CNN Political Ticker:
A longtime civil rights leader called Sunday for the nation's first African-American president to be more engaged with the black community and for greater government action to address the needs of the poor and unemployed -- especially those in the African American community.
Want to reply to a comment? Hint: Click "Reply" at the bottom of the comment; after being approved your comment will appear directly underneath the comment you replied to
As a black woman I'm SICK of the likes of Jessie Jackson! Yes, there is discrimination and yes we (as black folk) have to work much harder than the average white person but that's just the way it is! I don't deny it and don't allow others to deny that fact! However, the drop out rate amungst blacks is out of controll!
What are YOU, Mr.Jackson doing to address this issue?
The rate to young black men joinning gangs is out of control. What are YOU Mr. Jackson doing about that?
President Obama is dealing with enough without having to deal with issues that black people should take care of themselves!
Please President Obama IGNORE the likes of Jessie Jackson!!!!
Fanned!
Bravo post!
No Shet Sherlock .
EVERYBODY wants to engage more with Obama. Take a number.
Problem is, many old-time Black activists want to tie Obama to his Black-ness. Obama is way past that; not only is he half WHITE and raised by very white people, but he is post-racial in his agenda and his message, trying to unite people instead of dividing them into labels & categories. We need to break out of the old pidgeon holes that demographics were stuffed into. The world is changing, folks - catch up!
Obama will never be "that black man", and I'm guessing he cringes at the "first Black president" .... more accurate would be "first Bi-racial president" ... DUH.
puh--leezee!!! The white liberal platitudes you're spouting are just soft-core Republican Sessions/G
Oh, and add his mother to that too. She told him he was a black man first. And no one is denying what his grandparents did for him. But the contention you make is moot, unless you feel how he identifies himself affects you after the previous 43 white guys.
yeah, i agree with ya. he's black. he identifies as black. not "biracial.
I believe that no matter how many white people are around a person of mixed ethnic background, there is a time when he/she feels more of "this" or more of "that", and maybe the reason Obama was elected as the first black president was that we the people saw a little bit of "this" and "that" in him. I can appreciate that he knows both sides of the street, and that is more than what the previous 43 presidents knew.
It's the Barbarians that deemed themselves superior because of white skin that need to catch up.
Don't sit on your high horse trying to tell people who told YOU racism was wrong centuries ago, that they need to learn anything from you! You have a lot of nerve with that comment.
I hope President Obama never meet with this self appointed self serving want to be leader.
AMEN !
As a black woman...I couldn't agree more!!!
Thank you JJ is nothing more that a Governmental shield.
Another Amen, this guy just needs to go away and stay there. He is of the old generation, thank goodness the prez doesn't have Jesse's mentality. I don't think Michelle forgot his devisive and derogatory comment caught on the open mike...nie
Absolutely.
Jackson is wanting attention and a piece of the power pie.
President Obama is President of the United States of America. The problems of the country are the problems of the Black community and everyone else. Jackson is not a proper or appropriate spokesman and is trying to remain relevant in light of Obama being President.
If Jackson wanted to solve the problems facing the Black Community, there is nothing stopping him from getting to work. He doesn't need to dialogue with Obama. He need to get to work. Jackson wants access. He is not interested in working for Blacks; just for himself.
Yeah, when was the last time he or his son worked as community organizers
President Obama has a problem - a very serious problem.
His base is not going to stand quietly by while he attempts to woo Conservatives and Republicans. If he thinks so then he is sadly mistaken. President Obama has attempted to distance himself publicly from African American issues, Gay issues, and Progressive issues. These are the very people who gave him the Democratic Nomination.
Since being elected, he has tried to be pragmatic- he has tried to be a centrist - he is now losing support on all sides including young people who are wondering where is the guy they voted for in November.
Whomever is advising our President had better wake up and smell the coffee. President Obama will NOT be able to TRIANGULATE like Bill Clinton - the times are different. There is an urgency on all fronts simultaneously.
Clinton's people are surrounding President Obama with very few progressives to be seen in prominant positions. This is about to backfire -- and the rebellion will grow in his base.
No one is interested in shallow baby-boomer symbolic politics anymore. The base is not interested in being hidden from plain sight.
"President Obama - you created a monster when you promised CHANGE - If you try the ol "bait and switch" - we will have a new President in 2012.
My name is James, nothing you have written in your
post is true. President Obama has attempted to include
all of us. I love Rev Jesse Jackson , but he is jealous
of President Obama. That's his problem. This young President
has a lot on his plate. He is not going to be
able to solve the mess left to him over night. I am Black and I am
willing to give him longer than six months to get the job done.
When you claim that President Obama is distancing himself from African American issues in the same week that he visited the gates of hell on earth in Ghana --- speaking poignantly and thoughtfully about the tragic birth of the African American diaspora --- and, days later, also delivered a paintfully honest yet empowering message to the black community at the 100th anniversary celebration for the NAACP, that's when you lose ALL credibility among those of us with a less tenous grasp of reality and perspective.
Meant to respond to Myname...
Wow-that was REALLY STUPID!!
I agree. I think that he is leaving a lot of people out in the cold who got him elected in the first place. Without an organized progressive wing, he would have been eaten alive by the Republican machine. And if he doesn't start putting some substance behind his promises, he will start to lose support from those same factions. This is exactly what happen to Gore in the 2000 elections. Clinton had just turned his back on the progressive wing which left the door open for Nader.
If Obama continues to support the Bush administration policies, I think that he may soon start to feel a backlash from those same groups that got him into office.
Wait, this from the guy who was caught on camera saying he wanted to metaphorically castrate Obama? Jesse, go away and don't come back.
Loading comments…
First Posted: 07-19-09 10:18 PM | Updated: 07-19-09 10:34 PM