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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsCornell West called our President a war criminal
On national TV claims he bashes Obama out of love
ZombieHorde
(29,047 posts)noise
(2,392 posts)Criticizing the powerful on national TV. Outrageous!
arely staircase
(12,482 posts)Obama became increasingly hard to track down after his election but came through with a ticket for West. Tickets for West's mother and brother were nowhere to be found, and the three ended up watching the event from their hotel room.West told Hedges:
"What it said to me on a personal level was that brother Barack Obama had no sense of gratitude, no sense of loyalty, no sense of even courtesy, [no] sense of decency, just to say thank you. Is this the kind of manipulative, Machiavellian orientation we ought to get used to? That was on a personal level."
http://www.theatlanticwire.com/national/2011/05/cornel-wests-continuing-feud-barack-obama/37842/
(clutches pearls, faints onto couch)
msongs
(67,417 posts)liberal_at_heart
(12,081 posts)I guess as long as their team is winning they don't really care what policies are pursued.
DesMoinesDem
(1,569 posts)Scurrilous
(38,687 posts)I'm sure he can present an compelling case.
dtom67
(634 posts)was specifically created to enable the individual to speak his or her mind without the fear of government retaliation. You may not like what you hear, but " Freedom isn't Free"...
NuclearDem
(16,184 posts)Any President who engages in targeted assassinations and continues programs of mass surveillance and indefinite detention is not my President.
arely staircase
(12,482 posts)Luminous Animal
(27,310 posts)one_voice
(20,043 posts)and I've known who he is for a very long time.
Do you think white people don't know any black people besides, Will Smith, Denzel, the president, Chirs Rock and Ice Cube (the Friday movies were pretty popular, Boyz in the Hood too).
Luminous Animal
(27,310 posts)So what do you think abut arely staircase' comment that nobody knows who he is? And what do you think about Dr. West's assessment of President Obama?
dionysus
(26,467 posts)Luminous Animal
(27,310 posts)dionysus
(26,467 posts)Luminous Animal
(27,310 posts)From Frenchiecat: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x1711934
"I posted incorrect information......re: Smiley and West Poverty Bus Tour"
And she links to the correct info:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=439&topic_id=1711934&mesg_id=1712222
"Tavis Smiley's America IAM The African American Imprint Museum traveling collection has several sponsors including Wal-Mart, but it is not connected to the poverty tour.
Here is the poverty tour site: http://www.povertytour.smileyandwest.com /
The sponsors for the poverty tour are listed as Feeding America, The National Education Association, and AARP."
PasadenaTrudy
(3,998 posts)has MET brother West!
truedelphi
(32,324 posts)This white girl envies you.
Luminous Animal
(27,310 posts)NuclearDem
(16,184 posts)Also, as a socialist myself, of course I'd be familiar with one of the most outspoken socialists in the country.
Oh, and I'm white.
Luminous Animal
(27,310 posts)NuclearDem
(16,184 posts)Luminous Animal
(27,310 posts)knows who Dr. West is:
http://www.povertytour.smileyandwest.com/
SamKnause
(13,108 posts)This pasty white, 60 year old, Atheist woman knows and greatly admires Dr. Cornel West !!!!!
Luminous Animal
(27,310 posts)Matariki
(18,775 posts)arely staircase
(12,482 posts)Egalitarian Thug
(12,448 posts)It is human nature to judge others by ourselves, but that doesn't make the judgment valid.
RainDog
(28,784 posts)but I'm just a nobody.
Heidi
(58,237 posts)tularetom
(23,664 posts)He sure as hell isn't the man I supported and voted for twice, he acts more like George bu -oh I see you're talking about Cornell West.
Never mind.
Haha!
DefenseLawyer
(11,101 posts)Go to the library. It's free as long as you return the books on time.
arely staircase
(12,482 posts)I can assure you he isn't.
DefenseLawyer
(11,101 posts)or their own Congressman, you'd be hard pressed to name anyone who isn't in pop culture that would qualify as a "household name". By your logic we should pay more attention if Britney Spears or Peyton Manning comments on the President. But to be precise, I did not assert that "everybody" knows who Dr. West is, I only questioned your assertion that "nobody" does.
arely staircase
(12,482 posts)forest. Cornell west says Obama is a war criminal and virtually nobody gives a shit because nobody knows who he is. If Joe Biden called Obama a war criminal that would be a big deal, whether a majority of people can name him or not.
Electric Monk
(13,869 posts)AnotherMcIntosh
(11,064 posts)Cleita
(75,480 posts)mainly children. I think he was overstating to make a point.
