Dr. Cornel West

[longstroke]

I had the pleasure to see and then listen to Dr. Cornel West last night, presented by the Union Theological Seminary, at the Abyssinian Baptist Church. He gave a two hour lecture, and Tavis Smiley, Rev. Dr. Calvin Butts, and a few others were also present.

A few points made by the Doctor, who is Christian, but also an incredible intellectual.

- Beginning on the note of piety. Acknowledging the debts of those who came before, because their love constitute you at your best. Sankofa, is no superficial metaphor, you can't begin to move forward unless you connect with those who came before, at their best, those who accent and set the standard for you.

- When I see all of you priceless young folk, I see too many copies, then not enough originals. I see imitations, but not enough creations. Why, because today in order to be successful, all you need to be is a copy.

- People are not talking enough about the new Jim Crow, the prison industrial complex, and the privatization of education. The people are not talking enough about Wall Street, where one percent of the population owns forty two percent of the wealth. Greed is running amok. Wall Street oligarchs, engaged in criminal activity. Insider trading, market manipulation, predatory lending, how many of them are investigated, let alone prosecuted? Let Jamal get caught with his crack bag on the corner, he's going to jail. Something is wrong.

What are your thoughts on Dr. West? 

 

[sreggie101]

I had the pleasure to see and then listen to Dr. Cornel West last night, presented by the Union Theological Seminary, at the Abyssinian Baptist Church. He gave a two hour lecture, and Tavis Smiley, Rev. Dr. Calvin Butts, and a few others were also present.



A few points made by the Doctor, who is Christian, but also an incredible intellectual.


- Beginning on the note of piety. Acknowledging the debts of those who came before, because their love constitute you at your best. Sankofa, is no superficial metaphor, you can't begin to move forward unless you connect with those who came before, at their best, those who accent and set the standard for you.

- When I see all of you priceless young folk, I see too many copies, then not enough originals. I see imitations, but not enough creations. Why, because today in order to be successful, all you need to be is a copy.

- People are not talking enough about the new Jim Crow, the prison industrial complex, and the privatization of education. The people are not talking enough about Wall Street, where one percent of the population owns forty two percent of the wealth. Greed is running amok. Wall Street oligarchs, engaged in criminal activity. Insider trading, market manipulation, predatory lending, how many of them are investigated, let alone prosecuted? Let Jamal get caught with his crack bag on the corner, he's going to jail. Something is wrong.


What are your thoughts on Dr. West? 

cosigning his last 2 points. he's a real interesting dude, and i have a book on my desk of his waiting to be read.

im not sure i get his first point...

 

[harlemtothebronx]

I could listen to him talk for hours.

 

[Mactastic4167]

Heard him speak last year, appreciated!

 

[cj863]

Saw him speak at FSU either last year or 2 years ago, not a fan of the guy but I do agree with some of his points here

 

[rashi]

I probably disagree with him the majority of the time, but I saw him speak at Florida Atlantic University back in March. Seeing him on TV and in person is totally different. Respect.

 

[weekz]

He's ok. Neither for him nor against him. He makes a good point from time to time.

 

[41239]

He's ok. Neither for him nor against him. He makes a good point from time to time.

this, predatory lending and selling crack are two very different things, BUT other points are pretty solid

 

[futuremd]

My opinion of him kinda changed after that The New Yorker piece on him. I've seen him talk a few times. Hes good with stirring emotions, but light on substance at times. http://nymag.com/news/features/cornel-west-2012-5/

See, I understand his criticisms of Obama, but I think he forgets that Obama helps black people by not openly focusing on them, but supporting policy that will indirectly help black people. Look into the "black utility heuristic."

Him and Tavis want Obama to just drop everything and hang out at the NAACP office for a few months. Its just not going to happen. 

He has some bright moments from time to time. His books offer some good perspective as well.

I'm just the type to not want to really follow a "black leader" for the sake of doing so. I know tons of people hang on his every word. 

 

[Kimchi Papi]

I've seen him lecture twice back in the 90's. I wish he could reach every high school to speak....Agree with every point you bulleted...

 

[deuce king]

I would have loved to hear Dr. Cornel West speak, I probably would have walked out when Tavis Smiley got up to speech however.

