9:16 AMJun 19
Source: BV Wellness
Anyone who recalls the days when she was down on '21 Jump Street,' solving minor youth-based crimes with the likes of Johnny Depp and Richard Grieco (whatever happened to that guy?) will remember one thing about Holly Robinson Peete. Her timeless ... Read More
8:08 AMJun 19
Source: Blackvoices Main
A long way from Capetown, where he was born and raised before becoming an international superstar and spending nearly 20 years in England, Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter-guitarist-producer Jonathan Butler is back and stronger than ever with his ... Read More
6:00 AMJun 19
Source: Blackvoices Main
From Vibe: From the outside looking in it would appear that after over 20 years in the business Charlie Murphy finally has it all. Probably best known from his work on The Chappelle Show, (and especially his hilarious recollections of 80s run-ins ... Read More
12:10 AMJun 19
Source: BV on Money
I have a great deal of respect for Lady Drama, aka Ebony Garris. Lady Drama, in case you don't know, was the person who ran Bossip.com for quite a while. She's the celebrity gossip queen of the Internet and probably the next Wendy Williams. ... Read More
6:16 PMJun 18
Source: Blackvoices Main
In 1972, soul legend Billy Paul hit the jackpot with his number-one single, 'Me and Mrs. Jones,' which earned him a Grammy award. Already known for his taste of music which ranged from jazz to R&B to ballads, his follow up song would be the ... Read More
6:06 PMJun 18
Source: BV Newswire
"People are being naïve when they say, 'Oh, it's great that she has this attitude.' This girl is in trouble and people want to deny that. We have an epidemic of obesity in the black community, especially among black women." -- Radio ... Read More
5:30 PMJun 18
Source: theBVX.com
Diddy will be joining Mike Tyson and Lenny Kravitz among the list of celebs that are set to guest star on the seventh season of HBO's "Entourage". Recently, Diddy went racing with executive producer, Mark Wahlberg in Long Beach. [Hip-Hop Wired] ... Read More
4:04 PMJun 18
Source: BV Black Spin
A recent study by the Center for Responsible Lending has confirmed what you probably already knew: African Americans were significantly more affected by foreclosure than whites. The study shows that although whites make up the majority of ... Read More
Democrats who voted against the health care bill included the following Congressmen and Congresswomen:
Rep. John Adler (N.J.)
Rep. Jason Altmire (Pa.)
Rep. Michael Arcuri (N.Y.)
Rep. John Barrow (Ga.)
Rep. Marion Berry (Ark.)
Rep. Dan Boren (Okla.)
Rep. Rick Boucher (Va.)
Rep. Bobby Bright (Ala.)
Rep. Ben Chandler (Ky.)
Rep. Travis Childers (Miss.)
Rep. Artur Davis (Ala.)
Rep. Lincoln Davis (Tenn.)
Rep. Chet Edwards (Texas)
Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin (S.D.)
Rep. Tim Holden (Pa.)
Rep. Larry Kissell (N.C.)
Rep. Frank Kratovil (Md.)
Rep. Dan Lipinski (Ill.)
Rep. Stephen Lynch (Mass.)
Rep. Jim Marshall (Ga.)
Rep. Jim Matheson (Utah)
Rep. Mike McIntyre (N.C.)
Rep. Mike McMahon (N.Y.)
Rep. Charlie Melancon (La.)
Rep. Walt Minnick (Idaho)
Rep. Glenn Nye (Va.)
Rep. Collin Peterson (Minn.)
Rep. Mike Ross (Ark.)
Rep. Heath Shuler (N.C.)
Rep. Ike Skelton (Mo.)
Rep. Zack Space (Ohio)
Rep. John Tanner (Tenn.)
Rep. Gene Taylor (Miss.)
Rep. Harry Teague (N.M.)
Author and Finance Professor at Syracuse University
3:00 PM on 03/19/2010
OPINION - Marcelas Owens' story can bring realism and relevance to a debate that has been about posturing, bickering and mid-term elections...
The Hip Hop Doctor
8:14 AM on 03/19/2010
OPINION - African-Americans are less likely to receive CRC screenings, especially if they are uninsured...
