Melissa Harris-Perry and Cornel West
*Cornel West is the topic of conversation again after making his opinion known once more, but this time about Melissa Harris-Perry.
As we reported yesterday, he called her a “liar” and that “[s]he’s become the momentary darling of liberals, but I pray for her because she’s in over her head. She’s a fake and a fraud. I was so surprised how treacherous the sister was.”
The two have gone at each other in the past over their varying opinions on things like politics. But West has decided that she, along with her MSNBC peer, the Rev. Al Sharpton, are all a part of a plot to promote the Obama administration.
And since both West and good friend Tavis Smiley have taken arms against Obama and his apparent lack of concern regarding the poor, particularly African Americans, West is showing no mercy on the bandwagoneers.
Al Sharpton
Sharpton strongly responded in an interview with theGrio:
“Rewarded by who? I don’t know if having access to the Obama administration means that one is rewarded … All of these conspiracy theorists need to check facts more clearly.”
Rev. Sharpton also posed this rhetorical question, “[w]ho rewarded Tavis Smiley with his show? … Tavis can have a show [and] that’s fine. But if Dr. [Harris] Perry [and] I have a show all of a sudden it’s some kind of a conspiracy theory? … black people are not that stupid.”
Then the Rev. went on to add that many prominent civil rights leaders of the past have had access to presidents:
“This whole thing that I’m too close to the White House for a civil rights leader. Frederick Douglass had access to Abe Lincoln. Booker T. Washington had access to Teddy Roosevelt and Martin Luther King had access to John Kennedy to the degree that Kennedy told him the FBI was trying to do some things to Bayard Rustin and Jack Odell’s reputation. Andrew Young worked as the ambassador for Jimmy Carter. Jesse Jackson worked as an envoy for Bill Clinton. They need to study civil rights history. I don’t work for Obama. And every president has had civil rights leaders with access so now we get to the black president and there is a different set of rules. He shouldn’t have civil rights leaders he relates to. I think it’s surprising that scholars are not doing their scholarly inquiry here.”
Sharpton also finds West’s scathing critique of President Obama “personal.”
We are not arguing about issues here, we’re arguing about personality. I supported President Obama in 2008. And I support him now not because I got some reward but because we won the election. That’s what I supported him to do. He’s doing many of the things that I supported him for. Some of the things he can’t do because of being blocked. So how do you support somebody in the election, they win, and all of a sudden you’re against them? It’s almost like they have this psychological positioning that they have to always be outsiders rather than saying that the goals are to be achieved whether you do it outside, inside, or [a] combination… I’m oriented toward achieving goals for the people, not worrying about how I’m positioned.
There’s more, LOTS more of this story at TheGrio.
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Al makes sense to me,
Sharpton responded to Watkins’ comment by saying, “Cornel has a right to disagree with the president, but why does he have to go out and disparage everyone who disagrees with him?”
But shouldn’t he also have the same response to Harris–Perry after she went out and disparaged West:
“In a self-aggrandizing, victimology sermon deceptively wrapped in the discourse of prophetic witness, Professor West offers thin criticism of President Obama …”
All this fuss over a man, who at the end of the day doesn’t even give a phuck about black people.
“All this fuss over a man, who at the end of the day doesn’t even give a phuck about black people.”
Sharpton, of all people, should know better. It’s kinda odd watching him run interference for BO knowing how he dissed and distanced himself from NY Black politicians who could have used his help. BO must be paying Sharpton some attention and he’s trying to get on the inside by any means possible.
Hey Dr. Rev. West.. and Mr. Simley ..
Black folks ain’t listening to neither one of you.. and whites are laughing AGAIN..on how we CAN”T come together and LET the most simple issues continue to divide the black community. If you really care as the both of you proclaim( I believe you both do).. why not put together a tour about the violence in black communities across this nation?
The president is not a president for black folk only.. he’s the President for every american..
This is election year..get on board with your party and work with the President and the democratic party .. which will be the best EFFORT the both of you can do for black america ..in which the both of you care so much about.
