West and his co-host Tavis Smiley both lamented that black leadership has become “so sold-out” so as not to have the courage to be a “bull in the china shop,” break rank, and talk about “racism, poverty, and militarism” at an otherwise “bought-out” event.
The Princeton professor also believes Martin Luther King Jr. would have been disappointed by the March on Washington anniversary speeches.
Like most who attended the 50th anniversary commemoration of the March on Washington, Cornel West appreciated the symbolism of a multi-racial, multi-ethnic crowd of tens of thousands gathered to celebrate a landmark event in civil rights history. And, as usual, the professor and radio commentator also had his own spin.
This time the target of his colorful rhetoric was Rev. Al Sharpton, who helped organize the Aug. 24 event and spoke at the Aug. 28 celebration that featured President Obama.
"[We] saw of course the coronation of the bona fide house Negro of the Obama plantation, our dear brother Al Sharpton, supported by the Michael Dysons and others who’ve really prostituted themselves intellectually in a very ugly and vicious way," West said on the Friday broadcast of his Smiley and West radio program.
The prostitution reference is a not-so-thinly-veiled criticism of Sharpton, host of MSNBC's PoliticsNation, and Georgetown professor Michael Eric Dyson and other African-Americans who frequently appear on the cable network.
West also believes the speeches would have caused Martin Luther King Jr. to "roll in his grave" because of the lack of focus on jobs and other key issues.
"He wants people talking about the new Jim Crow and the privatization of education, and the various ways in which the well to do, the oligarchs and plutocrats are getting away with murder," West lamented. "You didn’t hear that whatsoever. You not only got a tame Martin Luther King Jr., but a real sense in which who he really was at the end of his life hardly surfaced at all."
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This time the target of his colorful rhetoric was Rev. Al Sharpton, who helped organize the Aug. 24 event and spoke at the Aug. 28 celebration that featured President Obama.
"[We] saw of course the coronation of the bona fide house Negro of the Obama plantation, our dear brother Al Sharpton, supported by the Michael Dysons and others who’ve really prostituted themselves intellectually in a very ugly and vicious way," West said on the Friday broadcast of his Smiley and West radio program.
The prostitution reference is a not-so-thinly-veiled criticism of Sharpton, host of MSNBC's PoliticsNation, and Georgetown professor Michael Eric Dyson and other African-Americans who frequently appear on the cable network.
West also believes the speeches would have caused Martin Luther King Jr. to "roll in his grave" because of the lack of focus on jobs and other key issues.
"He wants people talking about the new Jim Crow and the privatization of education, and the various ways in which the well to do, the oligarchs and plutocrats are getting away with murder," West lamented. "You didn’t hear that whatsoever. You not only got a tame Martin Luther King Jr., but a real sense in which who he really was at the end of his life hardly surfaced at all."
BET Politics - Your source for the latest news, photos and videos illuminating key issues and personalities in African-American political life, plus commentary from some of our liveliest voices. Click here to subscribe to our newsletter.
(Photo: Scott Gries/Getty Images)
Outspoken Prof. Cornel West called the Rev. Al Sharpton the “bonafide house negro of the Obama plantation” during an impassioned interview in which he also tore into President Barack Obama, along with others who spoke at the 50th Anniversary of the March on Washington this week.
West said the MLK anniversary event lacked “truth” and merely offered
a “sanitized” version of King’s vision, especially in light of who the
civil-rights icon became by the end of his life.
“Brother Martin himself, I think, would’ve been turning over in his grave,” West said of the words spoken at the event, adding that instead “we saw the coronation of the bonafide house negro of the Obama plantation, our dear brother Al Sharpton.”
West added that Sharpton is supported by the likes of MSNBC analyst Michael Eric Dyson “and others who’ve really prostituted themselves intellectually in a very ugly and vicious way.”
More from Mediaite:
Listen to the exchange from PRI via YouTube:
Outspoken Prof. Cornel West called the Rev. Al Sharpton the “bonafide house negro of the Obama plantation” during an impassioned interview in which he also tore into President Barack Obama, along with others who spoke at the 50th Anniversary of the March on Washington this week.
Dr. Cornel West (Credit: AFP/Getty Images)
“Brother Martin himself, I think, would’ve been turning over in his grave,” West said of the words spoken at the event, adding that instead “we saw the coronation of the bonafide house negro of the Obama plantation, our dear brother Al Sharpton.”
Rev. Al Sharpton speaking at the MLK 50th Anniversary (Credit: AP)
More from Mediaite:
West and his co-host Tavis Smiley both lamented that black leadership has become “so sold-out” so as not to have the courage to be a “bull in the china shop,” break rank, and talk about “racism, poverty, and militarism” at an otherwise “bought-out” event.
This is not the first time West has referred to Sharpton as being “on the Obama plantation.” The radio host made the same claim in July when he felt Sharpton did not advocate hard enough for a Department of Justice “civil rights” prosecution against the recently-acquitted George Zimmerman.“Martin Luther King, Jr. had a dream; Barack Obama’s got drones,” West said. “Martin Luther King, Jr. had prophetic mission; Barack Obama’s got deadly missiles that he’s ready to use; he already used them in Libya. And of course on the continent of Africa they’ve got what? Twelve centers for drones? Under his administration? For what?”
Listen to the exchange from PRI via YouTube: