Controversy About "The Black Agenda"

[Smiley and West]

Sharpton vs West Exclusive: West goes behind the scenes of his MSNBC debate with Rev. Al Sharpton.     As we draw closer to the election year, the topic of a Black Agenda, or lack thereof, remains at the center of much heated discourse amongst public intellectuals and political pundits.  Recently Dr. Cornel West and Rev. Al Sharpton – two of America’s most respected Black leaders – engaged in such a debate on MSNBC with Ed Schutlz.  Although the conversation was torrid, the subject of a Black Agenda is gaining more attention. West: There is a context in the nation that a criticism of President Obama is an attempt to support right wing vicious attacks. The recent heated exchange with my dear brother Al Sharpton is not primarily about him, me or even the President.  What’s the focus: How we fight for poor and working people. Tune in to Smiley & West this weekend as I reflect more on the subject.   For Dr. West's Full Statement, visit  www.CornelWest.com

[Mustafa Ansari]

Sorry for not replying directly Sister . This is what I meant when I said that we don't 'belong to America'. African Americans are a 'created' people, who were created on 'American soil' who came into existence about 1680 and called "mullatoes, colored people, or Negro. Even though these Apartheid categories are illegal in law, our emergence as a distinct people out of the American context makes us 'indigenous Africans or Native Americans, rather than a 'simple minority'. All people/We have the right to a self-created identity, which is synonymous to 'self-determination'. If a people does not determine who they are, under the concepts of law they do not exist, they 'belong' to whoever gave them their identity/human existence. African American do not have an 'collective existence' in America law as a result of their legal/illegal court decisions and Congressional unilateral legislation ...Which incorrectly categorizes us as only simple minorities who 'belong to the United States.

Brenda said:

Thanks for the lessons.  I need to research more about your comments referancing "Belonging to America".  Sounds interesting.  Will also please explain what you meant by "self existance?"---in what regard. 

Mustafa Ansari said:

Sister Brenda , Cornell West, Tavis Smily, nor President Obama are anywhere near taking action, because the only action that can be taken to affect our status in America is beyond their/our mental paradigm of 'belonging to America'. 'Belonging to America', means that we have to wait on an uninterested Congress. 'Belonging to America',  takes away any insular American option for as you say 'action'. In fact, Mr. Obama, has made it clear on a number of occasions that he  is diametrically opposed to alleviating our ills through 'special measures'. It was Mr. Obama who  sophistically said that he is opposed to any set asides for 'African Americans', while setting aside funding for the Banks, farmers, American Indians, Guamanians, Eskimos,  pharmaceutical, energy, etc,. President Obama actually ordered the walkout of the U. S Secretary of State from the Elimination of Racism Conference last July. The action you are speaking of is a proactive setting up of ballot boxes accessible in all 50 states to elect an 'indigenous status' for ourselves, and quit playing the lesser of the two evils game. It is an illegal act of 'apartheid for one people (US. Congress) to unilaterally name us and deny our right to 'self-existence. The reason why we are in such a decrepit state belies our 800% per cent increase in elected officials since 1964. We have not made any tangible progress because we have no self-identity. In fact, we and the African Canadians are the only people in the world without an identity. Ergo. we remain a circular people looking for circular solutions.

[Walter Simtec Simmons]

Hi Mustafa, May I ask? what are you doing to change the condition of the poor and working people? We have many people that can articuaate the problem but who can join on and help the situation get better?

Mustafa Ansari said:

Frankly, African Americans are merely 'gesturers'. You/we have no power, over our economy, community, nation, and very little influence....and despite the obvious care that most of you display for our people your insular 'individualist civil rights approach has not changed the disparities created by slavery and apartheid. Dr. King who advocated 'racial quotas', and reparations as a solution must be thoroughly dismayed with West, Sharpton, Jackson and the rest who have not followed his proscriptions. Dr. King had more than a dream, he had political strategies to change our quality of life and in my opinion the conversation between West, Sharpton, and Obama is tired, irrelevant and useless. The gulf between a real final solution and 'day dreaming' about a cumbayah American existence evolves down to the  basic, and age old question. "Do you or do you not want to leave the plantation. Most of you are not psychologically equipped to even think about a self-determining state option, taken for granted by even the most rural people of Africa. I don't want to mean with you, because we are really like babies, but I amreally tired of listening to the same song for the last 47 years [since the 1964 Civil Rights Act]. The doing of the same thing over and over again[ Singing the  same old song] and obtaining the same result is pure insanity. The Europeans, Africans and the whole world think we are pitiful in this regard, and I do to.  I feel very sorry for you who are 'Black Democrats"...The Black Agenda is 'aptly' titled because it is an agenda that no one will ever see or hear.

