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Jesse Jackson: You must launch war on poverty to stop teenage killings
Joe Murphy, Political Editor25.03.09
LONDON will never defeat the scourge of teenage gang killings until it beats poverty, American civil rights campaigner the Rev Jesse Jackson said today.
In an exclusive interview with the Evening Standard, the charismatic black activist urged: "There must be a war, not just on knives but on poverty and illiteracy."
He also issued a challenge to next week's G20 summit, gave his verdict on Barack Obama's first two months and revealed why he thinks Britain has yet to have a black prime minister.
Mr Jackson, 67, is in London to give evidence to a home affairs select committee inquiry into Britain's epidemic of knife crime and violent youth gangs.
He has promoted projects to ban knife-carrying in schools and to educate youngsters about the dangers, but he said the real issues were about social justice.
"Most violence takes place among the poor and the alienated who do not feel they have a stake in society nor a future," he said.
"Many are driven more by fear than hope.
"They fear their future prospects and their present environment.
"Often, people will fight fear by seeking a false sense of power, and the gun, the knife and the gang can provide that false sense of power. Our challenge is to offset fear with hope."
The Baptist minister is an iconic figure after four decades in the civil rights movement.
Arriving for our interview in Leicester Square, he was constantly embraced by passers-by, among them Daniel Mogorosi, 91, who left his native South Africa 50 years ago.
He recalls Mr Jackson marching to Trafalgar Square to campaign for Nelson Mandela's freedom.
Mr Jackson believes police here and in the US have not focused enough on money launderers behind the illegal drugs industry.
"All the focus is on kids with guns and knives and not on the source of what I call a form of economic exploitative warfare," he said. "Drugs are a form of money and weapons are a form of control."
Raised in South Carolina, Mr Jackson attended a segregated high school before working for Martin Luther King.
He ran for president in 1984 and 1988 and in 2006 was voted the US's foremost black leader - just before Mr Obama's emergence.
Mr Obama's triumph in last year's election still leaves him emotional. On election night, he had tears streaming down his face in Chicago's Grant Park.
"I've thought about that night a lot," he said. "It was the joy of the moment but also the journey to get there.
"You know, I was arrested in July 1960 trying to use a public library and over these 40 years I've seen jailings, marches and martyrs. And I thought about the martyrs who could not be there, like Dr King. So many people beaten and killed... and in my mind's eye I could see little children in Kenya, Haiti and Brixton who were seeing a new face of America rise to the top."
And has the Obama presidency lived up to expectations so far? "Oh yeah, by the fact he's moved quickly, because we are in a desperate [economic] situation."
He challenged Britain's political elite to nurture a future black prime minister, claiming that America's vigorous tradition of protest contrasted with British "denial" of a problem.
"It is not that American blacks changed - whites did," he said "Those who once locked us out of school are now recruiting us.
"But while there have been some protests in Britain led by people like Bernie Grant and Diane Abbott, Britain has been in some senses more in denial."
Next week's G20 in London will be a chance for economic "heavy lifting" but Mr Jackson said: "Why do they give gifts to the banks but only a loan to the automotive factories?"
He added: "If we globalise capital, we must also globalise human rights. Those in power must make room for those on the margins."
Mr Jackson dined with Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty and Labour MP Keith Vaz at Kensington's Bombay Brasserie last night.
Reader views (29)
Is anyone going to consider that a huge number of the deprived youth and their parents in this country come from violent, war torn, countries or have fled from dictatorships. They bring with them a very different cultural and social knowledge and have witnessed (and possibly participated in) acts of gross inhumanity and abuse against others. They have maybe seen family members butchered or learned that gang culture is the only survival method. They may have huge despair and / or anger. Leastways, there are huge number of young people in London who come from backgrounds where life is cheap and survival requires standing on someone else's head. And that's not even to mention the hidden underclass of British children born into poverty, addiction, unemployment, deprivation, violence, absent fathers, social deprivation and 'sink-estates' at the same time as the potential for a child born into the lower working class family to thrive has been utterly thwarted by this government.
- Real, London
Why is this old American man even sticking his nose into London's business?
