Hush, Jesse, Hush

It's not a presidential election until Reverend Jackson makes an unfortunate slip of the tongue. Look, I'm a fan of the reverend and was a volunteer for his presidential bid, but the more he talks the more I'm convinced that he is hopelessly old school while Obama represents the nation's much-vaunted "post-racial" future.

As I blogged on Father's Day, Obama and Cosby are hardly the only successful black males calling for more personal responsibility among the black underclass. Obama, Chris Rock, Cosby and every single thinking black person I know understand that the pernicious cynical nihilism that traps so many young black men in a cycle of unemployment, criminality and irresponsible parenting, cannot be erased by legislation alone.

Any thinking, compassionate person also understands that the government DOES have a responsibility to do much better than it has, and that the shortsighted, racist policies during the Reagan administration to dismantle most of the anti-poverty programs that had helped the generation before, only added to the distrust and cynicism of those this country has left behind for so long. The intervening administrations never fully rebuilt what Reagan tore apart.

True leadership, Reverend Jackson, is not just telling truth to power, but telling the truth, period. Especially when it's ugly.

--Trey Ellis

Comments

[j.gold]

I think this is a good thing for Obama. Many "working class whites" have been afraid of Obama because they are afraid he will be a Jesse Jackson type. They see Jesse Jackson and his ilk as unfair to whites and shit stirrers. Many are not racist but see programs that help people of one color over those of another (like affirmative action) as racist and feel like they would get more of the same shaft if someone like Jesse were elected president.
I think Jesse Jackson saying this stuff shows that Obama is from the new school and it leaves that divisive crap behind. Go Obama!

[JeanPaulSatire]

Why is it that no one is analyzing Rev. Jackson's comments in light of Jackson having had an adulterous affair that led to the birth of an illegitimate child -- a child from whose life he has largely been absent? To my complete amazement, people talking about Jackson's comments have either ignored this fact or have been unaware of it. Here's a story from CNN about it, back from 2001:

http://archives.cnn.com/2001/US/08/16/jackson.mistress/

Rev. Jackson can cloak his indignation and discomfort at Obama criticizing absent fathers as concern that a significant segment of the black community is being "talked down to," but clearly it's much more personal than that. He has a direct and personal stake in having Obama stop airing such dirty laundry, as some of it is Jackson's.

Also, Jackson has been active in the public eye -- and in politics in particular -- for far too long to have made such a basic mistake as to say something like that while in Faux News' studios at all, let alone while having an open mic. Jackson wanted that message to get back to Obama; it was push-back, pure and simple.

[blindhog]

I agree. Rev Jackson shouuld not be surprised his son spoke out against him. His son probably felt Rev Jackson threw his mother and brothers and sisters under the bus when he had the adultrous affair .

[JeanPaulSatire]

Allow me to suggest a term for exactly the action to which you refer: "submasstransitize."

The term could be used as illustrated by the following sentence: "Rev. Jackson submasstransitized his wife and children when he had an adulterous affair."

[MoeB]

I'd just like to say that while Jesse's comments were unfortunate, I do see a silver lining here...maybe now folks on the right who assume that Jesse and Rev. Al speak for all of black america can see that they in fact, DON'T.

[bigfated]

Jesse Jackson is very much the past. Barack Obama is very much the future.
Jesse Jackson is almost as out-of-step with current day America as is the miserably failed GOP.
I trust both will soon be whining as they sit on the outside looking in.......while Obama finally overcomes their dedication to the status quo.
Listen to the dingbats.....like the screaming idiot from Focus On The Family---(better called focus-on-hate)---and wimpy, gutless panderers like McSame, Gramm, and the rest of the scum who have tried to destroy our way of life..................and you will be signing up for "BUSH 3," probably ensuring the last nail in the coffin of America as we have known her.
If you want a future that offers some hope for better days.......there is only one choice. OBAMA 08!

