* Kari Steele is an MWRD commissioner currently running for Cook County Assessor…
Dear Commissioner Steele,
As Jewish leaders, we write to raise alarm about anti-semitic rhetoric being advanced by your spouse, Maze Jackson, a radio personality and podcaster with a YouTube channel. As you know, Jackson has served as a leading surrogate for your campaign, including speaking about it extensively on his show, and commenting on the record in a recent Chicago Tribune article about the race.
As you may also know, the past year has seen a record upsurge in the amount of documented antisemitic incidents, an increase of 34% in 2021 over any previous year, according to the Anti-Defamation League. These incidents range from vandalism and hate speech to threats and violent attacks. Obviously, this increase in attacks has been deeply disturbing and terrifying for our community.
Amidst this surge, Mr. Jackson has allowed his show to be used as a platform from which attacks on the Jewish community have been launched.
These attacks have been targeted at Jews in general, as well as several Jewish individuals and a major Jewish civic organization, all of them active in working for more affordable housing in the city. On April 13 of this year, Mr. Jackson referred on his show to an unnamed “Jewish organization,” which he alleges “controls” the affordable housing activists who are part of the Chicago Housing Initiative (CHI). CHI is a broad coalition of community organizations and agencies working to expand the supply of affordable housing units across the city. CHI is not “run” by a Jewish organization, although the venerable Jewish Council on Urban Affairs is an active and committed participant.
This is a classic dog whistle, calling forth the time-worn trope that Jews control social institutions behind the scenes. Mr. Jackson lends credence to the conspiracy theory in which Jews manipulate these advocacy organizations in order to undermine the Black community. His shows’ call-in segments include vicious, irrational rants filled with accusations against Jews, none of which he squelches, challenges, disputes or even interrupts. Mr. Jackson provides a public platform for virulent anti-semites. And it is dangerous.
What has prompted Jackson’s attack on Jews in the affordable housing movement? Apparently a recent report by the Better Government Association laying out the relationship between property developer Onni Group and Mr. Jackson himself, so infuriating Jackson to cause him to lash out.
(https://www.bettergov.org/news/ald-walter-burnett-softened-stance-on-affordable-housi ng-after-cash-flowed/).
Commissioner Steele, as an elected public official, we urge you to live up to your obligation to publicly repudiate the hate-filled rants and accusations leveled by your spouse and top campaign surrogate on the airwaves, and to show some leadership in uniting, rather than dividing, those who are working for the betterment of our county and its distressed communities. As a candidate for a post with a huge public responsibility, we urge you to display both moral courage and high ethical standards.
As Jewish leaders, we cannot be silent when any among us come under this sort of nefarious and dangerous attack. We ask that you reject Mr. Jackson’s hateful behavior, and set an example of standing up for all those attacked for race, religion, or gender.
Sincerely,
Rep. Jonathan Carroll
Rep. Kelly Cassidy
Sen. Sara Feigenholtz
Sen. Laura Fine
Asst. Maj. Leader Robyn Gabel
Rep. Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz
Rep. Anna Moeller
Rep. Bob Morgan
Sen. Julie Morrison
Rep. Denyse Wang Stoneback
Rep. Sam Yingling
* April 13th, 2022…
Pt 1: https://youtu.be/bErD3r39XLc
Pt 2: https://youtu.be/Ok3ZK3rjqpM
33:13: “…but what we found in our discussion, Reese, was that the white folks that was behind this action were willing to throw out all of the other people just to be in the new buildings, and what was actually happening was a war for white people who were trying to take over the housing market. And I don’t know if you all remember when I started getting deeper into this, I realized that CHI was putting Black people at the forefront of this fight but realistically they were being run by a Jewish organization, and they were attacking not only the developer, the alderman and myself because we weren’t going to be dictated to by Chicago Housing Initiative, and that, if you recall, is when I discovered the whole t-shirt program. Remember when we talked about in these housing fights we see people that are dressed up in a certain color t-shirt, they show up for the press conference and they’re on a bus brought by some group of white people that organize them, stands them up there, and the white person tells them what to say? Well, what I’m starting to recognize as this is happening is that this isn’t about keeping affordable people in the housing, in the building–it is these organizations that have decided that the new stomping grounds for control of Black of housing was in the 27th Ward.”
