Obama: The complexity of hope



This video features some searing commentary from Cornel West, esteemed University Professor at Princeton University, who teaches in the Center for African-American Studies and also the Department of Religion.

Although the interview took place almost a year ago I doubt that any reasonable person will challenge its relevance to the conditions that exist today, particularly as it concerns the level of unemployment that exists among African-Americans.

Professor West is providing the type of sophisticated, straight-with-no-chaser analysis that is needed and that will challenge Obama supporters to embrace the complexity of hope as fervently as they embraced the audacity of hope.

This is not to discourage participation in the democratic process; it’s just reminder of how extraordinarily difficult it is to bring about meaningful, fundamental change in this country…

From www.thegrio.com on Dec 1, 2009

Educator Cornel West sat down with theGrio to discuss how unemployment is affecting African-Americans.

TheGrio asked West about national unemployment trends for African-Americans. He called on President Barack Obama to implement a comprehensive jobs policy — a program that would mirror former President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s New Deal, and focus primarily on creating jobs for people without a college education.

“[It’s] the same way we had an investment banker policy when they were in trouble,” West said of what he views as a double-standard in current economic policy. “All AIG needed was a push. So let’s help push these poor people, these working people into jobs with a living wage.”

West, who has been outspoken in both his support and criticism of Obama, said the current administration has not made poor people a priority.

“Obama has an economic team that’s composed of persons who have no history whatsoever of being concerned about poor people,” West said. “Obama’s been doing a good job of reassuring the establishment. But there’s many of us who believe the establishment is on our necks.”

The Princeton University professor is busy promoting his new book, Brother West: Living and Loving Out Loud. The memoir is a departure from West’s previous books, where he focused primarily on issues such as race and social justice.