 

[young street86]

My opinion of him kinda changed after that The New Yorker piece on him. I've seen him talk a few times. Hes good with stirring emotions, but light on substance at times. http://nymag.com/news/features/cornel-west-2012-5/

See, I understand his criticisms of Obama, but I think he forgets that Obama helps black people by not openly focusing on them, but supporting policy that will indirectly help black people. Look into the "black utility heuristic."

Him and Tavis want Obama to just drop everything and hang out at the NAACP office for a few months. Its just not going to happen. 

He has some bright moments from time to time. His books offer some good perspective as well.

I'm just the type to not want to really follow a "black leader" for the sake of doing so. I know tons of people hang on his every word. 

I agree 100%. Thanks for sharing the article as well.

Cornell West came to my college to speak back in 2008 I believe it was. He was the guest speaker for our MLK day activities. Awesome speech too. Tavis Smiley came the following year and he was good as well.

 

[stork]

He came to my school(Cal Poly) last February and spoke, he made some good points like De-centralization of banks, he also makes some solid moral arguments and spoke on social justice issues of ethnicity/race. However as much as he supports the 99%/occupid movement and argues that money doesn't make a difference to your life, he still took our entire speaker fund(around $40k) for his speech ... so much for being "part of 99%".

A lot of the things he argues I think are just too radical, I'm not going to college to earn $30k a year, I'm going to school to better my chances of getting a higher paying job, buying a house and getting out on my own, who cares if I graduate a morally just but impoverished person

 

[currensy]

I really like the 2nd point bolded in your post.

I must reinvent myself.

 

[|A-Man|]

Met the man in NYU. Always the encouraging and positive individual. Heard his speeches a few times live as well.

Enjoy what he contributes any time he's on Real Talk With Bill Maher.

I always consistently echo the first thing he said in bold. You have to learn from your past.

 

[oidreez]

Back in 2009 he came down to my college to speak. Interesting man

 

[futuremd]

I would have loved to hear Dr. Cornel West speak, I probably would have walked out when Tavis Smiley got up to speech however.

See thats interesting because Tavis seems more subtle to me. 

 

[longstroke]

One of the things he mentioned about his issue with Obama,

- Let's say you are the first elected Black president of the United States...but during slavery. You get in there, and we the slaves are break dancing, happy that you are in there. Meanwhile as president, even after a few years in, you make no mention of slavery. After a while, we are going to get tired of dancing due to your just being in there...

Dr. West was talking about the President not addressing the sudden unemployment and poverty that has disproportionately hit the black community, which the President has not addressed, possibly in fear of seeming like the angry black man, while in the white house.

 

[futuremd]

One of the things he mentioned about his issue with Obama,

- Let's say you are the first elected Black president of the United States...but during slavery. You get in there, and we the slaves are break dancing, happy that you are in there. Meanwhile as president, even after a few years in, you make no mention of slavery. After a while, we are going to get tired of dancing due to your just being in there...

Dr. West was talking about the President not addressing the sudden unemployment and poverty that has disproportionately hit the black community, which the President has not addressed, possibly in fear of seeming like the angry black man, while in the white house.

See the thing is, Obama has a documented history OF doing such things for the black community. He's been a community organizer in one of the blackest cities in the US, he's represented minority housing opportunities, he's advocated for bigger social nets and support for the poor and minority communities.

The dude has a history that is undeniable.

HOWEVER, as the "first one," Obama can't seem TOO black because he'll run into problems for his reelection. He still has to cater to the rest of the country and get them to realize that he cares just as much about them as well.

This article on the "Fear of a Black President" speaks on this entirely. Its one of the best articles this year: www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2012/09/fear-of-a-black-president/309064/

 

[|A-Man|]

Did he really compare slavery to unemployment specifically for black ppl?

 

[longstroke]

See the thing is, Obama has a documented history OF doing such things for the black community. He's been a community organizer in one of the blackest cities in the US, he's represented minority housing opportunities, he's advocated for bigger social nets and support for the poor and minority communities.

The dude has a history that is undeniable.

HOWEVER, as the "first one," Obama can't seem TOO black because he'll run into problems for his reelection. He still has to cater to the rest of the country and get them to realize that he cares just as much about them as well.

This article on the "Fear of a Black President" speaks on this entirely. Its one of the best articles this year: www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2012/09/fear-of-a-black-president/309064/

He sure does. Obama is also about as pragmatic as they come. He understands that there other issues that need to be addressed, and Dr. West did NOT blame the issues that are going on in the Black community, on the President. He made that clear. Dr. West simply suggested that he'd at least like to hear him SPEAK on them.

