Green For All's Van Jones to White House

Congrats Van Jones, I hope you get over yourself and really begin to reach out to real black people instead of just your white and multicultural activists circle who are just as afraid of real black people as you are. While the public at large believe you are a pro black, cop hating activist, we in Oakland, know the true. You are a coward and a liar, and has never done anything grassroots in Oakland---the city you claim to have done all your ground work in. Ask any everyday Black person, who is van jones? and they will say, " i don't know."

Wow, what a spiteful comment! I'm an everyday black person, born and raised in southern california and I know who Van Jones is...perhaps black people in the Oakland area should read more books about the environment or do research on environmental issues online because they will inevitably come across Van Jones' name...knowledge is power and so if people choose not to gain knowledge in a particular area, we can't blame anyone--we just need to work for a solution! I live in a neighborhood that's almost entirely brown and I gotta tell these kids not to throw trash on the ground cuz there momma didn't teach them not too, but I'm not hatin' on their momma's! I just try to do my part to spread a positive message. It's not Mr. Jones' fault that a lot of young people are not into environmental concerns, so why hate on him for his success?? Grassroots means that we are all responsible for spreading the message, so instead of hating on Jones because his message didn't reach who you think it should reach, you should pick up where he left off and continue to spread a positive message about caring for the environment. Basically, one person can't be all things to everyone--as a community, we've got to come together and make the environment better! We don't need to tear each other down with criticism and name calling. Let's just focus on the objective: making sure we protect our planet! I mean instead of whining about why somebody didn't come to some neighborhood and making it racial and questioning whether or not Jones is down for the black community, recognize that YOU have the power to do just as much as Jones (maybe even more)when it comes to spreading the word about protecting the environment. As a black woman, and a native Californian, all I can say is that being green is NOT about whether or not you are black or white or red or yellow--so why even mention the black issue??

V.J. & Mina,

I watched Jones speak at the Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors conference on green investing last year, and I witnessed his considerable ability to galvanize an audience.

It seems to me that when you are as passionate about your work as Jones seems to be about his, you are bound to inspire passionate reactions, both positive and negative, from the community.

In your diametrically opposed comments, we are seeing that play out.

Sincerely,
Mary Kathleen Flynn
Senior Editor/Senior Video Producer
The Deal

Congratulations to Van Jones on his cabinet appointment. I'm sure his voice will reach more people now and, hopefully, he can magnify whatever work he has done for the city of Oakland and other urban centers like it, with this new position.

One of the points he often makes is that if solar panels were above the apartment buildings in these areas and hooked up to a grid they would be energy savers and create jobs because someone has to install and maintain them. I wish him luck.

Sean Keller
http://www.greencollareconomy.com

Sean Keller,

One of the things I enjoy about the way Van Jones thinks is that along with his lofty ambitions he's got lots of low-tech ideas too, like, hey, invest in companies that make caulking guns, 'cause insulating is gonna be, um, hot. :)

Cheers,
Mary Kathleen Flynn
Senior Editor/Senior Video Producer, The Deal

I saw Van Jones's decription of Republicans and wanted to make an observation. People should remember that only a "turd" can truly recognize an a**hole! Since Jones made the observation, I guess we have to assume he is a turd.