May 16, 2011, on the Ed Show, Cornel West, an African American studies professor at Princeton University, discussed his strong viewpoints on President Barack Obama and his administration. West stated that “More and more working people are being beaten down. They are world-weary. They are into self medication. They are turning on each other. They are scapegoating the most vulnerable rather than confronting the most powerful. It is a profoundly human response to panic and catastrophe. I thought Barack Obama could have provided some way out. But he lacks backbone.” He continues to state that Obama does not exhibit the “Backbone for poor children. Misabused workers. Those unfairly incarcerated those middle class folks experiencing downward mobility. [Obama] is the “Black mascot of wall street oligarchs and a black puppet of corporate plutocrats. And now he has become the head of the American killing machine and is proud of it [murder of Osama bin Laden]” Many critics believe that West’s rant is personal however West says that it is not personal, rather he is “relentlessly criticizing him.” Professor West claims that Obama “has a certain fear of free black men” because he has a, “predilection,” or fondness, towards upper-class whites rather than black communities and poor white Americans. So, is West personally attacking the president? Does he feel the need to contribute to the criticism of the president or is he, truly, standing up for the underrepresented citizens of this country? West acknowledges the fact that Obama has made achievements but he believes that achievements MUST be made in other areas!
B.Renae
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