- Marley Zeno
Princeton professor and activist Cornel West stopped by Occupy Seattle at noon today to address the crowd—speaking into a real microphone.
His rhetoric may have been earnest—I mean, really, really earnest—but it was the right tone for a crowd in the cold rain. West’s response to accusations of class warfare? “We didn’t start it, we were caught in it.” He spoke about the eviction of protesters around the country, stressing, “you can never evict an idea.”
The man next to me actually started to tear up. Seems cheesy, perhaps, but West is filled to the brim with sincere charisma. He brings people with questions right up to the microphone to ask their question. He hugs people. He refers to everyone as “brother” or “sister.” The crowd of around 200, which appeared to be largely Seattle Central students, filled the brick plaza between the encampment and the SCCC buildings.
“This is a love movement!” West declared. “When you have a love supreme, you stand in the rain day in and day out.”
West isn’t some famous intellectual who strolls by to pat protesters on the back before retreating to his Ivy League office. He was arrested twice in October, once on the steps of the Supreme Court protesting corporate influence in politics, and once during an Occupy Wall Street march. He’s scheduled to speak at Green River Community College tonight and he’s visiting Occupy sites wherever he’s speaking. Tomorrow he’ll be at Occupy Oakland.
Meanwhile the corporate tax exemptions – or giveaways – continue to grow in DC and WA.
I FUCKING LOVE CORNEL WEST!
I just read in the NYT that he’s leaving Princeton for Union Theological Seminary.
speaking of intellectually bankrupt attention whores….
Say what you will about his moth-to-the-flame fondness for the spotlight, I adore his hair, and that perma-outfit of his. The lovely documentary about Bill Withers, “Still Bill”, has a bit where West comes and talks with him on a summer day in the garden, and he’s wearing his suit, shirt/tie…and scarf.
Love Cornel West, but Green River Community College? If only the Canucks and Kawks weren’t on Sportsnet.
I am glad to hear that he stop and talked. He is inspiring and he is always generous, even when he doesn’t agree with someone he just smiles and out talks them every time…
Thank God. What a relief. I thought I was hallucinating Cornel West walking down the sidewalk earlier today.
Which isn’t unprecedented. Usually I hallucinate Morgan Freeman in my shower.
Waaaaait a minute. If this really was Cornel West, theeen…
FREEMAN YOU PERVERT!
#6
Hey right in my backyard…and a very nice campus it is!
http://www.greenriver-events.info/public…
Of course as a Harvard prof, best selling writer and New Yorker contributor, ol’Cornel is a member of the 1%, wild ‘fro or not.
Cornel speaks the truth. Love him.
Cornel West is so awesome. I only wish I had known he was in town!
Jesus christ Cornel West is a gigantically racist dickbag and no one should ever listen to a thing he says. Ever.
It was a fabulous speech!