Jesse Jackson urges people to direct their Katrina frustrations into activ

[sabra]

http://www.cbc.ca/cp/world/051015/w101550.html

Jesse Jackson urges people to direct their Katrina frustrations into activism

WASHINGTON (AP) - Americans frustrated by the slow response to victims of Hurricane Katrina should channel their energy to changing their communities, Jesse Jackson told thousands gathered for the 10th anniversary of the Million Man March.

"We need millions more to act and react to what we saw in the gulf," the civil rights leader said. "Images were burned into our consciousness."

In 1995, the march called on black men to take responsibility for improving their families and communities. Women, whites and other minorities had not been invited back then, but all were welcome to the Millions More Movement, which intends to build on those principles and push people to build a movement for change locally and nationally.

Dozens of speakers - academics, activists and media pundits - took the microphone at the National Mall for a few minutes each. A speaker from a black gay group, added to the roster at the last minute, also spoke.

[dretceterini]

1. To my mind

Jackson, Sharpton and Fahrakkan have zero credability. I think they are all racist

[Judi Lynn]

2. They have reacted to racism.

They speak from the perspective of people who have known what racism looks like personally.

If you don't have anything better to do with your time, it's a good time to reexamine your priorities.

[Pepper32]

4. Then you must have a "beautiful mind" (eom)

[expatriot]

10. any examples of this racism?

their racial perspective has been forged by the fires of racism.

if you equate the "racism" of minority identity politics with the racism of the hegemonic classes fear of their former Moor slaves let loose... then it says more about you than them.

[dretceterini]

11. It's not the same

but it is still racism. Wasn't Fahrakkan behind a movement for all blacks to go back to Africa? Didn't Sharpton and Jackson back Michael Jackson and OJ Simpson? Do you actually think that there was no "race card" played?...and what about all the anti-Jewish remaks over the years by Jackson and Sharpton?...and on, and on....

[expatriot]

13. define "race card"

Would it have been "playing the race card" to have said back in the day that black men in the south were getting lynched "because they are black?" Now I am not necessarily agreeing with Sharpton and Jackson on their stances on MJ and OJ (I will take your word for it that they suppported both)... but if one earnestly thought they were being singled out because of their (the accused's) race and they said as such, then is that playin the "race card."

It seems to me that accusing someone of playing the "race card" is to deny that racial issues still exist in this country.

[dretceterini]

16. of course racial issues still exist

but the exist on ALL sides of the equasion. Bigotry is rampant not only in regard to race, but in regard to a lot of issues.

[anaxarchos]

23. I was not aware...

that Reverend Jackson had ever been accused of lynchings. I did not know that Reverend Sharpton was responsible for perpetual social inequality. I had not heard that Minister Fahrakkan had disenfranchised millions of citizens.

There was a time when the word "racism" referred to something more than talk or "attitude" but instead pointed to those who through their actions (and speech) perpetrated and condoned a specific system of inequality. During that time, your "observations" would have been more offensive than the N-word.

Lucky thing there has been so much "racial progess"...

[dretceterini]

24. I'm sorry

but I do think things have changed for the better, at least to some degree in the last 50 years...and the bigotry exists amongst people of ALL races and spiritual beliefs. Why continually look back and not look forward. There are jerks on ALL sides of this situation, and I jsut happen to believe that the three I mentioned are amongst them.

[Tomee450]

12. They have

zero credibilty only to people who believe blacks should remain second class citizens and should never demand equal rights.

[expatriot]

15. agreed.

thinking people may be critical one aspect of one person's politics, strategy, morals, etc. but still value the central cause and principles they stand for and fight for... but to cast such a wide net with a blanket statement of "zero credibility" over three of the "biggest" names of the current day black civil rights movement is a suspicious at best.

[goclark]

18. I'm with you expatriot

These "wide net" blanket statements fascinate me.

I wonder if they really listened to the speech.

99% of what was said by Farrakan today I have read at DU in many threads.

Now I get it! It's OK if it is said by a White Person but when a Black man in America can stand in the Washington Mall and dare to call for the impeachment of GWB and the NeoCons, that's not OK. Huuum

[cantstandbush]

3. One thing for sure, they never led our children into an unjust war

and caused the deaths of thousands and ruined the economic future of our grandchildren.

Jackson's personal credibility is not much with me either but his political credibility (delivering hostages alone and without the help of the US government) and his message as a Presidential candidate (which he could say now "I told you so.") are very credible with me.

