General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Why all the hate towards Cornell West? [View all]cloudythescribbler
(2,586 posts)There are loads of people who purport to be progressive, or at least progressive leaning, but seem to have all kinds of "conversions" or "epiphanies" against particular campaigns or issues or especially individuals who are outspoken. It is ALWAYS the fault of the person being targeted as the progressiveness of the person bashing, say, Cornel West, is NEVER to be questioned (that would be paranoid, or something (maybe unruly, but no one ever SAYS that).
Cornel West does not like Obama because Obama, though more progressive than Bill Clinton, nevertheless turned out, to the disappointment of many (including me) to be another neoliberal, rather than at least someone who would work to unite the two wings of the Democratic Party (epitomized by Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders' campaigns). But no dice. Now Bill Clinton was a very popular president in the black community (the widespread meme about him being the 'first black president' popular especially in the last 3 years of his presidency aside), and for good reason: the 90s, especially the latter half of the decade, were some of the best times economically for the black and latino communities generally in the US ever. (I myself lived in a homeless shelter from the end of January 96 until into the W Bush presidency, but that's another matter). So the fact that Barack Obama has many similarities with Clinton, and made Hillary Sec of State did not alienate huge portions of the black community, especially as Obama is indeed the first black president and (like Clinton before him, but in some ways worse) was besieged by creepy and horrible attacks from the GOP, which is always to be expected. So Barack Obama as president has always been overwhelmingly popular in the black community and only a very small number of noticeable individuals, like Cornel West, have scored him as a neoliberal, supporting the progressive wing of the Democratic Party's substance and program. The Black Agenda does that some too, but has not been stridently attacking Geithneromics and other features of Obama the way Cornel has.
All that said, now that the next president will probably either be Trump or Hillary Clinton, the issue of the progressive v. neoliberal divide in the Democratic Party will have a chance to re-emerge -- MUCH MORESO ON THE PROGRESSIVE SIDE IF HRC is president WHICH OODLES OF PROGRESSIVE BERNIE OR BUSTERS don't seem to grasp. I have supported Bernie from day 1 and will continue to support him right up and into the Convention, including fighting over the platform and party issues there and after. But with Bernie I plan to back Hillary if and when she is the nominee. I oppose utterly the chorus of folk (the same kinds who hate on Cornel West) insisting that Bernie Sanders clam up already -- and get a lot of traction for the idea in the mass public, including some HRC supporters I know personally. But just remember -- people like Cornel West stand up for progressive principles not just when it is convenient or popular, but all the time, and that makes you enemies.
As John Lennon said: being honest won't get you lots of friends, but it will get you the right ones