I first heard of Jones back during the resistance to the first Gulf War in the early nineties. He was among a generation of young activists of color who opposed that war. I then connected with him in the movement to demand freedom for Mumia Abu Jamal, a revolutionary journalist and Black Nationalist who was framed as a cop killer.
Jones immediate impressed me with his soaring oration, sharp intellect, and radical message. Soon thereafter, I attended a meeting which Jones ended with a prayer. I learned he was a deeply spiritual man with an interest in the ministry. There were obvious echos from the Black church's role in the civil rights movement, in Jones' message. He is a product of the social movements, his Ivy League law degree notwithstanding.
I'm a couple of generations older than Jones, but my circles in the Bay Area left were quite supportive of the work he and other activists of his generation did. During the 1990s, we consistently supported their projects while leaving them to do their own things. I recall contributing funds so a group of them (I think Jones was included) could visit South Africa. I also recall Jones speaking at one event which we dubbed, a dialog of the generations.
Over the course of the next decade, Jones consistently rose in prominence. He founded the Ella Baker Center and learned how to get grants. I became aware of Jones beginning to engage in electoral politics when he joined Arianna Huffington's campaign for Governor in 2003. Through growing connections to Huffington and others, Jones gained entry into elite circles.
In recent years Jones co-founded Color of Change, wrote a best selling book, "The Green Collar Economy", founded another non-profit, Green For All, and was named by Time Magazine as an environmental hero. Then Pres. Obama appointed him as his Green Jobs Czar. I was pleasantly surprised when he was appointed, but remember wondering how someone as publicly radical as Jones could manage in government.
It turned out he couldn't. Jones had a big bulls-eye on his back, and was an easy target for those on the right looking to take down the Obama administration. Looking to prove that there really are reds working with the President to support their claims that Obama really is a socialist. Jones was a easy target of opportunity. "Socialist" apparently being the worst name the right can think of to publicly call Pres. Obama.
In Washington Jones was called names and was undefended. We in the movements for social and environmental justice have two other names for Van Jones -- brother and leader. We continue to expect great things from him, and he can count on us to have his back.
Jones' brief experience in Federal Government are a cautionary tale to any non-repentant radical who's been very public (unless it was at least twenty years ago). If you take a high-ranking Government position, you will be very vulnerable. You'll be vulnerable until we can open the political boundaries of what's acceptable in Washington, until radical left ideas are accepted as part of the legitimate public discourse. Until we break through the boundaries set by Cold War anti-communism.
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