Demonizing Jesse Jackson, In Support Of Obama

First off let me say that Jesse was wrong. Not for what he said about Barack, but where he said it. You just don’t do that on a Fox News set when you have a hot mic in front of you. Other than that, he gets a pass from me. It really disturbed me how unhinged so many African Americans became at Jesse and almost became a hit squad ready to throw Jesse under Obama’s campaign bus.

How dare he, a Black man, express an objection of any kind, with an Obama position, issue, approach or maneuver?

I didn’t agree with Jesse, I don’t think that Obama was or is talking down to Blacks. At the same time, I can see where Jackson’s challenges came from. As a civil rights leader, much of his main focus has been on attacking the system. That is not to say that Jackson has not been an advocate of personal responsibility. Still, coming from the Martin Luther King School of invoking social change through addressing inequities in the system, a Black leader whose primary focus is not civil rights creates a problem, not only for Jesse but others that share a civil rights first view.

So now that he has been shown to have an issue with Barrack, behind the scenes, all of a sudden Jesse Jackson gets condemn for being jealous of Barrack, Jackson's methods come into question and those same methods get labeled antiquated and passé. Sit down, shut up, retire, we don’t need you, you have been replaced became oft heard sentiments from within the community. Listening to callers (and some host) on Black talk radio from the likes of Michael Baisden, Warren Balentine, and local drive-time shows gave the impression that Jesse had committed the new cardinal sin on Black America. He disagreed with the man who could be the commander in chief. It didn’t matter than some of these same people had comparable issue with Bill Cosby when he said things similar to Obama’s pronouncements with reference to personal responsibility.

I’m a strong Obama supporter but often I find myself disagreeing with my candidate of choice on different issues or approaches. As far as what Jesse said in that hot mic, I think his support of faith-based initiatives is disappointing. These programs are a violation of the separation of church and state and the issuing of government funds to religious organization will in most cases be political. Black organization have not received a fair shake of funding and the minute that Obama tries to right those wrongs it will be seen as a race based handout. Also, these programs are often operated with insufficient oversight. I would think that an Obama administration wouldn’t use these funds to buy political support from evangelicals.

On the issue of Obama’s father’s day speech, in which he most eloquently condemned the high rates of truant Black fathers, again, I don’t see it as ‘speaking down’. I want to make that clear. Yet, I can see how it could appear (to some) that it was a political appeasement to whites. I’m not naïve to think that Obama could make such a clear-cut attack against the systems that oppress advancement and suppress development of Black men. It would have tanked his candidacy and yielded cannon fodder for conservatives to typecast him as the prototypical terrifying and angry Black man that can’t be trusted to be the leader of our nation. That imbalance in message creates a discomfort in some Blacks while others see it as a part of ‘the game’ of politics in America.

The fact remains that no matter what Jesse may think about Obama’s approach or stance on any issue, Jesse has played ‘the game’ when it comes to Obama. He has fully backed Barack’s candidacy and platform. Jesse Jackson has played the background and publicly has been a most loyal surrogate. Jackson has played his part and known his role in an effort to be of benefit to Obama. What he said on the Fox set was something more personal and inside than what he has shown. It’s a fact that most surrogates of any candidate, no matter the person or political party, have disputations and disagreements with the candidates that they advocate for. It is sophomoric and foolish to think that just because Jesse doesn’t agree with Obama 100% that he is threatened by or resentful of Obama’s success.

It’s not about trading one approach for another. It’s not about old school vs. new school. The fact remains is that we , as African Americans, need leaders like Obama that work inside the system for the betterment of us all, not just Black people. We also need those that are on the outside with a focus on civil rights who aren’t handcuffed by white fear and trepidation to be muckracker in the vein of MLK. Many would say that we don’t need leaders at all, that goes to the personal responsibility issue. I’m not one who would ever discount the power of a vocal advocate or social proponent of any kind. The leverage that a group such as the ADL has shows the significance of scrutinizing efforts of torchbearers like Jackson.