It’s no big surprise that Van Jones resigned from his post with the Council on Environmental Quality. Conservatives did a number on him using the politics of the past, the politics of distorting statements and the politics of guilt by association to smear him. But, I think Jones will be OK and will survive this minor hurdle in his life and career. When you read his resignation letter I think you will see a man who stepped aside to be unselfish and not do damage to what is really important (working on health care, clean energy and more). He could have stayed and fought, and probably would have survived, but he wanted to take himself away as a distraction and a weapon used by conservatives to paint the president as an angry, black radical.
Here is Jones’ letter:
I am resigning my post at the Council on Environmental Quality, effective today.
On the eve of historic fights for health care and clean energy, opponents of reform have mounted a vicious smear campaign against me. They are using lies and distortions to distract and divide.
I have been inundated with calls – from across the political spectrum – urging me to “stay and fight.”
But I came here to fight for others, not for myself. I cannot in good conscience ask my colleagues to expend precious time and energy defending or explaining my past. We need all hands on deck, fighting for the future.
It has been a great honor to serve my country and my President in this capacity. I thank everyone who has offered support and encouragement. I am proud to have been able to make a contribution to the clean energy future. I will continue to do so, in the months and years ahead.
There are some who believe he should have stayed and fought and not let the far-right nuts use the politics of fear and smear.
If some of these conservative nuts, like the integrity-challenged Glenn Beck, showed even a fraction of Jones’ class and unselfishness … the world would be a lot better place.
This is certainly a battle that in some ways the idiotic Beck (who made the outrageous, illogical and stupid charge of President Obama being a racist) has won (although I still think Van Jones can be more effective away from President Obama than by his side). But, if Beck chooses to fight this way then he should not complain when others fight him in a similar way.
