Jesse Jackson Jr. crash and burn

[mecch]

Wondering if anyone has any gossip or opinion about this sad story.

Last I knew he had disappeared and was being treated for bi-polar.  Now this..

The list of tawdry crap he bought with stolen funds is depressing.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/chi-jackson-charges-20130215,0,319725.story

I went to wiki and read about his youth and education. It was at least interesting. It wasn't written on the walls he should turn out like this.  I wonder if the psychological issues could account for the criminality?  My father (die-hard liberal irish catholic) told me when I was a kid that Jesse Jackson (sr) was a grifter and opportunist.  Eventually I came to agree.

It looks like the apple doesn't fall very fall from the tree... But I do wonder how it ended up like this. Its a pretty sad result for Jesse Jackson Jr...

[OneTampa]

It looks like the apple doesn't fall very fall from the tree... But I do wonder how it ended up like this. Its a pretty sad result for Jesse Jackson Jr...

Here are examples of the apples falling close to the tree and far from the tree then rolling back towards it. Two articles on Martin (birth first name was Michael) Luther King, Jr. daughters Yolanda and Bernice and their stances on same sex-marriage and equality for all:

Yolanda: http://www.pridesource.com/article.html?article=25348

Bernice: http://pamshouseblend.firedoglake.com/tag/bernice-king/

Jessie Jackson, Sr., as we know, was part of the group who worked with Martin Luther King, Jr., and was with him when he died.

Another interesting fact is that Bayard Rustin, a gay man, was the chief strategist for the civil rights movement and worked very closely with Martin Luther King, Jr:  http://rustin.org/?page_id=2

[red_Dragon888]

There's nothing new under the sun.  When in Rome, do as Romans.  When in Politics, do as other politicians.

[mecch]

Jessie Jackson, Sr., as we know, was part of the group who worked with Martin Luther King, Jr., and was with him when he died.

Part of my point, OneTampa, was that many believe that Jackson SR fabricated much of his relationship and importance in King's life and movement, not to mention his actions on the day King was assassinated.  There are those who believe, (myself included) that he had a long long career as a lying opportunist principally interested and motivated by himself...   (Obama iced him out totally in his own rise to power, for example.)

So, it's only speculation, obviously, but why does his son get revealed now to be so corrupt and immoral. 

As Dragon ponders, are all Chicago politicians dirty (.... so Obama, too, maybe), are ALL politicians from everywhere dirty....  (Personally, I don't buy this explanation...)

Or did King JR. learn his life ways from his dad? 

Or did this reckless stupid buying spree spring out of his bipolarity?  The bio on King Jr. mentions him having been sent to military school, having a long rough adolescence fitting in, then hitting his groove with sports and studies... (So while some speculate the "bipolarity" was a legal defence ruse in preparation for his indictment and ruin... I see evidence the diagnosis could be real and JR. has suffered a long time with this..)  He earned many REAL degrees (his father's credentials have long been muddy and suspect) and Jr. was a long-serving REAL politician, a real job, responsible to people, reelected many times, and appreciated by his constituency.... 

So, as I said, its a waste and sad result, and one wonders... How did that happen.... 

Its a sort of manic behaviour, no??, a kind of kleptomania....  I had an uncle in public service who was ruined by his embezzlement from a city government.  But, we all said "at least".... he used the ill-gotten funds for meaningful family expenses and support.  Still a crime, but we understand a certain motivation....  Other times we learn about people like Winona Ryder, shoplifting ridiculous items she could have done without or paid for, and you wonder, geez, why bother, why take the risk?  Its not like JR needed a 40K gold Rolex or mink capes (whatever they are??? and where would a Representative wear such things without raising eyebrows anyway?). 

Seems incredibly manic....

[OneTampa]

Part of my point, OneTampa, was that many believe that Jackson SR fabricated much of his relationship and importance in King's life and movement, not to mention his actions on the day King was assassinated.  There are those who believe, (myself included) that he had a long long career as a lying opportunist principally interested and motivated by himself...   (Obama iced him out totally in his own rise to power, for example.)

So, it's only speculation, obviously, but why does his son get revealed now to be so corrupt and immoral. 

As Dragon ponders, are all Chicago politicians dirty (.... so Obama, too, maybe), are ALL politicians from everywhere dirty....  (Personally, I don't buy this explanation...)

Or did King JR. learn his life ways from his dad? 

Or did this reckless stupid buying spree spring out of his bipolarity?  The bio on King Jr. mentions him having been sent to military school, having a long rough adolescence fitting in, then hitting his groove with sports and studies... (So while some speculate the "bipolarity" was a legal defence ruse in preparation for his indictment and ruin... I see evidence the diagnosis could be real and JR. has suffered a long time with this..)  He earned many REAL degrees (his father's credentials have long been muddy and suspect) and Jr. was a long-serving REAL politician, a real job, responsible to people, reelected many times, and appreciated by his constituency.... 

So, as I said, its a waste and sad result, and one wonders... How did that happen.... 

Its a sort of manic behaviour, no??, a kind of kleptomania....  I had an uncle in public service who was ruined by his embezzlement from a city government.  But, we all said "at least".... he used the ill-gotten funds for meaningful family expenses and support.  Still a crime, but we understand a certain motivation....  Other times we learn about people like Winona Ryder, shoplifting ridiculous items she could have done without or paid for, and you wonder, geez, why bother, why take the risk?  Its not like JR needed a 40K gold Rolex or mink capes (whatever they are??? and where would a Representative wear such things without raising eyebrows anyway?). 

Seems incredibly manic....

I clearly understand your point.  I am also keenly aware of the "chat about" regarding the inflated importance JJSr assigned himself to the work of MLKJr.  As you see, you quoted a segment of my post that was rather neutral and simply noted JJSr worked with MLKJr and was there when he died.

JJJr's mental situation and the manifestation of his urges to loot the public coffers and exhibit other "off the rails" behavior may or may not simply be coincidental to him being the son of JJSr. The difference is that both JJJr and JJSr are high profile personalities supposedly working for the good of everyone--thus the increased publicity.

I witnessed JJSr. up close over 20 years ago when I and several other staff at my then organization were recruited to be members of the audience when he had his television show.  I recall Mayor White (the black mayor of a northeastern city I think) and Jack Kemp (ex-football player who was the secretary of HUD or some agency) were his guests.  JJSr was very good at the "scare and sway" (as my mother used say) as host of his television show.

The other point I made in my post was to further illustrate, with a hybrid true/false example, the adage "the apple does not fall far from the tree" noting the different stances MLKJr daugthers  took on same-sex marriage only to come to rest simarily and eventully in line with their father's (and in later years their mother Coretta) noble mission to push for equality for everyone--including gay people. The fact that MLKJr followed the recommendations of an openly gay man, Bayard, who served as the equal rights movement's chief strategist added extra flavor.

Bottom line, there are gradient exceptions to nearly every rule (or adage), as the saying goes.

[mecch]

So you think, at the end of the day. Jr's crash and burn is 1) nature, 2) nurture, 3) a mixture, or 4) finally, who is to say, its all speculation.... ?