Cornel West Says U.S. Democracy Is in Crisis

Sounding a grave warning that American democracy is in crisis, Cornel R. West '73 exhorted the Kennedy School of Government's class of 1995 to reinvigorate public leadership in the school's Class Day address yesterday.

With dramatic gesticulations and an expressive voice, West, who was named last fall as professor of Afro-American Studies in the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, held his audience of more than 400 students in concentrated silence.

"How difficult it has been, in this land of the sentimental and the dramatic, to grapple with the forms of unmerited harm and undeserved pain," West said." If we don't come to terms with the problem of evil, then this precarious and precious experiment with democracy cannot stay afloat."

West is author of the influential Race Matters and has co-written the upcoming book Jews and Blacks Keeping the Faith with Michael Learner.

West, who is also professor of the philosophy of religion at the Divinity School, drew heavily on the history of oppression of Blacks in the Americas, from 1492 to the present, He cited the deaths of more than 200 million Africans in the trans-Atlantic slave trade.

West said, "219 years into the experiment of a democracy we still have to deal with the consequences of supremacy."

The soul of the U.S. is burdened by its crimesand human rights violations, West said. "How doesit feel that a civilization which puts a premiumon problem-solving ...has a people whoseembodiment is itself a problem?" he asked.

West lashed out against The Bell Curve,the 1994 book which posits that Blacks have lowercognitive capabilities than whites. He also saidBlacks are made invisible by society yetvictimized at the same time.

"How ironic it is that the condition ofinvisibility in which Black people find themselvesis subject to constant surveillance: the police,the tree, the whip," West said, referring tolynchings.

West said America lost its chance to do justiceduring the Reconstruction and cited W.E.B. DuBoisand Marcus Garvey as examples of Blacks attemptsto escape exploitation.

West, who left Princeton last fall to teach atHarvard, also noted the challenges to democracy."Every civilization is predicated not just on somebarbarism but on the subjugation and subordinationof some people," he said.

West noted that the numerous historians havepredicted America's demise and that theirprophecies are perhaps being fulfilled. "There'llnever be a multiracial democracy in Americabecause the bonds will never be deep enough [and]will never allow us to have a public lifetogether," West said, paraphrasing Alexis deTocqueville's Democracy in America.

"Poverty and paranoia" manifest themselves inthe increasing gap between rich and poor and inintolerance, West said, speaking of his sense of"overwhelming despair."

America is in "one of the most frightening andterrifying periods" in its history, West said, Henoted that more than of black children live inpoverty and one percent of Americans own 48percent of the nation's wealth.

Americans have lost their ability tocommunicate with and understand each other, Westadded, saying "We are losing a sense of what it isto be together."

"Show me a civilization in which publicconversation has degenerated into finger pointingand name calling, and I'll show you a democracy indecay," West said.

The U.S. must better defend the rights of itsminorities. "Democracy is not mob rule, it's nottyranny of the majority, "West said. "When thosedemocratic institutions are blocked, lethargy andapathy set in."

The political system is also collapsing, Westsaid. He blasted "market politicians" and"thermostat politicians" whose point of view is"'let me hear what is your opinion, rather than meshape your opinion," ' and who base their ownconvictions.

West had three recommendations for thegraduating class, He said America's leaders mustattempt to reconcile a profoundly troubled pastwith a conscientious approach to the nation'sfuture.

West urged the audience to "try to generatenon-market values in a market society," including"kindness and sweetness and gentleness andtenderness." He also said public policy leadersmust be self-critical and open-minded.

"I am in no way optimistic about America,"West said, "But I am a prisoner of hope."

American democracy must reinvent itself now "atthe exact moment that it seems we're sliding downthe slippery slope into anarchy and chaos," Westsaid.

"For those willing to meet the challenge," Westsaid, "I'll be with you because I'm going downfighting.

The soul of the U.S. is burdened by its crimesand human rights violations, West said. "How doesit feel that a civilization which puts a premiumon problem-solving ...has a people whoseembodiment is itself a problem?" he asked.

West lashed out against The Bell Curve,the 1994 book which posits that Blacks have lowercognitive capabilities than whites. He also saidBlacks are made invisible by society yetvictimized at the same time.

"How ironic it is that the condition ofinvisibility in which Black people find themselvesis subject to constant surveillance: the police,the tree, the whip," West said, referring tolynchings.

West said America lost its chance to do justiceduring the Reconstruction and cited W.E.B. DuBoisand Marcus Garvey as examples of Blacks attemptsto escape exploitation.

West, who left Princeton last fall to teach atHarvard, also noted the challenges to democracy."Every civilization is predicated not just on somebarbarism but on the subjugation and subordinationof some people," he said.

West noted that the numerous historians havepredicted America's demise and that theirprophecies are perhaps being fulfilled. "There'llnever be a multiracial democracy in Americabecause the bonds will never be deep enough [and]will never allow us to have a public lifetogether," West said, paraphrasing Alexis deTocqueville's Democracy in America.

"Poverty and paranoia" manifest themselves inthe increasing gap between rich and poor and inintolerance, West said, speaking of his sense of"overwhelming despair."

America is in "one of the most frightening andterrifying periods" in its history, West said, Henoted that more than of black children live inpoverty and one percent of Americans own 48percent of the nation's wealth.

Americans have lost their ability tocommunicate with and understand each other, Westadded, saying "We are losing a sense of what it isto be together."

"Show me a civilization in which publicconversation has degenerated into finger pointingand name calling, and I'll show you a democracy indecay," West said.

The U.S. must better defend the rights of itsminorities. "Democracy is not mob rule, it's nottyranny of the majority, "West said. "When thosedemocratic institutions are blocked, lethargy andapathy set in."

The political system is also collapsing, Westsaid. He blasted "market politicians" and"thermostat politicians" whose point of view is"'let me hear what is your opinion, rather than meshape your opinion," ' and who base their ownconvictions.

West had three recommendations for thegraduating class, He said America's leaders mustattempt to reconcile a profoundly troubled pastwith a conscientious approach to the nation'sfuture.

West urged the audience to "try to generatenon-market values in a market society," including"kindness and sweetness and gentleness andtenderness." He also said public policy leadersmust be self-critical and open-minded.

"I am in no way optimistic about America,"West said, "But I am a prisoner of hope."

American democracy must reinvent itself now "atthe exact moment that it seems we're sliding downthe slippery slope into anarchy and chaos," Westsaid.

"For those willing to meet the challenge," Westsaid, "I'll be with you because I'm going downfighting.