And exactly why do you think he does all the stuff he does?
Perhaps in the past he was a true idealist, when he stood at MLK’s right hand.
Now, however, it seems much of his activities are solely for the purpose of maintaining his visibility in the political arena.
I remember when he went to Serbia to free those three soldiers. To the casual observer he did a good thing in getting them out. To anyone else, including the White House, he was an intolerable pest, handing Milosevic an opportunity to look gracious and reasonable by letting them go to a ‘man of peace’ - anything to make the USA and Clinton more warmongering.
Did Jackson know the role he was playing then? Did he even care, as long as his face was in front of the cameras? Getting permission to go as an offical diplomat/negotiator would have convinced me he did - but he didn’t. He was there to promote himself.
We love him. Especially the poems.
There is a fine line that separates a real civil rights leader from an attention-grabbing race-baiter. JJ has been zigzagging back and forth across that line so much that I just don’t know anymore.
I think he’s kinda sexy…for an older guy…
He hosted Saturday Night Live, and read “Green Eggs and Ham.” It might have been the week Dr. Seuss died. He gets an A+ in my book for that.
[picking a nit]
Bill, its “y’all”.
[/picking a nit]
I think the world needs more people like Jesse Jackson. The advances made by Dr. Martin Luther King are perpetuated today by Jesse Jackson and others like him.
I agree with the views that Jesse Jackson treads a very thin line between humanitarianism and showboating. His treading this line results in some persons viewing his actions as a civil rights advocate and other persons viewing his actions as a shallow attention getting race baitist.
I haven’t always been in complete agreement with some of his his actions. But, I think he has furthered the civil rights and humanitarian isssues in this country. I view the overall package as a man dedicated to civil rights and humanitarian issues who will go out on a limb for his beliefs.
I think JJ has crossed the line and now is just a troublemaker. I think he makes race relations worse instead of bringer people closer together. He is definitely trouble.
One of the finest tributes I’ve ever seen.
Jesse Jackson actually spoke at my high school graduation. He was a fantastic speaker. I also think he treads a fine line and sometimes steps over to the dark side, but on the whole, I think he’s done more good than harm.
Oh man, Connor, thank you. That’s been bugging me for a long time.
It’s a contraction of you all, and the apostrophe goes in place of the omitted letters, Wildest Bill. Hence: Y’ALL.
Re: the OP, in Chicago, he’s quite a BSD, because of Operation PUSH and The Rainbow Coalition and a million other things. I think he’s a little hypersensitive when it comes to racial issues, but who can blame the guy? He’s seen it all when it comes to racism.
I have lost respect for him over the years because of the aforementioned need to be in front of the cameras. For want of a better description, I think he’s become too self-important. Of course, for all I know, he spends many many hours doing genuine, grubby work, but I kinda doubt that. <shrug> Methinks he’d benefit from a reality check…
Are we talking about the Same JJ here? Race-baiting, camera loving, publicity hound? Walks and talks like he’s the best thing since Jesus Christ/Mohammad?
He is nothing but trouble. Simply put. Things would be better off if he’d just vanish.
I used to think very highly of him when he was working to advance the Civil Rights movement. Now that his rhetoric has been reduced to mau-mauing, I tend to ignore hiscomments and actions.
I’ve always wondered how he gets so much time away from his job so that he can travel to wherever the cameras are focused. And, he must get paid an awful lot to be able to afford all those airline tickets.
Hm? What’s that? Oh. But then where does the money come from?
When the entire Florida Vote Re-Count thing was just getting warmed up, good old Jesse was there.
A republican protestor had a sign that just cracked me up:
**Jesse, what are you doing here? **
My thoughts exactly.
I think he’s an attention whore. He sticks his nose in where it doesn’t belong a lot of the time just for publicity, and exploits people who are truly dedicated to the cause of civil rights.
Ever since the Jackson 5 split up, they’ve all been eclipsed by Michael. Poor Jesse Jackson just can’t compete with that kind of star power, any more than Reggie Jackson, Kate Jackson, Andrew Jackson, or Action Jackson can.
Now, Jackson Brown, on the other hand…
I think Jesse’s always been a publicity hound and a few of his recent stunts have been way over the top.
On the other hand, whatever he says for “the man’s” consumption on national broacasts is generally counterbalanced by his deeds and words within the black community.
When speaking to all-black audiences (without cameras where he is always “on”), he speaks of their responsibility to themselves to get an education, get and hold jobs, avoid drugs, etc. He was the first nationally known black man to address the issue of black-on-black crime in the national media.
I think writing him off or dismissing him is a mistake. (I also think that caving in to his demands is a mistake if he has not proven his point or his need.)
Regarding the retrieval of captured military personnel: the State Department has to go through the motions of condemning his actions, but he really does create a win-win-win situation, whether it is in the Balkans or the Mideast or Somalia. He goes in, the dictator gets a free photo-op, the imprisoned U.S. personnel get to come home, the U.S. government doesn’t have to bargain with the dictator for their release, Jesse gets to look like a hero. He doesn’t hurt the U.S. because he is not our spokesman. He doesn’t create an obligation on the part of the U.S. for the same reason. The U.S. government gets to condemn his actions as reckless, while still getting their troops back (and getting the troops’ families to quit calling their congressmen demanding action).
He’s the best prisoner extraction tool we could hope for.
tomndebb: Until he screws up once. Then we’ll see how effective he is.
Don’t like JJ.