Jackson Denies Intimidating Man Who Raised Jewish Issue

The Rev. Jesse Jackson confirmed Friday that he confronted a young man who asked him at a Los Angeles event if he had healed his rift with Jews, but Jackson denied that he had tried to intimidate the questioner.

“I simply argued that no one else (at the event) was raising the question . . . and that it was insensitive to continually open old wounds when I had been working so hard to heal them,” Jackson said in a statement released by his Washington office.

The incident took place at a Sept. 5 reception for Jackson in Sherman Oaks sponsored by the Lexington Group, an organization of young Democratic lawyers, business people and entertainment figures.

John Caldwell, 27, a black man who was a guest of the group, asked Jackson in a formal question session what he had done “to heal your rift with the Jews.” He was referring to Jackson’s “Hymietown” remark in the 1984 presidential campaign and to his tardy renunciation of anti-Semitic statements made that year by Black Muslim leader Louis Farrakhan.

Takes Questioner Aside

In response, Jackson described his efforts to reassure Jews, but he later took Caldwell aside and, with some members of the Lexington Group looking on, engaged in a conversation that several witnesses said was “angry” and “ugly.”

According to Arthur Drooker, a Lexington Group member who witnessed the confrontation, Caldwell told several members later that Jackson said to him, “You are a guest of the Jews, let the Jews speak for themselves,” and that Jackson asked him if he was aware of “what the Jews are doing in South Africa.”

Bruce Rozet, a Jewish businessman in Los Angeles who supports Jackson, said the confrontation had been misconstrued by people who were not familiar with Jackson’s speaking style.

Jackson repeated that in his statement Friday.

“I talked with Mr. Caldwell by phone today,” Jackson’s statement said. “He confirmed my recollection of events. I did have a frank discussion with Mr. Caldwell after the meeting in California because he did raise a question about black-Jewish relations in the context of my 1988 (presidential) candidacy. Since he raised the question I tried to give him further clarity.

“He (Caldwell) confirmed in the telephone conversation that there was no attempt on my part to intimidate him.

Issue of Sensitivity

“My point to him was simply one of sensitivity. I have spent a considerable amount of time and energy trying to clear up any misunderstanding that may still exist between myself and the Jewish community, and to heal any wounds that may still linger.

“I simply argued that no one else in the group was raising the question--they were more concerned about other issues (such as) Central America--and that it was insensitive to continually open old wounds when I had been working so hard to heal them.

“The allegation about my finger pointing is to disregard the animated manner in which I normally speak.”