Chicago-Midwest

Jesse Jackson Jr Is Doing Well

Why Congressman Jesse Jackson Jr Is Doing Well

 

The only people who truly control the political future of Congressman Jesse Jackson, Jr are the voters of the 2nd Congressional District who I suspect will re-elect him to Congress in November when he returns from his medical leave.  The Congressman's staff is at work everyday continuing to provide on ongoing constituent services from the local and national offices.  And I have spent the last few weeks talking directly to voters in the district and while there are those who debate back and forth over the strategies over how he publicly chooses to handle the recovery process, the overwhelming majority of the voters still say they will vote for him in November.

 

It is interesting that the overwhelming majority of the comments and negative analysis I have read regarding Congressman Jackson and his future have come from people who do not have the ultimate power to elect or re-elect him to Congress in November.  And I have watched those political operatives who have taken full advantage of beating on the

Congressman while he appears to be down for their own political gains much more than offering him prayers or other forms of personal or professional support. The good news for Jackson when he returns is that he can clearly see who stood with him and who tried to take their personal political gains from his illness.


The Chicago Sun-Times Columnist Mary Mitchell wrote a column last week with the headline that read "Jackson's secrecy a dereliction of his duties," and I again ask "duties" according to whose rules? No matter what or how Jackson chooses to respond up until this point is continually met with immediate responses from those who say "not good enough, and do it this way," and I say one will never satisfy all the different political operatives and analysts who offer more standards that Jackson should be following by the day, except for the official rules established by law governing what Congressman have to do when taking a medical leave. And with the frenzy over Congressman Jackson and Senator Mark Kirk, does anybody have any idea whats going with the other Congressional leaders who have been are currently on a medical leave and why no tabloid coverage of their personal and professional integrity? Now maybe those national political analysts can use this as a moment to have some Congressional legislative rules changes that can better govern this medical leave process.


More good news for Jackson is that there are hundreds of constituents, community organizers, civic, business and religious leaders who are now planning public shows of support for Jackson, in part because constituents are reporting that calls are being made to them from political opponents of Jackson to keep up some public sentiment that 2nd Congressional district voters are disenchanted at allegedly being disenfranchised by Jackson's absence and missing votes. To that end, I am going to do an upcoming analysis of these votes that Jackson is missing and just how injurious they are to the voters of the 2nd Congressional District.


For now, let the political operatives against Jackson, including some alleged allies keep showing their public hand helping to beat on Jackson while he is down so he knows how to keep his distance from them when he returns.  So while those operatives continue to lobby for their own political gain,  Jackson is doing well with the people that matter most and who truly are the only people who control his future in Congress -- the voters of the 2nd Congressional District who I still say are ready to re-elect Jackson in November.

 

On Wednesday afternoon, Congressman Jesse Jackson’s staff announced that he is under “intensive medical treatment for a mood disorder but is expected to make a full recovery.” Now that was certainly good news, but not so good news for those who want Jackson to go through a public recovery process with his doctors doing weekly updates and photo ops of his recovery which I will continue to advise him to stay private until he is ready to come back public. Shame on all these political allies and pundits who keep making up new rules by the day on what his accountability process is supposed to be as if they are the voters of the district. 

 

Many mental health experts in the Black community know very well that Jackson is a human being and with his high profile are like other noted Blacks who put up a good public display of his confidence and strength, but it would be wonderful if he could use this stage of his life and a learning moment not just for him but talk about this when he is ready and be of real encouragement to others in this community to do the same. I sent him word that it is okay to let the world know that he is a human being and has to face the same personal and professional challenges just like the constituents he serves.  “In the black community, where the stigma of mental health is still there, getting help for these issues is rare,’’ says Rebecca Walker, daughter of author Alice Walker. With that quote in mind, Jackson can truly be an example and motivation for others that there is nothing wrong with acknowledging them problem and doing the most important thing in that ones life can continue productively with proper time management and treatment.

Good news for Congressman Jackson. Good future for Congressman Jackson when he is re-elected in November and still a major member of the powerful Appropriations Committee, and get this -- still building the seniority in Congress to possibly make history as the first Black Speaker of The House.  Congressman Jackson is doing well politically, and now let the medical healing process continue in private and without the tabloid coverage over the names and credibility of his doctors or the physical location to be scouted by photographers.

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  • Chicago-Midwest

    Thank you Brother Flagg.  I'm using (back to using because I went off the reservation for awhile) a combination of exercise high enough to induce endorphins, an anti-depressant mild enough to have minimal side effects and a sleeping pill (again a kiddie version) to keep my sleep patterns regular.  

    I don't know why other cultures respect their creative folks and we only seem to have a high regard for those who rap, sing at the top of their lungs, or bounce a ball.  

  • West

    wishing a speedy recovery to Jessie Jr and a 'stay well' to Lavonda R Staple

  • Chicago-Midwest

    I have decided to respond to this by talking about my own illness.  I have suffered from depression for quite some time.  I have learned how to put on a mask and then cry, later, alone.  I've been through medications, exercises, and stigma.  I am from an educated family but I have been through times when even my young niece, who loves me, has called me Crazy Aunt La Vonda.  

    I've been through times where my illness was called a demon and I was told to forget medicine and pray it out.  Ridiculous precept at best.  And finally, I've had relationships with highly educated people who should have known better, who turned their backs on me when I reached out in fear from being permanently engulfed in a psychological storm.  

    I don't suppose that what I write will make a difference.  All I can do is set my own hand to the record.  Perhaps others will do the same.  

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