOU MUST WORDHIPP A HEARTLESS DEVIL ASS WIPE I TIRED TYING AND YOUR ASS MOT WORHT SPELL CHECK OR EVEN READING OVER TO CORRECT IT GET YOUER ASS OFF OF HERE
benny
September 27th, 2010
12:56 pm
@uncle tom- He has referenced his attorney’s more times that I can remember- Hardly indicative of a man of God. You would think he was part of the mafia with so many references. Hardly leaning on God for his defense. David and Goliath reference is a joke- the young males are more like David than he. He is the multimillionaire with the 25k member church and the Sheriff of Dekalb county. What resources do these young men have? nothing?
Ironic that he talks of casting stones isn’t it? His references to the scriptures are even far off base.
You may like your church for all of the resources it has- Thats fine, You might want to start looking for a new leader. There’s other fine leaders out there that can lead that fine church.
godisincharge
September 27th, 2010
12:57 pm
Don let me say that you are very brave for opening up and telling your story. Just as many young girls are too victimized in the church by very influential men and women. We almost never hear those stories…it only become national news when people think that boys and young men are being engaged in sexual favors by other men. There is always such double standards for women as men. Now let me say that I was a victim of childhood molestation (me along with my siblings and other girls). I did not want a Civil Suit, I wanted exposure and the person to be prosecuted in the court for their wrong doing…I wanted them to go to jail. Suing for money NEVER came into play. Are we dealing with individuals who want money or people who really have been hurt and victimized. I question their motives as much as everyone questions whether Bishop Long is lying or actually guilty. I am and do consider myself a spiritual person and I’ve learned that sometimes we have to remain silent! In God’s timing..not man’s will the truth prevail. It is not up to us or anyone to decide that timing of events. Silence doesn’t equate to GUILTY just like a Civil Suit don’t mean truth in the accusers statement. James 1:19 KJV says “My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry,” I sincerely pray for all parties involved.
AJAY
September 27th, 2010
12:57 pm
OMG, when Don Lemon expressed his remarks, something awoke in me. I have suppressed the issue that happened to me when I was 16. 34 years ago a “senior” and “upstanding” person in the Church befriended me. He brought me clothing, shoes and food. I was driven around in his fancy Lincoln Continental –that was the 80’s Bentley, and showered me with a lot of attention. I had no clue as to what was going on. The small touches he would do under the guise of a tickle or the longer than usually hand on my thigh. He house was extremely laid out with all the finery you could have in the 80’s. If it were not for a very vigilant lady at the Church who was friends with this guy, I sure would have been his sex slave. She told me, “Has he said anything out of the way?” I had no ideal what she meant at the time until he tried to “touch” one night at his house. I would like to know “New Burf”, where is the support for the boys/men who E. Long molested? If these were girls, you all would be outraged. Surely you all cannot be that blind. Or perhaps that Jeri Curl, lace-front wig Eddie Long is wearing has made you all lose your common sense.
2 Cents
September 27th, 2010
12:58 pm
Might as well get in my 2 cents…
From a distance, I would urge every person that attends the Eddie Long church…to whoa up. I mean seriously, indescretion with the opposite sex is one thing, but this aledged behavior, wow.
People, please, pray to this god of yours for CLARITY. Don’t settle, or compromise, or be hoodwinked, and continue to throw your money down a rat hole. You know this is gonna turn out badly…
I feel sorry for all of you who have devoted to and given your hard earned money to this “ministry”. What’s happened to ACCOUNTABILITY? Don’t we care anymore? If you are a church member, you must require that leadership be held accountable to one another, and that NO ONE PERSON can have absolute control.
It’s sickening how Christians shame the name of Christ…
gigi
September 27th, 2010
12:59 pm
its so sad how many adults prey on lil children (girls or boys) it took alot of courage to speak up the way Don Lemon did… there are many of us who live with the shame of sexual abuse knowing its not our fault but still having to carry that around its painful and very off putting.. I hope if Eddie Long did this he is put to justice
Chuck
September 27th, 2010
1:00 pm
Very courageous!!! He has not only helped to set himself free from such tragedy, but his act will help set many others free. God bless him and all victims like him, male and female.
Michelle
September 27th, 2010
1:00 pm
Don Lemon showed class and bravery for sharing what happened to him. He deserves nothing but the utmost respect for being so honest!
MyPatooti
September 27th, 2010
1:00 pm
I can’t help but notice the difference with this one and the white ministers who recently were in similar situations. Look at how they are treated by their congregations. It looked like from what I saw on TV that he was almost put on a pedestal by his members. There were some who were interviewed that did not back him, but it looked as if the majority in the church did. Why is this? Why are black church members so easily led astray? Must be the “Charlie Rangel Syndrome”.
FAMU Rattler
September 27th, 2010
1:01 pm
I truly believe Don was really impacted by the story to reveal such a personal experience. I truly believe this will inspire other victims and realize they can overcome this and follow their dreams. Thank you Don!
Tinu
September 27th, 2010
1:02 pm
What personal strength and courage. Such an act of bravery. God clearly saw you through that. May He continue to bless you.
HighlyFavored
September 27th, 2010
1:03 pm
First of all let me thank you for going public with your abuse. That took alot of courage. I wish that more people who have been abused would speak out more. There are so many of us that have been through this humiliation, hurt, and shame. I am a survivor myself and part of my healing process is to let as many people know as I can because I am now not ashamed. I think that this will discourage future molestors and let them know that people are not as scared to speak up like they use to be.
To the victims of Eddie Long’s sexual abuse, you are not alone. You have many people behind you 100% After all, he is just a man in a robe. He is not Jesus. I live here in Atlanta and there I know many members who are standing behind their pastor and these allegations. All I have to say is “shame on you”. These men were bold enough out him for his wrong. Do not persicute them. Put yourself in their shoes.
To the members that will still be supporting Eddie Long after he is found guilty: “So that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God”…1st Corinthians 2:5
Midtown Diva
September 27th, 2010
1:05 pm
Thanks for sharing, that took a lot of courage…Hopefully it will help others to heal and know that they are not along.