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Van Jones, Right-wing Racist Hysteria, and the Green Collar Economy
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The recent resignation of Green Jobs Czar Van Jones is being hailed as a victory by conservative and republican activists, as well as by Fox News Shock Jock Glenn Beck. Jones, whose best selling book, “The Green Collar Economy,” is considered a visionary solution to the twin crises of environmental and economic disasters, was the seen as the best hope for progressive politics inside the White House. But rightwing groups launched a major smear campaign against him, digging into his background of Bay-area activism, extrapolating his associations, and red-baiting past statements. Jones’s signature on a petition calling for an investigation into the 9/11 attacks was used to smear him as a “9-11 truther,” even though many Americans, liberal and conservative, at minimum question the Bush Administration’s response to intelligence reports. In fact Fox News’ Glenn Beck used an excerpt of an interview by this program, Uprising, with Van Jones done last year on the eve of the MLK Dream Reborn Conference, to attack him. The combination of the smear campaign and the Obama Administration’s deafening silence is likely to be what led to Van Jones resigning over Labor Day weekend. But his resignation should not be viewed simply as a fallout of right-wing ideological hysteria over a politically progressive Black man with some power. In truth, Jones’ ideas about a Green-collar economy were a serious threat to business interests who backed the attacks against him. The Los Angeles Times carried an article last Friday citing that “[t]he takedown of Van Jones was openly orchestrated by Americans for Prosperity, an Arizona-based conservative organization that rallies people who can barely afford to drive a car to the free clinic to press for offshore drilling and oppose healthcare reform.” Americans for Prosperity is funded by oil giants like Exxon-Mobil and ultra-conservative foundations. So in effect, the loss of Van Jones from the White House, was a victory for Oil Corporations and other big business interests.

Van Jones founded the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights in 1996, an anti-violence group here in California. In 2005, Jones co-founded Color of Change, an advocacy group for African Americans and people of color, which has successfully targeted corporate sponsors of Glenn Beck’s program for calling the President a racist. Jones is also the founder of Green for All, a national organization dedicated to “building an inclusive green economy strong enough to lift people out of poverty.” His first book, The Green Collar Economy: How One Solution can fix our two biggest problems, was released on October 7, 2008, and reached number 12 on the New York Times Best Seller list. That book is just out now in paperback and is our thank you gift to you on this first day of fundraising. In 2008, Time magazine named Jones one of its “Environmental Heroes”. Fast Company called him one of the “12 Most Creative Minds of 2008.”

Thank you gifts:

Van Jones Guide to the Green Economy MP3 CD – $50
The Green Collar Economy: How One Solution can fix our two biggest problems – Book – $80
The Van Jones Green Economy Pack book and CD – $120