Book critic
11:31 AM on 03/18/2010
REVIEW - The cells of a poor black woman from Clover, Virginia, a descendant of free slaves, led to major breakthroughs in everything from polio to Parkinson's...
Author and Finance Professor at Syracuse University
11:22 AM on 03/18/2010
OPINION - Republicans should realize that when they disrespect the presidency, they are disrespecting themselves...
Sports and social commentator
8:16 AM on 03/18/2010
OPINION - As much as I would have loved to see the president go out on a limb and pick the Baylor Bears to win it all, it's hard to argue against the Jayhawks...
Political analyst
8:09 AM on 03/18/2010
OPINION - Conservative shock and awe tactics from anti-choice groups are a desperate attempt to win over voters and obscure the harsh realities that black women face...
Cultural Critic
9:00 AM on 03/17/2010
OPINION - Would he have done something different? Did he mean for that note to be there? Would he have approved this final mix?...
From the Huffington Post:
Chris Matthews is definitely going to take some heat for exclaiming that he “forgot [Obama] was black tonight for an hour… I said wait a minute, he’s an African American guy in front of a bunch of other white people.” Matthews was analyzing President Obama’s first State of the Union speech when he made the remark.
Haiti's musician Wyclef Jean, left, arrives at the airport in Port-au-Prince on Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2010, the day after a 7.0-magnitude earthquake hit his country. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
(AP)
Groups that vet charities are raising doubts about the organization backed by Haitian-born rapper Wyclef Jean, questioning its accounting practices and ability to function in earthquake-hit Haiti.
Even as more than $2 million poured into The Wyclef Jean Foundation Inc. via text message after just two days, experts questioned how much of the money would help those in need.
"It's questionable. There's no way to get around that," said Art Taylor, president and chief executive of the Better Business Bureau's Wise Giving Alliance, based in Arlington, Va.
Taylor reviewed Internal Revenue Service tax returns for the organization also known as Yele Haiti Foundation from 2005 through 2007. He said the first red flag of poor accounting practices was that three years of returns were filed on the same day — Aug. 10 of last year.
In 2007, the foundation's spending exceeded its revenues by $411,000. It brought in just $79,000 that year.
click to read.
Dr. Wilmer J. Leon III
On the evening of Tuesday, November 24 a young couple from Virginia made their way into one of the most secure events in the country, President Obama’s state dinner for Indian Prime Minister Monmohan Singh and his wife at the White House. Like the other 300 plus invited guests, Tareq and Michaele Salahi went through multiple layers of Secret Service security, took photos with Chief of Staff Rom Emanuel and mingled with Vice President Biden and other invited guests. The problem is that the Salahi’s were not invited to the dinner. Their names were not listed on the official guest list or any other list that would have allowed them entrance into the White House. They crashed the party!
All that this couple needed to gain entrance into a state dinner at the White House was a tuxedo, traditional Indian evening wear, attitude, and white skin. When they arrived at the Secret Service check point without a printed invitation and without their names on the official guest list, they were not detained or questioned. No telephone calls were made; no further inquiries were needed; just white skin, blond hair, the expectation of admittance, and a pretty smile. Had this occurred at an airport the Salahi’s would have never made it past airport security.
Early on the campaign trail, presidential candidate Barack Obama said, "This country is ready for a transformative politics of the sort that John F. Kennedy, Ronald Reagan and Franklin Roosevelt represented." Socially, President Obama is beginning to move in such a positive transformative direction.
After 12 years of languishing in Congress, on Wednesday, October 28, President Obama signed into law the Matthew Shepard / James Byrd Hate Crimes Bill. By signing this bill, the president expands the federal definition of hate crimes to include those motivated by gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and disability. It also allows federal authorities to pursue hate-crimes cases when local authorities are either unable or unwilling to do so. This law was named after Matthew Shepard, a gay man murdered in Wyoming in 1998, and James Byrd, the African-American man dragged to his death behind a pickup truck in Texas that same year.
Dr. Wilmer J. Leon III, Your Black World
Not to be outdone, in response to America electing its first African-American President, on January 30, 2009, the Republican National Committee (RNC) elected Michael Steele, the former lieutenant governor of Maryland, as its chairman. It was a long and painful process, but on the sixth and final ballot, for the first time in its history, the Republican Party elected an African-American to manage its affairs.
