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One of the most memorable images of Obama's election night acceptance speech was Jesse Jackson weeping in the crowd. He was asked to explain why he was crying, and here's what he said:
I'm not a big fan of Jesse Jackson, largely because I think he is a divisive figure who does more harm for race relations than good by often casting the issues of the day as "us vs. them." This, however, was a really nice sentiment.
He said: "Well, on the one hand, I saw President Barack Obama standing there looking so majestic.
"And I knew that people in the villages of Kenya and Haiti, and mansions and palaces in Europe and China, were all watching this young African-American male assume the leadership to take our nation out of a pit to a higher place.
"And then, I thought of who was not there,'' Jackson said. "Medgar Evers, the husband of Sister Myrlie. ...So the martyrs and murdered whose blood made last night possible. I could not help think that this was their night.
"And if I had one wish: If Medgar, or if Dr. King could have just been there for a second in time, would have made my heart rejoice. And so it was kind of duo-fold -- his ascension into leadership and the price that was paid to get him there."
"And I knew that people in the villages of Kenya and Haiti, and mansions and palaces in Europe and China, were all watching this young African-American male assume the leadership to take our nation out of a pit to a higher place.
"And then, I thought of who was not there,'' Jackson said. "Medgar Evers, the husband of Sister Myrlie. ...So the martyrs and murdered whose blood made last night possible. I could not help think that this was their night.
"And if I had one wish: If Medgar, or if Dr. King could have just been there for a second in time, would have made my heart rejoice. And so it was kind of duo-fold -- his ascension into leadership and the price that was paid to get him there."
I'm not a big fan of Jesse Jackson, largely because I think he is a divisive figure who does more harm for race relations than good by often casting the issues of the day as "us vs. them." This, however, was a really nice sentiment.
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