Out-of-Touch

What’s really going on with the Reverend Jesse Jackson? Earlier this week, Reverend Jackson attacked presidential hopeful Senator Barack Obama’s recent statements regarding the ills affecting the black community. Jackson accused Senator Obama of “talking down to black folks” when he [Senator Obama] encourages a greater emphasis on fatherhood, advised parents to choose reading books over playing videogames and encouraged young students to stick with school and forget about a career as a rap star or professional basketball player. In addition, Reverend Jackson was caught whispering, “I wanna cut his [Barack Obama’s] nuts off” during a Fox News interview.

It’s unfortunate, but it seems that Reverend Jackson has either lost touch with the problems affecting our black community, or he has chosen to ignore them. The harsh reality is that 1 out of 9 African-American males are in prison; African-Americans make up 12% of the U.S. population, but over half the prison population, and 25% more black men are in American prisons than enrolled in institutions of higher education. As a result of these grime statistics, Senator Obama is correct – parents, especially black fathers, need to take a more active role in their children and promote self respect, the pursuit of education, and a commitment to improving the community.

As far as the nuts comment, I think Reverend Jackson is guilty of being a hater. Senator Obama has obtained unparallel success outside the established black leadership circle and I believe that Reverend Jackson and some other black leaders are threatened by his meteoric raise to political prominence.