I know I’m a bit late to this party, but I just had to pay my respects to the late, great, often imitated but never duplicated, Reverend Jesse Jackson. He was a force to be reckoned with and has taught me so much. Whatever one may feel about his “goings on,” he wasn’t afraid to speak Truth to power.

Having read his books, I was even motivated by him in a large crowd in London, U.K., during the anti-government protest for the war in Iraq in 2003. The Reverend walked with us, on a sprained ankle and then gave a rousing speech in Hyde Park, in sub-zero, February weather. The Guardian newspaper, at the time, called this march “A Beautiful Outpouring of Rage.” (link is at the bottom if you want to check it out) Peaceful, restrained, democratic. I don’t know any place else, (except maybe Canada) where I could have walked with a placard which read “Bush and Blair wanted for Murder,” right next to the UK police. If I tried that now, trust that an arrest would be imminent!

To this day, I can hear his words “Keep the Faith! Keep the hope alive!” Don’t stop!” “Keep the faith!” We numbered over one million people; the largest demonstration London has seen. And I got to make history alongside my friends, building mates and a famous preacher! What a moment in time.

His work in the Civil Rights movement was and remains, undeniable. Truth needs to stand up to power- even as much as it hurts. There’s a reason why war-mongerers get away with genocidal behaviour; we let it.


Rest in peace rev! God bless!

[https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2023/feb/11/slugs-iraq-war-london-protest-2003-legacy]