During his acceptance speech, Chairman Steele said, "To Americans who believe in the future of this country. To those who stand in difference with us, it's time for something completely different, and we're gonna bring it to them. We're gonna bring this party to every corner, every boardroom, every neighborhood, every community and we're gonna say to friend and foe alike: We want you to be a part of this, we want you to work with us, and for those of you who wish to obstruct, get ready to get knocked over."
These were very powerful and encouraging words, especially coming from an intelligent African-American man who was speaking to a political party dominated by white men who are not used to African-Americans speaking to them so forcefully and directly. To bring forth "something completely different"; to take the party to "friend and foe alike," to "knock over" decades of neoconservative ideology and racism would take a Superman. Unfortunately, these encouraging and powerful words ring hollow when compared to the reality of Chairman Steele's actions. Michael is no Superman. He's not "The Man of Steele."
Former President Jimmy Carter said in an interview Tuesday that Congressman Joe Wilson's "you lie" outburst to President Obama was "based on racism" and that many of the critiques leveled against the president have been made because of his black heritage.
"I think an overwhelming portion of the intensely demonstrated animosity toward President Barack Obama is based on the fact that he is a black man," Carter said in an sit-down with NBC's Brian Williams.
Carter specifically said that Wilson's comment was "dastardly" and part of an "inherent feeling" held by many Americans -- particularly Southerners -- that African-Americans "are not qualified to lead this great country."
"It's an abominable circumstances and grieves me and concerns me very deeply," Carter said.
Click to read.
BEN FELLER
President Barack Obama on Friday welcomed a dip in unemployment as evidence "the worst may be behind us" with the recession well into its second year.
Earlier, however, the White House said that the president still expects unemployment to hit 10 percent sometime later this year.
White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said the two positions don't contradict each other.
"I would describe the report that came out today as the least bad report that we've had in a year," Gibbs said. "But we still have a long way to go."
The new Labor Department numbers show that employers cut 247,000 jobs in July, another job loss but also the smallest reduction of any month this year. The unemployment rate dropped marginally from 9.5 percent to 9.4 percent, although one of the reasons for that change is that hundreds of thousands of people left the labor force.
"Today, we're pointed in the right direction," Obama said in brief remarks in the Rose Garden hours after the report was released. "While we've rescued our economy from catastrophe, we've also begun to build a new foundation for growth."
Even so, Obama said: "We have a lot further to go. As far as I'm concerned, we will not have a true recovery until we stop losing jobs." He also said he won't rest until "every American that is looking for a job can find one."
The president used the new jobs figures not only to pitch the benefits of the already passed stimulus package but also to press for policy changes on health care, education and energy that he seeks.
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Former Secretary of State Colin Powell was mildly critical Tuesday of Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates Jr., whose angry response to a Cambridge, Mass., police officer touched off a national debate involving President Obama.
Powell, interviewed by CNN's Larry King, criticized the way Gates dealt with Sgt. James Crowley, a white officer who responded to reports of a possible break-in by arresting the black professor at his home on a charge of disorderly conduct. The charge was soon dropped.
Gates "might have waited a while, come outside, talked to the officer, and that might have been the end of it," said Powell, one of the nation's most prominent African Americans.
by Dr. Marc Lamont Hill
Columbia University
Over the past week, the political world has been tuned into a highly unusual soap opera involving Republican Committee Chair Michael Steele and conservative radio jock Rush Limbaugh. After Limbaugh was publicly lambasted for stating that he wanted President Obama’s agenda to fail, Democratic leaders wisely used the moment as an opportunity to anoint the polarizing pundit as the de facto leader of the GOP. Steele, the actual leader of the party, dismissed Limbaugh as a mere “entertainer” whose show trades in “ugly” and “incendiary” remarks. Limbaugh soon fired back, telling Steele to do his job and to stop acting like a “talking head media star.”
