Jackson’s PDX visit more than about recent shootings
PORTLAND, Ore. - The Rev. Jesse Jackson came back to Portland Monday - the second time in little over a month - not only to address the city’s latest police shooting but also to speak about education, health care, and transportation issues.
In the afternoon he wrapped up talks with local church leaders about opening a Portland office for his Rainbow PUSH Coalition, an organization he founded to fight for social change.
It was about the only part of his tour that tied in with the police shootings of Aaron Campbell in January and Jack Collins last week.
He said the shootings of the two men are “concerning’ and said he supports the recent protests and rallies that demand answers from police.
“But all those efforts to bring attention to those killings, we support them. Of course we do,” Jackson said.
“These shootings always triggers explosions,” he said. “So look at Aaron Campbell and now Collins; obviously, something must happen.”
He also said the police department must be more representative of the community.
“We want them to have to stop the excessive use of force, but also we want a fair share of police: men, women, black, white, and brown to represent the city,” he said.
In a presidential candidate-style tour, Jackson started his day at Self Enhancement Inc., a North Portland charter school.
He spoke mostly to black students and encouraged them - especially the boys - to graduate and said if someone reaches kids early enough, they can be empowered to change.
“This school has no expulsion. No suspension, because somebody cares and focuses,” he said.
Later, at Legacy Emanuel Hospital he spoke about the impact of the new health care bill on urban hospitals that President Barack Obama signed into law last week. And George Brown, the president and CEO of Legacy Health said Jackson was there to “see the challenges that we’re up against with the high unemployment and the numbers of people who’ve lost their health insurance.”
Jackson’s trip was planned prior to last week’s officer-involved shooting. He plans to speak to a local transit union later Monday evening, and he said a local family won a raffle to have him over for dinner which also brought him back to the Rose City.
