The Rev. Jesse Jackson surprised observers when he said that he would not be attending the funeral for 7-year old Aiyana Jones in Detroit. A spokesman for Mayor Dave Bing had announced Jackson's attendance, which apparently had not been confirmed. "We offer condolences to the families who have lost loved ones -- to the child, and the 17-year-old and the grandmother and the 15-year-old," Jackson said. "This state of killings diminishes all of us."


Jackson said that he meant no disrespect to the family of Aiyana Jones, and later went on to explain that he has grown weary from all the funerals he's been asked to attend lately, due to spiking violence in inner-city communities across America.

"We're sending flowers to the bereaved, but I've got funerals in Chicago. Every place we go, we have the same pattern ... we're going to funeral by funeral." "This violence is not unique to Detroit," he said. "In Chicago two weeks ago, 25 people were shot in 12 hours; 7 were killed. We're really in a state of emergency."

Jackson explained that in order for the violence to slow down in inner city communities, the federal government should make targeted job creation a priority of the Obama Administration.

"We must prioritize targeting jobs. If 9 percent is a recession, then 30-40 percent unemployment in Detroit and urban America (is a) depression. This is a depression; depressed people act in depressed ways. We need ... a comprehensive plan. We have a plan to revive Iraq and Afghanistan. We've determined it's important; then we put together a budget; offered security and stability, and a timetable. The same way we can rebuild ... Kabul ... and Baghdad, we need the same type of plan applied to distressed urban America, whether it's Detroit, Akron or Chicago," he said.

Rev. Jackson is correct in his analysis. The inability to create jobs in urban America has been a significant liability for the Obama Administration. This problem is highlighted by the fact that the administration has been reluctant to even mention urban job creation as one of its priorities. Let's be clear: African Americans have good reason to be upset by a 16.5% unemployment rate, 18 - 19% unemployment for black males and nearly 40% unemployment for black teenagers. The lack of jobs only creates more desperation, violence and criminal activity in those communities which are affected. Black children are dying all throughout the city of Chicago, and there's little evidence that the federal government is listening.

Making matters worse is the Obama Administration's commitment to continued marginalization of Rev. Jesse Jackson. I am not sure if Jackson was marginalized for his verbal mishap on Fox News two years ago or something else. Either way, Jackson should be brought back into the fold of the administration and appreciated as a significant figure within the African American community. With all due respect to Obama, I am not sure how his conscience can allow him to undermine 40 years of committed service just because Rev. Jackson has become an inconvenience to him. If there is room in White House meetings for unqualified Harvard chums like Elena Kagan and Lawrence Summers, then there must also be room for committed Civil Rights veterans like Jackson, who've put their lives on the line to protect American freedoms.

Dr. Boyce Watkins is the founder of the Your Black World Coalition and the author of the new book, "Black American Money." To have Dr. Boyce commentary delivered to your email, please click here.