At first I looked at this story on CNN, shook my head, and decided I wasn’t going to let it bother me and go back to my Contracts Law readings. But then it hit me, this is the disconnect I’ve been seeing, in the Democratic Party, the NAACP, and in many other African-American organizations, this generation gap, its there, and there’s no need to hide it.

So, let’s get to the matter of the issue, according to a South Carolina newspaper “The State”, during a speech at Benedict College, Reverend Jesse Jackson criticized 2008 Democratic Presidential candidate Barack Obama over his reaction to the situation in Jena, Louisiana regarding the six African-American teens arrested on attempted murder charges amongst racial tension in the town. The paper stated that Jackson said that Obama is “acting white” and needs to be more bolder with his stances if he wants to make inroads in South Carolina. He even stated that if he we’re presidential candidate he’d be all over Jena, claiming its the Selma, of this generation.

On Wednesday, the Reverend released a statement saying he did not make the statement, however, he still thinks “this issue needs bold and direct leadership, and he only wanted to point out the candidates had not siezed on an opportunity to highlight the disproportional criminal punishments black youths too often face”. Senator Obama released a statement Friday regarding the matter stating, he was “pleased with the Louisiana State Appeals court’s decision to throw out certain charges against one of the teens.”

I think he’s being wise not to involve himself too much in this issue. He’s not a civil rights leader, or a reverend, or a judge. These issues will all be played in the courts, and even though it was gross prosecutorial negligence, the courts still and probably should try these boys in Juvenile Court. But I feel with comments like these, or even attitudes like this, whether or not he said it, the implications show the disconnect. Senator Obama is a Harvard Law School graduate and has no direct ties to the Civil Rights Movement but is a result of the opportunities it provided. He is the definition of the new generation of African-American leadership. Jesse Jackson ran for the Democratic presidential nomination in 1984 and 1988 and lost.

Now, I know what has happened in the town of Jena was wrong, and the legal system will eventually correct that wrong. But thats the clear difference, marching and protesting can’t do anything critically. Marching during the Civil Rights Movement could only do so much, and even Thurgood Marshall thought all the real battles and work would be and did get done within the court room. But this “Civil Rights Movement” generation has got to get out of this mentality of doing certain things. Now, I’m not trying to be ungrateful, but I mean not supporting the first Real, Serious, African-American Presidential candidate only because he won’t march down a street, make a few speeches, and wait for what the legal system will eventually do, is just wrong to me. I’m sorry, I just don’t get that train of thought. They need to take that idea and sit in the back of the bus.

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