Did he really compare slavery to unemployment specifically for black ppl?

He compared it to economic inequality, and the lack of opportunity that continues to exist. He cited how banks and companies like GE are sitting on 3 trillion dollars, just in case there is another severe economic downturn. Yet, there are cities in America, that are broke and in dire need of jobs and assistance.

 

[cobra kai]

was lucky enough to meet the good brother at my undergrad institution right after I joined Alpha.

he's an interesting speaker, slightly radical at times, but his words at least stand to create conversation. which is all you can really ask for these days.

i'm probably one of the few people who believes that Obama is doing a great deal for blacks now by being the president alone. if seeing a black man at the head of this society doesn't help you to get up and feed yourself that's on you. i feel like there's a want for obama to pass out silver spoons to every empty black hand in america, it's not going to happen.

 

[longstroke]

 i feel like there's a want for obama to pass out silver spoons to every empty black hand in america, it's not going to happen.

Nah, it's not that.

What it is, is that many want him to stand there, and then start telling people off, actually telling people about themselves, since he is now the boss.

When **** Cheney was VP, he was one angry dude, then was downright vitriolic with the press, even telling one member to F...Off.  He did what he wanted to do while running  The White House.

There are many other things that **** said and did, but many were expecting Obama to be a bit more aggressive perhaps not like that, but in that I see what you are doing kind of way. 

The debate simply solidified that perception of our President, the one that suggests that he needs to be a little mean every once and a while. 

I saw it twice. Once when Henry Louis Gates got arrested, then again when Trayvon Martin was murdered. There are some people who wish to see that Obama a bit more often.

 

[futuremd]

See the thing is, Obama has a documented history OF doing such things for the black community. He's been a community organizer in one of the blackest cities in the US, he's represented minority housing opportunities, he's advocated for bigger social nets and support for the poor and minority communities.

The dude has a history that is undeniable.

HOWEVER, as the "first one," Obama can't seem TOO black because he'll run into problems for his reelection. He still has to cater to the rest of the country and get them to realize that he cares just as much about them as well.

This article on the "Fear of a Black President" speaks on this entirely. Its one of the best articles this year: www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2012/09/fear-of-a-black-president/309064/

He sure does. Obama is also about as pragmatic as they come. He understands that there other issues that need to be addressed, and Dr. West did NOT blame the issues that are going on in the Black community, on the President. He made that clear. Dr. West simply suggested that he'd at least like to hear him SPEAK on them.

Did he really compare slavery to unemployment specifically for black ppl?

He compared it to economic inequality, and the lack of opportunity that continues to exist. He cited how banks and companies like GE are sitting on 3 trillion dollars, just in case there is another severe economic downturn. Yet, there are cities in America, that are broke and in dire need of jobs and assistance.

Eh...I don't know if you've been following it as closely, but Smiley and West have been pretty much vocal of their clear and plain "disappointment" with Barack. 

 

[futuremd]

 i feel like there's a want for obama to pass out silver spoons to every empty black hand in america, it's not going to happen.

Nah, it's not that.

What it is, is that many want him to stand there, and then start telling people off, actually telling people about themselves, since he is now the boss.

When **** Cheney was VP, he was one angry dude, then was downright vitriolic with the press, even telling one member to F...Off.  He did what he wanted to do while running  The White House.

There are many other things that **** said and did, but many were expecting Obama to be a bit more aggressive, in that I see what you are doing kind of way. 

The debate simply solidified that perception of our President, the one that suggests that he needs to be a little mean every once and a while. 

I saw it twice. Once when Henry Louis Gates got arrested, then again when Trayvon Martin was murdered. There are some people who wish to see that Obama a bit more often.

I have this SLIGHT feeling we're going to get the Angry Black Man if hes reelected.

He hasn't come this far and beaten the odds just to screw it up on one gaffe or mischaracterization of himself.

Besides his decision making, Barack has had NO personal scandals in his life. No ethics violations as a senator. No shady skeletons of his former life. None of that.

All of his criticisms occur as presidential decisions which obviously won't please everyone...but they're largely administrative. 

For them not to have discovered a massive, juicy piece of info on barack besides some overhyped video of him in college or some church visit...is by itself INCREDIBLE to me.