# Did Jesse Jackson really say this? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 9, 2002, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-jesse-jackson-really-say-this/113064 "2002-06-09T04:33:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![simple\_homer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@simple\_homer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/simple_homer)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2002, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-jesse-jackson-really-say-this/113064/1 "2002-06-09T04:33:12Z")
My friends and I were talking about Jesse Jackson today, and I mentioned an article that I believe I read in a magazine like Newsweek several years ago. What I think I remember is that Jesse Jackson was quoted as saying something about how if he were walking alone at night, and heard someone behind him, he would be relieved if he turned around and saw that the person wasn’t black. Am I remembering that correctly? Did he actually say that? If not him, was it someone else that said something like that? My friends think my memory is impaired (quite possible), but I do think I remember reading something like that. ---
**Author:** ![KarlGauss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/karlgauss/32/3713_2.png) [@KarlGauss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGauss)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2002, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-jesse-jackson-really-say-this/113064/2 "2002-06-09T04:52:37Z")
According to [this article](http://www.equalrights.com/wash.html), yes. ---
**Author:** ![stockton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5a626/32.png) [@stockton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stockton)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2002, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-jesse-jackson-really-say-this/113064/3 "2002-06-09T05:57:00Z")
…he’s not worried they knew he spit in their food? [http://www.politicalusa.com/columnists/brewer/brewer\_003B.htm](http://www.politicalusa.com/columnists/brewer/brewer_003B.htm) ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2002, 6:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-jesse-jackson-really-say-this/113064/4 "2002-06-09T06:02:16Z")
**stockton** I don’t get it. There doesn’t seem to be any support in your cite that Jackson said it. Did I miss it? ---
**Author:** ![CnoteChris](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/278dde/32.png) [@CnoteChris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CnoteChris)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2002, 11:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-jesse-jackson-really-say-this/113064/5 "2002-06-09T11:08:50Z")
And here I thought this was a question about whether or not he referred to a part of New York as ‘Hymi-town’ (Spelling fucked, I know). Some guy, Jesse Jackson. ---
**Author:** ![WSLer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a6a055/32.png) [@WSLer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WSLer)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2002, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-jesse-jackson-really-say-this/113064/6 "2002-06-09T20:22:36Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by KarlGauss \* > \*\*According to [this article](http://www.equalrights.com/wash.html), yes. \*\* First of all, it’s from The Washington Times, whose fact checkers are known for being **REALLY, REALLY, REALLY** loose in determining what is and what isn’t a “fact.” Also, NO specifics are given, it simply says, “A few years ago, Jesse Jackson told an audience…” What audience? How long a time period is encompassed by “a few years?” Nice try, now go back and do it right. ---
**Author:** ![g8rguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7cd45c/32.png) [@g8rguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/g8rguy)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2002, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-jesse-jackson-really-say-this/113064/7 "2002-06-09T20:52:48Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by WSLer \* > \*\* > > First of all, it’s from The Washington Times, whose fact checkers are known for being **REALLY, REALLY, REALLY** loose in determining what is and what isn’t a “fact.” > > Also, NO specifics are given, it simply says, “A few years ago, Jesse Jackson told an audience…” What audience? How long a time period is encompassed by “a few years?” > > Nice try, now go back and do it right. \*\* Well, I’m not **KarlGauss** , but will this do, **WSLer**? (BTW… I wasn’t aware that the Washington Times had disreputable fact checkers… can you cite that, or is it just supposed to be common knowledge that I should read this paper with a grain of salt?) [Here](http://www.libertyhaven.com/politicsandcurrentevents/discrimination/potoprivate.shtml), and [here](http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/nj/taylor2000-06-20.htm), and [here](http://olimu.com/Journalism/Texts/Commentary/RacialProfiling.htm) for starters. In fact, I could go on for quite some time, but I don’t think there should be any doubt that **KarlGauss** ’ source is correct. