What America has lost because Van Jones quit
I’ve seen Van Jones speak, I’ve worked with people who have worked with him, and I take a lot of inspiration from him. Last year, when Obama was elected I thought immediately of him as a member of administration, the kind of person that crosses boundaries, that proposes new ways of addressing the old problems of social inequity, economic disparity, oppotunity inequality, global environmental crises and local public health and justice issues. He’s a smart guy, a funny guy and a guy who gets things done.
That he was torn apart by the right, that the Obama admininstration did not defend him and that the mainstream has pilloried him for having political views that are not the majority’s is a stunning indictment of the current US political climate. I fully fear for the Obama agenda. I had hoped that he would represent the best chance for real change in America, but now it’s clear to me that change will never come from Washington.
Sad.
I hope Van lands on his feet, as I know he will, perhaps back in Oakland making a real difference in the lives of people who need it. For that is where real change comes from, not from the bleating talking heads on FOX and MSNBC or the terrified co-dependant money addicts of Washington.
Wow, supporting a proclaimed COMMUNIST, racist and extremist.
This will be the last time I’ll be visiting this site.
The beautiful thing about participation is that you never quite know….
I’m with you Chris: he seems to me a very interesting and compassionate man; he’ll be missed.
Ominous and pathetic. Maybe this will wake us up to to the reality that, as you say, change is not going to come from Washington, no matter how much we wished it would.
But at the moment I am not optimistic
I keep wondering about the meta-level. http://www.alternet.org/story/142460/5_reasons_why_van_jones_and_progressives_are_better_off_with_jones_out_of_the_white_house/. This touches on some of it but not nearly enough. I think there is an important piece here about how we live into We the People. The system is still too closed within the federal government…All those small interventions are needed to create new models of governance, but I think greater change will come from Van Jones using his gifts outside the current dysfunctional federal government of u.s.a. I stand with Fran Korten and others who are ‘happy to have him back.’…I also condemn the actions of all those who are trapped in an ecosystem of their own making that pushes out the visionaries like Van Jones.
America is a mess; nothing new there.
Clearly Van Jones has been admired by Obama, like Nader was admired by Carter. Obama and Jones have chosen different vocations. The success of the Obama agenda ostensibly depends on Washington but it also depends on the grassroots. No use getting all hangdog about it – it’s up people to do what we can, and try not to get too tied up in knots about the changing landscape.
It’s still a great time to make a difference, etc.
Thanks Sheri…that’s a nice piece. Van is better on the outside and his communities are better for it too. And the batshit insane conspiracy theorists can retreat to fight another day.
I think Obama is dropping the participation plot, but John’s line nails it: it IS still a good time to make a difference.