The both of you need to make a concentrated effort, making SURE not another GOP nominee is elected President of these United States.. regardless of the indifference you have with President Obama.
Furthermore, I can’t see what either of you are going to accomplish ..demonstrating your indifference upon public display against the president.
Granted, I’m aware the both of you care about black america.. but bashing the president in such a covert HOOD WAY –against this nation’s first african american president.. because it’s a personal issue between the both of you and the president?.. Is going to accomplish what? NOTHING!
It is my hope to Dr. West & Mr. Simley.. WILL work out the indifferences between and the president and the both of you.. this indeed is the best effort at this point for the black communites across this nation…as opposed to being straight naysayers in the black community against this nation’s first african american president.
God Bless..
Thanks for displaying the cognitive dissonance of many Obama’s fanatic supporters.
Why must our “coming together” 100% of the time be in “support” of Obama? Why doesn’t it mean “supporting varying opinion?” In my opinion, that’s a better example of coming together than the mandate that every black person must support Obama, full-throatedly, or else? It just doesn’t make sense.
Obama is the head of the federal gov’t. He is not “ours” to protect as a child, spouse, partner, or even a friend. He just isn’t and nor will he ever be.
These same people, including Sharpton, based Bush…another president of ALL america. These same people argued that THAT president “of all america’ should come forward w/policies exclusively for blacks..even criticizing him when he didn’t attend “black functions.” But somehow that’s now off the table because it’s treasonous to challenge the gov’t.
I have no doubts that this new and unprecedented stance WILL come back to bite us in the ass. Big Time!
shut yo dumb azz up black cracka.
No offense, but you are wholly misusing the term “indifferent.” West and Smiley have actually been the OPPOSITE of “indifferent.”
“Indifferent” means “without interest or concern; not caring; apathetic: his indifferent attitude toward the suffering of others.” http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/indifferent
Now reading that definition Deuteronomy818, who would you say is more “indifferent?” The folks who have been on the media circuit FOR YEARS via tv, radio, and books speaking on the plight of Blacks OR the president whose response when asked about unemployment among Black men was “they will have to come up with the tide that lifts everyone else.”
Hmmm
Well said.
Reds, excellent commentary. It’s so easy to poke holes in Al Sharpton’s (faux) arguments is almost insultingly so. I absolutely feel insulted by the powers that be that placed him in position to speak to Black folks during Obama’s presidency.
I am convinced now more than ever that Obama and co. are more cynical than I ever imagined. It’s clear he represents a sinister element that came to kill and destroy liberals, traditional Democratic values, and the Black community as a whole. Think about it. Hire high-profile Blacks willing to play the game, to block all valid criticism, to silence Blacks and liberals, to make sure these groups never have any power to challenge the status quo. That is some sinister ish! I feel sorry for those who are unable or unwilling to see just what kind of coup has been perpetuated by monied interests (the real powers that be) upon the electorate.
A good read for anyone interested:
“Traditional Black progressive and movement politics has been replaced by fear and sycophantism, as Blacks once again circle the wagons around Obama and contort the events of the last three years to justify their unrequited loyalty to the Banker’s President.” Can the proud African American progressive legacy survive another four years of cowing to the corporate servant in the White House?”
http://blackagendareport.com/content/black-politics-atrophies-under-obama
You posted this link sometime ago.
It’s one of the most enduring article on who Obama really is and what he represents for black people.
A Dark Pupil, Watching: On being black in the era of Obama
He represents the death of the Civil Rights era and, to that end, he’s facing very little resistance. He’s accomplished something that no president (or anyone for that matter) has been able to do. He’s largely secured our unconditional surrender. To speak “critically” (read honestly) of him is tantamount to a death sentence in the white-controlled black media. The rules for black people are crystal clear: 1) we must be silent in our suffering with regard to him. 2) We must not be critical of the person who quotes the very best of us while continuing the policies of the very worst. 3) Individual success is far more important than aggregate success. His example shows us that the fate of every black man, woman and child pales in comparison to the opportunity of one African-American to become president.
