Ask Ed & Sugar: Jealous Jesse Jackson
I was a little confused when I heard Jesse Jackson’s remarks about Barack Obama, why do you think he said those things?
Matt, Madison, WI
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SUGAR’S TAKE
Dear Matt,
I wrote a poem (circa 2000) called ‘F— Jesse’ in response to his comments about the movie ‘Barbershop’. The way I remember it he took a joke from the movie completely out of context. So I called his ass out in the great city of East Lansing (Ed and BPS produced one hell of an event) and my sentiments for him have not changed. Mr. Keep Hope Alive suffers from the sense of entitlement plaguing our civil rights leaders. Walking with Dr. King is not an automatic appointment for Black leadership. No dis to what Jesse has done, but the days of sit ins and marches are over. While we’re being disobedient civilians our white brethren are in Washington meeting with lawmakers. Our ancestors have done their work, Dr. King and many others did their work, it is time for us to do ours. Jesse Jackson is out of touch and is reluctant to pass the baton…maybe he’s more concerned with his pockets.{/column1}
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ED’S TAKE
Peace Brother Matt,
Jesse Jackson is an extended metaphor for the adversarial relationship between civil rights heads and younger generations; including hip hop heads. If anything, Jackson’s comments are anchored in jealously. Why, because being the HNIC often yields fat checks/payoffs. Plus, without a platform and face time in the media, self appointed black spokesmen have a hard time shaking down corporations with claims of discrimination and commanding outlandish fees on the speaking circuit.Senator Barack Obama’s rise has marked the death of old school leaders whose inflated sense of self, attention seeking antics, and out of touch “march happy” politics have isolated them from contemporary Black America. While Jackson’s historic contributions cannot be ignored, and I am grateful for anyone who put their life on the line for the struggle, he really needs to sit on the sidelines, sip some sweet tea, and accept the fact new blood is upon us.{/column2}
Got a question; email us at askedandsugar@afrostoshelltoes.com.
About Sugar Between catching the uptown train to conduct “we luv the kids” writing workshops to dancing rumba on the lower eastside, Sugar Johnson flaunts his creative freedom in various mediums. The actor, vocalist, and educator have not only shared the stage with prolific artists such as The Last Poets, M-1 of Dead Prez, Jessica Care Moore, and Spike Lee, but he also labors to cultivate the forgotten souls of Rikers Island. Johnson made his film debut in Dave Chappelle’s Block Party. The ASCAP member holds a B.A. in Mathematics from DePauw University and will release the poetry collection Food Clothes and Shelter on his imprint Home Grown Publishing, LLC in 2008.
About Ed Award winning writer, educator, counselor, and activist Edward M. Garnes, Jr. is the founder of From Afros to Shelltoes: Art, Action, and Conversation, a nationally acclaimed series of cultural productions confronting the social divide between elders and hip hop heads, and holds a B.A. in English Writing from DePauw University and a M.A. in Counseling from Michigan State University . His seminal essay, ” Sweet Tea Ethics: Black Luv, Healthcare, and Cultural Mistrust,” currently appears in Not In My Family: AIDS in the African American Community, a 2007 NAACP Image Award nominated collection edited by Gil Robertson. (www.afrostoshelltoes.com).
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