Jackson says 'refugee' is racist.

Published on September 7, 2005 By dharmagrl In Current Events

The Rev Jesse Jackson has said that calling the victims of Hurricane Katrine 'refugees' is racist.

He said that it implies they are 'second class citizens' and is 'racist'.

Apparently 'evacuees' or 'displaced' aren't appropriate terms either, because they're too clinical.

I'm in awe that we're even discussing such issues at a time like this. We have thousands, possibly tens of thousands people dead in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama, hundreds of thousands of people destitute and in dire need of the basic necessities for life, an entire city nearly wiped out.... yet he's complaining about the terminology used to describe them?

Does he have nothing else to do except stir up crap?

Comments (Page 3)

Moderateman

on Sep 07, 2005

do not forget adolph jackson refering to New York City as JEW york city.

InfoGeek

on Sep 07, 2005

While the word "refugee" may not be accurate in it's definition, when applied to the victims of Katrina, the images it brings up in people's minds is. When we hear the word, we know exactly what these people are facing and what has happened to them. We may not have a complete understanding, but just an idea.

The word may not be accurate, but it is correct.

IG

shadesofgrey

on Sep 07, 2005

interesting assessment, IG.

foreverserenity

on Sep 07, 2005

Names, names....gee, just switch the channel or turn the page when someone starts to rant without merits about these people being called refugees. While I too don't think it's a good word maybe it's the appropriate one at the moment. And why do they have to be labled (and if I spell the word lable wrong...I have issues with that word,LOL!)? I guess giving them a name made the news people comfortable.

dharmagrl

on Sep 07, 2005

I understand being annoyed with Jackson--but I don't get the uproar about changing the terms we use to be more accurate.

I think because it's Jackson who's complaining and also because there are so many more things going on right now that objection to the term 'refugee' seems like he's making a mountain out of a molehill - which he is.

But they are still seeking refuge from the storm, and hence are refugees.

EXACTLY!

there are a lot more White People who are now homeless (evacuees or refugees) than black people, so how does that make it a racist statement?

I dunno.

it would only be racism if we just used that word for black refugees. Given ALL races are being called refugees, and the word itself has no relation to 'blackness', his point is moot.

Again, I'd really like to ask him that.

I would venture a guess that Jackson doesn't read Dharma's blog (he should, though )

I think he should too!

Doesn't suprise me, considering he is a mindless bigot who lines his pockets by making everything all about race.

He complains about prejudice, yet he's perpetuating it by making stupid statements like he did today.

And when Iowa was flooding, no one called them anything. What about when Texas was flooding? Florida? I don't remember anyone from those areas being called "displaced", "refugees", or whatever.

Maybe because it wasn't on such a grand scale as this?

The people in those places could go home. These people won't be going back to their homes anytime soon. For the next months or more they will be "displaced", however unsavory it seems to you. The people from the worst parts of New Orleans may not go home at all, or it may take a year or more.

We pay attention to what impacts us.

True, and true.

Jesse probably blames 'Hymies from Hymietown'. If 'refugee' is racist, I wonder what "hymie" counts as...

Oh, that's nice. Now who's the racist? Who's prejudiced now?

While the word "refugee" may not be accurate in it's definition, when applied to the victims of Katrina, the images it brings up in people's minds is.

Yes, it does...of people who lost EVERYTHING and only managed to get out with the clothes on their backs.

While I too don't think it's a good word maybe it's the appropriate one at the moment.

I think it's entirely appropriate at the moment.

Texas Wahine

on Sep 07, 2005

To me, the word refugee describes people who are fleeing their homes because of tragedy and who are in need of care and compassion.

I don't think it's meant as a slight at all, but rather, it just seems to fit the situation.

As for it being considered racist? Hardly. There are all sorts of refugees needing shelter right now. All these people need to be enveloped in the concerned arms of their fellow Americans. The term refugee does not single out any race, but includes all the people seeking refuge from the disaster.

I don't know how Jackson could possibly believe that he speaks for all the newly homeless of Louisiana, or for all the blacks of America. He has not experienced what these people are going through, and further, his view of what it is like to be black in America is tainted by his bizarre, sensationalized, and selfish lifestyle.

He speaks for no one but himself.

dharmagrl

on Sep 07, 2005

I don't know how Jackson could possibly believe that he speaks for all the newly homeless of Louisiana, or for all the blacks of America. He has not experienced what these people are going through, and further, his view of what it is like to be black in America is tainted

I'd still like to know how come he wasn't down there last week, wading through waist deep water to get his people out of harms way. Sharpton wasn't there either. Thye both claim to be champions of the African American cause, but when it comes down to actually DOING instead of just talking....they vanish off the face of the earth.

Dr Guy

on Sep 07, 2005

Where was Jackson 9 months ago?

http://abcnews.go.com/International/Tsunami/wireStory?id=387999

Seems that Jackson may just be a fascist:

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4266942

I dont remember the host countries sending them off to other countries.

http://www.viiphoto.com/detail-story3.php?news_id=353

Even the Ultra LIberal BBC does not have a problem.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sinhala/news/story/2005/04/050413_tsunami_newyear.shtml

Or Canada, not exactly a right wing state itself.

http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Canada/2005/06/09/1078921-sun.html

Those came from 1 minute of googling.

ParaTed2k

on Sep 07, 2005

I wonder if the "Rev" Jesse cared at all for these people before the hurricane and floods hit? Many were homeless long before Katrina entered their lives... we didn't hear crap from the creep.

Gideon MacLeish

on Sep 07, 2005

To be fair, isn't it a bit silly to be spending time quibbling over semantics when, call 'em what you will, they need our help.

A rose by any other name...

dharmagrl

on Sep 07, 2005

isn't it a bit silly to be spending time quibbling over semantics

Yes, it is.

I wonder if the "Rev" Jesse cared at all for these people before the hurricane and floods hit?

I dunno. I think he only cares now because there's photo-ops and camera's turned in his direction.

bakerstreet

on Sep 07, 2005

"I wonder if the "Rev" Jesse cared at all for these people before the hurricane and floods hit?"

Absolutely. Anytime he can use a black person as the catalyst for a class-action suit to make millions for his "cause", he's jesse-on-the-spot. Any hint, any whisper of racism is enough for him to rush to action.

Oh, you mean cared for the PEOPLE... well, no, probably not.

Dr Guy

on Sep 07, 2005

Oh, you mean cared for the PEOPLE... well, no, probably not.

Ok Emily Latella!

Dr Guy

on Sep 07, 2005

I'd like to know...where was Jesse?

With the person who is obsessed with dicks.

Rightwinger

on Sep 09, 2005

No, he doesn't...it's what that race-baiting, con-artist sleazeball does best.
It just goes to show how ridiculously thin-skinned and absolutely petty he and his kind are making us as concerning racism. But, that's how he makes his dime. After all, he has to support his illegitimate family somehow, right?
When even a generic term like that can't be used, things have gotten waaaay out of hand. The problem is, blacks, generally speaking, do take their cues from him and people like him; people who tell them what they want to hear rather than what they need to hear. They refuse, even though it would do them ever so much good, to tell him to shove his whiny complaining up his ass and insist that he do something relevant and positive, rather than to work so hard to make a bad situation even worse.

Welcome Guest! Please take the time to register with us.
There are many great features available to you once you register, including:

Richer content, access to many features that are disabled for guests like commenting on the forums.
Access to a great community, with a massive database of many, many areas of interest.
Access to contests & subscription offers like exclusive emails.
It's simple, and FREE!