SamKnause
(13,108 posts)Dr. West is correct.
The accusation fits past administrations and the current administration.
Luminous Animal
(27,310 posts)The Obama admin is drenched in the blood of innocents.
Blackford
(289 posts)I turn the channel.
Egalitarian Thug
(12,448 posts)olddots
(10,237 posts)why don't you turn this channel
Scootaloo
(25,699 posts)Would you like a pat on the back? No? You've got it covered? Okay then.
awoke_in_2003
(34,582 posts)RandiFan1290
(6,237 posts)laundry_queen
(8,646 posts)160 posts in 2 days. Ambitious?
bigdarryl
(13,190 posts)At least he's consistent but damn he and his partner Travis Smiley sure seem like they are constantly hating on the President
99Forever
(14,524 posts)... really chaps you Cult of Personality types ass, doesn't it.
Here's a tip you can pass along to your can-do-no-wrong "rock star.":
If you don't want to be known as a war criminal, end the policies and actions that make people have that opinion of you.
dionysus
(26,467 posts)bobduca
(1,763 posts)Our president needs defending, WILL YOU ANSWER THE CALL?
dionysus
(26,467 posts)Summer Hathaway
(2,770 posts)is SO last week.
Apparently you haven't received the latest Talking Points Memo from the home team.
Or maybe they're decided to keep you out of the loop - for a reason.
Hmmmmmm ....
dionysus
(26,467 posts)bobduca
(1,763 posts)Sir, your use of shruggie is the last straw! I challenge you to a duel of wits! I shall wait here on the field of onions til you regain yours.
Jamaal510
(10,893 posts)Forget all of that stuff; he is still a war criminal because of a perfectly-legal program that has been approved repeatedly by both parties in Congress. It's incredible how some of the folks on our side of the spectrum are much quicker to go after a President of their own party than people who are actually responsible for changing laws, but have refused to do so.
I would have never expected such ignorance about basic civics from a supposed-professor.
ForeignandDomestic
(190 posts)we're supposed to brush aside the fact that innocent little brown children have been killed by a Drone program because it's "perfectly-legal"?
Florida's Stand Your Ground Law is "perfectly-legal" as well so what's all the big fuss about?
The fact of the matter is the usage of Drones and innocent deaths at the hands of said Drones which is the discussion at hand here has tripled under the Obama administration and oppose to Bush.
And please save us the law lesson, President Obama has waged a war on Libya without the consent of the congress which is OUTSIDE of law and has issued many Executive Orders, alot of them at the behest of the Military industrial Complex.
So it appears Obama is not so constrained to use his executive authority when it fits him such as waging wars and such. But he is now somehow powerless to stop a program which on record has killed innocent civilians in the thousands including many children.
stevenleser
(32,886 posts)Because yes, it is perfectly legal in the US, and in terms of international law, the only slight question is whether its an issue that the CIA is doing the targeting. No one is going to be brought to the Hague on questions like that.
SidDithers
(44,228 posts)Sid
Tikki
(14,557 posts)Kind of ronald reaganish, really.
Tikki
HipChick
(25,485 posts)with all the Obama bashing..
MannyGoldstein
(34,589 posts)quinnox
(20,600 posts)He is a leading voice of the African-American community.
cantbeserious
(13,039 posts)eom
KharmaTrain
(31,706 posts)...that Libertarian lady next to Wilde kept agreeing more and more as the show went along. By the end, they were kindred spirits in ODS...
AllINeedIsCoffee
(772 posts)Which is what this country needs right now.
frylock
(34,825 posts)everything is everyone else's fault.
KharmaTrain
(31,706 posts)...I leave the projection here to others. You did a very fine job!
bobduca
(1,763 posts)Obama is AWESOME!!!!111111
Scurrilous
(38,687 posts)Read more: Cornel West v. Barack Obama | The Nation http://www.thenation.com/blog/160725/cornel-west-v-barack-obama#ixzz2Ytx9BS1r
bobduca
(1,763 posts)how dare he criticize my president?!?!?!
The nerve of some people!
NuclearDem
(16,184 posts)Oh.
Scurrilous
(38,687 posts)If such a thing exists.
But thanks for playing.
AllINeedIsCoffee
(772 posts)bobduca
(1,763 posts)What the hell is this goofy looking cornel west all about anyways?!?!?!
He is SOOOOOO crazy sounding what with his leftist claptrap and rhetorical flourishes!
