Van Jones: Barack Obama's Lani Guiner

It is curious that physical courage should be so common in the world and moral courage so rare.
Mark Twain

I have always loved Mark Twain. Why? Because he had a way, in his time, of both looking at the world and being at peace with its hypocrisy. But remember, you can be at peace with something, but still have the fire in your belly. The fire in your belly to know that it's your DUTY to make change. To stand up for what's right. To do, as Spike Lee's movie so eloquently said, the right thing.

I wonder sometimes what it takes, in terms of mental fortitude or physical courage, to fall on one's sword. Is character defined by what you allow others to do to you, or is it defined by how you gracefully walk away, knowing that you got the shaft; knowing that in your heart, you were right? In this sense, does physical courage trump moral courage? And I also wonder what it means to be in a position of power (Barack Obama) and know that you are letting someone you respect; someone who's politics you know intimately, get "carved up" by right wing forces, right wing lies and distortions? And even more important, are you too afraid, from a political standpoint, to confidently wave this moral flag with courage, fortitude and ultimately, a sense of deep conviction? A sense of knowing that moral fortitude will trump the lies, distortions and political posturing?

I hate getting transported back in time for THE WRONG REASONS. It was so painful to watch the way Lani Guiner was "carved up" by right wing political forces. I was so disappointed in Bill Clinton right then; I wanted him to stand up and challenge the lies, lies that he knew were operative, distorted and not true. But his "political" calculation was one of sacrificing moral fortitude and moral conviction and standing behind this person, especially if it interfered with moving the larger agenda forward.

Sometimes I wonder, and maybe that is just who I am, sometimes I wonder what would happen or what would have happened if both Bill Clinton and Barack Obama had said: No! I am not going to back down from this character assassination! If that means that my larger agenda gets compromised and goes up in flames, then so be it! But would their larger agenda be compromised? The lack of conviction here does not leave the forces of change necessarily dormant. These historical forces will come back to haunt you, to make sure that you don't go to sleep at night knowing that you denied America a really true patriot. An individual whose ideas would have made a difference in our lives.

Both Bill Clinton and Barack Obama knew clearly the politics, agenda and direction Lani Guiner and Van Jones took in their lives, their paths. They both knew who they were bringing in to their administration's. So it's disingenuous at best to then hang both of them out to dry when you get attacked by the right wing. If you are going to bring them into your administration, then you need to be honest. You need moral conviction and fortitude. You need to understand that the reason you brought them in was that it would help forward your agenda, not compromise it. So, by extension, you have no other choice but to stick up for them, otherwise, you are saying (or inferring) that your agenda is not a true reflection of your leadership, philosophical ideals and moral character.
That's why the way that Barack Obama dealt with the attacks on Van Jones reminded me so much of Bill Clinton. I was transported back in time faster than I had a chance to resist! Why would I want to go back there? Why would I want to be reminded of that time, where I so much hoped that the person who occupied the Oval Office would have the courage to know that standing up to these types of attacks would not only the correct path, but would strengthen the country at the same time? This country has always been strengthened by resistance. Resistance, like competition, goes to the moral center of an individual and challenges the individual to do better, to embrace moral courage and existential fortitude.

Let's all learn from this lesson. If we don't, the third time won't be a charm.