Cornel West discusses racism, Black Lives Matter, and the 2020 Election

Dr. Cornel West GS'75 GS'80 sits down with The Daily Princetonian's Sam Kagan to discuss ongoing protests, where they fit into the historical timeline, and what we can expect as a nation moving forward.
Interview by Sam Kagan ’23
Edited by Zachary Shevin ’22
Photo used in thumbnail by Gage Skidmore / Wikimedia Commons
www.dailyprincetonian.com

[@bethmoore7722]

I was brought up to be racist, and have rebelled against it to the point of being ostracized by my family. But I have implicit racial bias, and have internalized some of the misogyny of my culture. Knowing that is really important for me, as a white person. It opens my mind and heart to override those biases so that I can better stand in solidarity with my black and brown sisters and brothers, and with other women. The fight for peace and justice begins in our own hearts.

[@johnhollandjr.2632]

Hi Beth! I applaud you and wish you nothing but the best. It can be a lonely journey. I’m in a similar position due to religious differences. I simply look for comfort and inspiration anywhere I can find it... like the movie Brooklyn I recently watched. Toward the end the main character set sail for a new life in Brooklyn knowing she will probably never see her mother again. Group thinking and conformity is a powerful thing.

[@LazyDev27]

It goes both ways, have some respect for yourself. If you have to overcome bias, they have as much bias to overcome as well. We're all equal, race - doesn't matter. People who are told to see race and to think it matters - are the racists. Those who are color blind, and don't consider race when dealing with people - are the morally correct ones. That's why I oppose men like West. It's a regression, not a progression. If we're truly equal, let us be.

[@asayake1]

I'm new to Dr. West. I really like hearing his perspective and this was a fantastic interview. Thank you for asking these great questions and sharing this interview!

[@ard1805]

rer ortete He’s the best source to hear about issues of race. Guy is just a good dude.

[@ChildrensRightsFirst947]

I've only heard Cornel West in little snippets here and there and my opinion of him has thus far been high. I didn't realize what a sweetheart he really is, too.

[@mangoyacho]

Excellent interview. We need more sensitive wise young men like Sam. Brilliant! Lots of love for Prof West from South Africa.

[@yesinc95]

Cat looks like dr jekyl as he is turning into my hyde.

[@ylc6086]

This man is Brilliant😊

[@fredbennet6539]

So many haters on here talking ws bullsh!+. WEST/DAVIS 2020

[@ylc6086]

Real talk...he's beautiful🤣🤣🤣🤦🏿🤷🏿

[@jstaversky]

Anyone on here who loves Cornell West needs to check out his podcast (w/Tricia Rose)-- the latest episode was with Michael Moore and it's 👍

[@Rob-zr3wb]

John Staversky. No thanks. I’d rather have another 8 years of Obama than listen to him. Thanks for the offer though.

[@Sinleqeunnini]

@Mohamed Hussein That's an exaggeration. Obama is a neo-liberal.

[@jjutt87]

Thank you for giving Dr West your platform for a wonderful hour.

[@ambassadorportal]

Dr. West is the real thing. Trump holds up a Bible he's never read; Dr. West walks the walk. Good interview.

[@mr.monitor.]

Fictional book anyways full of inconsistencies and nonsense.

[@Sinleqeunnini]

@@mr.monitor. The Bible is a complicated object you should understand with its different threads, regardless of your religious views.

[@mr.monitor.]

@@Sinleqeunnini no it's not a complicated object. It's a book which is not complicated and it's a book compiled out of other books on complicated topics, plagiarized and modified for centuries before the church got ahold of them and rearranged the order and removed many they didn't want you to read.

[@Sinleqeunnini]

@@mr.monitor. You clearly are not a student of history, nor of ancient texts, nor especially of the Old Testament or the New. I would not count on your knowledge of the Bible any more than a casual atheist or religious person in America.

[@mr.monitor.]

@@Sinleqeunnini your clearly gullible and I didn't ask you to depend on my knowledge of your books of nonsense.

[@aaishajoseph6693]

This was EXCELLENT.

[@jackketchum1924]

Interviews need to start looking more like conversations. Its hard to follow along if the interviewer is not. If we could just get past the line of questions, we could get a little deeper into any one of these powerful answers from Dr. West. We can't be so nervous to have a conversation.

[@Sinleqeunnini]

Man, as a Princeton alum it's been a long time since I've thought about Prospect street. Norman Thomas and Woody Woo both agreeing it needed to go is all the justification we need. Get rid of that scar of injustice from the pretty little neo-liberal face that Princeton gives the world.

[@unwavery]

thank you for this interview. I didnt really follow Dr. West until he was on Rogan; but he's a true American hero.

[@Paul-wu7xd]

"Much more mindful, then Adam Smith had in mind." Dr. West has definitely done his readings.

[@ard1805]

Paul He’s done his writings.

[@McPherson123]

24:40 Honest and fair critique from Dr. West.

[@begging4music]

This young Brother has the fire.

[@shadowwarrior7218]

An Awesome and Treasured guest to have on your show. Hopefully you will increase in popularity over time. Great Job.

[@michaelwright6124]

Awesomeness 😃😃 brother west, you are my hero as a black male and for HUMANITY!....i always remind present day human beings as a black male point of view that the superiority complex for racism dates back to slavery and even dates retrospectively in around the Roman Empire and beyond.....Americans today and moving forward have a great chance plus opportunity to address the superiority complex issue and through Christ....CHANGE!

