I was up working one night when someone reached out to me on Facebook messenger.

The brother was asking me why Bishop Eddie Long chose mediation in his sexual-coercion suit, rather than aiming for a public trial. In case you've been buried under a rock, Long has been in the media quite a bit these days, after being accused of using his authority to coerce four young men into having sex with him.

Long has vowed to fight the charges, but he never really said much about whether he was guilty or innocent. Actually, he simply said that he is "not a perfect man." That could easily translate to Long admitting that there are a few things about his personal life that he wouldn't want to see on the 6 o'clock news.

At any rate, I thought about the question being asked by my Facebook friend and realized that he had a point. Why is Long avoiding the public hearing that his followers at the New Birth Missionary Baptist Church deserve? I then took to the Internet to see what others were saying.

I saw a very interesting piece written by Morris Kelly from the Huffington Post. In his article, Kelly makes the clear point that Long's efforts to avoid a public trial practically scream that the man is guilty of something. Given the magnitude of these allegations, even the tiniest amount of guilt immediately paints him as a hypocrite of the worst proportions. It may even make him into a child molester, since these boys were teens when they allege that some of the sexual interactions took place.

The stunning reality that an individual who's been granted so much of the public trust would go out of his way to hurt children might be a wake-up call for those in the black church who act as if their pastors can walk on water. Also, the extent to which Long is guilty of any of this leaves me disappointed that he spent so many years attacking, insulting and admonishing law-abiding members of the gay community who've never done him any harm.

Long needs to explain clearly why he is avoiding a public trial.

As Kelly correctly notes, an innocent man wants the trial to be public so that the world can see that his accusers are making false allegations. A person who asks to settle things behind closed doors may be hoping that he can salvage a small piece of his reputation and rely on the blind faith of those who've been convinced that he can do no wrong. Long is a smooth talker, as are many heads of the black church. The question is not whether he is an imperfect man. Instead, it is a question of just how deep those imperfections go.

It must be noted that if the mediation doesn't work, a trial will then take place. But if the mediation is successful, then the plaintiff's attorney will get her money, and Long may then get his privacy. While both parties may be satisfied with this particular outcome, they should realize that they aren't the only stakeholders in all of this. The thousands of members of the New Birth Missionary Baptist Church and those who've trusted Bishop Long with their souls and their children need to know the truth.

For some, a private settlement would be okay. But for a spiritual leader and man of God, there is a higher standard. Long owes his followers a public hearing to address the allegations against him. If he didn't do anything to those boys, then such a trial would fully clear his name. But if the unthinkable did occur, he certainly has reason to hide.



Dr. Boyce Watkins is the founder of the Your Black World Coalition and a Scholarship in Action resident of the Institute for Black Public Policy. To have Dr. Boyce's commentary delivered to your e-mail, please click here.