Cornel West-Democracy Matters

A few PTS people went to hear Cornel West speak about his book Democracy Matters at the Princeton University Book Store last night. It sounds very interesting and I will have to read it at some point. Here is some of what he spoke about and thoughts it triggered in my own mind. I hope I do justice to his words.


The experiment of democracy-I thought this phrase was interesting. People do not focus on democracy as an experiment, especially here in the United States where we think we have everything all figured out. I am reading the book Hellfire Nation by James A. Morone which addresses this issue as well. As Morone suggests, America views itself as the super power in which the rest of the world watches to see how things are done correctly. We think we know how this system of democracy should work. And we do so in a context where we do not even know who we are as a nation. For Morone this is due to our moral struggles and defining who is American and who is not--us versus them. Cornel West spoke concerning this identity of America as well. As I understood him, his new book is a search towards finding out who we are as a nation. We seem to have lost the true notion of democracy.

West also mentioned cynical Americans who do not become involved in politics because it seems useless to do so. Both sides are continually trashing each other and there is no realness seen in their issues. I identify with this. That attitude is my own. I am starting to realize the importance of politics and am trying to sort through all the fronts people have during election time, but I am still perplexed. Stop telling me things you think you should say, but speak your truth on the issues. All I want is honesty.

Another issue that West addressed is the current fear that many Americans are expressing since 9/11. This fear brought about terror and revenge to those that threaten us. But, West says, the African American community here in the United States has expereinced that fear for houndreds of years. How did they react? They didn't turn to revenge, they turned to the social gospel and Martin Luther King Jr. While there is no doubt in my mind that the African American culture experienced more pain and fear from the time of slavery till now, than most other Americans, he did not mention the violence that Malcolm X encourgaed in his desire to change America's views on African Americans. Maybe his book touches on this issue, but yesterday's speech did not.

Overall, I really enjoyed listening to West speak. Although people have apparently told him that he does not present himself like a traditional Princeton University Professor--serious, stuffy, and the like--I for one am thankful for that he does not. He is very animated and keeps you interested.