47:04: “I wake up this morning and I look at who’s tweeting [the BGA article], who’s sharing it and these white liberal… [Maze stops himself from continuing] I’m not gonna put the other descriptive descriptor on them, but I must be clear that there are certain groups of people who feel like they have dominion over us…”
* More…
March 31st, 2022
https://youtu.be/SUYz8kgTCT0
02:55:00 Co-host DJ Riis “I’m not voting for JB, he’s a Jew. He don’t know anything” [Jackson makes hooting sound.]
DJ Riis: “He’s Jewish, [sarcastically] whatever you want me to say.” “He doesn’t understand me. He hasn’t been where I’ve been. I understand that they went through something. We went through 400 years, though!”
[Jackson later makes a joke about JB’s weight. No comments about the hateful rhetoric.]
Feb 25th, 2022
https://youtu.be/U3WoFbGNU1s
2:10:01 Jackson: “When [JB] says he’s Jewish, I thought [his ancestors] came from Israel”
Guest: “No, they stole that land in 1942. Them people lying, they the fake Jews. We the real truth. The letter J is the last letter added to the American alphabet check it out. …
02:11:06 “Just stay in touch with your boy. I’ll keep you educated about the fake Jews. They stole the land after WW2. They know it! Shalom.”
Jackson: “Shalom Shalom.”
There’s a lot more, so click here if you can stomach it.
* There’s also another angle. Jackson has taken to going after Joanna Klonsky, who he claims was “behind” the BGA report. According to the story, Jackson was paid $417,500 to lobby his longtime friend and ally Chicago Ald. Walter Burnett, who eventually flip-flopped to a position in favor of Jackson’s client…
One of Jackson’s first reported actions on Onni’s payroll was to organize a fundraiser for Burnett.
Burnett later said he didn’t know the fundraiser was for Omni.
* Anyway, this is just a slice of what Jackson said about Klonsky, who is Jewish, on that program…
Hold on. I just want to make sure y’all get an opportunity to see the picture. Right. So as you know, they quick to exploit us. They quick to exploit us. So… Which camera? … I want you to see her. I want you to know her. [Long pause while Jackson holds up her photo and name] That’s where the story came from.
Screen cap…
* Also…
*** UPDATE 1 *** Maze Jackson…
“I take full responsibility for the words I have said and that were said by others on my show, I recognize that they were wrong, and I sincerely apologize for the pain they have caused the Jewish community.
As many people know, I am a vociferous advocate for the Black Community and fight daily against the negative stereotypes and associations assigned to Black People. To have my show, a show I created to be a venue for open discussion without hate or discrimination, cause others to feel stereotyped is extremely disheartening, especially considering the important role Jewish people have played in my personal development and life journey including my Godfather who spent time discussing these serious issues with me. I understand that the Jewish community has faced many of the same hardships of the Black community and we should work together to address those common hardships.
Over the coming weeks, I will be meeting with leaders of the Jewish community to apologize for the words stated on my show, but more importantly I commit to working with Jewish leaders to build stronger relationships and find solutions on ways our communities can rebuild what was once seen as an unbreakable bond.
Again, I want to emphasize that The Maze Jackson Show on What’s in it for the Black People Media is meant to encourage open and inclusive discussions to promote understanding and discourage hate. I apologize for any content over the course of my show that would go against that mission. I have spoken to the staff of my show and we all pledge to do better.”
That’s a strong apology. Good for him.
*** UPDATE 2 *** Kari Steele…
“I unequivocally reject any hateful rhetoric and apologize for the comments made on my husband’s show and the hurt they caused the Jewish community. As a woman of faith, I believe that we must respect everyone’s religion and faith.
I rebuke hate as an option in any circumstance. When I heard about the statements made on my husband’s show I immediately condemned them and expressed my anger and disappointment to him. I have also encouraged him to meet with leaders of the Jewish community to apologize and to work to bring our communities together.
As many people know, Maze has devoted his career to the pursuit of equity and respect for the Black community. He deeply values the notion of equity and the dismantling of negative stereotypes.
Ultimately, despite Fritz Kaegi’s best efforts to make it seem like it, Maze Jackson is not running against him for Assessor. Like all women, I am not my husband.
I am a proven public servant with over ten years of unblemished experience, and I have led on encouraging inclusion and diversity in my office. Any notion that my husband controls what I think or do in my personal or professional life is, and has always been, fundamentally untrue.”
If he’s promoting her campaign, this is fair game. Period.
*** UPDATE 3 *** Reasonable…