Gravitycollapse
(8,155 posts)bobduca
(1,763 posts):satire:
xiamiam
(4,906 posts)not that the past month hasn't removed the masks but it is to the point that getting stuck on stupid is something to be proud of..amazing
AllINeedIsCoffee
(772 posts)frylock
(34,825 posts)dionysus
(26,467 posts)Matariki
(18,775 posts)better discount everything he says
dionysus
(26,467 posts)Egalitarian Thug
(12,448 posts)NuclearDem
(16,184 posts)Then yes, true.
dionysus
(26,467 posts)Tarheel_Dem
(31,234 posts)NuclearDem
(16,184 posts)you said it way better than I did.
Apophis
(1,407 posts)I'm in graduate school because he inspired me.
phleshdef
(11,936 posts)And he has been saying stuff like that for quite awhile now.
Matariki
(18,775 posts)as opposed to playing 'team politics' and 'our side' right or wrong.
phleshdef
(11,936 posts)But I do think he misjudges a lot of situations and I think he talks too damn much.
noise
(2,392 posts)Criticizing the Commander in Chief on national TV? That sounds like espionage of some kind.
phleshdef
(11,936 posts)noise
(2,392 posts)He criticized our leader. That is so out of line.
dionysus
(26,467 posts)Summer Hathaway
(2,770 posts)sounds like idiocy of some kind.
noise
(2,392 posts)criticize the Commander in Chief without being prosecuted as a traitor? Really?
olddots
(10,237 posts)made a lot of people look and pre judge but what the hell .......
Bonobo
(29,257 posts)To really be JUDGED a war criminal, you have to actually lose a war.
Winners don't become war criminals. Only losers.
But has he committed what should be judged as war crimes?
Well, yeah. He has.
The other tough thing is that he doesn't call them wars.
frylock
(34,825 posts)Gravitycollapse
(8,155 posts)Unless we are now going to deny the ethics of drone strikes.
Summer Hathaway
(2,770 posts)I'm sure I've seen him post here more than once.
Cha
(297,306 posts)he just has a bunch of users who regurgitate his idiocy?
Summer Hathaway
(2,770 posts)With all the lock-stepping going on among the anti-lockstepper crowd, it's hard to tell one from the other.
noise
(2,392 posts)Cornel West in his efforts to bring down America?
Summer Hathaway
(2,770 posts)noise
(2,392 posts)Dissent is a luxury we simply can't afford until complete victory is attained by our dedicated leaders.
Summer Hathaway
(2,770 posts)I always do it nicely.
It's the only way to keep the easily-swayed happy - and thinking they have something relevant to say.
Cha
(297,306 posts)noise
(2,392 posts)You guys are kicking ass and taking names!
Cornel West is just a Rand Paul wannabe.
We must not waver in our unequivocal belief in the Commander in Chief.
Gravitycollapse
(8,155 posts)Have you not ever read anything the man's published?
People need to stop talking out of their ass on this stuff.
Art_from_Ark
(27,247 posts)Bonobo
(29,257 posts)It's like...wow.
Derp on steroids.
Cha
(297,306 posts)Gravitycollapse
(8,155 posts)burnodo
(2,017 posts)That's pretty much it
pa28
(6,145 posts)We'll call Princeton on Monday with the bad news.
zeeland
(247 posts)under Bush vs. Obama. The actual numbers. He stated facts that have been
posted here numerous times. No revelations. Watch the clip if you are so
inclined. Watch it before pissing all over this man's good name.
Crabby Appleton
(5,231 posts)Tarheel_Dem
(31,234 posts)It's his own personal poverty tour.
burnodo
(2,017 posts)When people lose their usefulness, they become egomaniacs. That about cover it?
Tarheel_Dem
(31,234 posts)UserNSAv32
(54 posts)who lack the ability to objectively listen to him.
Yes President Obama is a war criminal, just like Bush, Cheney, and Reagan sadly all are getting/got away scot free.
American hubris is why we are not a member of the ICC.
We are not longer a country that followers the rule of law we are a nation of thugs now.
Is this the America we can be proud of? I do not think so.
I am once again ashamed to be an American, just like during the Reagan and Bush years.
It is incredibility depressing that a Democratic President is a war criminal it should be US, the members of the Democratic party, who should be leading the call for his trial on war crimes.
Unless you think that it is ok for a democrat to commit crimes with impunity then you have to agree that ANY POTUS can commit war crimes with impunity too.
One either believes in the rule of law or one does not, yes it is that simple and that black and white there is no middle ground.
