Keep Hope Alive; Run Jesse, Run!

OK, obviously, there is no secret regarding what this post is going to address; the other Jesse! Last week the topic was the venerable, Honorable Senator Jesse Helms. Today the spotlight light shifts to another venerable Jesse, this one a veteran of the American Civil Rights Movement.

For the past 10 days or so, one of the Nation's hottest media topics has centered on the brief, but now infamous whispered musings of the Reverend Jesse Jackson. The good Reverend Jackson, who is noted for among other things, having coined the phrase, “Keep Hope Alive,” is likely to long be remembered for a much less inspiring phrase, depicting his interest in separating Senator Obama from a key portion of his anatomy. No, the phrase does not appear in this post. If you do not know what it was, and feel you must find out, consult one of the several links included below.

In the relative calm of this period between the end of the Primaries and the unofficial resumption of inter-party pleasantries, after Labor Day, it is almost as if there was a sense of things being too quiet, subdued, and uneventful. Indeed, there has not been so much African American angst about the race since the last black preacher induced brouhaha, involving the Reverend Jeremiah Wright. The situation has caused many to recall another well known Jackson chant…”Run Jesse, Run!” This time though, rather than a fetching plea of approval, adoration, and support, it is a warning, if not a demand to get out of Dodge, or at least as far away from things having to do with the Presidential campaign as possible.

It takes little in the way of reflection to determine what a sad turn of events this has become. In historical terms, just 20 short years before Barack Obama’s pivotal and eloquent Keynote Speech at the 2004 Democratic Party National Convention in Boston, the Reverend Jackson was the toast of the 1984 Democratic Party National Convention in San Francisco, in the wake of his own pivotal and eloquent Keynote Speech. Jackson most certainly played an important role in blazing the trail Obama has traveled to reach the lofty perch he holds today.

In an ideal world, they would be the lone two members of an exclusive mutual admiration society; Jackson the mentor, Obama the protégé. But in this, the real world, they appear to have gravitated to their neutral corners; one the envier, the other, the ascendant. As the French say, Le Roi est mort. Vive le Roi! Translation: The King is dead. Long live the King!

Over the past several days, I have seen many widely varying assessments and analyses of the subject. While much of what I have read emanated from various media outlets, a lot of it has been shared via the convictions of individual friends, colleagues, and other associates. One of the most poignant and compelling views came from a colleague, to whom I shall refer simply as JJ. See the four points that comprise JJ's analysis below, in their entirety:

1. I don't think we should compare Jesse on BHO to Andy Young, John Lewis, Maya Angelou, Tavis Smiley, Bob Johnson, et al. Unlike them, he was in BHO's corner early. Remember on primary day in Illinois, Jesse was at one precinct campaigning for Obama, while his own wife was campaigning for Hillary at another. In fact, I understand Jesse supported BHO when he ran for IL State Senate years ago.

2. While I would admit that Jesse might have a tinge of jealousy watching Barack do so well when he didn't, after his earlier runs he said he ran to get blacks interested in the political process and registered to vote. BHO is certainly building upon Jesse's success, and I don't think that is lost on Jesse or Barack.

3. What BHO said is very similar to Bill Cosby's rhetoric of the past few years -- black parents need to take responsibility. Many well-educated blacks (you and Michael Eric Dyson included) did not agree with Dr. Cos. I don't know what Jesse said in response to his frat brother's ranting, but he might have wanted to castrate him too. It might not be personal, though it is hard to say that under threat of having his private parts removed. It is very ironic that Jesse would object to conversation about black men paying child support when he (we presume based upon details released publicly during that time) is paying for a child conceived by another woman while he was married -- if he has to pay, why wouldn't it be OK for BHO to say everybody needs to?

4. This crude commentary reminds me more of Mike Tyson than anyone else who observers are trying to place Jesse with. Remember comments made by the person who used to be Iron Mike before the Lennox Lewis fight? A lot of stuff about testicles and such. I don't know if this is characteristic of Jesse's behavior in private, but such a visceral reaction leaves many questions. Is it early onset Alzheimer's? Is Jesse showing solidarity with Jeremiah Wright as preachers tend to do when they think a colleague has been unfairly treated? Does he feel BHO has slighted him in some way? Is he resentful that many have advised him to keep a safe distance away in order that BHO looks more mainstream? Is Jesse just a "sick puppy" who has been camouflaging a dark side under his preacher's robe? I've been angry at times, but it's never gone this far, so is this a "man thing?"

Those four points were done so well, I threatened to let them stand alone as this week’s post. Thanks JJ, for the willingness to share your thoughtful and penetrating analysis.

The depth of the positions taken, the variation in tone, the resonant themes underscored by the active participants in this discussion, the majority of them black, remind me once again of the myth of the monolith. I am done; holla back!

Read my blog anytime by clicking the link: http://thesphinxofcharlotte.blogspot.com. A new post is published each Wednesday.


http://www.theroot.com/id/47225

http://www.theheraldbulletin.com/columns/local_story_197210534.html?keyword=secondarystory

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/07/13/AR2008071302097.html?hpid=artslot

http://www.tri-cityherald.com/942/story/240201.html

http://us.mg2.mail.yahoo.com/dc/launch?.rand=fjt7d4gk0s7v6

http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.jsp?articleId=281474977398406&grpId=3659174697244816&nav=Groupspace

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2008/jul/15/littwin-obama-making-most-of-jackson-flap/

http://www.theheraldbulletin.com/columns/local_story_197210534.html?keyword=secondarystory

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5jWabcu6kZ9ykE80H7bgxHDIcfWWAD91RBFL80

http://www.foxnews.com/video2/video08.html?maven_referralObject=2160631

http://gawker.com/5023729/did-jesse-jackson-call-obama-the-n+word

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/najee-ali/why-jesse-really-attacked_b_112241.html

http://thedailyvoice.com/voice/2008/07/stand-down-jesse-000855.php

http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/jessejackson1984dnc.htm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=awQkJNVsgKM