- Sarah Bradshaw, Enfield, Middx
Why would anyone listen to Jesse Jackson? He's hardly a "civil rights legend", but more a race baiter who has made millions from threatening boycotts of corporations who don't "donate" to his organization. He lives in luxury while decrying an unfair society. Yeech!
- Bill L., Winston-Salem USA
with this comment Jesse Jackson has shown himself to be so out of touch with reality that he can truely be considered a dinosaur, a relic of the past.
Nick nack-touchy subject matter but so so true.
- Russell, London
The UK must stop importing poverty into the nation. Only qualified immigrants with exceptional jobs skills (and no crimnal backgrounds) should be allowed to enter Britain. If proper background checks can not be done or veried; they must be denied. There must also be a restriction on the number of people from any one particular country being allowed in as the UK has been swamped with migrants from under developed third world nations, hence our problem in London with African youth gangs / stabbings. Jesse Jackson is on the right track, but we MUST restrict immigration as this has soley been responsible for the increase in crime in the capital.
- Nick Nack Paddy Mac, Kilburn, London UK
The only poverty that exists in the UK is moral and cultural poverty. Interview these young criminals and you find their homes are stuffed with TVs and Wiis, but they are totally unsocialised by their parents, so can't make use of education and are unemployable.
The problem children are almost all from one parent families. Giving more money to single parents just seems to encourage benefit mums, perpetuating the problem.
- Robert C, London UK
The comment about Indian children is very true. Much of our current problems are to do with rivalry between ethnic groups coupled with our home-grown youngsters who have fallen out of the school system and are now unemployable. Interesting to note that very few,if any, Indian or Chinese are everin trouble and that they are now the top scholars in many schools and colleges. Poverty certainly has a hand in violence and was common place in England in earlier times, but racial tolerance and understanding are essential before we see and to it.
- scotty, Cambridge, UK
We all know that the average American's idea of poverty is a long way removed from reality. Over there, if you don't have the latest jeep, a swimming pool and a fridge by your bed you're considered poor.
- M Farbiash, Highgate
The black politicians must stop encouraging this victim mentality. It does no one any favours. These crimes do not spring from poverty, they spring from one's personal character, which can and should always be evolving.
- Margaret Salafrio, St John's Wood
If poverty is to blame then how comes all the kids in India aren't murdering each other?
- Robert Brenner, London
Jackson is a failed nobody.We provide welfare, free accomodation, hopiatals, benefits, training schemes, -everything. But no, its not enough. Its time the people who Jackson refers turn and look at themselves and stop blaming society for their failings
- mark armstrong, london. uk
Has Jesse ever been to Baltimore?Look a bit nearer home buddy!!
- Alan, Chigwell. UK
What a load of rubbish! The best way to stop teenage killings would be: 1) Instigate strict curfews whereby anyone under the age of 18 must be either at home, at school or at supervised activities. 2) Force all of them to do at least 2 hours hard physical exercise every day to wear them out. 3) If any of them commit even the mildest of crimes put them in a borstal. A proper borstal like they used to be, not a holiday camp. 4) Severe punishment of their useless parents who should also be prevented from producing any more children.
- Sarah Bradshaw, Enfield, Middx
Jesse Jackson is avoided by all serious US politicians since he is regarded (rightly) as a self-serving phoney playing the slave card just as hard as he can. Few people are fooled over there, they know him only too well.
- David Lewis, Witney UK
Jesse is wrong and has been for years. History is repleat with evidence that poverty doesn't cause violence. (Witness America's great depression)
The "cure" ($$$$$) Jesse always wants is to make Jesse richer and the poor black community more dependent upon the government as the slavemaster of their souls.
Jesse thrives upon keeping calling irresponsibility, out-of-wedlock children and young male crime, victimhood.
Just as Adam blamed God for "that woman You made" and Hitler blamed the Jews for Germany's failures, Jesse blames poverty - which then excuses all the bad behavior.
- Don L, Hartford USA
CEE, London Get a life! If you think there s still slavery it is your own mind. Obama proved that Black r ethnic people have no excuses left now. They cannot claim to be suppressed or not given the same chances as the rest of us. This tosh spouted by a great apologist is an excuse. It has been shouted out to excuse the behaviour of people who do not want to learn or conform to the norm. Millions of people were brought up in poverty but are up standing citizens. Stop spouting apologies and start telling people to study and strive for excellence and maybe you will get through to a few.
