Rev. Jackson: Did You Forget About 1984?

In 1984 Rev. Jesse Jackson, Sr., head of PUSH (People United To Save Humanity) and disciple of the late Civil Rights leader, Martin Luther King,decided to run for the Democrats presidential nomination. The campaign was a magnificent show of race solidarity, class and ethnic unity. However, in a course of minutes in New York City Rev. Jackson's words destroyed a promising run for the White House. Speaking to a group of reporters off the record he referred to New York City as Hymie town. When asked about his comment, the good Reverend flatly denied making the statement. However, he was pushed to tell the truth by Black reporter Milton Coleman of the "Washington Post."

While he eventually apologized for the Hymie town Jewish slur--he openly stated that Jews had "conspired to destroy his candidacy." With this opening came Jackson's religious buddy Louis Farrakhan of the Nation of Islam who had traveled a year earlier with Jackson to Syria to secure the release of down air force pilot Lt. Robert Goodman. Minister Farrakhan, the ever ready fire brand, defended Jackson by warning Jews: "If you harm this brother [Jackson] it will be last one you harm." For Milton Coleman, he said, "one day soon we will punish you with death." Adding, this is what civilized nations do to traitors.

Although the Hymie town episode created media and public excitement it removed Jackson as a serious candidate for the presidency of the United States. Therefore, with this history one would think that the senior Jackson would have learned his lesson. But, sometimes old dogs are just too stubborn and stupid to comprehend lessons.

During a break in a television interview a couple of days ago Rev. Jackson made a ugly and hostile comment about Democrat hopeful Barrack Obama. First, he accused the candidate of speaking "down to Black people." Thinking that the microphone was turned off, he added: "The moral message [that Obama should speak on] must be a much broader message. What we need really is racial justice and urban policy and jobs and health care. There is a range of issues on the menu." Apparently, frustrated by Obama's position and presentation, Jackson concluded, "I want to cut his nuts out." Also, believing that Obama is out of touch with underclass Black urban culture Jackson childed Obama about speaking negatively about Black rap life to predominantly white audiences.

The problem is that Jackson, like many Black leaders like Louis Farrakhan, Eric Dyson, and Cornell West, worship and glorify negative hip hop culture and gangsta rap. On this issue, Obama calls for moral responsibility, conservative actions, and public decency.

To the credit of Jackson, however, he called the Senator's office and sent a letter of apology. At least, this time, he did not lie about what he said. On a sidebar to the controversy is Rev. Jackson's standing with his son, Congressman Jesse Jackson, Jr. The Congressman brutally and openly condemned his father's statement by saying: "[He] is my dad and I'll always love him. He should know how hard that I've worked for the last year and a half as a national co-chair of Barack Obama's presidential campaign. So, I thoroughly reject and repudiate his ugly rhetoric. The remarks like those uttered on Fox by Rev. Jackson do not advance the campaign's cause of building a more perfect Union."

It appears that there are cracks in the relationship between father and son. But, whatever the case among the Jackson family the senior spokesman comments illustrated a disregard of decency while promoting another line of unnecessary bigotry. Rev. Jackson--you did not remember 1984.