Dear Rev. Jackson,
I am writing this open letter to express to you my extreme disappointment and disgust over your recent comments concerning Senator Barack Obama. This is not the first time you have had to backtrack for saying something offensive concerning Senator Obama. Of course you apologized – you always do.
Your assertion today that Senator Obama is "talking down to black people" and that you’d like to "cut his nuts off" were not just a mistake – they are amongst the most heinous things a man could say and they reveal a deeper ill within you that troubles me. The wrong words did not simply slip out of your mouth. You meant it. You have been speaking for a living for the past 40 years and are amongst the most experienced orators in the world. You have successfully negotiated with international hostage takers. You always choose your words well…except when it concerns Senator Obama. Why is this?
As you well know, Black men regularly had their testicles cut off when lynched throughout the Jim Crow South. That you have adopted this terminology and used it so casually in reference to the man that could be the next President of the United States is sickening. You and I both know that you would already be marching and protesting and negotiating if ANY prominent white man made this statement. An apology would never suffice. You would expect consequences, repercussions, and repentance. If anyone used such physically violent terminology about President Bush, I could imagine it being a legal issue. You are a Christian minister, but you now seem to be lost in the very dirty world of American politics.
It is clear to me that you have some type of ax to grind with Senator Obama. You do not show him the type of respect that he deserves and my hunch is that you are frustrated that he is not beholden to you and did not follow the traditional path that you feel all African American leaders should follow.
When you said that Senator Obama is "talking down to black people" – I am interpreting that statement to really mean that Senator Obama is not speaking about issues like you would. You would be hard pressed to find ONE black man or woman (besides yourself) that feels like Senator Obama is speaking down to them on any issues whatsoever. It seems as if you want him to be less popular than he really is.
I have always respected your great contributions as a civil rights
leader and held meeting you and speaking alongside you at Morehouse College in
1999 as one of the highlights of my college career, but I regret to say that I am embarrased by your comments and hope that you will find a comfortable and graceful (if this is still possible) place to rest for the remainder of this campaign.
