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In reply to the discussion: Any thoughts why Cornel West always finds it necessary to refer to the color of the Presidents skin [View all]Cha
(298,354 posts)134. "Cornel West’s tragic meltdown" by Joan Walsh May 19, 2011
A few fair complaints about Obama drown in a sea of personal racial attacks. Is this how identity politics ends?
snip//
"Melissa Harris-Perry and Adam Serwer wrote majestic takedowns of Cornel Wests vicious and deeply personal rant against President Obama published this week, so I didnt think I had to. But theres one thing missing in the torrent of reaction to West Ive seen this week: a recognition that maybe this is the way identity politics had to end, not with a bang but a whine. Dizzying racial and personal insults have come from all directions, and theyre beginning to lose their meaning.
Much has been made of the personal pique that animated Wests attack on the president: How dare the bellhop at Wests hotel Inaugural Weekend wind up with tickets to the event itself when West didnt? How could Obama stop returning his calls? Wests animus was impossible to miss, and it clearly drove the awful, ad hominem anger of Wests invective.
The most tragic thing, to me, about Wests meltdown was the way he tried to frame it as a universalist defense of poor and working-class people who in fact havent gotten enough help or attention from this too-close-to-Wall Street administration but then somehow descends into personal attacks on the president as a black mascot of Wall Street oligarchs and a black puppet of corporate plutocrats. If that wasnt bad enough, West claims Obamas problem is that he is afraid of free black men due to his white ancestry and years in the Ivy League. He feels most comfortable with upper middle-class white and Jewish men who consider themselves very smart, very savvy and very effective in getting what they want, West claimed.
Give Brother West credit for consistency: On MSNBCs The Ed Show Tuesday night, he repeated his criticism that Obama is too close to upper-middle-class white brothers and Jewish brothers.
Oh no, the Jews again. Havent we been here before?"
snip//
"The Washington Posts always terrific Jonathan Capehart says that, essentially, West is no better than a birther, challenging the presidents credibility on specious, deeply personal racial grounds."
The rest of the story..
http://www.salon.com/2011/05/19/cornel_west/
snip//
"Melissa Harris-Perry and Adam Serwer wrote majestic takedowns of Cornel Wests vicious and deeply personal rant against President Obama published this week, so I didnt think I had to. But theres one thing missing in the torrent of reaction to West Ive seen this week: a recognition that maybe this is the way identity politics had to end, not with a bang but a whine. Dizzying racial and personal insults have come from all directions, and theyre beginning to lose their meaning.
Much has been made of the personal pique that animated Wests attack on the president: How dare the bellhop at Wests hotel Inaugural Weekend wind up with tickets to the event itself when West didnt? How could Obama stop returning his calls? Wests animus was impossible to miss, and it clearly drove the awful, ad hominem anger of Wests invective.
The most tragic thing, to me, about Wests meltdown was the way he tried to frame it as a universalist defense of poor and working-class people who in fact havent gotten enough help or attention from this too-close-to-Wall Street administration but then somehow descends into personal attacks on the president as a black mascot of Wall Street oligarchs and a black puppet of corporate plutocrats. If that wasnt bad enough, West claims Obamas problem is that he is afraid of free black men due to his white ancestry and years in the Ivy League. He feels most comfortable with upper middle-class white and Jewish men who consider themselves very smart, very savvy and very effective in getting what they want, West claimed.
Give Brother West credit for consistency: On MSNBCs The Ed Show Tuesday night, he repeated his criticism that Obama is too close to upper-middle-class white brothers and Jewish brothers.
Oh no, the Jews again. Havent we been here before?"
snip//
"The Washington Posts always terrific Jonathan Capehart says that, essentially, West is no better than a birther, challenging the presidents credibility on specious, deeply personal racial grounds."
The rest of the story..
http://www.salon.com/2011/05/19/cornel_west/
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Any thoughts why Cornel West always finds it necessary to refer to the color of the Presidents skin [View all]
still_one
Aug 2014
OP
Maybe he's racist? Maybe he doesn't like Obama? I really don't know why he does that.
Autumn
Aug 2014
#1
If you don't like Obama that is one thing, but what does that have to do with the President's race?
still_one
Aug 2014
#4
I think he's just still pissed off that he never made it into even the outer circle of advisors.
MohRokTah
Aug 2014
#2
That is a probable reason why he is bitter, but always referring to the President's race inter-
still_one
Aug 2014
#5
I'm trying to think of an ex. of a repug white guy talking shit like that about George Dumya.
JaydenD
Aug 2014
#107
Tavis & West were the "go-to" folks for black thought back in the day. As you say, Obama stole.....