[Mustafa Ansari]

I agree Brother Walter. I just think that the approaches of Brother West and Smiley have to be  updated...given an international analysis.....and this is why I and other international lawyers, have proposed a UN process, similar to the one used to bring pressure on Libya. You see, the countries of the world acknowledge, and international law supports the fact that the protestors turned rebels have the right to political self-expression, and democracy. Likewise a United Nations Development Assistance Framework [similar to the UN Security request on Libya] exerts real pressure to accept our resolutions/elections of self-identity with the right to be restored along with all due restitutions. We have produced such a human restorative framework and will forward it to Brother West and Smiley shortly..We are interested in their responses , comments, and endorsements..... and will report back to this forum if permitted. There is a way to be heard.

[Maria "ReRe" Leslie]

I heard lots of passion in the debate from both men.  That energy is very powerful to change a whats wrong n American.  Remember "Iron sharpens Iron"

 

Naomi

[Bri'on]

Hopefully this will bring then closer together, like hand-in-glove.

[Lionel Kwame Lightbourne]

When Martin Luther King was provoked to criticize Jackie Robinson’s illiteracy he responded (paraphrase) “He doesn’t get paid to philosophy, he get paid to hit balls” and the criticizing of Pres. Obama is just that. Cornell & Tavis are two brilliant but possibly bitter brothers who feel they have been culturally and cerebrally shut out. Any fool can ask a question but it takes wisdom to give answers. I would love to hear more critiquing and less criticizing from both Tavis & West when it comes to solidifying our generation’s time and place in world history.   

 

[Lionel Kwame Lightbourne]

When Martin Luther King was provoked to criticize Jackie Robinson’s illiteracy he responded (paraphrase) “He doesn’t get paid to philosophy, he get paid to hit balls” and the criticizing of Pres. Obama is just that. Cornell & Tavis are two brilliant but possibly bitter brothers who feel they have been culturally and cerebrally shut out. Any fool can ask a question but it takes wisdom to give answers. I would love to hear more critiquing and less criticizing from both Tavis & West when it comes to solidifying this generation’s time and place in world history.   

 

[Brenda]

Thanks for the information....I can not speak for others; however, I definite me.  I am not "land" or "a country" or a "color".  I am Spirit.  Spirit with a body.  Ben Ammi says it best..."the Power to define is one of the greatest weapons that can be used to control men and nations." 

Mustafa Ansari said:

Sorry for not replying directly Sister . This is what I meant when I said that we don't 'belong to America'. African Americans are a 'created' people, who were created on 'American soil' who came into existence about 1680 and called "mullatoes, colored people, or Negro. Even though these Apartheid categories are illegal in law, our emergence as a distinct people out of the American context makes us 'indigenous Africans or Native Americans, rather than a 'simple minority'. All people/We have the right to a self-created identity, which is synonymous to 'self-determination'. If a people does not determine who they are, under the concepts of law they do not exist, they 'belong' to whoever gave them their identity/human existence. African American do not have an 'collective existence' in America law as a result of their legal/illegal court decisions and Congressional unilateral legislation ...Which incorrectly categorizes us as only simple minorities who 'belong to the United States.

Brenda said:

Thanks for the lessons.  I need to research more about your comments referancing "Belonging to America".  Sounds interesting.  Will also please explain what you meant by "self existance?"---in what regard. 

Mustafa Ansari said:

Sister Brenda , Cornell West, Tavis Smily, nor President Obama are anywhere near taking action, because the only action that can be taken to affect our status in America is beyond their/our mental paradigm of 'belonging to America'. 'Belonging to America', means that we have to wait on an uninterested Congress. 'Belonging to America',  takes away any insular American option for as you say 'action'. In fact, Mr. Obama, has made it clear on a number of occasions that he  is diametrically opposed to alleviating our ills through 'special measures'. It was Mr. Obama who  sophistically said that he is opposed to any set asides for 'African Americans', while setting aside funding for the Banks, farmers, American Indians, Guamanians, Eskimos,  pharmaceutical, energy, etc,. President Obama actually ordered the walkout of the U. S Secretary of State from the Elimination of Racism Conference last July. The action you are speaking of is a proactive setting up of ballot boxes accessible in all 50 states to elect an 'indigenous status' for ourselves, and quit playing the lesser of the two evils game. It is an illegal act of 'apartheid for one people (US. Congress) to unilaterally name us and deny our right to 'self-existence. The reason why we are in such a decrepit state belies our 800% per cent increase in elected officials since 1964. We have not made any tangible progress because we have no self-identity. In fact, we and the African Canadians are the only people in the world without an identity. Ergo. we remain a circular people looking for circular solutions.

[Walter Simtec Simmons]

Bro Wes, that was so eloquently articulated. I give you five stars for that one. That is a step in the right direction.

 

Wes Hall said:

Allow me to introduce another conscious paradigm shift into the conversation. Certainly, we can talk about the right and wrong approaches President Obama has undertaken during his short presidency, however, we would be amiss if we overlooked the "Real" conscious statement made by his arrival. Let us first celebrate the mental barrier electing the first black president represents. And, let us truly understand what we were supposed to do once that occurred. First, so much rhetoric has been espoused regarding the inability of black folk to compete intellectually with whites. Well, regardless as to whether or not race relations have improved, Obama's presidential victory, along with his sound and oft-time genius intellectual prowess, dismantles the false belief "A" black man cannot compete at the highest intellectual station.

