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Jesse Jackson Slams Obama for “Acting Like He’s White” in Jena 6 Case
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ShareSeptember 19, 2007 11:10 AM
ABC News' Jonathan Greenberger and Susan Caraher report: After Rev. Jesse Jackson described Sen. Barack Obama as acting "white" following Obama's response to the racially charged "Jena 6" case, Jackson Wednesday reaffirmed his support for the Illinois senator's presidential bid.
'[Obama] has remarkably transcended race," said Jackson. "However the impact of Katrina and Jena makes America's unresolved moral dilemma of race unavoidable. I think jena is another defining moment of the issue of race and the criminal justice system. This issue requires direct and bold leadership."
The State newspaper reported Tuesday Jackson saying at South Carolina's Benedict College,"If I were a candidate, I'd be all over Jena."
Last week, Obama issued his first two statements on the case, which involved six black teenagers who were charged first with attempted murder, then battery, after their actions in a schoolyard brawl left a white teenager with a black eye and concussion. The first of the six teens to be tried was convicted in July of aggravated battery and faced up to 15 years in jail. He was due to be sentenced later this month, although his conviction was overturned by a Louisiana appeals court last week.
In those statements, Obama called the case a "tragedy" and asked the district attorney to drop what he called "the excessive charges brought in this case." Obama later praised the appeals court’s decision in overturning the first teen's conviction.
But when Obama was asked about the case a week earlier, on Sept. 5 at a campaign event in Storm Lake, Ia., he appeared visibly uncomfortable by the question and said the teens “appear to have been railroaded into a very difficult situation” but would not say what remedy he hoped to see in the case.
"My staff is right now looking into the details of the case to see potentially what role the federal government would have in sorting through and in providing justice there," Obama said at the time.
September 19, 2007 in Tancredo, Tom | Permalink | User Comments (224)
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Is it possible for Jesse Jackson to make a more insensitive, derogatory, racially motivated comment? Maybe he should beat Obama senseless to rally the people around him. :) This is like an old record skipping. Thank goodness no one plays records anymore.
Posted by: Sean O'Brien | Sep 19, 2007 11:59:55 AM
Jesse Jackson has lost his mind he is the one that keeps stirring the pot on all these 'racially motivated' issues. come on, Obama doesn't know about everything that is happening all over the US. he is running for president he does not want to come off all for blacks rights...that's immature and totally wrong. i don't think Obama is experienced enough but Jesse is way out of line to 'Uncle Tom' Obama.
Posted by: lalonartist | Sep 19, 2007 12:14:50 PM
Well, he is half-white, is he not?
Posted by: Dan Green | Sep 19, 2007 12:21:14 PM
Who actually listens to Jesse Jackson? He is such a joke.
Posted by: kt | Sep 19, 2007 12:21:16 PM
Jackson is right. Obama is evading the issue. A simple question he can't answer truthfully.
Posted by: UBL | Sep 19, 2007 12:23:40 PM
Jesse Jackson couldn't run if he tried. He's a racist and a hypocrite. He should just keep his opinions to himself because no one is listening to him except the news media.
Posted by: Ruth | Sep 19, 2007 12:24:30 PM
As someone else pointed out, Obama is half white so if he is, in fact, acting white shouldn't that be ok? If he were acting black...whatever that is...would that be just as bad? Apparently not in Jackson's eyes.
Posted by: Brad | Sep 19, 2007 12:27:43 PM
Black, white, brown, yellow, who cares...when is Jesse Jackson going to start acting like a man & a human being? Jesse Jackson is the most self-serving individual on the face of the earth!!
Posted by: Bryce Mirtle | Sep 19, 2007 12:29:19 PM
More proof that you can say anything and get away with it as long as you are black and have "Reverend" in front of your name. Jesse Jackson loves to promote racism. . . it keeps him in business.
Posted by: Jim | Sep 19, 2007 12:29:48 PM
Yes. Hes half white. Which means hes black enough to not be able to say the kids in the case are being mistreated or Obama's white constituents will think hes "one of them".
Posted by: Jerry | Sep 19, 2007 12:33:13 PM
so-called "reverend" jesse jackson is an idiot. how long are we going to accept his hate, racism and hypocracy? he needs to be legitimately employed.
Posted by: kenny | Sep 19, 2007 12:33:51 PM
What the hell is "acting white"?
Posted by: Tony | Sep 19, 2007 12:34:05 PM
Jackson comes to the aid of these kids, who are clearly being charged because they are black, and like simpleton white people do so well, accuse Jackson of being "racist".
Posted by: Burnsby | Sep 19, 2007 12:37:37 PM
If the situation were reversed, and 6 white teens attacked a black teen, they'd be charged with so-called "hate crimes" (read: thought crimes). Otherwise, Jackson would be pushing for such charges to be brought.
By the way, what does "acting white" mean? I'd like Jesse to define it - does it mean being successful, intelligent, mainstream, not using slang? Now THAT's racist.
Posted by: Eric | Sep 19, 2007 12:39:50 PM
Why does he say, "acting like he's white" like it is a bad thing? Does he not realize that the majority of the people in this country and the majority who will vote are white? So lets act like white people are evil and the root of all the problems in the black community and then scream racism when no white people vote for you. That makes sense.
Posted by: Jason | Sep 19, 2007 12:41:48 PM
If that comment is not blatantly racist, then no comment is. Why aren't the media and black leaders calling Jackson to task for the racist remark? So, let me get this straight, only whites fail to wholeheartedly support the Jena 6 defendants? Wow...and the media just keep letting black political leaders get away with their racism; as I think about it, what compounds the matter is that in addition to letting them get away with their racism against whites, the media also then highlights every single cause and protest held by these same political leaders. Apparently, they can do no wrong, and when they do, the media just turns their collective head the other way and simply "reports" the factual matter without holding the racist black speaker accountable. It's a farcical double standard in this day and age.
Posted by: bob | Sep 19, 2007 12:42:13 PM
Jesse is not the "tree" which brings forth branches, but he thinks he is.
Posted by: Deborah | Sep 19, 2007 12:44:38 PM
Also, if he ever came to the defense of one person who wasn't black then maybe people wouldn't think he was racist. How about an apology to the Duke lacrosse players? Give us some sign that you aren't racist. I would give him a lot more credit if he said something along the lines that even though the attacks were obviously racially driven and the victim was beaten in a brutal crime. I feel that the punishment is too severe (which I agree with). At least admit the kids did something wrong.
Posted by: Jason | Sep 19, 2007 12:46:25 PM
Burnsby...clearly being charged because they're black? I thought they were being charged for assault. You should take that act on the road buddy.
Posted by: Brad | Sep 19, 2007 12:47:12 PM
Jesse Jackson is a hater. He's just mad because he can't even get near the position of power Obama is in.
Posted by: Miguel | Sep 19, 2007 12:47:58 PM
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