Thread: JESSE JACKSON FORMS COALITION WITH MALDEF

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Rainbow PUSH Coalition and MALDEF to Establish New Coalition to Address Critical Issues Impacting African Americans and Latinos
Group will Convene in Atlanta Today

May 19, 2005

Authored By: Gina Montoya, Jerry Thomas
ATLANTA (May 19, 2005) – Officials from the Rainbow PUSH Coalition (RPC) and the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF) will hold a press conference in Atlanta on Thursday, May 19, 2005, where they will provide details about a new coalition that will address critical issues impacting Latinos and African Americans.


The press conference, which begins at 10:30 A.M. (EST), will be held at the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Site, 450 Auburn Ave., in Atlanta. Among the civil rights, political and religious leaders scheduled to attend the press conference are Rev. Jesse L. Jackson, Sr., founder and president of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition; Ann Marie Tallman, President and General Counsel of MALDEF, John Wilhelm, President of HERE (Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees International Union), LULAC President, Hector Flores, The United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and the Southwest Voter Registration Education Project.


Officials from RPC and MALDEF announced plans to meet in Atlanta earlier today, shortly after the two groups emerged from a successful meeting in Mexico City with Mexican President Vicente Fox. Fox invited both groups to Mexico after apologizing for his statement, “Mexicans in the United States do the work that blacks won’t,� which drew international headlines for its insensitivity.


“We must move towards building a coalition that seeks reconciliation, not confrontation,� said Rev. Jackson, noting that Fox’s statement was “insensitive� and “touched a raw nerve because of the anxiety� surrounding race relations in America.


During the meeting with President Fox, Rev. Jackson said the Mexican president “indicated his strong desire to build bridges of understanding,� and he expressed a commitment to strengthening relationships with Rainbow PUSH, MALDEF and other civil rights groups.


“We cannot allow corporate greed to use Latinos as pawns and African Americans as scapegoats,� said Rev. Jackson, explaining why he accepted Fox’s apology, believing this negative experience can be turned into an opportunity. “We must lift our people above the pain of confrontation.�


“MALDEF is pleased to re-new our relationships with our coalition partners to move forward a positive social and economic agenda that will advance our nation’s interests, said Ms. Tallman.


“In times of controversy and conflict there are opportunities to show courage and leadership,� Tallman added. “Through our coalition, we are better able to support our elected officials to ensure the passage of laws that will improve the quality of life for all America’s families.�


Refusing to be distracted by the issue, Rev. Jackson and Tallman said the coalition will focus on critical issues including the fight for a fair and comprehensive immigration policy, based on human rights for all working families. The coalition will also advocate for voting rights reauthorization, and educational equity for all children. Finally, the coalition will advocate for a fair trade policy that challenges the current practice of exporting of jobs while importing cheap labor.


RPC and MALDEF officials also announced plans later this year to host a series of round table discussions to strengthen and energize a new majority coalition. The round tables will include business, civil rights, political, labor and other prominent organizations. The goal, they said, is to educate, promote and help energize broad support for key legislative efforts and enhance the ongoing work of the Hispanic and black caucuses.


The Rainbow PUSH Coalition is a progressive organization protecting, defending and expanding civil rights to improve economic and educational opportunity. The organization is headquartered at 930 E. 50th St. in Chicago. For more information about the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, please visit the organization’s website, www.rainbowpush.org, or telephone (773) 373-3366. To schedule an interview with Rev. Jackson on this topic, please call one of the numbers listed above.


MALDEF, founded in 1968, is a national, non-profit organization whose mission is to protect and promote the civil rights of more than 40 million Latinos living in the United States. MALDEF works to ensure that there are no artificial barriers or unfair obstacles preventing the diverse Latino community from realizing its full potential and achieving its dreams. MALDEF secures the rights of Latinos, primarily in the areas of education, political access, employment, immigrants’ rights and economic empowerment. MALDEF achieves these objectives through public policy advocacy, community education, leadership development, and a legal strategy including litigation.


MALDEF is based in Los Angeles with regional offices in Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Antonio and Washington, D.C. In addition, MALDEF operates program offices in Sacramento, California, and Houston, Texas and collaborative Parent School Partnership projects in cities throughout America. A national board of thirty-two educators, lawyers and corporate and civic leaders, along with a staff of seventy, dedicate themselves to the mission of the organization. For more information, please visit our website, www.maldef.org.

Wow. Now maybe the Aryan Nation will insult blacks, and Jesse will form a coalition with them too.

Originally Posted by BobC

Wow. Now maybe the Aryan Nation will insult blacks, and Jesse will form a coalition with them too.

Why doesn't Jesse mind his own damn business. He is so self-promoting, it makes me sick. What a greedy son-of-a-gun. Jesse cares just as much for his own people, as Fox cares for his, which is zilch.

I saw Jesse Jackson last Friday evening on the Lou Dobbs show and I am very disappointed in him too.

Al Sharpton is supposed to appear on Lou Dobbs tomorrow night (Monday) in regards to his recent face-to-face meeting with Mexico's El Presidente Vicente Fox (Foxy). Let's hope that Al Sharpton sets Foxy straight because Jesse Jackson sure didn't do a good job.

I'm not optimistic about Al Sharpton, but we'll see. He was very soft on Fox. I mean why in the WORLD would two so-called black leaders fly down to meet with Racist Fox on his turf and then be sucked in to promote his racist cause, a cause that is WRONG even if it wasn't racist because it is destroying the United States and the American People?

No real man or woman would fly down, get all gussied up, meet the "insultor" on his turf, and then talk about coalitions with the SOB!

If someone insults my turf, whether it's family, work force, God, Nation....I say, BUZZ OFF FLY.....I won't give you the time of day let alone grace you with My Presence and adorn you with Coalitions to destroy our country.

Good Grief!!

Where do these people come from, where do they wear their souls, where do they get the money or support to do the things they do?