We, as black people, really have to stop this “crabs in a barrel mentality,” and cutting each other down! We should be proud of every black achievement, no matter where it is coming from.
Amen! Stay above it all and don’t give the opposite side fuel for their brimstone and fire.
I agree. That’s why Melissa Harris-Perry shouldn’t allow herself to be used like that by the white media to shamelessly disparage Cornel West. I’m also somewhat disappointed in his response. He had to respond, but he could have taken a higher road. There are ways to deflect one’s criticism without sinking to their level.
Black people need to remind themselves that this man had a white mother, was raised by white grandparents, and lived amongst either white or non-black people for well into his adult years. Despite his later infiltration of the Chicago black community, there is still a lack of compassion for black people and our issues.
And you mean to tell me that all this bickering over him?!
Dr. West, with that nappy head, has lost a lot out of my respect. I used to think highly of him. Now he just seems like a crudmugeon looking to justify his opinions. I happen to like Melissa and wish her well on her upcoming MSNBC series. As for Dr. West, please keep your opinions to yourself, fewer and fewer are listening to you.
For those of us who protest that the President Obama administration has performed below expectations and therefore we frustratingly tear down his every accomplishment, I question if we truly consider that the consequence is basically to turn over the election to the rethugs.
To those of us who espouse that there is little difference between President Obama and “w’s” administration, I ask, REALLY?
Like many, I held expectations of certain things being no-brainers like indicting the “bush-cheney” cabal for their obvious illegal wars and raping of our fiscal reserves. Yet, I had to accept that trials attempting to address these issues would have slowed the legislatively process to a near halt. In many ways, that has happened anyway. But I knew instinctively that though that fight was a legitimate one, it would come at a cost. (I mean, is my belief that the rethugs have been seeking some form of revenge since August 9th 1974 when the dick Nixon was forced to resign). For a party that lives in mendacity, they would hardly go down without an ugly fight.
So while I too can site disappointments with the Obama administration, I am mature enough to accept that you rarely get everything you want/deserve in life. I make a concerted effort to try and understand government and the political process.
Instead of attacking the President and each other, I ask are you aware of something far more damaging and long lasting like voter suppression, Citizens United and re-Districting just for starters. We are already up against tremendous odds for this year’s presidential and congressional elections. Citizens United, voter suppression and re-districting has made a difficult task even more challenging as infidels like the Koch Brothers and their oligarch affiliates viscously try to maneuver the election to undermine the vote(s) of anyone not labeled as so-called conservative and/or rethuglican.
It pains me to see the infighting amongst liberals and progressives. Right or wrong, you have to give the rethugs credit for believing in the “bigger picture” and establishing policies like buying massive amounts of radio stations effectively controlling the conservative talk messengering……this has been a 30 year vision beginning under Reagan-ism, all while we fight amongst ourselves.
For example, are you aware that the rethuglican party has effectively reduced North Carolina from 8 pro-democratic districts to 3 while the far right districting has increased from 5 to a possible high of 10-12. The Carolinas have been merged into a handful of predominant black districts while consolidating the white vote by re-districting.
I can only hope we wake up and do not allow apathy to set in because it will not be easy to win in November. Expect over $100 million dollars of negative advertising to strategically combat the Obama campaign. (in Florida, Newt Gingrich had begun to seriously damage Willard romney’s message……an aggressive ad buy in only a matter of days pounded Florida media markets with negative ads insuring Willard’s eventual win……………..that can and will happen to us at the last minute. We may see a poll a week before the election that President Obama is winning 52/48. An aggressive ad buy can sabotage that lead in days as we wander into the voting booths THINKING we have a saved lead……only to be demolished in the last two days). BEWARE! Are we going to handover the election to the rethuglicans for a dominance over The Supreme Court that will lead us into possible decades of legislation like Citizens United? PLEASE THINK ABOUT WHAT REALLY MATTERS IN THE END.