[pitohui]

5. president jackson or sharpton would look pretty good right abt now

24 hrs to get aid to pakistan earthquake victims, 5 days to get aid to new orleans hurricane victims

something tells me pres. jackson or sharpton would have done MUCH better

[CountAllVotes]

6. President Jesse Jackson

I've been a long time supporter Of the Rev. Jackson. When he ran for president about 15+ years ago they asked him if he was "done" so to speak.

I remember he said at that time, "The fire still burns!"

Run Jesse Run!!!

I would really like to see him go for it in 2008. Maybe JJ's time has come at last.

[JanusAscending]

7. I WONDER???

How many of us white Democratic Americans took the time to watch and listen to the Millions More event in Washington DC today, before they cast their judgments? Having been married to a wonderful man for almost 40 yrs.,who just happened to be African American, I felt the need to LISTEN to all that was said today. I have always admired the "outspokenness" of Jesse Jackson because he's always backed up his words with ACTION. And Al Sharpton??? God Bless his heart! He surely was given the right name. He's just as "sharp as a tack" and always has a quick comeback, and isn't afraid to tell it LIKE IT IS!! I will admit, I have never had very much respect for Louis Farrakhan. He has always frightened me in the past, because of his political persuasions; but, after having listened to his whole speech today, although I still don't accept his politics, he had a lot to say about this administration that we all have been saying since Bush stole two elections. He had the courage to come out and say what we've all been thinking. I'm praying that perhaps some of our Dem. leaders watched and listened as well, and will be encouraged to speak out as loudly. Any of you who think these men today were only racists, trying to incite racial strife in this country, ARE DEAD WRONG!! I tend to think that by putting the many FACTS in "our face" that our underlying racism within ourselves is rising up and out of our mouths ,therefore showing our "true feelings" It's time we all recognize this, in our very souls, and take a look in the mirror, and ask ourselves, "WHAT AM I AFRAID OF"? Is it the truth that frightens us? The Good Book says the truth will set us free!! I think it's time for freedom for all of us, after all, we are all one family of man.

[Judi Lynn]

8. I saw some of it, joining it somehwere in Louis Farakhan's speech.

It was excellent. Too bad some people don't take the time to think things over. It would save everyone so much trouble.

Welcome to D.U., discerning christian!

[JanusAscending]

9. Thank you JudiLynn !!!

I've completely enjoyed the chance to share my thoughts and feelings on DU! Have made many new friends (and a few enemies, very few thank the Lord) As a woman who has lived almost 67 yrs, and was "born a Democrat" it's amazing how many versions there are of what being a Democrat means. Especially a Liberal one. If I were to say I had NO Prejudices, I'd be lying through my teeth. I have very little patience with bigotry, and just plain "dumbness" of the ilk of closed minded people. Other than that, I believe in "live and let live" Whatever floats your boat. I really think peoples "opinions" should be taken as just that, and not fact because, THEY believe it so. That said, I guess that's why they refer to our Party as "a big tent"!! We share different opinions, but hopefully ONE GOAL!! It's a pleasure to meet you dear, and thanks for the support with your post!! P.S. when I tried to open your "image" I was told it was forbidden!!??

[Judi Lynn]

17. Don't know what could have gotten you that "forbidden" response,

discerning christian, unless you hadn't logged in at the time you clicked on it. That may have caused the problem. I just checked it myself, and it worked.

(Hope this doesn't mean someone has decided to hand me a "tombstone,"
and they haven't gotten around to telling me, yet! This would be a hard way to find out....)

[JanusAscending]

20. Hello again!

I stay logged in at all times, so that couldn't have been it. Now on your latest post, I clicked on the image and got a picture of two stick figures seemingly laughing in front of a "tombstone"! Is that in fact what was on the previous post? On that one I'm still getting "ACCESS FORBIDDEN"! Just thought you'd like to know.

[Up2Late]

26. I think I know what is causing you trouble, that you might try to check...

...and fix.

It sounds to me like you have marked "Yes" to the question

Hide avatars and other images?
Select "yes" if you do not want to view avatars and other images when viewing a thread.

in your DU preferences. To check or fix this, you need to go to the top of the page and click "Options," then click "Edit your preferences," then go down to the 10th question on that page:

Hide avatars and other images?
Select "yes" if you do not want to view avatars and other images when viewing a thread.

and click "No" to that question.

I hope this helps you.

[Up2Late]

25. I think all the recent changes to the DU web site have also...

...brought a few bugs in the site software. I had a similar frightening thought the other night.

