Now who’s racist, Obama or Jackson?
In June, I reported on two points from Barack Obama’s Fathers Day speech: his chastisement of black men for abandoning their paternal responsibilities, and, his enlightening statement that “responsibility does not end at conception.”
For that, Jill from Feministe accused me of being a “nutbag… total nutbag… [and] crazy racist”, as did liberals on this blog in so many words.
It’s hard to keep the finger-pointing straight, but yesterday it came to light. Jesse Jackson was caught on a hot mic a few days ago complaining in derogatory terms that Obama was actually the racist for making those remarks. According to the Associated Press…
Jackson said the “hurtful and wrong” comments Sunday came in response to a question from a fellow guest during a break from taping Fox & Friends. The guest asked about speeches on morality Obama has given at black churches.
Jackson said, at a news conference, that he had replied that Obama’s speeches can come off as speaking down to black people and that there were other important issues to be addressed in the community, such as unemployment, the mortgage crisis and the number of blacks in prison….
Obama campaign spokesman Bill Burton noted that the IL senator grew up without his father and has spoken and written at length about the issues of parental responsibility and fathers participating in their children’s lives, and of society’s obligation to provide “jobs, justice and opportunity for all.”
Here’s what Jackson said. Note, as Chicago Tribune columnist John Kass did, “the truly freaky part, Jackson twisting his right wrist, as if he held a curved blade, giving a little pull, grunting for emphasis, like a butcher of the old school, if you will”:
Meanwhile, according to the Chicago Sun-Times:
Jackson’s son U.S. Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr.… offered an especially pointed reaction: “I’m deeply outraged and disappointed in Rev. Jackson’s reckless statements about Sen. Barack Obama,” the junior Jackson said. “Reverend Jackson is my dad, and I’ll always love him . . . [but] I thoroughly reject and repudiate his ugly rhetoric. He should keep hope alive and any personal attacks and insults to himself.”
So now who’s the racist? I’m confused.
And why doesn’t JJ want to address the most critical problem in the black community today, the breakdown of the nuclear family? Could it be because of his own personal contribution to the breakdown?
[Photo courtesy of the AP]
Jill Stanek is a nurse turned speaker, columnist and blogger, a national figure in the effort to protect both preborn and postborn innocent human life.
I don’t honsetly know why Jesse Jackson won’t talk about the breakdown of the black family. I don’t know everything he did to harm the black community, but I also don’t know what he did to help either (after the civil rights movement). From what I see Al sharpton and jesse jackson (and Obama) need to go and the sooner they do the better chance my black community can get back on it’s feet.
‘Femiste’ or ‘Feministe’?
Whoops, thanks, Cranky.
Adlyn, this is obviously a sensitive topic to Jackson because he had an extra-marital affair and illegitimate child.
PeachPit,
I fail to see the connection of McCain’s birth Control policy with Brother Jackson calling out Brother Obama.
If you really, really want to initiate a separate conversation, by all means, start your own blog.
Jesse and Al Sharpton have made very nice livings off of perpetuating certain things in the black community. Jesse apologized but he’s still quite invested in maintaining the status quo.
You think Jackson is the only member of his race that feels that way?
Obama better not get near that man.
Maybe Obama should just stay away from reverends altogether?
Jesse’s jealous – that’s the main thing here. He and Al Sharpton love to swoop in and cause trouble and get in the news.
When they’re wrong, as with the three guys from Duke University who were accused of rape, and the Tawana Brawley thing, etc., you don’t hear much if anything from them.
Rather than just talk about the “state of things” and wear fancy suits, have fancy cars and houses, etc., now Obama really is talking about changing things, and regardless of how much one thinks that’s possible, one can see Jesse not liking attention paid to somebody else.
And why doesn’t JJ want to address the most critical problem in the black community today, the breakdown of the nuclear family? Could it be because of his own personal contribution to the breakdown?
I see him and Al as talking heads, and I wonder if they’ve every done an honest day’s work in their lives. Okay, rant over.
It was hilarious, though, when Jackson went to the White House and “counseled” President Clinton over his marital infidelities, and then it came out that the very same day he had been to see his mistress, whom he had gotten pregnant or whom he was soon to get pregnant.
Good practice for rolling eyes.
Was it the “black men” comments Jackson was criticizing?
Regardless, for him to say he’d like to “cut his —s off” is not only a despicable thing to say about Sen. Obama, but about ANY human being. It amazes me how statements like that just seem to roll off the tongue for some people.
BMMG, it often depends who one is with, what group one is in.
If someone had made a similar comment about a woman, saying (s)he’d like to “cut her [blank] out,” the whole nation would be in a nine-alarm fire right now. But people shrug at the other remark, or laugh it off. People just need to quit it, really.
Regardless, for him to say he’d like to “cut his —s off” is not only a despicable thing to say about Sen. Obama, but about ANY human being. It amazes me how statements like that just seem to roll off the tongue for some people.
Posted by: bmmg39 at July 10, 2008 4:20 PM
It is indeed a strange way to voice displeasure with someone’s social or political views. No one I know talks like that, even about people they really hate (like GWB).
I share Reverand Jackson’s son’s views on the matter.
Jill,
For someone who is supposed to love children and want them all to be born, I was surprised to see you refer to a child as “illegitimate.” Did this child do something to you to deserve being called names?
Why, Anonymous,…are you unable to love a child born out of wedlock? Sounds like you are the one implying that shame be attached to the child rather than to the term designated by the law and the culture and directed at the father in this case. He was the one who created the illegitimate aspect.
I agree that we should banish the term “illegitimate child.” Those children are just as legitimate as the rest of us.
The term “illegitimate” is NOT “directed at the father in this case.” It’s called an adjective. “Illegitimate child.” The word “illegitimate” is describing the child. Simple grammar.
And it’s also not a legal term. It’s just a mean thing to say. I don’t understand your desire to even attempt to legitimize this.