Rev. Jesse Jackson expresses need for love at Democratic National Convention

by Sara Ritsch
Staff Writer

Reverend Jesse L. Jackson, Sr., founder and president of the Rainbow Push Coalition (RPC), came to the Democratic National Convention to talk about love.

According to the Rainbow Push Coalition website, they are a "multi-racial, multi-issue, progressive, international membership organization fighting for social change." They claim that their mission is to "protect, defend, and gain civil rights by leveling the economic and educational playing fields, and to promote peace and justice around the world."

“Love must trump ignorance and fear and hatred and violence,” Jackson said. RPC explains on their website, "Over the past forty years, he [Jackson] has played a pivotal role in virtually every movement for empowerment, peace, civil rights, gender equality, and economic and social justice"

Jackson explained that we must live together as brothers and sisters. He advocated for Hillary Clinton’s advancement in civil liberties for African Americans. 

In terms of Black Lives Matter, he said Clinton knows “our scars, our struggles.”

He advocated for the banning of assault weapons. 

In a previous interview with Rev. Jackson, he said, “...militarized AK-47s, not only can they shoot up theaters and churches, they can bring down airplanes.”

He continued in the interview, "It is irrational to me to have military-style weapons that can shoot like that. There’s no defense against them...We must know that more guns make us less safe, not more safe, and not more secure."

To the convention, he called Mexico our neighbors. “Stop insulting Hispanics, stop insulting Muslims - now.” 

Jackson insisted that the threatened deportation of millions of undocumented immigrants must stop.

“When women win, children win. When women and children win, mothers win,” he said, while continuing to advocate for healing in racial disparity.

“It’s healing time, it’s hope time, it’s healing time,” he chanted, as the audience joined in.

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Sarah Boone contributed to this report.
Copyright The Gayly - 7/27/2016 @ 5:37 p.m. CDT