 

Just as David Banniker, upon running the mile under four minutes, proved to the 30/40 others, who also broke the four minute mile that year, they could do it, so too, does President Obama's tremendous self-investment, tenacity and love for black people (he could of ran his campaign, claiming his was "White" too, but he didn't) prove to all black men our possibilities.

 

No one man can be responsible for re-setting our lost ambitions, humanity and culture. One man can, however, work on himself to the point of possessing such mental toughness he becomes the measurement for achievement for the world and by doing so reclaim a sense of black pride we should all take pride in.

 

Finally, it is easy for our brother West, whom we all cherish and love (because he too represents the height of our intellectual desires), to point out the inadequacies of our president, but he does so at the risk of becoming what he says the president has become - If president Obama has become the tool of Wall Street, then brother West must be careful he does not become a tool for those who so desperately want to see the fall of our brother Obama. Rarely will you see another jewish person openly criticize another. They seem to have a great understanding of what is required to maintain power. Great intellectual debate and exchange is a must, notwithstanding, the wrong discourse at the wrong time can cause nothing but damage  to a great opportunity. I say, find your opportunity while a crack in the door exist. Use this current presidency to build ... independently. If you/we cannot gain ground while a black president is in office, what other time will/can we expect to possess a better opportunity?  

[Ikalean Wilkerson]

AMEN!  Thank you for your wisdom.

Lionel Kwame Lightbourne said:

When Martin Luther King was provoked to criticize Jackie Robinson’s illiteracy he responded (paraphrase) “He doesn’t get paid to philosophy, he get paid to hit balls” and the criticizing of Pres. Obama is just that. Cornell & Tavis are two brilliant but possibly bitter brothers who feel they have been culturally and cerebrally shut out. Any fool can ask a question but it takes wisdom to give answers. I would love to hear more critiquing and less criticizing from both Tavis & West when it comes to solidifying our generation’s time and place in world history.   

 

[Ikalean Wilkerson]

What are they doing to really "help" the poor and Black community besides having conferences?

Walter Simtec Simmons said:

I love my Brother Cornell West and Brother Tavis Smiley because it appears that they are truly
sincere in addressing the issues that impact the poor and working people in America.  We should consider the fact that high profile individuals like Brothers Smiley & West have the ability to influence the actions of others that could take constructive criticism down an unintended path.  Everybody have a part to play in making America as good as its’ promise. Let us include the responsibilities of others as well as the president and hold all of them accountable to the positions that they hold.  Brother and Rev. Al Sharpton made a good point when he mention the role he was representing which is somewhat different from the president.  We must all work together and be team players in order to receive positive results from our combined efforts.  Together we stand and divided we fall.

[Brenda]

Well said!

Wes Hall said:

Allow me to introduce another conscious paradigm shift into the conversation. Certainly, we can talk about the right and wrong approaches President Obama has undertaken during his short presidency, however, we would be amiss if we overlooked the "Real" conscious statement made by his arrival. Let us first celebrate the mental barrier electing the first black president represents. And, let us truly understand what we were supposed to do once that occurred. First, so much rhetoric has been espoused regarding the inability of black folk to compete intellectually with whites. Well, regardless as to whether or not race relations have improved, Obama's presidential victory, along with his sound and oft-time genius intellectual prowess, dismantles the false belief "A" black man cannot compete at the highest intellectual station.

 

Just as David Banniker, upon running the mile under four minutes, proved to the 30/40 others, who also broke the four minute mile that year, they could do it, so too, does President Obama's tremendous self-investment, tenacity and love for black people (he could of ran his campaign, claiming his was "White" too, but he didn't) prove to all black men our possibilities.

 

No one man can be responsible for re-setting our lost ambitions, humanity and culture. One man can, however, work on himself to the point of possessing such mental toughness he becomes the measurement for achievement for the world and by doing so reclaim a sense of black pride we should all take pride in.

 

Finally, it is easy for our brother West, whom we all cherish and love (because he too represents the height of our intellectual desires), to point out the inadequacies of our president, but he does so at the risk of becoming what he says the president has become - If president Obama has become the tool of Wall Street, then brother West must be careful he does not become a tool for those who so desperately want to see the fall of our brother Obama. Rarely will you see another jewish person openly criticize another. They seem to have a great understanding of what is required to maintain power. Great intellectual debate and exchange is a must, notwithstanding, the wrong discourse at the wrong time can cause nothing but damage  to a great opportunity. I say, find your opportunity while a crack in the door exist. Use this current presidency to build ... independently. If you/we cannot gain ground while a black president is in office, what other time will/can we expect to possess a better opportunity?