Jackson: "Big Subject" for a Small Meeting

(CBS)  The Rev. Jesse Jackson said he hopes that the upcoming White House meeting between two men embroiled in a controversial arrest incident will move beyond the specifics of the case and toward a national discussion on ending racial profiling.

Appearing on CBS' "The Early Show," Rev. Jackson said that the Thursday meeting of Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates Jr. and Cambridge Police Sgt. James Crowley, brokered by President Barack Obama, should be bigger than the meeting of men caught in the national spotlight.

"It's a big subject for a small meeting," Rev. Jackson told "Early Show" anchor Harry Smith. "If Rosa Parks and James Blake, the bus driver, had met at the White House and did not deal with the issue of the accommodations, it would have been personal and not politics. And so, this issue of Dr. Gates being a victim of excessive force and bad judgment is a much bigger subject."

Rev. Jackson said that the 1955 arrest of Rosa Parks for refusing to give up her seat on a bus in Montgomery, Ala., raised the public debate about disparities in public accommodations and the right to vote. He said the Gates case "should open up the issue of pervasiveness of race profiling, of the subprime lending struggle.

"I wish at some point the president would meet with Countrywide and Wells Fargo, for example; most of these subprime housing lending was driven by race profiling."

Rev. Jackson said racial profiling is evident not just in police profiling but in sentencing disparities by judges.

"This is a teachable moment," he said, for America to address the issue of profiling. "Racial profiling is deadly, it's costly, expensive and really bad for your health."

"Will it always be this way, or will there be a time in America when we're color blind, when we are class blind, when we're gender blind, when we're disability blind?" asked Smith.

"No one desires to be blind," Rev. Jackson replied. "We should be conscious and we should be caring."

He noted that the woman who originally placed the 911 call did not say anything about a black man entering a home. "The overreaction is a matter to be dealt with in days to come."

Rev. Jackson said the president tried to reduce an "explosive situation" by addressing the arrest and then inviting the men at the center of the controversy to Washington.

"I hope this kicks off a real concern about how to close what President Obama calls a structural inequality. That means enforcing civil rights law. It really means stopping racial profiling, as it comes to enforcing and funding civil rights law, contract compliance, affirmative action.

"And what makes this issue so explosive is that it is so pervasive, it is so illegal and so immoral, and it must be stopped."

Rev. Jackson said he hoped the discussion would move beyond the meeting of the president with Dr. Gates and Sgt. Crowley and towards ending racial profiling.

"Each agency of government has a real role to play in ending institutional, structural, expensive racial profiling," he said.

[wanxialiao]

I could have been more sympathetic about that Obama was forced to retract his comment on Prof. Gates false arrest by the White police officer, short of a formal apology. But I truly believe that the President and those Black elites in high positions, got what they deserve. For they, although black in color, have already made themselves part of the White racism towards other people of color like me.

In my case, these two Black judges tyrannized me for the White racism in the US criminal justice system challenged in my case, even conspired to commit crimes of forgery, false statements, etc., to set up my case for dismissal on ?procedural defects? to save the White racist authorities from my civil rights challenge. They acted even more viciously, mercilessly, and shamelessly than the White judges towards me, without any concern of decency. Perhaps they know that is what the White elites need them for: to act out the most indecent and most vicious tyrannizing acts, including crimes, towards other not-their-own-kind of people of color for the White racism as its pawns, puppets, so that the White racism can get disguised under their Black colors. For the same reason, all the most overt tyrannizing acts including crimes against me by officials within the justice systems, no matter in US or Canada, have been all committed by the racial minorities ? Blacks, Jews, Native Indians, Chinese, Latinos, etc. That makes one wonder if this is a meaningful explanation for their ?racial minorities? status and their past and present fate.