Of course, partisan infighting is not uncommon in politics –though such public spats are typically the property of the Democrats. The difference, however, has been the party’s response. Instead of rallying around its newly appointed leader Steele, GOP honchos have either taken the side of Rush Limbaugh or remained conspicuously silent. Even Steele himself caved into Limbaugh, apologizing for his remarks and removing any lingering doubt about who the real don is.
By allowing Michael Steele to be publicly undressed by a party extremist, Republicans have tacitly confirmed what many of us already knew: they haven’t changed one bit. Despite their post-November promises to rise above bitter partisanship, the GOP decided to cosign Limbaugh’s antipatriotic machinations. Instead of living up to their promise to broaden their message and appeal, Republicans have instead opted to defer to the steward of its most vile, ignorant, and bigoted constituency. Most disturbingly, they have legitimized their antidemocratic enterprise by hiring a black man, but giving him no more political muscle than the queen of England.
To be clear, I am not trying to diss Michael Steele, who I know personally and like a great deal despite our political differences. My concern is that the seductive aroma of power and prestige have diverted his attention from the harsh realities of his circumstance.
Like many prominent African Americans, Steele has climbed the heights of white society under the false premise that he is being judged purely on merit rather than color. This couldn’t be further from the truth. While the Republican party is willing to use Steele’s black face to celebrate its ostensible progress, it is equally committed to reducing him to nothing more than a paper champion. Hopefully, Brother Steele will stop drinking the Kool-Aid long enough to recognize this and come back home.
Technorati Tags: marc lamont hill,michael steele
Over the weekend, Republican Party Chairman Michael Steele called Rush Limbaugh's rhetoric "incendiary" and "ugly" and insisted that he, not Limbaugh, is in charge of the GOP.
"Rush will say what Rush has to say; we'll do what we have to do," RNC Chairman Michael Steele has said.
But that was two days ago. Monday, after a blistering response from the conservative talk-radio kingpin, Steele told the online journal Politico that he "was maybe a little bit inarticulate."
"There was no attempt on my part to diminish his voice or his leadership," Steele said. He added, "There are those out there who want to look at what he's saying as incendiary and divisive and ugly. That's what I was trying to say. It didn't come out that way."
Steele's original remarks came from an interview on CNN's "D.L. Hughley Breaks the News," which aired Saturday. They came as Democrats, including White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel, have tried to paint Limbaugh -- who has said he wants to see the Obama administration "fail" -- as the effective head of the opposition party.
Steele rejected the idea, saying, "I'm the de facto leader of the Republican Party."
"Rush Limbaugh is an entertainer. Rush Limbaugh's whole thing is entertainment," Steele told CNN. "Yes, it is incendiary. Yes, it is ugly." iReport.com: Limbaugh and Steele show divisions in GOP
Limbaugh fired back on his radio show Monday, saying the Republican chairman appears to be supporting President Barack Obama and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. He said Steele appears "obsessed with seeing to it President Obama succeeds."
"I frankly am stunned that the chairman of the Republican National Committee endorses such an agenda," Limbaugh said. "I have to conclude that he does, because he attacks me for wanting it to fail."
Sen. Roland Burris, D-Ill., talks to the media about an affidavit that he filed Feb. 5 with the Illinois House committee. (Tribune photo by Nuccio DiNuzzo / February 15, 2009)
Facing a perjury probe in Illinois and an ethics investigation in Washington, U.S. Sen.Roland Burris pleaded for yet another chance to explain himself after admitting he tried to raise campaign cash for then- Gov. Rod Blagojevich while seeking the Senate seat from him.
The junior senator, just a month in office, struggled to maintain a sense of normalcy on a Downstate "goodwill tour" but found no goodwill from fellow politicians. Republicans and even some Democrats in Illinois called for his resignation, and in Washington, senators who had barely begun to accept his controversial appointment chafed at the revived scandal.
Burris tried to stem the political damage by limiting his public comments Tuesday, but his evolving explanations had already set off a cascade of new questions about how he came to be picked by Blagojevich, who was charged with trying to sell the former Senate seat ofPresident Barack Obama for personal or political profit.
"There were never any inappropriate conversations between me and anyone else," said Burris, who took no questions from reporters. "And I will answer any and all questions to get that point across to keep my faith with the citizens of Illinois."
