Jesse Jackson to talk at Eisenhower tonight

By SARAH CASSI
Collegian Staff Writer

Jesse Jackson, who has not visited Penn State since his 1984 presidential campaign, is returning to speak at 7 p.m. today in Eisenhower Auditorium.

Jackson is the founder and president of the Rainbow/People United to Save Humanity (PUSH) Coalition, a grassroots organization that opens corporation doors closed to minority communities, said Jerry Thomas, Jackson's press agent.

In addition to his involvement with Rainbow/PUSH Coalition, Jackson is a prominent civil rights activist. On Friday, he was arrested at a rally protesting police brutality in New York City. More than 200 people were arrested at the protest, which was spurred by the tragic death of Amadou Diallo, who was shot 41 times by New York police officers.

Jackson, who ran for president in both 1984 and 1988, dispelled rumors of a possible presidential bid for the year 2000 last Wednesday.

"I've got so much work to do," Jackson said in a press release. "I've got so many issues I want to raise. I've got so many battles left to fight. I simply believe that I can most effectively advance that work, those issues and these battles outside the context of a presidential campaign."

One of those issues is economic improvement for all Americans.

"This is the greatest economic boom America has seen," Thomas said, "but not all Americans have benefited from that boom. The Rev. Jackson wants all Americans to have sufficient health care, education for their children and a home. He feels this can be accomplished outside of the current political system."

John Katunich, political co-director for Lambda Student Alliance, one of the program's sponsors, said the group decided to co-sponsor the talk because Jackson is a powerful speaker.

"He commands a lot of respect from people on campus," he said. "Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transsexual groups can't force certain issues, but if we join other minorities, our voice really becomes heard."

The Penn State College Democrats, Black Caucus, Lambda Student Alliance, the Multicultural Resource Center and AT&T Center for Service Leadership will sponsor the program, with support from the University Park Allocation Committee and Centre County Democratic Committee.