Posted on 11/21/2002 1:20:49 AM PST by HAL9000
LOS ANGELES (AP) - A group of African Americans has sued civil rights activist Jesse Jackson, accusing him of fraud and demanding that he stop pretending to represent them.African Americans Against Exploitation, a newly formed group that includes a former head of the Kentucky Republican Party, filed the lawsuit in Superior Court on Nov. 12. The suit claims Jackson is calling himself a black leader without permission from the country's millions of black citizens. The suit also was filed on behalf of the Brotherhood Organization of a New Destiny.
The group claims that Jackson uses his influence to intimidate companies to donate money that is supposed to further the cause of blacks, but instead puts it to personal use.
"We are asking for a temporary restraining order for him to stop claiming he represents the black community," said AAAE President Dwane Knight. "The black community has no idea what's going on."
A lawyer for Jackson's Rainbow/Push Coalition called the suit a publicity stunt and said she would try to have the case thrown out of court.
"This is a nuisance lawsuit with no basis in law or fact," Tracy Rice said. "We will seek to have plaintiffs pay the fees and costs associated with defending this frivolous lawsuit."
James Stern, who heads the National Association of Cosmetologists, said he became involved in the suit after Jackson tried to organize a boycott of the movie "Barbershop" because parts of it were disrespectful to black icons Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King Jr.
Al Brown, a civil rights veteran who once led the Republican Party in Kentucky, said Jackson would hopefully understand the basis of the suit.
"We don't know what the judge can rule, but Jesse Jackson should not represent himself for a whole race of people," he said.
After a little thought, I suppose it could. The suit could have been filed in Federal Court.
Black Americans are starting to wake up to the fact they do not really have true representation if the likes of Jackson and Sharpton claim to be the voice of them.
Jackson is slowly being exposed for the con man that he is and black americans will have to start thinking for themselves and asking what party philosophy really puts my interest first.
Jackson's Rainbow/Push Coalition is a publicity stunt, so I guess they'd know one when they see one.
If it pressures Jackson to release financial information he should have gone to jail for, for not releasing, it will have been a worthwhile publicity stunt.
Just a minor detail, eh? I see a white Ford Bronco in Jackson's future. :-)
It is true that Jackson sets an example, but not one I would want anyone to follow. The reverend has shown how to not to follow one's marital vows (isn't that called "adultry" in some religions and is a really bad thing?) and how to have kids out of wed lock. They used to be called illegitimate children, but it looks to me like it's Jackson who is an illegitimate father. The only place Jackson should lead anyone is into a vasectomy clinic.
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Demanding that he stop saying these things is a violation of the First Amendment. We'd do better by showing him that he doesn't speak for us. And this may be a good start for it.
Shine on you crazy diamond.
Coming soon: Tha SYNDICATE.
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