George Obama, the half-brother of U.S. President Barack Obama, has been arrested by Kenyan police on a charge of possession of marijuana, police said Saturday.
George Obama was arrested in Kenya on a charge for possession of marijuana, according to police.
Inspector Augustine Mutembei, the officer in charge, said Obama was arrested on charges of possession of cannabis, known in Kenya as Bhang, and resisting arrest. He is scheduled to appear in court Monday, Mutembei said.
He is being held at Huruma police post in the capital of Nairobi.
Speaking from behind bars, Obama denied the allegations.
"They took me from my home," he said, "I don't know why they are charging me."
George Obama and the president barely know each other, though they have met. George Obama was one of the president's few close relatives who did not go to the inauguration in Washington last week.
In his memoir, "Dreams from My Father," Barack Obama describes meeting George as a "painful affair." Barack Obama's trip to Kenya meant meeting family he had never known.
McKenzie tracked down George Obama in August and found him at a small house in Huruma, a Nairobi slum, where he lives with his mother's extended family. His birth certificate shows that he is Barack Obama's half-brother.
The two men share a Kenyan father. In the memoir, Barack Obama struggles to reconcile with his father after he left him and his mother when he was just a child.
Barack Obama Sr. died in a car accident when George was just 6 months old. Like his half-brother, George hardly knew his father.
Barack Obama’s voice booms high into the clouds as our nation’s president. But it is also a voice that is sometimes muted by policy, distorted by conflicting agendas and distracted by the complexities of the world in which we live. I find myself mildly disturbed by the excessive celebration within our community, as if winning this political popularity contest has somehow finally validated us as a people. It is scary when the measure of a Black person's success is captured by the degree of favor he has obtained with his historical oppressors. I will never believe that winning the White House is the greatest achievement in Black History, nor was it the greatest sacrifice. The greatest achievements were made by those who worked for us to be truly empowered and the sacrifice was made by those who died to clear President Obama’s path. Achieving prominence on the plantation is not nearly as meaningful as achieving independence.
Before we conclude that we live in a post-racial America, we must remember that many of the men and women who voted for Barack Obama would not be happy to see your Black sons dating their daughters. While we see that the White House has a Black face, we must remember that the majority of our nation’s most esteemed universities still only bring in Black people to dribble basketballs (if you went to college, count the number of Black Professors you had during your 4 years who were not in an African American studies Department). Most of the media outlets you watch on TV are controlled by people who are not Black, yet they consistently impact the self-perception of Black children by bombarding them with negative Black imagery (i.e. DL Hughley's new show on CNN). Most of our nation's wealth is controlled by the descendants of slave masters, with poverty being inherited by descendants of slaves. There is a lot of work to do, we can’t forget that.
So, while having a Black President is a wonderful thing, it’s not the most wonderful thing I can think of. I would GLADLY trade a Black President for any of the following:
Another Malcolm X – Malcolm is likely the most under-appreciated American in our nation’s history, since his legacy is not as amenable to the excessive commercialization and mainstream comfort of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Dr. King achieved political gains and Barack gave us the White House, both of which can be taken away in an instant. Malcolm gave us something far more permanent – our self-respect and desire for economic independence. Since America will never give Malcolm much respect, it is up to us to remember that he is every bit as significant as Barack Obama and Martin Luther King, Jr. We should all memorize Malcolm's birthday right now.
10 Black Warren Buffets – my good friend and wildly successful money manager, Bill Thomason, brought up an undeniable point: if we as African Americans do not get ourselves together financially, we will never have true power. America is a capitalist democracy, and we cannot forget that money makes this world go round. Rather than teaching our children to get jobs, we need to teach them how to CREATE jobs. Rather than trying to wiggle our way up the corporate ladder, we should be creating the buildings that the ladders lean against. Wealth is more powerful than racism any day of the week.
