The Ghost of Cornel West (Michael Eric Dyson article/long read)

[Kritic]

That's exactly it. He's too isolated to give his words and vision any weight and the sharks are circling (don't even ask me how). All these scholars have to be on his side trying to achieve something for the community from which they came. The top of the black erudite class in the country doesn't have the privilege of simply delving the whole of themselves into academica/research. Dr. West knows that, but if he's decided to truly make that sacrifice then he's gotta pull in the people in his prestigious field, he'll be more useful that way.

I fully one hunnid agree that he shouldn't even respond to Dyson, he needs to put a plan into action, that's really all he's gotta do. Execute his vision whatever it is, because all that have listened to him know that in his heart of hearts he's got love for our people. But the emotion ain't enough so he's gotta act quick.

This essay both concerns me and excites me. But I choose to focus on the latter reaction because I truly believe that change can come out of it.

his own brother he started the movement with, tavis smiley, is out there twerking in dancing in the stars instead of being on dr west's side. but that's what happens when your working for the establishment. they got him in dancing in the stars convinced him that his ratings are more important than the movement.
and they can go around doing the same shyt to all dr wests people. they already know he ain't backing down so they can systematically get his people. his people gotta be down with the movement.
dr boyce watkins needs to take his side. none of this i respect both i aint gonna take sides shyt. fuq all that shyt. they don't need to attack erc dyson and contribute to the confusion.. they just gotta step up and support dr west.

 

[Field Marshall Bradley]

So MED is throwing shots at West cause he hasn't written an academic piece dolo in the last decade, and because of that, his current opinions on certain topics should be held in a lesser regard? Is that pretty much the gist of it?

 

[Field Marshall Bradley]

Coli Servers

 

[Professor Emeritus]

I'm hungover like shyt, so please excuse my post if it comes off as a bunch of rambling….

The first thought I had when I read the article was "why the fukk is there an article about Cornel West?" In my opinion, the shyt was pointless. Who the fukk really cares about the West-Dyson-Obama feud, in 2015, aside from West, Dyson and Obama?

Secondly, I couldn't read that entire article. shyt was way too fukkn long. I thought I was reading a mini autobiography of West.

I like West a lot, and even though many of Dyson's criticisms were valid, I had the same two thoughts as you. What's the real point here? It felt way too much about Dyson's slights and personal issues and way too little about what's actually good for Black folk. And I'm a reader, but no way could I finish that whole thing unless it was a lot more interesting.

 

[Dusty Bake Activate]

M.E.D. talking to Joan Walsh about the article. I ain't copy/pasting the whole thing because it's too long.

http://www.salon.com/2015/04/22/cal..._sounds_off_on_cornel_west_obama_his_critics/

 

[Jermio]

Cornel West and Tavis Smiley >>>>>>>

 

[MeachTheMonster]

While I have not been a fan of dr west in recent years due to a lot of the concerns raised in this open letter.

I still think this letter was in bad taste.

I don't like biter vitriol from any party. MED should have just called him and told him this.

 

[Kritic]

While I have not been a fan of dr west in recent years due to a lot of the concerns raised in this open letter.

I still think this letter was in bad taste.

I don't like biter vitriol from any party. MED should have just called him and told him this.

i have this feeling that eric dyson sent the article to dr west and west ok'd it before publication...

i think they're both seating back enjoying the controversy..

 

[No1]

While I have not been a fan of dr west in recent years due to a lot of the concerns raised in this open letter.

I still think this letter was in bad taste.

I don't like biter vitriol from any party. MED should have just called him and told him this.

If you watch his interview with Marc Lamont he notes that West did not show up the last time they were supposed to have a sitdown.

 

[mastermind]

West responded

https://www.facebook.com/drcornelwest/posts/10155468598900111?hc_location=ufi

The escalating deaths and sufferings in Black and poor America and the marvelous new militancy in our Ferguson moment should compel us to focus on what really matters: The life and death issues of police murders, poverty, mass incarceration, drones, TPP (unjust trade policies), vast surveillance, decrepit schools, unemployment, Wall Street power, Israeli occupation of Palestinians, Dalit resistance in India, and ecological catastrophe.

Character assassination is the refuge of those who hide and conceal these issues in order to rationalize their own allegiance to the status quo. I am neither a saint nor prophet, but I am a Jesus-loving free Black man in a Great Tradition who intends to be faithful unto death in telling the truth and bearing witness to justice. I am not beholden to any administration, political party, TV channel or financial sponsor because loving suffering and struggling peoples is my point of reference. Deep integrity must trump cheap popularity. Nothing will stop or distract my work and witness, even as I learn from others and try not to hurt others.

But to pursue truth and justice is to live dangerously. In the spirit of John Coltrane’s LOVE SUPREME, let us focus on what really matters: the issues, policies, and realities that affect precious everyday people catching hell and how we can resist the lies and crimes of the status quo![/qujote]

 

[The Phoenix]

While I have not been a fan of dr west in recent years due to a lot of the concerns raised in this open letter.

I still think this letter was in bad taste.

I don't like biter vitriol from any party. MED should have just called him and told him this.

I saw some people say, couldn’t you have handled it privately? Couldn’t you have talked to him personally?

I have talked to him about it over the years. Some of the older people in the black community will say, “Where you did it is where you get it.” In other words, if you act a fool in the streets, I will address you in the streets. Well, West didn’t do this privately, it was public. And doing it privately doesn’t address the public character of his assault or of his claims…

Or the meaning of what it does to public discourse on the left…

Right. He said things about people and issues and movements in public. He’s a public figure, so am I. So this is where we meet, the public square.

I feel him there and I can live with that.

 

[☑︎#VoteDemocrat]

Cornel Responds:

https://www.facebook.com/drcornelwest/posts/10155468598900111

 

[Firefly]

As someone who's followed Dyson for over 10-15 yrs. he's become a ghost of his former self. Article wasn't written well and comes off as too petty.

Congrats you met Obama, what you and him doing about these people dying in the streets. shyt got more intense since he's been elected. I can't diss Cornel West too much because dude is really in these streets and building from the ground level. Regardless of what you feel that guy is in the streets still bringing attention to the issues that Obama can't speak on too much publicly.

The article was Dyson trying to tout himself as something (haven't figured out what yet).

 

[☑︎#VoteDemocrat]

As someone who's followed Dyson for over 10-15 yrs. he's become a ghost of his former self. Article wasn't written well and comes off as too petty.

Congrats you met Obama, what you and him doing about these people dying in the streets. shyt got more intense since he's been elected. I can't diss Cornel West too much because dude is really in these streets and building from the ground level. Regardless of what you feel that guy is in the streets still bringing attention to the issues that Obama can't speak on too much publicly.

The article was Dyson trying to tout himself as something (haven't figured out what yet).

Thing is, the article was OD long in some parts.

Dude was pretending like we don't know the difference between speaking and writing...or as if we were gonna ignore the last two paragraphs were the only part where you talk about why you were so pissed in the first place.

 

[No1]

Thing is, the article was OD long in some parts.

Dude was pretending like we don't know the difference between speaking and writing...or as if we were gonna ignore the last two paragraphs were the only part where you talk about why you were so pissed in the first place.

The part about speaking and writing is the best part of the entire piece. It is literally the most quoted part. You won't find too many people who agree with you on that.