Before our beloved first family added color to the White House there was another family we looked to for political guidance and spiritual leadership–the Jacksons. Not the ones of Motown fame, but the ones who instead insisted mo’ brown be considered and represented…from low income neighborhoods to lofty places such as Congress and the aforementioned Capitol.
I’m talking about the two generations of Jesses, a lineage so royal that one marched with a King while the other was no doubt set to inherit a throne of greatness. But faster than a bid wiz-playin’ aunt at a family reunion, cards were slammed face up on the table for all of us to see; a bad hand had been dealt. A spade had unwittingly been called a spade. Jesse Jr. and wife Sandi pled guilty to a “massive misuse of campaign money.”
As is always the case, the negativity made fodder for the headline story both on television and in print news alike. I will therefore not go into detail as to what the money was spent on. In Jesse’s own words, it was “not a proud day.” We shared a collective guilt and embarrassment, but it was just that to most of us–a day; whereas the prince and princess of policy have five long months to think about what they have done before their sentencing begins.
It is for this reason that I don’t think they need our judgement. Haven’t we all done things or made decisions that we wouldn’t necessarily want TMZ’d? I know if life offered it, I would definitely accept some do overs. Let anyone who hasn’t sinned, point out the faults of every brother who walks down Stony Island Ave. in Chicago. You get the point. Not a wise thing to do. Matthew 7 of the Bible goes on to remind us that we have enough of our own stuff to tend to.
Now I am by no means condoning or excusing what they did. It was wrong, period. I am simply saying that although I’m not a gambling woman, I bet Jesse isn’t the only “joker” who has made a mistake. As a result, however, he and his wife aren’t planning barbecues or picnics with the kids this summer. Guilt does not diminish the need for prayers on behalf of yet another broken family. So before we cast them into the fire, we need to stop. The love we save may one day be our own.
Blessings,
