But because of Jesse's heightened position in the media, what he said about cutting Obama's nuts off seemed almost insane.  His comments are more than strange, especially in the context of the way American society has always feared and been allured by the black man's genitalia--from it being cut off before a lynching to lynch parties gathering because a white woman made a false accusation of rape against a black man and on to the more contemporary phenomenon of "Mandigo parties" (if you don't know what they are, look it up).

Jesse's statement was more than a little disturbing when you consider this country's past.

It makes you wonder what in the hell was Jesse thinking about?  I'm sure there are greater thinkers who will tackle the psychology and motivation for Jesse's statement in a much better way than I ever could.

But what Jesse Jackson said was so ridiculous and not only that, but he did something that I've been praying he and other civil rights leaders of old wouldn't do. He has put comments out there that'll give all the wrong people--to be blunt, those specific people who like to see this sort of conflict, especially between two prominent black people-- the ammunition they need to try to exploit the connection blacks have developed with Obama. 

Ever since the Clintons squandered the popularity they held with black voters during the primary season by perpetrating outrageously racist behaviors and comments, the wrong people have been waiting for that inroad among blacks.

They've been sitting back waiting for anything resembling cracks.
 
I don't think they'll succeed but it doesn't mean they won't try, like in the instance on CNN yesterday where a Republican tried to make that tired accusation that somehow Obama is an elitist who thinks he's better than everyone else. This same Republican went on to say he knows it's true now because Jesse Jackson has said as much. So, he contends, probably most blacks must think that way. 
 
It's an age-old trick--take what one prominent black person said and ascribe it to all blacks. Or take something a black person has said, and say that it then legitimizes it when some person who isn't black says it, like in the instance when people redirected the conversation during the Don Imus controversy. Imus said "nappy headed hoes", black rappers say hoes, so therefore it is correct that Imus refers to black women he doesn't even know as "nappy headed hoes". Forget that it is morally and ethically wrong and forget that it was wildly inappropriate to the format Imus was in when he made the statement.  Because according to the wrong people, Imus said what he said only because now we use rappers as our proper behavior measuring stick. 
 
The wrong people are going to say now that it is okay that they say some of there disparaging, false allegations against black man #1 Barack Obama because black man #2 Jesse Jackson said it about him. So, according to them,  it must be true. 
 
Nothing that Obama has been saying in his speeches in black churches or anywhere else about personal responsibility is wrong or elitist. He wasn't talking down to black people, unlike Bill Cosby, and what he's been saying applies to anyone, black or white. And what might surprise a lot of people, and what will surprise that Republican from CNN the other day is that most blacks agree with Obama. Or so that's what my searches among black blogs and with my black friends and family have revealed to me. 
 
Jackson, in my mind, is struggling with the fact that Obama is where he is not. And because of his position, like Al Sharpton said, Obama will address issues in the manner in which a presidential candidate would--not in the way a civil rights leader would. 
 
I wish Jackson would realize that his Civil Rights work is what has laid the foundation for a black man like Obama to spring forth. Now Jesse has to realize that its time that he fall back and support what his and other black civil rights good works have given rise to. 
 
There was a condescension in Jackson's remarks that made it seem as though he knows better than Obama. I think it comes from a place of frustration and hurt over the fact that Obama was able to do what he couldn't do. It's not a jealousy, it's more of a struggle for him to figure out his new place now that we might have a black president. He doesn't know if he will still be relevant, but I can tell him right now that civil rights for all, no matter the color, but especially for blacks are still going to have to be fought for and protected across this country. 

And sadly-- like I said in a previous post--with an Obama presidency, hate will rise, attempts at infringements on civil rights of blacks will rise, and racism will rear its head even more. It already has just during this primary season, so they'll be plenty of work for a Jesse Jackson or any other civil rights activist, black or white.