An era of enlightened and educated professional and college athletes – The Black male athlete possesses many keys to the economic and social liberation of Black America. Many HBCUs can’t pay the light bill, but Black Athletes earn at least $2 Billion dollars per year for universities that don’t hire Black coaches or Black Professors (March Madness, for which athletes are not paid, earns more ad revenue than the Super Bowl and the World Series COMBINED). The powers that be know the potential influence and reach of an educated and empowered Black athlete, which is why they work overtime to keep them uneducated: when many athletes come to college, coaches pick their classes for them and some can’t even read at graduation. They keep them focused on the bling so they will take their eyes off the prize. These young men are taught like sheep to embrace intellectual mediocrity so their handlers can earn fortunes at their expense. They are granted the greatest power in our society as long as they prove that they are unwilling to use it. If these men were to ever wake up and fight for something bigger than themselves (as Muhammad Ali and Jim Brown once did), it would be absolutely earth shattering.
A Quality Public Education System – Rather than declaring a War on Terror, we should declare War on inferior inner city education. Instead of bailing out the rich guys on Wall Street, we should be bailing out our children who are stuck in the preschool to prison pipeline. Hundreds of thousands of potential Barack Obamas are being tossed in an educational landfill every year, as Black boys are 5 times more likely to be placed in Special Education as White kids (I was one of those boys). This is a damn shame.
Complete Overhaul of the Prison System – If you ever want to see slavery in the 21st century, one only need look as far as our nation’s prisons. There is little effort to rehabilitate, and the impact on the physical health and socio-economic stability of the Black family has been devastating. President Obama and others should confront the prison industrial complex immediately and stop the human rights abuses taking place in our nation's prisons.
Now that people are saying that President Obama’s success implies that there is no more racism, our job becomes much more difficult. President Obama and others must be consistently asked to pull their weight so that we can get a return on our investment in the Presidential popularity contest. But while we expect President Obama to lead us, we must also remember that it is important to lead him as well. The fight is just beginning.
Dr. Boyce Watkins is a Finance Professor at Syracuse University and author of “What if George Bush were a Black Man?” For more information, please visit www.BoyceWatkins.com. To join the Dr. Boyce Money list, please click here.
Interview with Princeton Professor and acclaimed scholar, Dr. Cornel West, by Tolu Olorunda.
He is, perhaps, the most well-known public scholar the universe has to offer. Alongside that, Dr. Cornel West has also been celebrated as, America's leading public intellectual. Judging from his scholarly work, dedication, perseverance, intellectual curiosity and diligence, one can certainly confirm the role he plays as a distinct leader of his peers. Dr. West has continuously proved to be a multi-generational force for good. Through the publication of books, Hip-Hop albums and television specials aimed at young adults, Dr. Cornel West has impacted and transformed a whole generation of love-starved and directionless people. His wit notwithstanding, Dr. West's ability to interpret the harsh conditions of the financially-disempowered is parallel to none. I had the distinguished pleasure of engaging in dialogue with this esteemed scholar on a wide swath of issues affecting our daily lives. I spoke with him on issues including, the presidential campaign of Sen. Obama, Gen. Colin Powell’s endorsement, the role of progressives in an Obama administration, "Hope on a Tightrope," Hip-Hop, the next generation of Black public intellectuals, and much more:
Thanks for joining us. What has Dr. West been up to lately?
Oh, I’ve been on the moon. I did 15 events for Brother Obama in Ohio, this past weekend. I did 12, the weekend before that. I’ve been to Seattle, Alabama; teaching full time. I’m blessed though, brother.
How does it feel being a surrogate for Sen. Obama's historic presidential run?
Well, it’s a good thing, because in the end, it’s really about empowering everyday people, and he’s a major vehicle for that. He’s got some genius and inspiring people that give him a sense of possibility and hope. So, it’s a beautiful thing. But there’s always a tension there because I still got to speak my mind. So, I got my criticisms of the brother; but the most important thing to do, is a full-court press to get people out to vote, and to make sure that we contribute to this democratic awakening that’s taking place. This greed out here is running amok, man.
On the subject of greed; you've often talked about the melting of the Ice-Age. Do you feel the Democratic platform addresses poverty in a substantive fashion?
