'The Next Big Story' from Soledad O'Brien
"...then, out of nowhere, The Reverend Jesse Jackson calls with an invitation to meet and talk and it brings my reverie to a halt. We greet warmly and sit. A young, clean-cut security guy hovers near by. He stays close enough to be summoned for a quick question but not close enough to overhear. I notice the china is clinking, like real good china. I have four small kids so I never hear that particular sound. The restaurant is on the first floor of a famous hotel and the place is nice. The Reverend Jackson begins talking in his strong Southern accent. His voice is very low. He says "call me Jesse but that's something I feel like I cannot do." I am confident he doesn't remember the first time we met. It was my job in 1989 to escort him through his live shots at WBZ TV around Boston Nelson Mandela's historic visit to the U.S. I was his "babysitter," the one making sure no other media plucked him away. He was our contributor. He whispers something. He is speaking so low I can barely hear him. I strain to get closer..."
more here: http://articles.cnn.com/2010-11-03/living/inam.soledad.book.excerpt_1_reverend-jesse-jackson-black-youth-american-morning?_s=PM:LIVING
posted by Kirk Tanter at
11/06/2010 08:34:00 pm
1 Comments:
Hi Kirk, I saw this story in a google search and wanted to comment, I think it's a matter of shades although reading further Mr. Jackson later told Miss O"Brien that he though she was of another ethnicity not black, and I state again perceptions rule us all.
You being a light skin black man must have some first hand knowledge on this issue, has it been a hindrance or negligible in your career? I'm not trying to put you on the spot Kirk, it is how it works here if not else where as well. I do predict @ some point that this will all change, there will be no blacks per se in the Americas due to most everyone being of mixed heritage, no different than it is today, because a majority of black people are of multi ethnic origin, it's just not visually apparent to each of us and that for some being Black isn;t as appealing as being german/irish or what have you... America and there by the world had been as black as apple pie etc... the phrases and gestures are heavily afro american influences so maybe that will be recognized as well someday but life is a constant change and with that newer iterations of change may bring good in the end for us all... food for thought
(old L.A. Broadcast Dept. Friend)
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