“Calling Obama a ‘global George Zimmerman’? No. No.”: Michael Eric Dyson sounds off on Cornel West,

[DonViejo]

“Calling Obama a ‘global George Zimmerman’? No. No.”: Michael Eric Dyson sounds off on Cornel West, Obama & his critics

The Georgetown University scholar and author reflects on his very public break with his mentor turned tormentor

JOAN WALSH

Author, activist, erstwhile rapper and former Barack Obama surrogate Cornel West became the president’s First Hater (at least from the left) shortly after inauguration, because of Obama’s betrayal – whether of progressive principles, or West personally, has never been clear. When West was criticized for his fierce Obama attacks by progressive colleagues and friends, he turned his enmity toward his critics, particularly African Americans he saw defending the president on MSNBC: most notably Rev. Al Sharpton, Melissa Harris-Perry and Michael Eric Dyson.

But while folks on the multiracial left have been puzzling over and lamenting West’s ad hominem haymakers at former friends for years now, when Dyson struck back this week in the New Republic, he came in for a lot of “how could yous?” — even from some of West’s critics.

West’s peculiarly personal and vicious denunciations of Obama – from the pages of Salon to the David Letterman Show — are legendary. He famously called the president “a black mascot of Wall Street oligarchs and a black puppet of corporate plutocrats.” He claimed Obama is afraid of “free black men” and is more comfortable with “upper-middle-class white brothers and Jewish brothers.” Later he got worse, claiming Obama’s drone policies made him “a global George Zimmerman.”

When African-American friends defended the president, he went in on them. West called MSNBC’s Perry “a liar and a fraud,” claimed Sharpton was the “bona fide house negro of the Obama plantation,” and attacked “the Michael Dysons and others who’ve really prostituted themselves intellectually in a very, very ugly and vicious way.”

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http://www.salon.com/2015/04/22/calling_obama_a_global_george_zimmerman_no_no_michael_eric_dyson_sounds_off_on_cornel_west_obama_his_critics/

[SidDithers]

1. DU rec...nt

Sid

[JustAnotherGen]

2. And he wonders why he doesn't resonate

With a lot of us young and black folk? He wonders why. I saw on your other thread this morning he still has a 'strong' supporter who doesn't get it- Corny is just that. With his 'my brother' and my 'sister' hopped up on the Jesus Juice nonsense.

Doesn't work on us anymore.

West’s peculiarly personal and vicious denunciations of Obama – from the pages of Salon to the David Letterman Show — are legendary. He famously called the president “a black mascot of Wall Street oligarchs and a black puppet of corporate plutocrats.” He claimed Obama is afraid of “free black men” and is more comfortable with “upper-middle-class white brothers and Jewish brothers.” Later he got worse, claiming Obama’s drone policies made him “a global George Zimmerman.”

When African-American friends defended the president, he went in on them. West called MSNBC’s Perry “a liar and a fraud,” claimed Sharpton was the “bona fide house negro of the Obama plantation,” and attacked “the Michael Dysons and others who’ve really prostituted themselves intellectually in a very, very ugly and vicious way

[KG]

3. I lulz'ed even louder

[Bonobo]

4. I too think that Obama's drone policies are analogous

to George Zimmerman's behavior.

Striking people of color, out of unreasonable fear, and with a massive disparity in power.

Tell me why it is a bad analogy again?

I know it is hurtful, but that doesn't make it an unfair analogy.

[still_one]

5. The antagonism West conveyed about Obama suggests more than just policy

differences in my view. I have seen West disagree with people before, but at least in my view he was always respectful

Some of his characterizations of President Obama come out as pure hate, something that one would think a minister would not exhibit

I suspect West's over the top attacks against Obama have more to due with West's jealousy, and that he is not part of Obama's inner circle, and West believes he should be

That isn't to say some of West's criticisms are not valid, but his lack of respect for the President are way off base