Tarheel_Dem
Aug 2014
#76
stalking? I'm responding to your remark about 'a hidden secret Colorism' in THIS thread
bigtree
Aug 2014
#29
You seem to be determined to follow me all over DU today to respond to my posts
HipChick
Aug 2014
#34
personal attacks? e-bullying? Are you suggesting that I've no right to respond to your slur?
bigtree
Aug 2014
#41
If you feel you've been 'personally attacked' then ask a jury to take down my posts
bigtree
Aug 2014
#45
I am disgusted and disappointed in Cornell but your comment was beyond offensive
Number23
Aug 2014
#85
If you think that then you show that you don't know the black community one damned bit.
ancianita
Aug 2014
#48
I believe that 100%. When Corny said that Obama "fears free black men" he lost me FOREVER
Number23
Aug 2014
#83
Then give me one to prove your 'Corny said that Obama "fears free black men"' quote.
U4ikLefty
Aug 2014
#111
Aren't you and your demands precious. And as unnecessary as they are laughable
Number23
Aug 2014
#112
You may make demands of your family members without a "please" but I ain't your family
Number23
Aug 2014
#114
Lots and lots and lots of people have posted lots and lots and lots of comments
Number23
Aug 2014
#116
Thank you, greyl for doing the poster's work for them. "..Obama has a certain fear of free black men
Cha
Aug 2014
#120
You could have taken the 2 seconds it took me to find it. And it's even worse in context.
pnwmom
Aug 2014
#147
"Barack Obama has a certain fear of free black men,” West says" Others are doing your work for you.
Cha
Aug 2014
#121
http://www.eurweb.com/2011/05/video-cornel-west-believes-obama-fears-free-black-men/
raven mad
Aug 2014
#151
Wow, frazzled! Maybe that's why Dr West didn't get invited to the Inauguraton.. could not be.. but,
Cha
Aug 2014
#108
That is true, but doesn't really answer the question, unless it is for shock value
still_one
Aug 2014
#10
You nailed it. And some are all up in that other thread with their "Brutha West speaks the troof"
Number23
Aug 2014
#86
I don't know why you are stalking me all over DU?..Anyone can google and see what Jesse called Obama
HipChick
Aug 2014
#27
two threads, both about Cornel, which you chose to post in. Not stalking, responding to your remarks
bigtree
Aug 2014
#33
you're the only one I've seen with the temerity to call this accomplished African Americanprofessor
bigtree
Aug 2014
#39
yet if you google, you will find approximately 34,567 hits saying the same thing...
HipChick
Aug 2014
#40
That's a defense commonly used by right wing bigots. You don't want to use that defense anymore.
ancianita
Aug 2014
#53
Except Jessie recognized it was wrong and apologized for it, and meant it. Big difference
still_one
Aug 2014
#57
Cornel West called Al Sharpton ‘the bonafide house negro of the Obama plantation
HipChick
Aug 2014
#31
Yeah, well the whole plantation metaphor can explain all of us and our positions on the "capitalism
ancianita
Aug 2014
#52
Not assigning anything; describing how I've heard this same accusation made, many times, and yet I
ancianita
Aug 2014
#84
It wasn't overtly "racist", but effectively saying the President isn't "black enough". The latest
still_one
Aug 2014
#62
That answer was completely clear. Telling people that 2+2 = 5 perfectly describes
sabrina 1
Aug 2014
#149
You're right. Because he believes that black authenticity is part and parcel of humanity, and that
ancianita
Aug 2014
#56
Those are the choices? Interesting list. I've no idea what any "new" black is.
ancianita
Aug 2014
#89
Yeah. Because, being black, any and all blacks do that if they damned well feel like it. And calling
ancianita
Aug 2014
#50
Meh... the academic cultural left doesn't like being transcended or challenged
Sen. Walter Sobchak
Aug 2014
#51
And that is the DU Post of the Month. Sub in the "DU cultural Farthest Left," and you have
msanthrope
Aug 2014
#61
Isn't that special.... Ironic because the right wing haters believe that is what Obama does
still_one
Aug 2014
#66
ok, that may be, then why not word it as you just did? Instead he prefers to make the critique
still_one
Aug 2014
#59
It's the language of betrayal. Cornell West has been fighting the good fight for a long time.
Wella
Aug 2014
#64
This isn't about Mr. West, and he has made it so by his rhetoric. You and I obviously have
still_one
Aug 2014
#65
That is right. He effectively is saying the President isn't "black enough". What does that have to
still_one
Aug 2014
#119
I didn't take it that way: I thought he meant that he doubted the President's commitment
Wella
Aug 2014
#122
I wish he had just stuck to that then, instead of adding the inflammatory rhetoric in like an
still_one
Aug 2014
#128
Dr West is his own worst bitter enemy. Yeah, it's all Obama's fault that Cornel has gone
Cha
Aug 2014
#123
West was doing it before Obama became President.. I don't buy any vicious whine Cornel is selling..
Cha
Aug 2014
#129
I find it troubling that he finds it necessary to personalize the race of the President in
still_one
Aug 2014
#80
His verbosity about the President has NOTHING to do with a "color-blind" society. It has to do with
still_one
Aug 2014
#102
Then go post on those threads .. we'll discuss Dr West's assholery. And, quite capable of
Cha
Aug 2014
#125
Says West's "Cheerleader".. Yeah, he's been a "consistent" asshole talking about everyone's
Cha
Aug 2014
#133