Cornel West on Occupy Wall Street: It’s the Makings of a U.S. Autumn Responding to the Arab Spring

Cornel West on Occupy Wall Street: It’s the Makings of a U.S. Autumn Responding to the Arab Spring


"It’s impossible to translate the issue of the greed of Wall Street into one demand, or two demands. We’re talking about a democratic awakening," said Dr. Cornel West when he spoke with Democracy Now! host Amy Goodman during a visit Tuesday night to the Occupy Wall Street encampment. Some critics have expressed frustration at the protest’s lack of a clear and unified message. But the Princeton University professor emphasized that "you’re talking about raising political consciousness so it spills over all parts of the country, so people can begin to see what’s going on through a set of different lens, and then you begin to highlight what the more detailed demands would be. Because in the end we’re really talking about what Martin King would call a revolution: A transfer of power from oligarchs to everyday people of all colors. And that is a step by step process." Dr. West also called on President Obama to apologize for calling on members of the Congressional Black Caucus to “stop complaining, stop grumbling, stop crying” when unemployment among African Americans has reached record highs and two of five Black children live in poverty. This video features Amy Goodman’s interview with Dr. West, along with his address to Occupy Wall Street protesters.

AMY GOODMAN: So, what do you say to people about what’s happening with Occupy Wall Street, and what you feel, talking to people here, are the key issues here?

CORNEL WEST: Well, I think we’ve got to keep the momentum going because it’s impossible to translate the issue of the greed of Wall Street into one demand, or two demands. We’re talking about a democratic awakening. We’re talking about raising political consciousness, so it spills over; all parts of the country so people can begin to see what’s going on through a different set of lens. And then you begin to highlight what the more detailed demands would be, because in the end we’re really talking about what Martin King would call a revolution; a transfer of power from oligarchs to every day people of all colors, and that is a step-by-step process. It’s a democratic process, it’s a non-violent process, but it is a revolution, because these oligarchs have been transferring wealth from poor and working people at a very intense rate in the last 30 years, and getting away with it, and then still smiling in our faces and telling us it’s our fault. That’s a lie, and this beautiful group is a testimony to that being a lie. When you get the makings of a U.S. autumn responding to the Arab Spring, and is growing and growing—-I hope it spills over to San Francisco and Chicago and Miami and Phoenix, Arizona, with our brown brothers and sisters, hits our poor white brothers and sisters in Appalachia—-so. it begins to coalesce. And I tell you, it is sublime to see all the different colors, all the different genders, all the different sexual orientations and different cultures, all together here in Liberty Plaza; there’s no doubt about it.

AMY GOODMAN: Does it surprise you, what you’re seeing right now?

CORNEL WEST: Well, not really. I knew there would be some moral outrage as a two party system begins to decay, and the mean-spiritedness of the Republicans moving more toward reactionary and quasi-fascist politics and the relative spinelessness of the Democratic Party, tied to oligarchs as well, but centrists, trying to hold off against the viscous right-wing politics of the Republican Party, but refusing to, in any way be progressive. And you heard broth Barack’s speech to the Black Caucus the other day. March with me, condescending, insulting—-

AMY GOODMAN: Take off your bedroom slippers.

CORNEL WEST: Disrespecting, stop complaining, stop grumbling, stop crying. I tell my brother; he got to understand the genius about Marley. He called his group the Wailers, not the whiners. The Wailers were persons who cry for help but against the context of catastrophe. When Wall Street cried out for help, they got billions of dollars. Working people, poor people are crying for help. Whining is a cry of self pity, of a sentimental disposition. That’s not what’s happening in poor America. That’s not what’s happening in working class America and that’s, certainly, not what’s happening in black America. It’s high unemployment rates, two out of five black kids in poverty, that’s not whining, that’s not complaining, that’s legitimate critiques and legitimate grievances out of a genuine grief. So that I ask the president to apologize. He needs to ask for forgiveness. You don’t talk to people that way; I don’t care what color they are when they’re suffering, not at all, you see. But, most importantly, here, people are straightening their backs up.

GENERAL ASSEMBLY LEADER: Mike check.

GENERAL ASSEMBLY: Mike check.

GENERAL ASSEMBLY LEADER: Mike check.

GENERAL ASSEMBLY: Mike check.

GENERAL ASSEMBLY LEADER: Mike check.

GENERAL ASSEMBLY: Mike check.

GENERAL ASSEMBLY LEADER: We are going to be starting...

GENERAL ASSEMBLY: We are going to be starting...

GENERAL ASSEMBLY LEADER: Our general assembly...

GENERAL ASSEMBLY: Our general assembly...

GENERAL ASSEMBLY LEADER: We would like to...

GENERAL ASSEMBLY: We would like to...

GENERAL ASSEMBLY LEADER: Start...

GENERAL ASSEMBLY: Start...

GENERAL ASSEMBLY LEADER: With some words...

GENERAL ASSEMBLY: With some words...

GENERAL ASSEMBLY LEADER: From Cornel West...

GENERAL ASSEMBLY: From Cornel West...

[CHEERING]

CORNEL WEST: There is a sweet spirit in this place.

GENERAL ASSEMBLY: There is a sweet spirit in this place.

CORNEL WEST: I hope you can feel the love and inspiration...

GENERAL ASSEMBLY: I hope you can feel the love and inspiration...

CORNEL WEST: Of those Sly Stone called every day people...

GENERAL ASSEMBLY: Of those Sly Stone called every day people...

CORNEL WEST: Who take a stand with great courage...

GENERAL ASSEMBLY: Who take a stand with great courage...

