Why We Needed Van Jones On The Inside

Melissa Harris-Lacewell: His Resignation As "Green Jobs Czar" Is A Setback For Environmental Justice

(The Nation)  Melissa Harris-Lacewell, an associate professor of politics and African-American studies at Princeton University,

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In March, I wrote here on The Notion in celebration of the appointment of Van Jones. I am both politically committed to and academically interested in issues of environmental justice. Jones' appointment was a clear victory for the EJ movement.

The modern environmental justice movement emerged more than three decades ago. Its fight has been centered on two important issues: the disproportionate impact of local decisions that site polluting industries and undesirable land uses in poor and minority communities, and the damaging health effects of urban pollution on black and brown citizens.

Distinct from the earlier conservation movement, EJ linked environmental injustice to racial injustice. It opened a new era of civil rights activism in many localities and created new Latino, African American, and Native American leaders who became important, if largely unknown, actors in green activism. EJ organizing was often done by ordinary men and women in Southern rural and Northern urban areas. These were not middle-class "race leaders" dictating a particular political agenda, instead these were truly grassroots organizing efforts focused around immediate concerns and readily identifiable problems.

Still, these decentralized movements have not been understood as central to green politics. Conservation and climate-change environmentalism has dominated both federal policy and the national imagination. The local movements were often effective in blocking specific land use decisions, but largely ineffective in creating coherent national policy agendas.

The early months of the Obama administration seemed likely to change that reality. Van Jones embodied a new civil rights agenda combining concerns of racial equality with labor fairness and environmental sustainability. Along with the appointment of Lisa Jackson to head the EPA, it appeared the Obama administration was prepared to elevate environmental justice concerns to equal billing along with climate change environmentalism. It seemed one outcome of this presidency was that black politics was turning green.

There are likely to be real political consequences for the Obama administration as a result of Jones' exit. John Nichols calls it "an unnecessary and unwise surrender." Baratunde Thurston likens it to "negotiating with terrorists." They identify Jones' resignation was hasty, unnecessary, and ultimately more distracting than useful.

But it is not the politics of this episode that trouble me most. I am most concerned with the substantive consequences. The EJ movement was just beginning to gain a foothold in national politics, just beginning to develop a more cohesive and identifiable national platform, and Jones' position within the White House was important to those efforts.

With all due respect to Arianna Huffington who thanks Glenn Beck and welcomes Jones back to the "outside" where his voice will somehow be more effective, I believe this resignation is a kick in the gut to the EJ movement.

Huffington seems to believe Jones will be more effective lobbying for progressive environmental interests from some place other than the West Wing. While I appreciate that Jones is now unfettered from the overly conciliatory Obama administration, this perspective strikes me as hopelessly naïve and stunningly uninformed about the history of environmental justice.

Activism, community organizing, expression of local interests, and development of indigenous leadership has always been where EJ is at its best. In fact, Jones is a latecomer to that activism, not the leader of it. The limitation of the environmental justice movement has been its decentralization, limited policy agenda, and lack of access of government power. EJ critic Christopher Foreman even asserts that grassroots advocacy is the movement's only real accomplishment, claiming it has made no significant policy contributions.

Jones was an important ambassador of EJ to the White House. Not only did his position bring a particular kind of beltway legitimacy to EJ claims, but his presence might have helped close the "green gap" between black American concerns with pollution, land use, and health issues and the broader green movement concerns with global climate change. Linking those initiatives is critical to truly fair and comprehensive policies of sustainability.

Environmental justice advocates have already perfected outsider strategies, we needed Jones on the inside.

[marketmymark]

Oh, I get it...Melissa Harris-Lacewell is a Professor of African American Studies....it all makes perfect sense now. No black person will be able to do ANY wrong in her eyes. She will staunchly defend a "brutha" no matter what.

Well, at least we know what CBS considers important in hiring. Race-haters...people who like to divide based on their beliefs of color, NOT of the character of the person. Van Jones' character is of the WORST kind.

I'm SOOOOOO glad he's the heck outta there! See ya! Ha Ha!!!

[crazyVirgo]

WHERE IS THE NEWS ON ACORN CBS?? THIS IS SOME SERIOUS (S)HIT!!!

[Questionews]

?How's that capitalism working out for you??



Pretty well over the last hundred years or so!

How's that getting fired for being an idiot thing working out for you.

[christieann]

Amazing how hypocritical the left wingers are. If this had been a white republican, he'd have been crucified. To argue this is insane, if people including 'his holiness obama,' want to defend or remain silent about this racist communitisic person, what can those who still believe in the American ideals and principles say? We're headed for the demise of this great nation.

[William_Harris]

I'm glad that America is finally waking up to who the real racists are in this country, people like Van Jones and Professor Gates.

[Orlandojon]

His resignation is a victory for the American citizen. We don't need radical self-proclaimed marxists in the White House

[harm2222]

This message is for CBS!!! Tell the WHOLE story!!!!! We all know Van Jones is a Communist he said it him self!!

[jimbob133]

african american studies how smart do you have to be to get this job if your black. why not american history . This shows who the racist are. They live in lolo land.

[ucjb]

Good bye and good riddance to that Commie! Van Jones is a black radical and should have never been allowed to be near the White House. I no longer believe Obama, he has surrounded himself with Commies and Socialist that hate Capitalism. First, Bill Ayers then Jeremiah Wright and now Van Jones, so how many other subversives are employed by the White House?