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2002, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-jesse-jackson-really-say-this/113064/8 "2002-06-09T21:20:42Z")
Here is the actual quote: “There is nothing more painful to me at this stage in my life than to walk down the street and hear footsteps and start thinking about robbery then look around and see somebody white and feel relieved.” I did a Google search and found this quoted many times, mostly by conservatives trying to make a case for racial profiling. Most of the time though, all they said was that the quote was made in 1993. [This aritcle](http://www.rosado.net/articles-brutal.html) says that it was made in Chicago in 1993 to a black audience. It was written fairly close to when the quote was supposedly made (look for the quote between Points 4 and 5 in the article.) This seems like a fairly liberal source with no axe to grind against Jackson. [Here’s](http://www.law.duke.edu/journals/dlj/articles/Dlj50p331.htm#F1) a better cite. It’s from the Duke University Law Journal about racial profiling. Jackson’s quote begins the article and it is actually cited. The only true cite for this in all of the Google hits. Please see [Footnote 1](http://www.law.duke.edu/journals/dlj/articles/Dlj50p331.htm#F1) here. Jackson did indeed say it at a speech Operation PUSH Headquarters on November 27, 1993. It was published in the Chicago Sun-Times two days later. Is that a good enough cite? Haj ---
**Author:** ![stockton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5a626/32.png) [@stockton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stockton)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2002, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-jesse-jackson-really-say-this/113064/9 "2002-06-10T01:33:28Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by samclem \* > \*\ ***stockton** I don’t get it. There doesn’t seem to be any support in your cite that Jackson said it. Did I miss it? \*\* Hi samclem! One of my favorite posters. Cheers, mate. Sorry, I was being a bit oblique and was referring to this snippet in the cited article: * * * These incidents only scratch the surface of the man’s illegitimacy as a bonafied leader of black America.  Jackson has been reported on record reminiscing about his days as a cook in a southern diner where he would routinely spit in the food of white customers. * * * …I’d think he’d be worried about a former customer behind him that knew what he did. ---
**Author:** ![Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2002, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-jesse-jackson-really-say-this/113064/10 "2002-06-10T02:35:04Z")
Jackson said yes, he did spit in their food. I even went down to the library and looked up the article (Life? Look? From July 1969 I think) in the Reader’s Guide to Periodical Literature and copied the relevant paragraph in the interview into the GQ thread where we were talking about it, and now of course I can’t find the thread anymore. I tried “Jesse AND Jackson AND spit” and both “a year ago” and “any date” and no soap. Gahh… :mad: ---
**Author:** ![chula](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a4c791/32.png) [@chula](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chula)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2002, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-jesse-jackson-really-say-this/113064/11 "2002-06-10T03:03:46Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by g8rguy \* > **(BTW… I wasn’t aware that the Washington Times had disreputable fact checkers… can you cite that, or is it just supposed to be common knowledge that I should read this paper with a grain of salt?)** It’s pretty much common knowledge. It’s owned by the Moonies and has a far-right agenda. Common mistake though. ---
**Author:** ![Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2002, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-jesse-jackson-really-say-this/113064/12 "2002-06-10T03:11:16Z")
Dunno about the agenda, but it’s definitely owned by Rev. Moon. He also owns UPI. Read for yourself–is it “far right”? [http://www.washtimes.com/](http://www.washtimes.com/) ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2002, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-jesse-jackson-really-say-this/113064/13 "2002-06-10T03:27:48Z")
> [@](#): > > Hi samclem! One of my favorite posters. Cheers, mate. This makes my day. It’s not often that we get validation here. I must confess that I was tweaking you. I knew what you meant. While I am a LIberal from way-back, I have no love for Jesse and his stupid side. I think that he is a necessary evil, as an advocate for people who need an advocate. And the Washington Times is not a great source, in general. In this case, it was probably correct. I need to leave now, just to help poor **DDG**. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2002, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-jesse-jackson-really-say-this/113064/14 "2002-06-10T03:34:06Z")
> [@](#): > > Hi samclem! One of my favorite posters. Cheers, mate. This makes my day. It’s not often that we get validation here. I must confess that I was tweaking you. I knew what you meant. While I am a LIberal from way-back, I have no love for Jesse and his stupid side. I think that he is a necessary evil, as an advocate for people who need an advocate. And the Washington Times is not a great source, in general. In this case, it was probably correct. I need to leave now, just to help poor **DDG**. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![chula](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a4c791/32.png) [@chula](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chula)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2002, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-jesse-jackson-really-say-this/113064/15 "2002-06-10T03:41:36Z")
