Jackson calls on neighboring St. Joseph to lend a hand to Benton Harbor

AP ^ | 6-20-03 | James Pritchard

[Dan from Michigan]

"Biblically, it is the strongest of us who must bear the burden of the weakest of us," the civil rights activist told an audience of about 200 at a Benton Harbor community center on Friday.

Time for you to roll up yer sleeves and work then, Jesse. More than just talk too.

"Oh how glorious this community would be if St. Joe and Benton Harbor can find that common ground," he said.

St Joe has nothing to do with this riot at all. The cops were Berrien County Sheriff and Benton Township(majority black as well) Police.

"It's surrounded by affluent people, so somehow there has to be an equalization of what's going on around Benton Harbor to come into Benton Harbor,"

Why hasn't it? There's got to be a reason. My guesses are
1. Crime. Benton Harbor competes with Flint and Detroit for Michigan's highest crime rate each year.
2. Schools. No one wants to raise their family in areas with poor schools.
3. Fleeing tax base. With crime and poor schools, tax base drops. Businesses don't invest. People move to Chicago, Kalamazoo or other areas.

I figured Jackson would blame "Whitey". St Joe is the code name.

[FourPeas]

Michigan Bump.

[theDentist]

The twon council of St Joe, mis-understanding Jesse Jackson's request,
gives Benton Harbor a hand.

[AK2KX]

I figured Jackson would blame "Whitey". St Joe is the code name.

What a wonderful "leader" to tell his flock that, in effect, they cannot do it on their own -- they need "Whitey".

[Cicero]

It's good Christian charity to lend someone a hand when they have bad luck. If this were an ice storm or a flood, I could see it. But if you reward someone for bad behavior, which is essentially what you are doing when you send in money after a riot, then you are just encouraging bad behavior.

You can give someone a leg up, but in the long run people have to learn how to help themselves.

[Onelifetogive]

Jackson calls on neighboring St. Joseph to lend a hand to Benton Harbor

You mean like helping throw bricks through windows or helping carry the kerosene cans?

[Clemenza]

Most of Benton Harbor's 12,000 residents are black. Most of the 8,200 people in St. Joseph are white.

Reminscent of where I grew up. My hometown of Malverne, NY was overwhelmingly white, with a population of 8,200. Across the creek was Lakeview, a village of about 12,000 that has been largely black (albeit lower middle class rather than poor) since the 1960s. Neither town wanted anything to do with one another, although aside from a fewe fights, I don't remember any riots. The school district were drawn in such a way to encourage segregation. So much for "liberal" New York.

[wardaddy]

LOL...

...gonna bookmark this thread for my next lecture about race from a non-Southerner.

(Not you Dan)

[snopercod]

God helps those who help themselves, Jesse.

I guess he's just embarassed that his brethern are so stupid that they burned down their own city. Nah...Jackson is beyond embarassment.

[codercpc]

Children and adults who live in Benton Harbor should have the same educational and job opportunities as the residents of St. Joseph, Jackson said.

I could understand making an argument about the educational oppurtunities...maybe..., but why in the heck does Jackson seem to think they don't have the same job oppurtunities?

There are a couple of towns within a few miles of where I live, and if there was a job oppurtunity, and I needed a job, I would get off my ass and go and apply for said job.

I may be reading this wrong, but it seems like he is saying that because the job is not coming to me, I don't have an oppurtunity to get it. Playing the victim card doesn't work for me.

[Alberta's Child]

Dear Jesse:

Please get on a motorcycle and drive it into the nearest building at a speed of more than 100 miles per hour. I'm sure this will go a long ways toward getting your message out -- Look how much attention was brought upon the plight of the poor folks of Benton Harbor when that other demented jackass did the same thing.

Sincerely,

Some Guy who Just Doesn't Give a Sh!t what You Think

[DoughtyOne]

Jackson calls on neighboring St. Joseph to lend a hand to Benton Harbor

What is so hard to understand about this?

Jackson calls, you hang up!

Any questions?

If he shows up, just call the police.  It's called tresspassing!

Any questions?

[Founding Father]

Hey Jesse---Biblically speaking,

"There are six things the Lord hates, seven that are detestable to him:
haughty eyes,
a lying tongue,
hands that shed innocent blood,
a heart that devises wicked schemes,
feet that are quick to rush into evil,
a false witness who pours out lies and
a man who stirs up dissention among brothers." (Prov 6:16-19)

Check out a mirror--LOOK FAMILIAR?

[exit82]

Let him with the biggest checkbook write the first check. That means you,Reverend.

What, leaving so soon Jesse?


Seriously he needs to be told off by St. Joe's leaders. How dare he waltz into town and bloviate in this manner, and tell others towns what their responsibilty is? The fake reverend had nothing to say about personal responsibilty
of those in Benton Harbor to their own town.You don't have to be rich to be clean and orderly, and to help your neighbors.

Jackson is a race pimp,plain and simple.

[Dan from Michigan]

I support hand UPS. Hand OUTS I oppose.

[Willie Green]

but why in the heck does Jackson seem to think they don't have the same job oppurtunities?

When the Zoellick/Bush Administration gets done with its assault on the American Middle Class, opportunities in St. Joseph will be the same as in Benton Harbor. And Jesse Jackson will STILL be whining about it.

[Dan from Michigan]

The dems called us 'Michissippi' for awhile. I got a laugh out of that one.

[rightofrush]

Agreed. Anyone surprised about Jesse (The Arm) Jackson's lack of support?

[ml/nj]

When my family did a USA tour back in 1991, we basically wanted to get out west (to the Mt. Rushmore area) as quickly as possible, but with a few stops along the way to make things tolerable for the kids. Our first intermediate stop was Niagara Falls and the second one was Chicago. We needed a place to stay just short of Chicago and I thought the Lake Michigan shore would be a good choice. I looked at my map and saw Benton Harbor.

I knew Benton Harbor, I thought. It was where Heathkit was. Lots of people I knew built Heathkits. I built two myself. (A radio and a TV) I had never even heard of St. Joseph. But when we got to Benton Harbor and looked for a place to stay, somehow we wound up in St Joseph. It was a pleasant town.

It was only a number of years later that I heard about the racial divide between the two towns. And I wondered how long it had been that way. I just cannot imagine that the Benton Harbor of Heathkit days gone by was a slum.

Maybe you, or someone else on this thread, could inform me.

ML/NJ

[Rollee]

I didn't read this article. All I saw was the word "Jackson" and my first thought (besides barforama - he's spewing again)was that Je$$e can sit on it and rotate. Slowly. That man is nothing but a self serving parasite.

My husband and I sneak up to St. Joe whenever we need to dodge family bullets at holiday time. Its a lovely town. Why should the residents of St. Joe be obligated to take care of people who refuse to take care of themselves.