Well, it doesn’t address it as much as I would like. It opens the door, and acknowledges the fact that we need to start focusing on poor people, but it doesn’t hit the issue of poor people directly in the way that I would like. But at the same time, because it’s moving in that direction, I move with them – in order to bring pressure and power to bare, and hope that they would move with me in a substantive way. So, I’m never really satisfied with the Democratic platform – they’ve had a history of spinelessness and complicity toward injustice – but, on the other hand, because it’s so much better than McCain and the Republicans – and certainly, Brother Barack is so much better – I’m trying to get him into the White House and then deploy a vision and power on behalf of everyday people.
You know Sen. Obama personally. Has he met your standard of courage in matters concerning Muslims, the Black Community and War/Peace?
He’s met it enough for me to support him, but he hasn’t met it enough for me not to criticize him. It’s an area in between where, right now in the middle of an election, I do all that I can – putting in 16 hours a day without eating – to get him elected. But at the same time, I also know that he’s not Jesus. He’s not a Messiah or nothing. He’s a human being; a cracked vessel trying to do the best that he can.
What roles do progressives play in an Obama presidency; and what strategy do you suggest is best for success?
He’s only as strong as we are. I think that we have to be honest, diligent and candid about our focus on working and poor people. We have to talk strongly about public spending directly for education, quality jobs, health care, child care, infrastructure, bridges/roads, and home foreclosure. In that regard, we have to be willing to criticize him in order to make him stronger, and push him in a progressive direction. He’s not in a static position. He can be pushed.
Dr. West, one of your most famous blurbs is: "You can't lead people if you don't love them and you can't save people if you don't serve them." In your assessment, do you believe Sen. Obama has exhibited an encouraging amount of love and willingness for servitude?
I think so; definitely. As a presidential candidate, he’s got to be prudent. So he tends, for example, to focus on White moderates and independents. Why? Because he wants to win the election. So, in that regard, his willingness to love and serve is always under the framework of presidential politics. But I think that deep down he’s got a profound love and a sense of service. You see that, for example, in him being a community organizer instead of going to Wall Street, and some of his policies in the Illinois State house. And really, you can’t downplay the role of Sister Michelle Obama and those two precious girls [Malia and Sasha]. As Sly Stone said, it’s a family affair. When you talk about someone who is sharing a life with such a high quality person as Michelle Obama, that is very important – and it makes me feel good.
What’s your take on Colin Powell’s endorsement of Sen. Obama?
Courageous, eloquent, crucial; and I think it’s the last nail in the coffin of Republican/Conservative/Right Wing rule.
How critical is the concept of holding "President Obama" accountable; and what steps can be taken at this point to guarantee a desirable outcome?
Brother Tavis [Smiley] has been pushing this issue of accountability for a very long time, and was courageous to do it. In the end, this is not about any one person, or any one office. It’s about keeping everyone accountable. It’s about trying to gain Barack Obama access to the presidency, but keeping him accountable; because if we don’t have the kind of progressive policies that allow the empowerment of everyday people and working/poor people, we’re going to fly down the slope to chaos. Democracy cannot be sustained over a long period of time when there’s so much greed at the top, and the politics of fear is at play.
Switching gears: Your new book coming soon is, Hope on a Tightrope: Words and Wisdom. Can you briefly explain what its premise is?
It’s mainly that we are living in a moment where the American civilization is wavering, the American empire is wobbling, the culture is in decay, people are hungry and thirsty for vision, and we need some hope; but that hope is on a tight rope because we’re in a state of emergency. The first chapter of the book is: State of Emergency – a sense of urgency. Now, my view is that we were in a state of emergency many years ago – when people didn’t recognize. When you look at the dilapidated housing crisis, disgraceful school systems, unavailability of health care/child care, not enough jobs for living wage – that’s already a state of emergency for many brothers and sisters of all colors. But now that Wall Street has collapsed, it’s an indisputable, undeniable state of emergency across the board. But we need to sustain our hope on a tight rope, with a sense of grace and cool in the face of catastrophe – in order to empower everyday people.
Earlier in the campaign, Michelle Obama expressed some pride that "hope is making a comeback." Do you share similar sentiments, and what must we then do to sustain its balance?
Sister Michelle Obama is absolutely right. Keep in mind that hope is pitted against fear. For so long, people have been fearful. Hope is making a comeback, in part, because of Brother Obama’s brilliance, genius and charisma. He’s generating a sense of hope, but we’re still on that slippery tight rope, and we’ve got to be really courageous, bold and determined. We’ve got to have fortitude to help other people, and serve other people.
