Jackson deserved a better farewell
Jackson deserved a better farewell
The passing of the Reverend Jesse Jackson Sr. marked the end of an era. For over six decades, Jackson was a titan on the American landscape. He served as an aide to and to Dr. Martin Luther King and told a generation of children to stand tall and declare, “I am somebody.” I firmly believe history will show it was Jackson who was the true voice of “hope and change” as a leader in the American Civil Rights movement.
Unlike others, Jackson advocated for the equal rights for all Americans, not just for one particular group. He negotiated the release of hostages, U.S. service members, and prisoners held abroad throughout his career. He was a true American patriot.
As a conservative, I’ll be the first to admit I didn’t always agree with the Jackson’s proposals. Many were in direct opposition to the small-government values conservatives hold dear. However, one does not have to be a liberal to recognize the weight of his legacy. He fought for all by challenging boardrooms to be more inclusive, and he blazed a trail for not only black Americans but all minorities in the highest levels of politics. He was a man of deep faith and tireless energy who deserved a final send-off that reflected the breadth of his life’s work.
Unfortunately, that is not the service he received.
What should have been a sacred moment of reflection was instead transformed into a partisan rally. Rather than focusing on Jackson’s life and works, several high-profile Democratic leaders—including former Presidents Barack Obama, Joe Biden, Bill Clinton and former Vice President Kamala Harris—used their time at the pulpit to deliver political broadsides against President Trump.
Instead of recounting Jackson’s historic 1984 and 1988 presidential runs or his work in the civil rights movement, the rhetoric shifted toward “assaults on democratic institutions” and “greed and bigotry.” Kamala Harris even took a moment to remind the grieving crowd that she “predicted a lot of what is happening right now,” essentially using a memorial service to relitigate her recent political failures.
The disappointment was not limited to those watching. In a move that was both brave and heartbreaking Jesse Jackson Jr., spoke out against the tone of the service. He noted that the trio of presidents who spoke “did not know” his father and had ignored the family’s explicit request to keep politics out of the memorial. Jackson Jr. rightly argued that his father’s life was “broad enough to cover the full spectrum” of Americans—Republicans and Democrats alike. By turning the funeral into a campaign stop, these politicians didn’t just disrespect the man, they alienated the very people Jackson spent his life trying to bring together.
Normal people value decency. We understand that there is a time for debate and a time for prayer. To most, a funeral is a sacred service to celebrate a life. It is a time to surrender the earthly politics of the day to the eternal truths of faith and family. When you turn a pulpit into a political platform, you strip the occasion of its dignity.
Jesse Jackson Sr. was a complicated figure, but he was undeniably a great American who deserved better. He deserved a service where the focus remained on his life, not on the grievances of politicians who couldn’t put aside their own agendas for even one afternoon.
If we can’t find common ground at a funeral, where can we find it? It is my hope that we can learn from this disappointment and return to a place where we honor the departed for who they were, rather than using them as a backdrop for who we want to defeat.
Randy D. Gibson is CEO of RDG Communications Group
