The Reverend Clementa Pinckney reportedly called himself the “itinerant pastor,” ministering to his flock in Charleston, traveling to his home in Jasper County, and carrying out his duties as South Carolina State Senator in Columbia.[1] Even in death he is itinerant, with his body (or body double) going on display in four venues before his burial on June 26, 2015. No photographs or videotaping were allowed, but the rite was recorded by the mainstream media, immortalizing the corpse and making it available for viewing on a repeat basis.
Initially, Pinckney lay in state in the rotunda of the South Carolina State Capitol Building in Columbia on June 24, as members of the public filed by. You can watch a clip courtesy of Fox News – 1 hour 6 minutes 58 seconds on Fox 46, just to make sure you believe it.[2] The body lies carefully arranged on a bier, just far enough away from the viewers so they can’t see too much – except for the soles of his very large shoes.
The next day, June 25, the body of the pastor was transported to Ridgeland, SC, for a second viewing at St. John A.M.E. Church. Later that day it was shuttled to Charleston for a third viewing at Emanuel A.M.E. Church, the scene of the alleged shooting. The hapless corpse was then moved to the TD Arena at the College of Charleston for a fourth viewing on June 26. The TD Arena was the site of the funeral on the same day, followed by the burial at St. James A.M.E. Church in Marion, SC.[3] Hundreds upon hundreds participated in this ritual and saw the body. This proves that Pinckney died in the Charleston “massacre.” Or does it?