In light of Mrs. Obama's remarks, we have a financial meltdown that promises escalating despondency. To paraphrase Melle Mel, how does the Black Community keep from ‘losing its head’?
That’s a deep question. One thing we’ve got to realize is that, we’ve dealt with catastrophe before. We are a blues people, and the blues is: An autobiographical chronicle of a personal catastrophe expressed lyrically. But it’s always with a sense of grace and cool. And the country now has the blues. They either learn something from a blues people, or lose their democracy.
Do you believe we will survive this storm?
Well, it all depends on how much courage, vision and service we have. We might not survive it, because if greed, indifference, and fear continue, and McCain wins, there’s a good chance that we’re not going to survive it. But in the face of greed, we need justice; in the face of indifference, we need compassion; and in the face of fear, we need hope. That’s what Brother Obama represents.
Dr. West, there's a new class of Black public intellectuals - Eddie Glaude, Boyce Watkins, Marc Lamont hill - coming up. How confident are you that they can help raise the banner of truth and justice even higher?
Oh, I’m sure they will. We’ve got some serious young folks coming up. We’ve got Brother Tavis [Smiley], Bakari Kitwana, and a lot more. I’m impressed by a lot of the young brothers and sisters coming up. I’m satisfied that they’re going to surpass me; and that’s the reason I’m strong – to make them even stronger. They’re stepping forth with grace and dignity.
Your new Hip-Hop album, “Never Forget: A Journey of Revelations,” hit shelves earlier this year. What is your message to the younger generation; and why did you decide to use Hip-Hop as the avenue to facilitate that message?
Well, Hip-Hop is the universal language of youth culture. I was in Egypt, Belgium and Brazil; I walked into the clubs, and it was all Hip-Hop. So, because I’m an educator, I can write books and present a textual education, but with the CD, I can present a danceable education. I’m just trying to educate, and be educated. But most importantly, it’s just a matter of loving young folks and respecting them enough to learn from them. So it becomes a matter of reciprocity and mutuality in our awakening, and consciousness-raising. That’s what that CD is about. So you bring in artists like Prince, Andre 3000, Gerald Levert, Talib Kweli, KRS-One and Jill Scott – they are part and parcel of the conversation on the danceable education album.
On the subject of Hip-Hop, how can the present generation reshape and retake the culture, in a way that it represents, once again, a force for good, enlightenment and empowerment?
I think that one has to, first, support those crucial voices within Hip-Hop who are trying to take it to a new level. So, when Brother Lupe Fiasco talks about ‘the cool,’ you know, in fact, that he’s reflecting on a level of Hip-Hop artistry that goes beyond the dominant everyday perspectives. The same is true for Nas, with the “Untitled,” album. And there’s a whole host of others out there who need our support. I was just in the studio with Rhymefest for El Che. It’s a matter of acknowledging that we really do have voices in Hip-Hop, of the younger generation, that we need to be supporting. When you listen to Game and Lil’ Wayne talking about “My Life,” you’re moved, man. It’s coming from the soul. I love Lil’ Wayne’s dedication to his craft. He’s got to be the hardest working brother in Hip-Hop – just like my hero, James Brown. I try to be the hardest working man in the academy.
Lastly Dr. West; what message do you hope the general public grasps unto at this transitional moment in our earthly experience?
I think, at this particular moment, we need a strong democratic awakening that tries to push back the greed, indifference and fear. The first step is to try to get Brother Barack in the White House. The second step is to put pressure on him – so that he can engage in some of this public spending directly to the people and they can have access to health care, child care and jobs with a living wage. We need to get these home-owners to stay in their homes, so that these bankruptcy courts can re-adjust the mortgage. And we need a stimulus plan to get the economy running again. That’s the beginning of turning things around, so we don’t have a system tied only to the strong, but one that takes seriously the plight of the weak. So, it’s not just for the rich, but for the many.
Thanks for the time, Dr. West.
Watch Dr. Cornel West In Action:
This interview was conducted by Tolu Olorunda, Staff Writer for YourBlackWorld.com
