Whither Jesse?
I was at Jesse Jackson’s presidential campaign rally at the University of Oregon in 1984. I was 10. I still remember the stomping and shouting that moved me to the bone, literally and spiritually. He inspired me to think outside of my white-bred box, changing the way I think. Hopefully he won’t be having that effect on anyone today. This article by Jack White at The Root helps explain how things could be playing out this way:
Sure, Jesse is an old fool who doesn’t know how to act. But his latest gaffe shows how none of us is really ready for this moment….
….his stunningly inappropriate comments symbolize the social, political and psychological vertigo that all of us, and especially black Americans, are experiencing because of Obama’s success. We are all, including Obama, in a place we never really thought we would be, and it has knocked us off our feet. We don’t know how to act. We don’t have a plan. We’re searching for our equilibrium. And until we regain our footing, we can expect all sorts of bizarre behavior from people who ought to know better. Hold on to your hat.