After responding with a bit of anger and venom to a very mean and rude post to a very simple question I posted, I hit "My Posts" later that night and the page came up totally empty (all of "my post" looked like they had been deleted), not a good thing and very frightening, as I really enjoy the debate here at DU.

Sometimes I get a blank page (except for a message that says something like "That option in not currently available..."), but that message is not as scary, and I think comes when the server is over loaded.

[expatriot]

14. i was just thinking the same thing, actually... how many threads

have there been in excited anticipation of the million man march compared to other recent washington marches. i am not exonerating myself, since i am guily if not more guilty than others since i did not even know that the march was today.


In fact, I just posted the following the commentary on this article on my blog before reading your psot.

"I think it is a shame that the major liberal activist groups have not called for national action campaign (marches, protests, etc.) demanding an independent Katrina Commission. I am just musing outloud here but could there be a racial divide even within the liberal activist community? Why isn't this issue number one? I think Katrina, Iraq and the Republican scandals can be easily presented as all pieces of the same puzzle."

http://americannero.blogspot.com /

[TygrBright]

19. Too right!!

>>"I think it is a shame that the major liberal activist groups have not called for national action campaign (marches, protests, etc.) demanding an independent Katrina Commission. I am just musing outloud here but could there be a racial divide even within the liberal activist community? Why isn't this issue number one? I think Katrina, Iraq and the Republican scandals can be easily presented as all pieces of the same puzzle."<<

It amazes me that the "liberal establishment" doesn't see the golden opportunity that Bushcorp's hoseup has presented. Real Americans, abandoned, betrayed, and screwed by the government that is supposed to guard their well-being, ON PRIME TIME TV!!

And we're not making this our #1 issue?

I think some "party establishment" types ::looks sideways at DNC:: think that the issue doesn't have the right 'profile' for the Party because it might be perceived as an issue of race. That may be true, now that we've dropped the ball for that very reason.

But while it was happening and in the immediate aftermath, it was made abundantly clear by everyone involved, including the African American citizens of Louisiana who got the slimy side of the lollipop on this one, that rather than being an issue of race, per se, it was an issue of CLASS... the people who were forgotton, written off, and blamed for their own misery were, first and foremost, have-nots. Invisible ones. Po' folks. Ordinary Americans who, like MILLIONS AND MILLIONS of other ordinary Americans, were barely scraping by and had no resources, no safety cushion, no way to avoid or soften the blow.

Had we jumped on it THEN, presenting it just that way, it would have been the issue of a generation for us.

Now, because the issue might have been perceived as "too narrow" or "race based," it has BECOME an issue of race. We're too damn' shit-scared to touch anything that might "bog the Party down in racial issues." We'd rather play it safe with certified "race-free" goodies like the Plame betrayal, cronygate, etc. Don't get me wrong, those are great issues. But they don't have the gut impact, the sheer visceral BITE, that the "this government doesn't care about people who 'don't matter'" would have had.

So where WAS the rest of the liberal activist community today? What a powerful statement it might have been to have support rallies, coverage by liberal media, followup and analysis in the liberal blogosphere, etc., discussing how the issues the Millions More organizers were highlighting affect ALL of us.

But no... let the black people do "their thing" over there, and we'll make a few carefully approving and/or respectful comments and get back to doing "our thing" over here.

Until "their thing" becomes "our thing," we'll never have the strength to truly move this country in a progressive direction. The progress that was made in the 1960s and 70s was made in the wake of the Civil Rights movement, at a time when a new unity and common purpose had been formed among all liberal and progressive activists. That momentum stopped, and the backward slide began, when the liberal establishment decided that we'd done the black thing, you know... it was so ten minutes ago and everything, time to move on, you black people go and take advantage of all those nice affirmative action and anti-discrimination laws and get back to us in thirty or forty years or so and let us know how it worked out for you...

I'm still grieving and rageous that we let this one slip away.

frustratedly,
Bright

[JanusAscending]

21. A BIG "RIGHT ON" on that one!

By God, I think he's got it! (or she) But that more people had thought this way! Do you think it's too late? For myself, there was a time when I wouldn't have even wanted to listen to anything Minister Farrakhan had to say, but something told me today that I needed to listen, and now I'm very grateful that I did. Even us "old folks" can still learn a thing or two!

[anaxarchos]

22. I came looking on the "Latest " page for info....

...on what was likely to have been the largest protest march in American History. This is the only thread I found. Your point is proven without exertion...