#sparkchamber 011623 — Hakeem Jeffries on MLK Day
On this day set aside to honor the Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. — the nation’s most prominent leader in the 20th century struggle for civil rights — #sparkchamber celebrates Hakeem Jeffries. Jeffries is a congressman in his 6th term representing New York’s diverse 8th congressional district, anchored in southern and eastern Brooklyn. He is a tireless advocate for social and economic justice, instrumental in House Democratic efforts to put people over politics by lowering costs, creating better-paying jobs, and fighting for safer communities. From a recent Slate article, “Around New York City, there was a time when congressman Hakeem Jeffries was nicknamed the Barack of Brooklyn. Like Barack Obama, Jeffries is a fan of soaring and sometimes stinging rhetoric. And like Barack Obama, he rose to power fast. He started in the New York Assembly, running three times before winning a seat there in 2006. He made a name for himself, passing laws that constrained the NYPD, but nothing too radical. New York just wasn’t thinking like that back then.
“Jeffries didn’t stay in local politics very long. After just a few years. He was running for Congress. He won that race in 2013. He entered Congress and rose really quickly after that … a really quick ascent that is an important part of this, too. This is an incredibly ambitious politician.”
Ambitious … and astute and altruistic. A triple threat of attributes to achieve measurable impact in public service.
Last week, as everyone is likely aware, after four days and 14 losing ballots, in the early morning hours of January 7, 2023 Kevin McCarthy [R-CA] won enough votes to become speaker of the House of Representatives on the 15th try. This was the first time in 100 years it took more than one ballot to elect the majority speaker, and the most ballots required since 1860. On each of those ballots, Hakeem Jeffries received unanimous support from the Democratic conference. The contrast was striking.
Jeffries used the ceremonial handing-over of the speaker’s gavel from the Democrats to the Republicans to give a barn-burning speech, calling out the many contrasts between Republican and Democratic priorities. After praising his immediate predecessors and outlining the accomplishments of “one of the most consequential congresses in American history,” he continued:
“As Democrats, we do believe in a country for everyone. We believe in a country with liberty and justice for all, equal protection under the law, free and fair elections, and yes, we believe in a country with the peaceful transfer of power.
“We believe that in America our diversity is a strength — it is not a weakness — an economic strength, a competitive strength, a cultural strength. We are a gorgeous mosaic of people from throughout the world. As John Lewis would sometimes remind us on this floor, we may have come over on different ships but we’re all in the same boat now.”
[John Lewis — an activist and Freedom Rider inspired to civil-rights activism by King — was quoting Dr. King.]
Jeffries continued, “We are white. We are Black. We are Latino. We are Asian. We are Native American.
“We are Christian. We are Jewish. We are Muslim. We are Hindu. We are religious. We are secular. We are gay. We are straight. We are young. We are older. We are women. We are men. We are citizens. We are dreamers.
“Out of many, we are one. That’s what makes America a great country, and no matter what kind of haters are trying to divide us, we’re not going to let anyone take that away from us, not now, not ever. This is the United States of America.
“So on this first day, let us commit to the American dream, a dream that promises that if you work hard and play by the rules, you should be able to provide a comfortable living for yourself and for your family, educate your children, purchase a home, and one day retire with grace and dignity.”
He went on to say that Democrats will offer their hand to Republicans to find common ground, but, “We will never compromise our principles.” With a big smile and a twinkle in his eye, “The Barack of Brooklyn” listed those principles, alliteratively from A to Z, in a rousing, elevated manner reminiscent of the Reverend King himself: "We will always put …
American values over Autocracy
Benevolence over Bigotry
the Constitution over the Cult
Democracy over Demagogues
Economic opportunity over Extremism
Freedom over Fascism
Governing over Gaslighting
Hopefulness over Hatred
Inclusion over Isolation
Justice over Judicial Overreach
Knowledge over Kangaroo Courts
Liberty over Limitation
Maturity over Mar A Lago
Normalcy over Negativity
Opportunity over Obstruction
People over Politics
Quality-of-life Issues over Q-Anon
Reason over Racism
Substance over Slander
Triumph over Tyranny
Understanding over Ugliness
Voting rights over Voter suppression
Working Families over the Well-Connected
Xenial over Xenophobia
“Yes We Can” over “You Can’t Do It”
and Zealous Representation over Zero-Sum Confrontation.
We will always do the right thing.”
Torch passed. Thank you for your service, Hakeem Jeffries.
Question 1: Where do ideas come from?
You don’t have to see the top of the staircase to take the first step.
Question 2: What is the itch you are scratching?
Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, “What are you doing for others”
Question 3: Early bird or night owl? Tortoise or hare
We must use time creatively, in the knowledge that the time is always ripe to do right.
Question 4: How do you know when you are done?
Well, I don’t know what will happen now. We’ve got some difficult days ahead. But it doesn’t matter with me now. Because I’ve been to the mountaintop. And I don’t mind. Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I’m not concerned about that now. I just want to do God’s will. And He’s allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I’ve looked over. And I’ve seen the promised land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the promised land!