- Duncan Walker, Ex Peckham now Thailand
How unfortunate that Jesse said this the same day that La Clinton tells the Mexicans that Obamas White House plans to crack down hard on demand for drugs in the USA.
- Paul, London
When I was young we used to meet in gangs outside school and have a go at each other, but we were ten years old, not seventeen, and noone got hurt. We got the pack lunacy out of our system before puberty, excessive strength and adolescent narcissism came into play. In our teens we went home knackered after rugby.
The problem is largely one of immaturity in relation to physical age: if the school leaving age was reduced to fourteen, and all schooling subsequently went hand-in-hand with part-time work, people would grow up much faster. Being coralled with a group of your peers retards maturation, but is convenient in child-care terms when mothers work.Having real decisions to make with your own money is an enormous boost, and being outside school clarifies what you could be aiming for when in it.
- Mdj E10, london uk
They're not killing each other for money. It's often for things like looking at someone's trainers in the wrong way.
- Ted, London
He talks a load of populist garbage. None of his assertions stand up to scrutiny. Never have. THAT's why "he ran for president in 1984, and in 1988 and again in 2006" and got nowhere, whereas Obama got in first time round.... the mark of a true leader.
- Haskey, London SE1
I used to believe this, but no longer. Poverty might tempt someone to steal from someone richer, and we can afford to give a thief a second chance. (Not a fourth or fifth, if he refuses to reform his ways).
Poverty does not make people into vicious thugs or murderers, whose victims are frequently worse off than the perpetrators. Anyone who shows total disregard for the bodily wellbeing of another human being, should get a long time behind bars. Whether or not that reforms him is his choice, but regardless, it makes the world of decent human beings on the outside a better and safer place, and sends out the message that savagery and sadism will not ever be tolerated.
In passing, yes, we should try to eradicate poverty, but because it's the right thing to do, not because it'll do anything to help with the crime figures.
- Nigel, London
When I was 13 it was up at 5 to deliver greengroceries on a bike 2 sizes to big for me. I then went home and made my breakfast as my mother died during the war. I then walked to school 3-miles and back and after school I delivered groceries again and then went fishing. I usually had to cook my own tea as my father was on shift work. So stick that in your pipe and smoke it Mr Jackson. Poverty in financial terms is not the cause of the problem. PS. I was sometimes late for school and not once did anybody care to find out that I was caring for myself as I never made excused - I got on with it.
- Frederick, London
works in tandem with a solid education
- Beljamine, uk
Slavery may have been abolished 200 years ago.... but mental slavery still exists
- Cee, London
Yes, obviously knife crime is directly related to poverty and illiteracy, in much the same way as gun crime is directly related to pineapple shaped pencil sharpeners.
- Bob, Cheam
I agree totally with Terry. My parents were never well off but were totally honest decent people. I got myself part-time jobs and at 16 brought myself a Honda SS50 sports moped. Prior to that I had built up a bicycle from s/h parts. Now youngsters seem to think they are owed these things by right and if they are not given them it is acceptable to steal. Thatcher and Blair have destroyed this country!
- Michael, London
The tears from Jesse Jackson shed at Barack Obama's swearing in were all about 'oh my god if only I hadn't been a fool and kept my big mouth shut for all of those years that could be me up there'. I consider Obama the one to be listemed to not Jesse Jackson.
- Nick Holland, glasgow
When are black politicians finally going to realise that slavery was abolished 200 years ago, that there is equal opportunity to education and work for all and in fact the law bends over backwards to be fair to all races and creeds. And yet it is still argued that it is outside circumstances which force black youth to fail. Poverty in this country is purely relative and anyone willing to study and work hard will,if they have the natural ability, raise themselves out of whatever trap they are in. Its about time people like Jackson spoke directly to the black youth and pointed out that their nilhilistic attitudes will always prevent them from taking part in mainstream society and is probably condemning them to a life of crime and poverty.
- Gazza, london, england
What a load of rubbish. Poverty in London has been much more severe in the past but people still respected their fellow citizens and did not turn to violence. The only poverty in London nowadays is the poverty of the mind.
- Terry, watford, england
