Another one bites the dust...Van Jones, and chasing "treasure in Heaven"

I know, it's been a long time, but I've been busy gettin' full amid the clamor of restoring order in the new abode. So many things kept bogardin' their way into my consciousness over the last month, I thought my head would explode. I beg your indulgence as I go back and forth trying to get it all out.

What popped the proverbial cork this morning, was reading this HuffPo account of the "We-got-to-kick-your-ass-under-the-bus-my-brother" resignation of Van Jones, the Changeling's "Green Jobs' Czar" (what is it with this "Czar/Tsar" thing and the U.S. government??). And on Labor Day weekend no less!! Get it? Jobs' Czar - Labor Day? Never mind.

I just couldn't ignore all the shit that brought that one act to fruition (I tend to find interesting kernels in the distractions, what can I say). This is just a big ole Shepherd's Pie, bubbling with two dollops of "Karma's a b*tch" and "God don't like ugly," smothered with a thick, "For real, for real, I ain't your brotha, Brother" gravy and topped with a flaky, golden-brown crust of "The Struggle Continues!"

First of all, though I'd read and heard snippets of Glenn Beck's, "The Communist, Mr. Jones," I really wasn't paying close attention (his myopia just wears me the hell out). It wasn't until I made the ColorOfChange connection, that I was at once flooded with a wave of recognition followed closely by feelings of betrayal. Then, just as quickly, I was awash in what can only be described as schadenfreude. What? I'm human!

Okay, that might be a little melodramatic, but that's what it felt like. I absolutely loved the work Van Jones and James Rucker had been doing on behalf of Black people left to not only fend for themselves, being labeled as looters and refugees and then finally dropped off like a convict being released from prison with a few dollars and a see you later after Hurricane Katrina (nod to the 4th anniversary that just passed).

I absolutely loved how tirelessly they worked to try and help people get back home. As a matter of fact, it was following their site, their social activism in support of the voiceless, that inspired me to take my old ass down to New Orleans in 2006 to give the only thing I had to give to the effort (myself) -twice. Right is right and wrong is wrong - ColorOfChange was right on this one.

I fiercely supported them in this post, "Baisden & The Color of Change: Talk About Black-on-Black Crime!!!," back in November of 2007 when Michael Baisden tried to "re-route" Jena 6 donations to his own, hastily-formed-after-he-finally-got-a-damn-clue-about-exactly-what-happened-in-Jena organization by smearing ColorofChange with accusations of stealing previously collected money. Baisden was wrong on this one and ColorofChange had the proof - in black and white. I remember saying to myself, "Damn, for the first time in a long time, it seems we've got a Black non-profit actually doing non-profit work! No dippin' in the till or anything!" (I'm just playin')

But then, Jones and Rucker, et al spun the hell around, successfully bamboozling Black people into supporting the Florida & Michigan primary debacle - from supporting votes not being counted (mine being one of them), to strong-arming Black super delegates like John Lewis and members of the CBC to give us the damn Changeling! Yes, I felt betrayed.

I really coudn't wrap my brain around their support for this, "I'm-a-Black-man-only-when-I-need-to-be" candidate, particularly given both their very "for my people" track records. ColorOfChange was wrong on this one and since truth and the right thing is where I kinda like to hang my hat, I chalked it up to that First Black President Rapture and called it like I saw it in, Florida and Michigan Disenfranchisement, Super delegates - What's Good for the Goose is Good for the Gander back in February 2008. I've not looked their way since.

But then along comes Karma being the sho' nuf something else that it is, bringing the Changeling who - after having tried out his newly acquired, "quid-pro-quo" super powers by giving Jones a position in the "Big House" - unceremoniously showed his ass the door when it looked like, à la Rev. Wright, real trouble might be a brewin' as a result of this Brotha (and Jarrett protege) speakin' out like a, ahem, BROTHA, who can truly bear witness, would be speaking out! Priceless!

I offer this Glenn Beck compilation for two reasons: 1) to illustrate my Brotha point and 2) because I find so much irony in the narrative and how it is framed for people who think the way Beck does (poor Pookie never gets a break does he??). More on that in another post:

Once Beck laid it out, the White Supremacist arm of our wonderful, Capitalist Patriarchy got more than a little upset, riling up the "bitters" and e'erbody else still chafing at the thought of having a media-identified Black man as the HNIC of these United States of America (yeah, we're post-racial alright). Then, I'm sure the puppet masters were a-twitter, telling the Changeling, "Fix this shit! We certainly don't need this kind of distraction right before you tell everybody more health care lies next week!"

And in his now, very predictable, "Yassuh-Boss-as-long-as-it-doesn't-affect-my-shit" kind of way - he did, giving the proverbial finger to all those people ColorOfChange had riled up during his journey to selection. He might be president, but like all his supporters keep saying when he's mum on the meaningful - "You know there's stuff he can't say in front of those white people!" But he's supposed to be leader of the "free" world. Please! More like the "freely" co-opted, propped up and compensated to stroke his inner-megalomania leader - in his own mind, fiddling while Rome burns.

Anywa-a-a-y...

Hey Van! So much for "Standing Together to Organize a Revolutionary Movement" huh? Guess getting into the "Big House" replaces one's revolutionary thinking with um, - butterflies (note his breathless recreation of Chris Matthews' leg-tingling moment at about the 1:11 click in the video) - or something. They really got you, Man. How did you let him and Val con you into believing in his "change?" Or did you think you were workin' your own agenda? (Probably).

Not only did they promise you "treasure in heaven" if you would just "come and follow him" in the form of a seat at some decision-making table en La Casa Blanca - they delivered! Well sort of. Bad move Man, bad move. Pre-Obama Van had so many more "treasures." At least I thought so. But who am I?

Let's be clear Van. One monkey will not stop their show. As is their wont when anything or anyone comes between them and their glory, they left you twistin' in the wind while they circled the wagons, sending Giblet out to say nothing in your defense. From the HuffPo piece above:

On "This Week" with George Stephanopoulos, Gibbs told Stephanopoulos that Obama thanks Jones for his service but doesn't endorse his views or object to his resignation.

"What Van Jones decided was that the agenda of this president was bigger than any one individual. The president thanks Van Jones for his service in the first eight months," Gibbs said.

Man Van, that was cold-blooded. It'll be interesting to see what, if anything, you've learned from this little foray into perceived "power." Serving "at the pleasure" didn't even get you a year of job security! No worries though. After it all calms down, you can write a book.

As for Beck & Friends? Thank Obama & Co. for energizing that bunch with your firing, uh, resignation. They've either lent a seeming credence to all Beck's said about you, and by association, Obama, or at the very least, they'll certainly be tap dancing on your last nerve for awhile, talking about how "your president" hung you out to dry. Either way, it sucks to be you right about now because I bet you know, somewhere deep down inside, that's exactly what he did. But hold on, it'll get better - as soon as you take stock of your real "treasures."

Golden-brown crust of Shepherd's pie anyone?