Amaya
(4,560 posts)xiamiam
(4,906 posts)how is that possible? He is a leading progressive mind in the country. I admire and respect him and can't believe that someone on a supposed progressive democratic forum would actually say that nobody knows who he is. Shameful. Turn off the Kardashians and pick up a book or two.
One thing I admire about him among many is that he comes across with great love and patience. Intelligence and GENUINE compassion and care for the least among us has earned Dr West a well deserved place as one of the foremost American thinkers and leaders.
I agree with him about Obama and so will history.
Kolesar
(31,182 posts)Amaya
(4,560 posts)Obama is a major disappointment ... Sad but true
MrScorpio
(73,631 posts)That's just a fact of life.
At this point, I'm just taking this stuff with a grain of salt
Zen Democrat
(5,901 posts)TheKentuckian
(25,026 posts)to actual defend and support the practices of "signature strikes" and "double taps".
Best to just blow off such things and change the subject. If pressed just loop in "the fog of war" or discuss the effects of carpet bombing.
Being amoral is not really an improvement on being immoral, it is arguably worse as one can end up doing anything for any reason as long as it moves their ball toward whatever aim (profit, power, eternal keep away from the political opposition at any cost).
MrScorpio
(73,631 posts)I'm merely saying that, when it comes to modern occupants of the Oval Office, they all have presided while this country has committed one atrocity or the other.
America, itself, is a nation of war criminality.
TheKentuckian
(25,026 posts)All of them being war criminals isn't a defense of any sort but rather demonstrates systemic criminality rather than the tired "bad apple" defense that makes a fix way more than electing one face after another face to do the same thing with alternating letters by their names.
MjolnirTime
(1,800 posts)limpyhobbler
(8,244 posts)His words aid the enemy by embarrassing the commander-in-chief.
This could hurt morale in the military.
librechik
(30,674 posts)hughee99
(16,113 posts)If I understand correctly from some other DUers, all criticism of the President is based in racism.
stevenleser
(32,886 posts)about that snub, but it is.
http://www.thenation.com/blog/160725/cornel-west-v-barack-obama#axzz2ZE2IqeZE
Cornel West v. Barack Obama
Melissa Harris-Perry on May 17, 2011 - 3:12 PM ET
Professor Cornel West is President Obamas silenced, disregarded, disrespected moral conscience, according to Chris Hedgess recent Truthdig column, The Obama Deception: Why Cornel West went Ballistic. In a self-aggrandizing, victimology sermon deceptively wrapped in the discourse of prophetic witness, Professor West offers thin criticism of President Obama and stunning insight into the delicate ego of the self-appointed black leadership class that has been largely supplanted in recent years.
West begins with a bit of historical revision. West suggests that the president discarded him without provocation after he offered the Obama for America campaign his loyal service and prayers. But anyone with a casual knowledge of this rift knows it began during the Democratic primary, not after the election. It began, not with a puffed-up president but when Cornel Wests dear brother Tavis Smiley threw a public tantrum because Senator Obama refused to attend Smileys annual State of Black America. Smiley repeatedly suggested that his forum was the necessary black vetting space for the Democratic nominees. He needed to ask Obama and Clinton tough questions so that black America could get the answers it needed. But black America was doing a fine job making up its own mind in the primaries and didnt need Smileys blessing to determine their own electoral preferences. Indeed, when Smiley got a chance to hold candidate Clinton accountable he spent more time fawning over her than probing about her symbolic or substantive policy stances that impacted black communities. Fiercely loyal to his friend, Professor West chose sides and began to undermine candidate Obama is small and large ways. Candidate Obama ceased calling West back because he was in the middle of a fierce campaign and Wests loyalties were, at best, divided. I suspect candidate Obama did not trust his dear brother to keep the campaign secrets and strategies. I also suspect he was not inaccurate in his hesitancy.
West may have had principled, even prophetic reasons, for choosing this outsider position relative to Obama, but it is dishonest to later frame that choice as a betrayal on the part of the president. After what I had written about Senator Clinton during the campaign I wasnt expecting an offer from the State Department.
Furthermore, Wests sense of betrayal is clearly more personal than ideological. In Hedgess article West claims that a true progressive would always put love of the people above concern with the elite and privileged. Then he complains, I couldnt get a ticket [to the inauguration] with my mother and my brother. I said this is very strange. We drive into the hotel and the guy who picks up my bags from the hotel has a ticket to the inauguration
. We had to watch the thing in the hotel. Let me get this straightthe tenured, Princeton professor who collects five figures for public lectures was relegated to a hotel television while an anonymous hotel worker got tickets to the inauguration! What kind of crazy, mixed-up class politics are these? Wait a minute