So as far as my concern, these Black elites like Obama are already not Blacks, but ?House Servants? of the White elites, who wilfully and intentionally conduct themselves as part of the White racism. It is only ironic for me to see that the House Servants got a slap on wrist by their masters. And since they play by the racial line themselves, they have no justifiable reason to cry racism for the Whites acting on their own racial lines.

http://www.wliao.150m.com

[kodiak8881]

The only racial profiling that was going on was with Gates. I've read reports, listened to the witnesses, and listened to the 911 call. NO ONE but Gates is attacking anyone. And Obama lost it by getting involved and choosing sides -just like Jackson has - without ANY knowledge. By the way, MSNBC is no better. I listened to a white commentator (name withheld) last night who still calls the police "stupid" even with all the facts proving just the opposite. African American's are victims of people like Jesse Jackson who makes money and gets lots of fame by stirring the anti-white pot. Enough is enough. Obama and Gates need to grow up.

[thecatsmeow5]

Sgt. Crowley's the only one who's being racially profiled. It's a shame the police can't do their job anymore without being questioned on everything they do. Sgt. Crowley risked his life in trying to determine if this man was a burglar or not and now he's being raked over the coals for just doing his job. Where has 'common sense' gone in this country???

[kodiak8881]

Ditto. Couldn't agree more!

[hamiltongrad]

Who was racially profiling ? Was it Prof. Gates ?

[ramos1129]

This is a teachable moment," he said, for America to address the issue of profiling. "Racial profiling is deadly, it's costly, expensive and really bad for your health."

---------------------------------------------

Folks like Jackson have their own adgenda. Only a foolish person could possibly see the issue of race in this incident. The incident boils down to this. A woman sees two men breaking into a house; she never mentions black; Crowley and Figueroa are dispatched to handle the case; the officers see that the door had been forced. Using procedure and their own common sense, Crowley enters with Figueroa following. Crowley encounters a black man in the house. Rather than cooperate with the police, the black man curses them and it takes repeated requests to get him to finally identify himself (Gates who lives there). Gates goes on to berate the very people who risked their lives to protect his property. He follows them outside of the house berating the officers. A large crowd is growing. Gates will not calm down even though several officers try to calm him down (one is a police black sergeant). Finally, Crowley has had enouch and arrests Gates on a disorderly charge. Gates's contacts effect his release very quickly at the station house.

Lessons? Several. One - the police will risk their lives to protect citizens; they are due proper respect and cooperation. When you are arrested (and you are wrong) get a good lawyer and let him handle the situation.

None of the above were followed. Gates was clearly in the wrong. Race never played a part in this incident.

[hamiltongrad]

Another question is, what is the good Professor teaching in his class ?
After teaching a certain world view , did he come to believe it, and over react to a group of police who were just there to help ?

[tunaatlast]

jesse Jackson, a little fish in a Big pond

[ChuckInTX]

Shame on CBS for giving Racist Jackson a pulpit. How tragic for the African-American community to have Jackson and Sharpton claiming to be their voice! No one since Martin Luther King has been a real leader, preaching a positive message about potential and achievement. Jackson and Sharpton are self-serving opportunists who preach racist hate and entitlement. Blacks who buy into their pitch hold themselves back from achievements like Powell, Obama and so many others.

[tunaatlast]

YES!YES!YES

[hamiltongrad]

you have to be kidding me. shame on CBS.

[tunaatlast]

i thought Racial profling was when you are questioned or stopped because of your color and there is no reason for the stop or aprehension. GUESS WHAT FOLKS11 THE OFFICER WAS RESPONDING TO A 911 CALL ABOUT SOMEONE TRYING TO BREAK INTO A HOUSE. gates shouldn't have been beligerant to an officer just doing what he is paid to do. I don't deny that racial profiling goes on and it is wrong. BUT, Guess what! look at the records most crime is perpetrated by blacks.

[Oregon_State_OSU]

The Rev. Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton are has beens. Just When is some Young Smart Educated Black Person going to step up to the plate and knock these TWO jokers off their high horse. They are both jokes and not the voice of Back Americans any more.

Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton are has beens and its time for them to GO !

[mike4431]

I think that most just have this all wrong. If you look at all the witness statments, radio conversations, ect. none of this is about anything other than the boy (man) that cried wolf and got caught. Now he and his friends are trying to put a spin on this. And how did those charges get dropped without a judge?? Although I could be wrong, but it does make sense to me. I think the big looser here is Obama loosing more and more voters.