Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. takes Bay State politicians to task

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Ron Bell, president of Dunk the Vote, introduced John Bonifaz, a candidate for secretary of state, and Jesse Jackson Jr. yesterday at a meeting at Roxbury's Freedom House. (Globe Staff Photo / George Rizer)

Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. takes Bay State politicians to task
By Adrienne P. Samuels, Globe Staff | February 11, 2006

Congressman Jesse Jackson Jr. yesterday used an appearance at Freedom House in Roxbury to chide the state's politicians and to endorse a Democrat who hopes to topple Secretary of State William F. Galvin. ''I want to reflect upon not the necessity or need to vote," said Jackson, an Illinois Democrat who is the son of the famous civil rights activist. ''I want to comment on the condition of Roxbury, where, from my perspective, nothing ever changes."

It is important for people to vote, he said, to make Massachusetts politicians accountable to improve conditions in economically depressed areas such as Roxbury. He was quick to add, however, that he was not encouraging the crowd to vote Republican. Many in the crowd stopped eating their eggs, bacon, and breakfast potatoes to applaud Jackson's statements at the nonpartisan town hall meeting, which was sponsored by Freedom House and the voting rights organization Dunk the Vote.

Jackson also endorsed John Bonifaz for secretary of state, saying that Bonifaz was uniquely qualified for the state's top elections position because of his decade of working to improve voting rights across the country. Bonifaz told the crowd that, if elected, he would work to improve voting machines here. He also chastised Boston and other Massachusetts communities for failing to provide adequate voting rights protections; Boston settled a Justice Department lawsuit last year alleging voting rights violations.

''Massachusetts ought to be a model for free and fair elections throughout the country," said Bonifaz, the lead lawyer in a 2003 lawsuit challenging President Bush's constitutional authority to invade Iraq. ''The state needs to be enforcing the Voting Rights Act, not the Bush administration."

Yesterday's town hall meeting was one of a series hosted by Freedom House in which local candidates are invited to meet with the community. Maura Hennigan, a former City Council member who is running for the Suffolk County clerk of courts, attended the event, along with Councilor Felix Arroyo. Hennigan challenged Jackson's description of Roxbury, but said she understood his larger point of calling for the accountability of politicians. ''What's difficult is that when you don't live here, you don't see some of the changes," she said. Arroyo said Jackson was on point. ''The dots were always there, but he was exquisite in connecting them," said Arroyo.

Mike Morris, 31, of Roxbury, said his community has matured well since the time he was a child. ''The murder rates have dropped dramatically, education has gotten better, there are more sports activities for kids," said Morris. ''But I can feel their pain. It does sometimes seem that nothing is being done."

Adrienne P. Samuels can be reached at [e-mail]

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1. link

http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2006/02/11/rep_jesse_jackson_jr_takes_bay_state_politicians_to_task/

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2. Thanks Paine!

Wish I could have been there!