The choice words by Rev. Jesse Jackson about Obama got quite the media buzz. Jackson being a highly respected man in the African-American community, speaking negatively about the deemed "saviour" of blacks in politics took a lot of people back and left some liberals scratching their heads. Simply a lot of people where asking "why" would Jackson say that? A lot of pundits struck it up to nothing more then jealousy. I humbly disagree. The reason, I believe, is that Obama (in hopes of actually winning the darn presidency) is slowly floating away from a strictly African-American agenda- that angers people like Jackson.
The truth is Obama has no choice, he has to pander to the independents if he wants any hope of winning. By no means does he want to, I don't think. Simply, he has few other options. So goes politics, and so goes the world.
Obama stating that there's a problem in the black society, that so many young black kids are being raised without fathers is no new revelation. Good men like Bill Cosby and Juan Williams have been saying it for along time. In turn, however, many times these same men are attacked by there communities. Jackson's never been one to teach in responsibility. He's the kinda guy that points a big finger at the stars and stripes and says something like, "look what you've made us become- it should be YOUR job to fix it;" The old "woe is me" type of leader.
Obama can only play that card so much if he wants to gain the independent vote. His "tough love message" was asserted most notably in a fathers day speech in which he stated, "any ol' fool” could conceive a child –- but it takes a man to be father." Was Obama talking down to black people? Obviously not. Was he addressing a legitimate problem in the black community? Obviously, yes.
I agree with Obama that this truly is a crisis in society, there is no doubt about it. However, Obama believes that society has a whole should bear the grunt to fix it, which means the government- which means tax dollars. The Libertarian in me screams against that notion. I fail to see how tax dollars can efficiently persuade fathers to stay home and take care of their children? Can tax dollars keep a teenage boy from impregnating a girl and deciding he wants nothing to do with their kids? No, moreover, such problems were never intended to be handled by the state to begin with.
What we need is more leaders to stand up and encourage the communities. Quit propagating this "rap star" montage of worthlessness. Focus on school, college, and an in betterment of self- not feint hopes of being the next Alan Iverson or Lebron James. Especially not the next Snoop Dog or Jay-Z that glorify drugs and street life. The communities need to change their focus to change their station.
