Statement By Congressman Jesse L. Jackson, Jr.

[Sean Reynolds]

Statement By Congressman Jesse L. Jackson, Jr.
"I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slaveowners will be able to sit down together at a table of brotherhood."-- Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., March on Washington, August 28, 1963

"White folks in the South who drive pick-up trucks with Confederate flag decals on the back ought to be voting with us because their kids don't have health insurance either, and their kids need better schools too."-- Dr. Howard Dean, DNC Winter meeting, February 21, 2003

Congressman Jesse L. Jackson, Jr., today said, "This year we celebrated the 40th anniversary of Dr. King's famous speech in front of the Lincoln Memorial in 1963. Forty years later, Dr. Howard Dean is reminding us that the great task of uniting the northern black and white urban poor and working class, with the southern black and white rural poor and working class around common economic issues good health care, high quality schools, and affordable housing is the key to wrestling our democracy away from the race-oriented Republican right-wing.

"Democrats were not competitive in the South in 2000, and we have struggled to thrive, and in some instances survive, since Richard Nixon and the Republican Party began using their race-based 'southern strategy' in 1968. The use of race, cultural and social issues have served to distract voters by keeping the focus off of economic issues has been the basic strategy of Bush and the Republicans in the South. That's why they make wedge issues out of prayer in school, the Ten Commandments on public buildings, civil unions, the false allegation that Democrats will take away hunters' gun rights, choice for women, the controversy of having the words 'under God' in the Pledge of Allegiance, and the Confederate Flag. Lest we forget, the Confederate Flag is the Democratic Party's historic contribution to the South, and current Democratic candidates have not been able to figure out how to come to grips with their own historic symbol.

"Normally, rather than directly confronting poor and working class white southerners with a strong economic agenda, Democrats have tried to imitate Republicans on many of these social issues. It is good that we have a candidate offering hope to the South with an economic agenda. It is Dr. Dean who is reminding us that the combination of poor and working class blacks and whites, north and south, united in coalition around a common economic agenda of jobs, health care, education and housing will constitute a winning strategy in 2004," concluded Cong. Jackson.

http://blogforamerica.com/

[Padraig18]

1. Awesome statement!

Thanks for posting it! :hi:

[virtualobserver]

5. African-Americans will not be toyed with......

by politicians trying to gain political advantage.

Maybe Dean - Jackson might just be the ticket.

[Cha]

7. I, personally, would love something like that.

Not just for political reasons, either. I think Jesse Jr is an eloquent, passionate, articulate, non-bullshitter.

[virtualobserver]

8. He is one of the few congressmen willing to openly state that Bush stole..

the election. I went to the Rolling Thunder event in Austin last year and was very impressed with him after hearing him speak. I couldn't be happier to see him supporting Dean.

[Cha]

9. Same here..only I didn't get to hear Jesse

in Austin!

"I couldn't be happier to see him supporting Dean"

[killbotfactory]

2. Go Jesse

You rock.

[TennesseeWalker]

3. Not bad. That does help.

:)

[La_Serpiente]

4. I wonder what the Good Doctor would say today.

Dr. King wanted to bring together all the poor people in America, whether they were White or Black. Is this the best way to bring them together?

I don't know, but something needs to be done about it.

[JohnKleeb]

6. Heres a great quote on unity

Being that I dont know whats going on during this infighting and shit, I dont have an opinion, I say this I dont like the rebel flag but those people shouldnt be voting republican.
This is by Bobby Kennedy FYI, I hope you all like it much.

"What we need in the United States is not division; what we need in the United States is not hatred; what we need in the United States is not violence or lawlessness; but love and wisdom, and compassion toward one another, and a feeling of justice toward those who still suffer within our country, whether they be white or they be black ...
"Let us dedicate ourselves to what the Greeks wrote so many years ago: to tame the savageness of man and make gentle the life of this world."
Being a Bobby Kennedy fan lol and wishing so dearly although my life wouldnt had directly been affected had he been presidently, I just wish so dearly that June 4, 1968 would have been different. Personally I think Bobby nailed it right there. I am netural as I said but I think Dean made a good point about having those people vote for us.

[tsipple]

10. John Kerry & Richard Gephardt Just Set Us Back...

...But Howard Dean and Jesse Jackson, Jr. brought us back forward. Dean and Jackson are true gentlemen and statesmen.