[TXOBAMAGIRL73]

Has Jesse learned nothing in all of his years of fighting the good fight ....Some say yes, I say no because if he had July 8th would not have been the day he chose to bad talk a fellow man who just so happen to be running as the front runner to be the first black President of the United States of America in front of one of the most racist so call news networks. He wasn't critical of his speech ,he berate him as person for so he says "talking down to black folks and he could cut his n*Ts off". My mother always says their is nothing like a "old fool", what I mean by a old fool someone who has seen the world and lived long enough to knows exactly what type of hate that is out there and adds fuels to the fire at his own peril. Yes the word fool may be harsh to some, but what in the world was he thinking. This was foolish to say the least.

[ethancorso]

I really don't see what the big deal is. Look at it this way -- what if Russ Feingold, referring to the President, said that he'd like to "cut of his nu*s"? Russ would be lavished with praise in this very forum.

Are you telling me you've never made equally brutish comments? That you've never privately expressed your distaste for someone in R rated terms? Get over yourselves...and don't pretend that Jesse Jacksons choice of words were offensive to your virgin ears.

As well, you have to understand that there is a degree of anger that some African Americans feel toward the Senator from Illinois. To some, the Father's Day speech came across as the candidate speaking to white evangelicals at the expense of Black men. Jesse Jackson was merely expressing his frustrations to a confidante.

I am not saying that you should agree with Reverend Jackson, but at least try to understand the situation a little more fully before allowing mob mentality to set in and shredding someone just because they are not as enamored with BO as you are.

[MoeB]

ethan, I agree, this is being made out to be a bigger deal than it really is. Naturally, he should not have said that, even if he thought it was in confidence, but it is what it is.

But I'm not sure at all about your comments about Obama's speech. I listened to it, read the transcripts, and must say that he was not only talking to black fathers. I think he gave black men an extra 'nod' because the issue is a little more prevalent in the black community, but his MESSAGE was universal. I think that the number of black folk who didn't like his speech are mere drops in the bucket.

I understand (but don't agree with) J. Jackson's frustrations. He is coming from a time where it was/might have been fueled the fire to discuss problems in the black community with a white audience. But the times, thankfully, have changed. I'm 30 and feel just as open discussing racial issues with my white friends as I do my black ones.

[ckdogs]

Maybe he could make this comment to a friend in the privacy of his home - but he was in a Fox News television studio doing an interview. This was a break in the taping. This was a very public venue - with other people around to overhear (even if the mic was off) and report. It just isn't good judgement - and Mr. Jackson has been around long enough to know about discretion.
However - it certainly isn't worth all the brouha that's going on.

[NotMcCain]

"Cut someone's n*ts off"? Sorry, but the imagery and anger says more about Jackson's real feelings and reasons than all his blather afterwards.

He's. Jealous.

Like Bill Clinton, his ego just can't get over the success and tremendous appeal of this guy from another generation.

What an embarrassment they -both- are.

[Exhaust]

What the hell are you talking about?
Jackson was in the fight before Obama stopped picking his nose.
B. Clinton was a 2 term President.
What has Obama done, compaired to either of them? Winning the Democrartic primary, doesn't mean he could carry their jocks.
Take your lips off Obama's butt long enough to realize that "cut his n*ts off" is a metaphor. Stop your whining, because Jackson is an Obama supporter. If you believe that he wanted that to come out or be aired (in any way), you are too clueless to reason with.

[j.gold]

Exhaust- the further you make you way up to the top, the longer and harder the fall. No matter how many great things you have accomplished it is devastating to be replaced and even more so to have to help your replacement take your place. Jesse wanted to be the first black president (so did Clinton for that matter) and failed, now someone else might be. It is a hard thing to swallow.

[Exhaust]

OOOPS! Typos.

[Mattjoe]

It is July 10th, 8:18PM and CNN has their (arguably) prettiest shill Campbell Brown leading an "Out In The Open" segment with the title "Is Obama Selling Out?" thinly based on Jesse Jackson"s comments, subsequently positioning Obama on the defensive stating "does Obama need to talk down to black voters in order to draw white supporters?"

What the f#$%?

Browns" willingness to utter this concocted Republican drivel is only outdone by the sheer obviousness of the viral anti-Obama tone at CNN. To believe she owns this independent neocon passion. . .

. . would be giving her too much credit.