See what Rev. Moon himself has to say about the newspaper’s agenda [here](http://www.unification.net/2002/20020521_1.html). > [@](#): > > The Washington Times editorials and columns supported the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI) at a time when many were trying to block this critical development. Years later, former Soviet officials admitted that it was America’s determination to develop SDI that fatally weakened the resolve of the Soviet leaders. Finally, in 1989 the Berlin Wall was torn down and on Christmas Eve 1991 the Soviet empire collapsed after having held the world in fear for 74 years. I thank God that the Free World prevailed in this historical struggle, which truly was an ideological battle over acknowledging God or not. It is the principle that God works His will on Earth through human beings. I do not have the slightest doubt that God used The Washington Times to help bring an end to the most pernicious worldwide dictatorship in history and gave freedom to tens of millions of people! > > In the 1980s, the Contras in Nicaragua, El Salvador, and other countries were fighting for their lives against the communist Sandinistas who were seeking to seize control of their countries, slaughtering thousands of people. While other media failed to recognize the seriousness of the situation, The Washington Times emphasized through its stories and columns the dangers of communist expansion in the hemisphere and why the freedom fighters should be supported. Once again, The Times’ news and information helped the leaders in Washington stay strong in their support for the Contras. Today, many people thank God and The Washington Times for the fact that freedom and democracy are alive and well in Central America! > > The mission of The Washington Times, however, was not finished with the end of the Cold War. The fall of communism did not automatically lead to world peace. Nor did it mean that the ideal society that God desires would establish itself without any further effort on our part. Accordingly, during The Washington Times’ second decade it had to rise to a new challenge - that of the “Cultural War,” or the fight against the degradation of values. ---
**Author:** ![g8rguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7cd45c/32.png) [@g8rguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/g8rguy)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2002, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-jesse-jackson-really-say-this/113064/16 "2002-06-10T03:45:12Z")
Oh, I was aware that it had a right-wing bias (although I’m not sure that I’d call them _far_ right, given stuff like _National Review_ and the like), but having a right-wing bias and printing things that are flat out untrue but calling them facts are two distinctly different things, aren’t they? I mean, if we accepted cites even about matters of fact only from completely unbiased newspapers, we’d probably be down to stuff like the Podunk Post and the Timbuktu Times, and not much else. ☹ Given that, I guess I’m willing to give them the benefit of the doubt on something as easily checked as this was, although since I’d seen this cited before anyway that might have influenced me somewhat. _shrugs_ ---
**Author:** ![BobT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e8cbc/32.png) [@BobT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobT)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2002, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-jesse-jackson-really-say-this/113064/17 "2002-06-10T04:02:58Z")
I have read the article mentioned in the OP. It was in Life magazine. Jackson definitely was quoted as saying that he spit into people’s food. I think I quoted it in a thread on this topic earlier also. ---
**Author:** ![tarpal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dfb087/32.png) [@tarpal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tarpal)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2002, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-jesse-jackson-really-say-this/113064/18 "2002-06-10T19:59:50Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by stockton \* > \*\*…he’s not worried they knew he spit in their food? > > [http://www.politicalusa.com/columnists/brewer/brewer\_003B.htm](http://www.politicalusa.com/columnists/brewer/brewer_003B.htm) \*\* Former Black Panther leader Jesse Jackson admitted in a November, 1969 “Life” magazine interview that when he worked as a waiter in a Greenville, South Carolina hotel he spat into the soups and salads of White customers. “[Spitting into the food] gave me a psychological gratification,” Jackson said. During his early years in the communist civil rights movement Jackson often repeated this story to audiences. In fact the New York “Times” in a July, 1972 article, said: “Jesse would spit into their soup or salad before he brought it to the table, and watch with enjoyment as Whites ate gobs of saliva as though it were, say, oil and vinegar dressing.” [http://www.duke.org/library/badguys/spittingjesse.html](http://www.duke.org/library/badguys/spittingjesse.html) ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2002, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-jesse-jackson-really-say-this/113064/19 "2002-06-10T21:46:38Z")
First off-Jesse Jackson was never affiliated with the Black Panthers. Second-DAVID FUCKING DUKE??? :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2002, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-jesse-jackson-really-say-this/113064/20 "2002-06-11T03:57:08Z")
Okay, yeah, sucks to David Duke and his twisty “Black Panther” thing, but I went and read the Life interview down at the library, and Ol’ Jesse did say that yes, he did used to spit in the customers’ food when he was a teenage waitperson. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-jesse-jackson-really-say-this/113064.md?page=2)