CORNEL WEST: And compassion...

GENERAL ASSEMBLY: And compassion...

CORNEL WEST: Because we oppose...

GENERAL ASSEMBLY: Because we oppose...

CORNEL WEST: The greed of Wall Street oligarchs...

GENERAL ASSEMBLY: The greed of Wall Street oligarchs...

CORNEL WEST: And corporate plutocrats...

GENERAL ASSEMBLY: And corporate plutocrats...

CORNEL WEST: Who squeeze the democratic juices...

GENERAL ASSEMBLY: Who squeeze the democratic juices...

CORNEL WEST: Out of this country...

GENERAL ASSEMBLY: Out of this country...

CORNEL WEST: And other places around the world...

GENERAL ASSEMBLY: And other places around the world...

CORNEL WEST: I am so blessed to be here...

GENERAL ASSEMBLY: I am so blessed to be here...

CORNEL WEST: You got me spiritually break-dancing on the way here...

GENERAL ASSEMBLY: You got me spiritually break-dancing on the way here...

CORNEL WEST: Because when you bring folks together...

GENERAL ASSEMBLY: Because when you bring folks together...

CORNEL WEST: Of all colors...

GENERAL ASSEMBLY: Of all colors...

CORNEL WEST: And all cultures...

GENERAL ASSEMBLY: And all cultures...

CORNEL WEST: And all Genders...

GENERAL ASSEMBLY: And all Genders...

CORNEL WEST: And all sexual orientations...

GENERAL ASSEMBLY: And all sexual orientations...

CORNEL WEST: The elite will tremble in their boots...

GENERAL ASSEMBLY: The elite will tremble in their boots...

CORNEL WEST: Yeah...

GENERAL ASSEMBLY: Yeah...

CORNEL WEST: And we will send a message...

GENERAL ASSEMBLY: And we will send a message...

CORNEL WEST: That this is the U.S. fall...

GENERAL ASSEMBLY: That this is the U.S. Fall...

CORNEL WEST: Responding to the Arab Spring...

GENERAL ASSEMBLY: Responding to the Arab Spring...

CORNEL WEST: And it’s going to hit Chicago...

GENERAL ASSEMBLY: And it’s going to hit Chicago...

CORNEL WEST: And Los Angeles...

GENERAL ASSEMBLY: And Los Angeles...

CORNEL WEST: And Phoenix, Arizona...

GENERAL ASSEMBLY: And Phoenix, Arizona...

CORNEL WEST: And A-Town, itself...

GENERAL ASSEMBLY: And A-Town, itself...

CORNEL WEST: Moving on to Detroit...

GENERAL ASSEMBLY: Moving on to Detroit...

CORNEL WEST: We going to hit Appalachia...

GENERAL ASSEMBLY: We going to hit Appalachia...

CORNEL WEST: We going to hit the reservations with our red brothers and sisters...

GENERAL ASSEMBLY: We going to hit the reservations with our red brothers and sisters...

CORNEL WEST: And Martin Luther King Jr. will smile from the grave...

GENERAL ASSEMBLY: And Martin Luther King Jr. will smile from the grave...

CORNEL WEST: And say, we moving step by step...

GENERAL ASSEMBLY: And say, we moving step by step...

CORNEL WEST: For what he called a revolution...

GENERAL ASSEMBLY: For what he called a revolution...

CORNEL WEST: And don’t be afraid to say revolution...

GENERAL ASSEMBLY: And don’t be afraid to say revolution...

CORNEL WEST: Because we want a transfer of power...

GENERAL ASSEMBLY: We want a transfer of power...

CORNEL WEST: From the oligarchs...

GENERAL ASSEMBLY: From the oligarchs...

CORNEL WEST: To ordinary citizens...

GENERAL ASSEMBLY: To ordinary citizens...

CORNEL WEST: Beginning with the poor children of all colors...

GENERAL ASSEMBLY: Beginning with the poor children of all colors...

CORNEL WEST: And the orphans and the widows...

GENERAL ASSEMBLY: And the orphans and the widows...

CORNEL WEST: And the elderly...

GENERAL ASSEMBLY: And the elderly...

CORNEL WEST: And the working folk...

GENERAL ASSEMBLY: And the working folk...

CORNEL WEST: That we connect the prison-industrial complex...

GENERAL ASSEMBLY: That we connect the prison-industrial complex...

CORNEL WEST: With the military-industrial complex...

GENERAL ASSEMBLY: With the military-industrial complex...

CORNEL WEST: With the Wall Street oligarchy complex...

GENERAL ASSEMBLY: With the Wall Street oligarchy complex...

CORNEL WEST: And the corporate-media complex...

GENERAL ASSEMBLY: And the corporate-media complex...

CORNEL WEST: And the corporate-media multiplex.

GENERAL ASSEMBLY: And the corporate-media multiplex.

CORNEL WEST: So, I want to thank you and it’s a blessing to be a small part of this magnificent gathering.

GENERAL ASSEMBLY: So, I want to thank you and it’s a blessing to be a small part of this magnificent gathering

CORNEL WEST: This is the general assembly, consecrated by your witness and your body and your mind.

GENERAL ASSEMBLY: This is the general assembly, consecrated by your witness and your body and your mind.

CORNEL WEST: Yeah. God bless you. God bless you. God bless you.

[CHEERING]

Guest
Cornel West, professor of religion and African American studies at Princeton University and the author of numerous books on race.

http://www.democracynow.org/blog/2011/9/29/cornel_west_on_occupy_wall_street_its_the_makings_of_a_us_autumn_responding_to_the_arab_spring