[TXOBAMAGIRL73]

As a parent of a fatherless child these cries have been long ignored by the black community.Just because you ignore something doesn't make it go away or get better. Jesse generation was a generation in which kick in alot of doors and open up alot of avenues for the generation after that....But somewhere in between that a mindset of complacency set in. We need to hold ourselves to the highest standards, as we did when our leader call upon us to stand up for our rights. Martin, Malcom, Edgar and the many other including ,Jesse stood strong against social injustice and a legacy of fathers pulling a disappearing act from the childrens lives is a social and community injustice. Where did Jesse lose his way? When did the call for action become the way to talk down to people?

[MoeB]

I don't think Jesse lost his message, TXObamagirl, I just think his message (or maybe just his delivery) has become more outdated. But I agree in the sense that the folks who carried the Civil Rights torch for us need to pass it on to us. Obama was simply stating that WE need to move the torch forward and stop complaining from the sidelines. Accountability, responsibility, personal strength, strong families...those things are EMPOWERING, so I'm not sure how Jesse saw it as "talking down" to blacks.

[IncredulousGeezer]

Old school, hell, he's just a bitter old man who resents Obama's presence and prospects for the presidency.

Unlike his and Rev. Al Sharpton's approach where agitation and Whitey's guilt were the means to national prominence, Obama has dealt with the realities of labor organization and integration of the needs of the black, brown and white working class to fashion a movement free of the old constraints of guilt and guile.

An Obama administration should and will be be respectful of the sacrifices of the equal rights movement, but Jesse's and Al's places should not be exhalted when compared to the real heros such as MLK, John Lewis, Medgar Evers and Rosa Parks.

[Wanjiru]

"Look, I'm a fan of the reverend ..."
=============================

...why?...

.

[LeeScho]

Hush? Aw, let Jesse talk. Let him show us word by word, inane utterance by inane utterance how far we have come since his days of leadership.

Jesse hosted events where Bill Cosby said that exact same thing that Obama said, but in langauge and tones far more toxic than Obama's. And Jesse praised Cosby for it.

So this is not about Obama talking down to black people - this is about Obama talking to Black people and being heard in a far more vital context. For the criticism of Black wayward fathers is not coming from a comedian and a clergyman whose own lives brand them as hypocrites, the criticism is coming from the first likely Black President of the United States of America.

And, Jesse, what exactly is this focus you have on Obama's genitalia about?

[MissT]

"And, Jesse, what exactly is this focus you have on Obama's genitalia about?"

Penis envy or put another way...playah hatin. Bill Clinton is suffering from the same disorder.

[arkgrfx61]

I think it's the jealousy the good reverend has towards Mr. O. the fact that in his whole life he's fought and fought, but he's done it the wrong way and now he's obsolete.

[legalclubs]

Clearly the problem is that JJ most recognize that his brand of politics is over if Obama is elected. How can he continue to press the point the the U.S. is a racist country against blacks when Obama is black? Sorry Jesse, it looks like the shake down money train is coming to an end.

[acanthus]

You mean that racism will disappear when Obama becomes President?

[JeanPaulSatire]

Rev. Jackson has, over time, morphed into an apologist for things as they are. How very sad.

[Vixen0932]

Why should Rev. Jackson hush? Because he said something critical or because he was critical of Sen. Obama? Just because you support someone doesn't mean to agree with 100% of the things they say. People can be critical of the Great Black Hope

[FanofPaine]

Only if the person is wrong in what they are saying should they not hush. Obama wasn't talking down to anybody. People need to get off their butts and start doing things to improve their lives. The gov't is f-ed up for black folks, but when has it not been? Yet somehow we've always survived, even flourished. Many black families are suffering. That has to change. We can't wait for anyone to help us because outside help isn't coming.

I disagreed with how Cosby said it because he said some strange things while delivering his core message and Chris Rock is a comedian so though he was making serious points they were delivered as jokes. Obama struck the right tone. This isn't Jesse being critical of Obama (cutting someone's privates off is critical, how?). This is Jesse's jealousy shining through.

[4wehttam]

There is a difference between being critical and saying you want to, "cut his nuts off."

IF you don't know the difference, it's within you that the problem lies, not the rest of us who find that comment both offensive and unjustified.

[Exhaust]

OMG! Grow up! "Cut his nuts off" is a friggin' metaphor. I love "holier than thou" people. NOT!