"Cross Country" host Lawrence Jones distanced Black Americans from the "defund the police" movement in the opening monologue of Saturday's show.
LAWRENCE JONES: Are we disposable? Do our lives not matter? Crime is up all across the country. People from all backgrounds are dying, but I can't help but recognize the alarming number of Black people, specifically Black children, being murdered. Today, 7-year-old Antonio Yarger, Jr. was laid to rest in Erie, Michigan. He was shot and killed while walking with a group of friends. Antonio's nickname was "ESPN" because he love[d] sports, especially wrestling. Police are looking at surveillance video, but no arrests have been made in this case. On Wednesday, loved ones said "goodbyes to 12-year-old Kade Lewin. He was shot while he ate dinner with his family in a parked car in Brooklyn. His mom says he liked football and video games. Mayor Eric Adams, the New York mayor, vowed to end the revolving door of justice, but no arrests have been made in this case.
…
Black America said, "We just wanted fairness; equal justice under the law." To be clear, we don't support this. You don't even have to take my word for it. Look at the polling. A Pew Research poll shows that Black Democrats are more likely to back increased police spending compared to White Democrats. So again, they are not listening to Black folks. We didn't ask for any of this, but if we weren't funding this movement, then who was? Well, it was White progressives. Now, I don't know what guilt you may struggle with, but please, just please, stop helping us. Number one, we don't need your help. Number two, you're really not helping us. In fact, you progressives have become the hero of the criminal.
WATCH HIS FULL COMMENTS BELOW: