Mr. Jackson,

Let me start out by saying that I recognize your accomplishments and everything you’ve done in the past. I know you marched with Martin Luther King, Jr. I know you were there when Martin was assassinated. I’m aware that, in the 80′s, you orchestrated a huge voter registration drive that led to millions of African Americans registering to vote and that you were a huge factor in Chicago electing its first African American Mayor in 1983. I know that you helped to found the Chicago branch of Operation Breadbasket, the economic arm of the Southern Christian Leadership Council. It’s amazing that in 1984, 1990, and 1999 you were able to enter Syria, Iraq, and Yugoslavia, respectively, to negotiate the release of United States soldiers and civilians during war times.

With that being said…

You’ve never let us forget you marched with Martin and were there with him when he was assassinated. In fact, you pretty much remind us just about every time you speak. Your voter registration drives were for your own selfish gain during your presidential runs in 1984 and 1988. I also know that your exact location during Martin’s assassination has been the center of controversy. You were actually suspended by the SCLC, in 1971, for using the organization for personal gain. You then resigned shortly after being suspended by the SCLC only to start Operation PUSH  to “save humanity,” and founded the National Rainbow Coalition that sought out equal rights for African Americans, women, and homosexuals. Ironically, in 2001, it was unearthed that you had an affair with a woman that led to the birth of a child. In addition to that, to keep your mistress quiet, you paid her around $36,000 in Rainbow Push Coalition funds for “moving expenses” and “contract work,” with an additional guarantee for $40,000 more for future, “contract work,” but rescinded once the affair was made public. The same funds from your “non-profit,” that are solicited donations, in most cases I’m assuming, to support the causes your organization is supposed to be supporting.

You are also the same African American activist that was heard saying, during an interview, that, in regards to President Obama, you wanted to, “cut his nuts off,” for lecturing black churches about the state of welfare? The same President Obama that has been a pillar and champion for equality even before his election into office?

The last few times I’ve seen or heard your name mentioned? The highly publicized Duke Lacrosse scandal, the highly publicized scandal of unfunny Seinfeld actor/comedian Michael Richards’ usage of the word, “nigger,” in response to African American hecklers, and the highly publicized N.A.A.C.P.’s burial of the word, “nigger,” and all variations of it.  And now you’re lashing out against Dan Gilbert for his highly publicized open letter to LeBron James with your own open letter.

Well, Mr. Jackson, this is my open letter to you.

Quite frankly, to be blunt, I don’t know the difference between you (along with Rev. Al Sharpton) and an ambulance chasing personal injury attorney. Just that, in this case, the ambulance is free publicity.

Now, I didn’t mention any of the above to point fingers or to be hurtful but to bring up a point: Everyone’s human. We all fall victim to our emotions and actions. No one is above reprieve and everyone deserves the benefit of the doubt and second chances.

However, if there is one thing I am sick of, I am sick and tired of the race card. I’m sick and tired of race being made an issue. And I’m definitely sick and tired of you, your cohort Rev. Al Sharpton, and everyone using racism as a crutch for some sort of favoritism or pity. For me and my generation, slavery is no longer a valid excuse for us not improving the quality of life for us and those surrounding us.

We’re going to have to agree to disagree on Dan Gilbert’s open letter being worded in a way that, “suggests that LeBron has done something illegal or illicit.” Should Gilbert have let his emotions dictate his words? No. He’s the owner of an NBA franchise. Not only could that letter be bad for future business, but as an owner he should hold himself to a higher standard. But, with that being said, he has nothing to apologize for. Are we asking people to apologize for the way they feel? What are we doing here?

LeBron most certainly fulfilled his contractual obligations, thus being allowed to make whatever decision he felt best for himself.

But there is nothing in Gilbert’s open letter to LeBron that signifies a slave and a master relationship, nor is there anything in Gilbert’s open letter that signifies him seeing LeBron James as a, “runaway slave.” Your egregious, extremely exaggerated connections of his letter to slavery and racism is reckless. It does more to hurt race relations in our country than it does to strengthen them.