[doctorfixit-2009]

Let's combine race baiting, class warfare, environmental fraud, and marxist ideology - voila! "Environmental justice". Van Jones is a vicious racist, with no knowledge of real environmental science. He is a communist and a bigot. A "green job" is a do-nothing government patronage job. The Color of Changed Diapers was a smear job against a real American. Good riddance to Obama's commie garbage czar.

[pbdalton]

Van Jones needed to be removed from the WhiteHouse. The sad part is that Obama did not disapprove of Jones, Why? because Obama wants to really change America into a total communist, socialist nation, destroy our freedom's, rape the constitution. We will not be safe until Obama is our of the WhiteHouse. It is nice to see that a Federal Judge is willing to have a trial and force Obama to prove he was born in the US. He will have to release his "long form" and if he does not, be held in contempt of court, face removal from office, and should Obama be found not be have been born in this nation, then EVERYTHING he has done will be null and void.

[cebling-2009]

You really don't know how our judicial system works do you? The Federal Judge you pin your hopes on will dismiss the case as as being without merit you crazy birther. As for turning the US into a "communist, socialist nation", you need to adjust your tin foil hat. BTW which is it, communist or socialist? It can't be both. Or don't you understand what either term means?

[inketolstoy]

"As for turning the US into a "communist, socialist nation", you need to adjust your tin foil hat. BTW which is it, communist or socialist? It can't be both. Or don't you understand what either term means?"

I think you need to loosen your own tinfoil hat,cebling-2009. If you read your communist manifesto like Van Jones did while he was in prison, you would know that according to Marx socialism as one step in the progression to a classless (communist) society. Or go on attacking people with words you don't understand, just regurgitate.

[scardimo]

He's a self-proclaimed communist and a 9-11 Truther. Shouldn't the president be judged on the quality of the people he surrounds himself with as well as his own actions? Environmental justice is just another name for reparations.

[cebling-2009]

"He, and the rest of Obama's "czars" are a direct threat to our nation's Constitution and democracy."

- Richard Nixon coined the phrase and appointed the first "czar" during his administration. Every president since then has had "czars". I guess that godless communism extends to the republican party as well.

Obama must be held to account for his criminal activities.

- Name one.

[victorvvv]

Interesting, Mellissa Harris Lacewell does not mention once about the reason people are upset with him , His statements and views Republicans are ******** ! or Bush allowed Sept, 11 th come on now Mellissa Harris Lacewell if that's all fine with you , your the ******** !

[victorvvv]

Interesting, Mellissa Harris Lacewell does not mention once about the reason people are upset with him , His statements and views Republicans are ******** ! or Bush allowed Sept, 11 th come on now Mellissa Harris Lacewell if that's all fine with you , your the ******** !

[WindyCityMarine]

The writer of this article is an obvious racist. She claims a principle goal of the "modern environmental justice movement ... has been centered on two important issues: the disproportionate impact of local decisions that site polluting industries and undesirable land uses in poor and "minority communities," and the damaging health effects of urban pollution on "black and brown citizens."

There are many Americans who deserve protection from environmental injustice Ms. Harris-Lacewell. Not only minorities. I'm ashamed that CBS prints this rubbish.

[anonimaz]

I lament the fact that racism taints so much of any discussion these days.
Sheesh, I wish you folks would quit inserting race into EVERYTHING.

[steadfist]

agree, who said Obama is white? unreal.

[64Doug]

I agree, but it is the liberal who baits race. Listen to Keith Overbit, Ed Schultz, all of the left. Anythiny less than full agreement with Obama equates to white racism. It is ridiculous. This is a classic Statist tactic to divide and conquer. I find myself embarrassed when I have to describe a person of another color because I have no idea who will be offended.

[thebob-bob]

Republicans and the right-wing crazies call anything less than anti-government, pro-corporate kow-towing Communist or socialist or un-American. They would have everyone believe that absolutely pure, unbridled capitalism (as practiced during the late 1800's Robber Baron age) is the only pure "American" path. As if there hasn't been any evolution in social/political thought since then.

They're wrong. The deranged extremists on the right, fed by the corporate right wing press, had done America a disservice here. They wrecked the economy, started unnecessary wars, have tried to block needed reforms and were soundly thrown out of a government they claim to despise in the last election. Time for them to shut it and let the adults fix the mess they made of the country.

Fear, Hatred, Distortion and Division is all they have to offer. It's time for the MSM to call them on their bad behavior.

[steadfist]

you are one sick puppy. this president and his corrupt czars and all that surround him are all about division. just look at the people who surround him with their views.

[missheidi]

This is frightening that an arrogant nutjob like Van Jones could be appointed to this high level job by Obama. The network news stations especially NBC should be ashamed of themselves for ignoring this scandal.

[SmileyBrooks]

I hate the fact that this is more about race than it is about the environment. If the approach is what's best for one color or race over another, it is doomed in my book. Has everyone forgotten the "WE" in Change We Can Believe In? Until WE learn it is one team, one fight, we will continue to be divided by our own deeds.

[steadfist]

race, what are you talking about?> We're talking about a man appointed by the president who thinks we desevered 9/11. What does color have to do with it?

[64Doug]

That ended when he appointed all the same cronies from the Clinton Era. He renigged on his own campaign.