Voter registration is still a fire in his belly
TWO decades after he ran for president, the Reverend Jesse Jackson, 74, is still shuttling across the US, speaking and registering people to vote. Shortly after he got off a flight from Los Angeles to Washington last Friday, Jackson spoke to The Washington Post about the this year’s elections, the Democrats and the importance of the African-American church in this election season.
Do you think the black church is still as credible a voice for African-Americans today as it once was?
The church is the most organised institution that blacks independently control. It is our source of consolation. It is that place where we go when babies are born and where we go when people die. The black church is built on service. It just doesn’t serve us during election time. It is a 52-weeka-year organisation.
But the church doesn’t seem to hold the same influence with young people today compared with the 1960s.
One must look at what the black church is doing, as opposed to what the white church is doing. The white church is mobilising poor white people against affordable health care. In South Carolina, they turned down $14 million in affordable health care with 1 million people in poverty. The black church is leading the drive for health care for all.
We want black churches to increase student attendance. We lose money in the schools when students don’t attend. We want churches to have voter-registration drives, and we want them to interpret from their pulpit what the stakes are. No other institution speaks to more people who vote than the church.
What should the church’s role be in this election year, and how are things going in the communities you visit?
It is not only to fight for sound values, but it is to fight powers, principalities and wickedness in high places. It means fighting for affordable health care. It means fighting to defend the poor, fighting to raise wages. It means fighting for affordable housing. It means fighting to end unnecessary wars.
How do you explain the drop (since 2008) in the number of African-Americans who are registered to vote?
We voted in record numbers when we were motivated. There was record (black) turnout in 1988. In the wake of those elections, David Dinkins became mayor of New York City, and Norman Rice became mayor of Seattle, and that laid the groundwork for Barack Obama’s victory in 2008, 20 years later.
Now the challenge is this: It is all right to target the black vote in terms of registration and target the black vote in terms of turnout, but (not to) target blacks for jobs, job-training skills, scholarships and long-term lowinterest loans. The black voter has not seen a return on his investment.
What should be done to motivate people to go to the polls?
We are motivated when we are inspired. These inner cities look like the holes of doughnuts whether it is Baltimore or Memphis. The jail population is increasing. Historically, black college budgets have decreased. ( Governments) stopped building public housing. They are foreclosing on private housing and closing hospitals. We are living in depression conditions.
Between now and Nov-
ember, what are you planning to do?
I am going to concentrate on voter registration, turnout and the issues that challenge our time. We need urban reconstruction. In Chicago, there are killings taking place, and we deserve more federal attention. It is a crisis.
Some Bernie Sanders (US senator) supporters say they just can’t vote for Hillary (Clinton). What do you say to that?
In 1968, (President Lyndon B) Johnson couldn’t get it together in time. The gap remained, and Richard Nixon eased through the gap. In 1976, Jimmy Carter and Ted Kennedy couldn’t reconnect, and Ronald Reagan eased through. This is why Clinton and Sanders must find common ground.
Do you believe that the fire will be in the belly of the black church this November?
The Republicans are not afraid of matches and fires. They are afraid of voter turnout and coalitions. We must have voter turnout and coalitions according to our needs, our hopes and not our fears. On June 28 in Chicago, ministers from across the nation are gathering to come up with an agenda for November 5.
Is the fire still in the belly of the Reverend Jesse Jackson?
I am more determined than ever to work. We have never stopped doing voter registration. Our fire has never gone out.