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In reply to the discussion: Any thoughts why Cornel West always finds it necessary to refer to the color of the Presidents skin [View all]Cha
(297,123 posts)Black State of the Union and he couldn't be there and offered to send Michelle in his place but Tavis said "No thanks.". Boy, did he miss out.
Cornel West and Tavis Smiley do a disservice to African Americans
I used to revere these two prominent black intellectuals. But lately, their critical voices have turned to crude Obama-bashing
. Smiley threw a tantrum in 2008 when President Obama couldn't make his State of the Black Union event (also saying "no thanks" to a proposal to have Michelle Obama come in his place).
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/jul/26/cornel-west-tavis-smiley-disservice-african-americans
Oh, and Dr West doesn't leave First Lady Michelle out of his obnoxious rants, either..
A lesson for Cornel West
IT WAS not enough for Cornel West to ridicule the first African-American president as a black mascot . The loquacious professor also fired his blunderbuss at Michelle Obama. In the process, he splattered a generation of black people freeing itself from narrow identities and stereotypes.
The Princeton African-American studies professor belittled the First Ladys causes of child obesity and assisting military families, by scornfully asking on the website Truthdig: Why doesnt she visit a prison? Why doesnt she spend some time in the hood?
The down-with-the-people professor clearly has spent too much time in the ivory tower to see the many ways to be in the hood. It escapes him that 42 percent of African-American women are now obese, putting them on the leading edge of a crisis that is shortening the lifespan of US citizens.
Wests dismissal of Ms. Obamas work with military families is even more peculiar. In a nation 13 percent black, African-Americans comprise 20 percent of the active-duty Army. More than a third of Army women are black. Retired Brigadier General Wilma Vaught, president of the national foundation that recognizes womens military service, said Michelle Obama is following in the footsteps of First Lady Eleanor Roosevelts World War II fame.
http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2011/05/28/a_lesson_for_cornel_west/