[@MT-ee5ox]

The law is become worse over time. Everyone should be treated as equals.

[@jwilliama4427]

At 39:27 what he said really hit home especially after witnessing how Seattle's Mayor and Chief of Police handled the circus that my city has endured recently.

[@ard1805]

johnny Williams What about people who grew up in an environment that valued these ideals, and were literally raised specifically not to see people differently? Is that not possible? The people I looked up to when I was a kid were people who saw everyone as the same.

[@jwilliama4427]

@@ard1805 ....I was only commenting how what he said at that time struck a chord when my city was dealing with that Chop/Chaz experiment. I agree with you on the ideals of how people should be. I believe, however, the point that he was making. Which is coming to terms with your own biases, identifying, accepting then transcending them. Psychologically, Jung called it integration of the Shadow. Look it up.

[@ard1805]

johnny Williams I’m white and the work I’ve done in those areas the last ten years has more to do with my biases against the right wing, and white people. Lol, I’m talking a lot more about what happens to people and how they’re treated AFTER taking the steps you described. People don’t seem to believe transcending bias is possible. It’s like original sin for white people now.

[@jwilliama4427]

@@ard1805 ....I'm multiracial, of color. White people helped catalyze the civil rights movement. They came to the south, registered blacks to vote. Let those who thought politics were "white people business." that they had the power to change things.

[@SagesseNoir]

@@jwilliama4427 White people of conscience reached out in solidarity to the Civil Rights Movement. But I think that Movement probably catalyze the conscience and activism of white allies

[@drewanders8168]

He is the brother. I love him.

[@eldenbeastlord842]

Great interview !

[@aaroncreagh4402]

Where is US accountability? (Good point, Mr. West!)

[@yesinc95]

Cheer up West, racism has given you a very cushy lucrative life. Why would you ever want that to end??

[@groovalotfunk4147]

Your trolling comments would actually be relevant if you were talking about Ta Nehesi Coates or Michael Eric Dyson. If you examine his work deeper, you will find a deeper commitment to intellectual integrity and solidarity than a mere emphasis on identity.

[@rd264]

your sick comment is shameful

[@NomoStilta]

#blacklivesmatter Be brave brothers 💪💪💪

[@LazyDev27]

West tells us to see race, that's my main problem with him. Besides his favor towards marxism and populism, inherently anti-American ideals.

[@soniaghahary7443]

Well done!

[@margotholmes7857]

Wouldn’t you say that each one of those pillars of power in the United States only have so much reach? For example, the ACA took 4 years of the Obama administration to be passed and when it went through that administration lost bipartisan support across the board for the remainder of Obama’s presidency. That made it incredibly difficult for the administration to go after pharmaceutical companies. drug legislation, mandatory minimum sentences, over-policed communities, ,police violence, property seizure, substandard education, which all disproportionately impact marginalized communities who need healthcare.I struggle to think of what issues I would try and change if I were president. And that list of needs is much much longer today than it has ever been in my lifetime...

[@margotholmes7857]

I got so caught up in thinking that I forgot to thank you Doc for always making me think!

[@kawishabbasi9459]

Why water boils at 100 degree and not on 95 degree??

[@jwilliama4427]

It doesn't it boils at 220 degrees.

[@fredbennet6539]

We know where Johnny's from

[@richardwarren1718]

On the centigrade scale, it boils at 100 degrees. Use the formula (Fahrenheit temp - 32) x 5/9. Lets do it class. 212 degrees F - 32 = 180 degrees F. Multiply that by 5, and we get 900 degrees F. Good. Now divide that by 9 and we have the boiling point of water on the centigrade scale, 100 degrees. You may now chew gum😉

[@mikemorrison270]

Damn!

[@McPherson123]

10:00 -10:11 Goddamn. Think about that.

[@Appleblade]

I've listened to Cornell West only a handful of times, but my impression each time is: he's a very nice, erudite, raving lunatic.

[@Sinleqeunnini]

Just like Jesus of Nazareth. And both are right.

[@ChildrensRightsFirst947]

@@Sinleqeunnini Jesus of Nazareth didn't exist.

[@2a24seven9]

I honestly feel like west is a good guy but he had the wrong mentality towards this subject. Look at everything that happened and you wanna pin that on orange man bad and high hopes. The facts are yes people were vulnerable and yes Trump wasn’t that good socially. What this absolutely WAS NOT is some white supremacy etc etc…this is people being babies. If how someone talks to you or thinks about you triggers or affects your lives this much that you mess up other people’s business that worked from the ground up you are just as much trash as Derek Chauvin IMO. This is a race war and WE along with MSM and the Government had our part in ignition. Humans want and wanted with George Floyd as they always do which is conflict. Along with wanting to feel like they were doing something right and telling others they were wrong without factual knowledge. Blaming capitalism while selling your book? Using capitalism against capitalism? But wait I thought like math capitalism is racist? Definitely a more educated liberal but still a hypocritical one like most of the well known leftist.

[@christopherhill6138]

The Bible is also pro slavery

[@Sinleqeunnini]

An older part of it does. The Bible has different traditions in it, as one would expect for any collection of documents spanning several hundred years with some parts reacting to others and others branching out into different directions.

[@3farrelkeane805]

quran

[@danielplainview5085]

Sheeeit