Kwame Speaks: Dr. West: Career Leader, Will Travel

This past Sunday, Howard University was graced by the illustrious presence of, the great public intellectual, Dr. Cornel West.

While it appeared that most folks gathered, as fans, to hear West give one of his oft-recycled speeches, I myself sat and listened to West with the critical ear that Minister Farrakhan charged us to use on the previous day.

In his 55 minute chapel lecture, not only did West fail to quote (or mention) the Bible, he also – possibly by accident – made it a point to unveil his contradictions and incongruent lifestyle. The contradiction stems directly from his lecture, particularly when he claimed, "being a leader is not a career."

While this may be true for some, it is certainly mendacious (to use a West word) for Dr. West, who will, – unfortunately – be written down in history as a race leader and who, more importantly, has made it a career.

If we looked at Dr. West critically, we would see that he has made his living (easily $500,000 annually) off Black people. During the reception after chapel, Dr. West shared why he could never teach at Howard (let alone another HBCU); primarily because of the perquisites he receives at Princeton, namely a salary (without teaching much), time off for speaking engagements (which are typically financed), and two months of paid freedom to write books.

In other words, an ivy league pays West, to pimp Black people. One has to wonder: how would Dr. West earn a living if Black people were in a different position in America?

Even as we (yes, me too) appreciate Dr. West's oratorical skills, one often wonders how much of his written work his fans have read (so much for accurate critiques). With such "radical" views and a brilliant mind, one must also wonder how Dr. West keeps a job at an ivy league. Maybe his commentary is funded to the degree that it is not West speaking but his sponsors (i.e. Wal-Mart, Home Depot - check youtube).

To paraphrase (and somewhat decontextualize) Olive Cox, West's lectures, "in this advanced nation has done all it could, or intended, to do – which is always something short of revolution." Furthermore, Dr. West has been characterized by Houston Baker, in his book Betrayal, as a centrist, which "[is an] arch example of the poet Paul Laurence Dunbar's wearers of the ‘mask that grins and lies,' capable of endorsing any available position."

Baker continues, "[centrists (i.e. Dr. West)] glide around history's sharp edges and throw up faux-ethnic salutes to their best-paying customers." It is clear that others have noticed Dr. West's uncanny ability to straddle the bob-wired fence, "save" black people (as if talking and getting paid to do so is the key), and still manages to ride from Princeton, N.J. to Washington, D.C. in a stretch limo.

All things considered, Dr. West appears to be a good-natured brother and his lecture on Sunday was filled with insightful (and recycled) idioms masterfully used to maximize his message. However, if there is one thing that I would like everyone, brave enough to have read this in its entirety, to take away is that we need to be critical of intellectuals, particularly public intellectuals.

We must not be fooled by great orators because oration is a skill that is generally found within our culture. Dr. West has a breadth of knowledge and a captivating preacher-like delivery and most folks would love nothing more than to listen to Dr. West as mush as he is willing to speak. I wonder how much it cost Howard to bring him here. It really doesn't matter as long as West is at Princeton he "will travel" (if you can afford him).

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Mike Leak
(Published 4-6-11)