Let’s look at the facts. LeBron’s announcement WAS a narcissistic, self-promotional machine and the build up culminated with an hour and a half long, national TV show/special of a DECISION ON WHERE TO PLAY BASKETBALL. We’re not talking about a special about scientists recent discovery that can lead to the cure of HIV/AIDS. We’re not talking about a special to air a highly influential minority’s reaction to the egregious court ruling in the Oscar Grant trial. We’re talking about an NBA player who sought to put himself on TV for an hour and a half to talk about where he will be playing a game for the next 4-6 years. And we’re not talking about a show/special that ESPN pitched to LeBron and he accepted, we’re talking about a show/special that LeBron’s camp pitched to ESPN and THEY accepted. There are even reports that LeBron and his camp paid Jim Gray out of their own pocket to be the host/reporter of, “The Decision.”

I don’t remember Michael Jordan pitching his own two-hour long special to announce his first retirement. But, that’s neither here nor there.

Speaking of Oscar Grant, as self-proclaimed activist and champion of minority equality, where is your open letter to the California judicial system in regards to the decision to convict Oscar Grant’s murderers of Involuntary Manslaughter? The only words I heard from you on the matter was in regards to the potential rioting in reaction to the verdict where you said, “Why do people riot?” Was there not enough media coverage of his case for you to get involved?

But, I digress.

The video of LeBron’s jersey burning in the streets of Cleveland went live on ESPN well before Gilbert released his open letter. And, in fact, for the past seven years, LeBron HAS been given excuse after excuse for not being able to take his team to the next level. The media backed his cries of not having a team around him. When, in fact, those two years where it was said he didn’t have a team, they actually finished the regular season with the league’s best record, or close to it. It’s about time LeBron had some personal accountability for the Cavaliers inability to perform when it mattered.

You ask the questions of, “If he believes that LeBron quit in games 2, 4, 5 and 6 of the 2010 Eastern Conference semifinals [then] why did he fire the coach? If he believes that LeBron intentionally quit, determining the outcome of those games, why did he pursue him and offer him [an] additional $120 million to stay in Cleveland,” when you yourself mentioned in the second paragraph of your open letter that their transactions were that of, “business partners.” The name of the NBA game is selling season tickets, selling merchandise. And, outside of Kobe Bryant, there’s no one currently playing in the league that does that better than LeBron James.

And, quite frankly, we all believe LeBron James quit. Especially in game 6 against Boston.

You got your wish; Gilbert was fined $100,000 by the NBA. But, are you happy now? Is that what you were seeking? Has justice been done?

LeBron James is a grown man, fully aware of understanding the ramifications of his actions and, “decision.” Surely, he had to know that creating an hour and a half long, national TV special just to announce his, “decision,” would have long withstanding – probably irreparable – circumstances. Had LeBron simply announced his decision in a traditional manner, without the hoopla, we wouldn’t have an issue. But, he was self-involved enough to go on national television and rip the hearts out of an entire state of people that have supported and backed him since he was in high school.

THAT’S the matter at hand.

Mr. Jackson, I think it boils down to the fact that you’re simply out of touch. About as completely out of touch as it was to waste time, money, and effort to tour the United States to have funeral processions to bury a word that’s being widely used now more than ever, because of these processions. But that is an open letter that I guess I need to write to another African American “activist” entity that has failed us.

Speaking as an African American that has personally experienced racism, we as a people need to stop with the excuses. We, as a people, need to stop the blaming of, “the man,” for oppressing us. Does racism exist? You damn right it does. But what are we going to do about it? Are we going to quit living our lives? Are we going to constantly complain, blame others, and make a lot of something out of nothing? Or, are we going to overcome? Are we going to prove to our naysayers that we can be just as useful in this society as our white counterparts? I don’t know about you but I know what I’m going to do. There’s not a man on God’s green Earth that can deter me from living my life.

But, hey, maybe that’s just me.

And, Mr. Jackson, if I’m wrong in anything I’ve said then I’m not above reprieve either. Please let me know.

Check out Daniel Gilbert’s open letter to LeBron James.

Check out Jesse Jackson’s open letter to Daniel Gilbert.

Spread The Good Word!

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