Cornel West is one of the most charitable people when engaging in public arguments. I have watched him on Bill Maher’s HBO show on several occasions and I always appreciate his thoughts. Whether I agree with him or not, he adds to the conversation with well-constructed arguments. He adds to the conversation with fierce rebuttals. His greatest contribution, however, is the way he engages each individual. He treats them respectfully, despite disagreeing often. Thus, when I was looking for a book to read to help me educate myself on the black experience, reading a book from Cornel West was an easy choice.
What You Should Know
Race Matters is a fairly short read on the black American experience. However, there is a lot to be gleaned from his explanations and clarifications. For those who don’t know Cornel West, he graduated from Harvard and completed his MA and PhD in philosophy at Princeton. He is currently the Professor of the Practice of Public Philosophy at Harvard and has taught at Union Theological Seminary, Yale, Princeton, and University of Paris.
West begins with providing an explanation of the lack of care black Americans have received from the US government and its people. He suggests that the situation will not resolve by arguments or analyses, but by love and care.[1] Because of this lack of care, there is an apathy, or nihilism, in the black community that has caused a lot of difficulty. From here, he addresses that there are black conservatives who tout the Protestant work ethic as the solution for the black community. West argues that conservatives often ignore the many examples of poor people who do work hard, and what’s more, black conservatives are often individuals that are used as tokens after they have received their own compensation for their efforts. Thus, at the expense of others, some are profiting. (Please note that I am summarizing and West does dig deeper into particulars.)
Cynics may think that West is not interested in critiquing blacks in general. However, this is not the case. Throughout Race Matters, West is often critically of black leadership and other black people. For example, he suggests that the confirmation of Clarence Thomas was ultimately a step back for black Americans, and he isn’t a huge Obama fan either.
Next, West breaks down the reasons for affirmative action and agrees that it is not ideal. However, he points out that white people succeeded on similar programs.[2] (How do you explain blacks not being able to buy homes or property for 200 years?) Furthermore, West reminds us that the whole reason affirmative action exists is because white people were not able to judge black Americans solely by their work.[3] He does admit, however, that he would favor a class-system, instead of the race-system that we currently have.[4]
Throughout the rest of the book, West comments on Black-Jewish relations, black sexuality, and black rage. These were all interesting in how he brought them around to connect relevantly with the previous material.
What I Think You Should Know
As I am sure you can guess, Cornel West is not conservative or Republican. He is also theologically liberal. However, he is a kind man. He is someone that I have admired in terms of public interaction for several years. He has toured throughout the US with Robert P. George, a conservative Catholic, discussing civility and the dangers of “Cancel culture.”
West provides an excellent framework to begin educating yourself on the black experience in America. In an age when we struggle to converse with others, it is imperative to hear perspectives from other areas of life. While what we read may not always be what we want to hear, it is essential for the ability to properly interact in good faith throughout public discourse. This is especially true for Christians.
As a Christian, I am called to love my neighbor as myself. I know that if I felt marginalized, mistreated, or abused, my brothers and sisters would care enough for me to help solve that issue. Thus, it’s the least I can do as a brother in Christ to adjust my reading to include perspectives from different races, ethnicities, and political persuasions. Mind you, this does not require an acceptance of any specific position. However, you will definitely run into some difficult ideas and problems.
I experienced this myself. While reading and listening to West’s rationale and call for unity, I had to reflect on my inclusiveness for my black brothers and sisters. Do I worry about them the same way as others? It’s easy to brush it off and say, of course. Intellectually, I would never say that any other person is intrinsically more valuable than another. However, how does my life actively reflect this? I am often really great at letting myself off of the hook.
As far as Race Matters, I am not sure if you find a more honest and reasonable perspective. West calls it as it is and I appreciate him for it.
How I Scored It
Race Matters got a 3.5 out of 5.0 for me. It’s a great book that is well-written and informative. The content is great, but as I mentioned, there are some bones that you need to spit out. Thus, I only gave it a four there. I will likely re-read this eventually. At a modest 109 pages, it is made for re-reading and gaining a better understanding of what I would consider a basic black experiential perspective.
How About a Taste
“Where there is no vital community to hold up precious ethical and religious ideals, there can be no coming to a moral commitment—only personal accomplishment is applauded.”[5]
“Malcolm [X] and Martin [Luther King Jr.] called for the realization that black people are somebodies with which America has to reckon, whereas black politicians tend to turn our attention to their somebodiness owing to their ‘making it’ in America.”[6]
“To be a serious black leader is to be a race-transcending prophet who critiques the powers that be (including the black component of the Establishment) and who puts forward a vision of moral regeneration and political insurgency for the purpose of fundamental social change for all who suffer from socially induced misery.”[7]
“If I had been old enough to join the fight for racial equality in the courts, the legislatures, and the board rooms in the 1960s (I was old enough to be in the streets), I would have favored—as I do now—a class-based affirmative action in principle. Yet in the heat of battle in American politics, a redistributive measure in principle with no power and pressure behind it means no redistributive measure at all. The prevailing discriminatory practices during the sixties, whose targets were working people, women, and people of color, were atrocious. Thus, an enforceable race-based—and later gender-based—affirmative action policy was the best possible compromise and concession.”[8]
“In these downbeat times, we need as much hope and courage as we do vision and analysis; we must accent the best of each other even as we point out the vicious effects of our racial divide and the pernicious consequences of our maldistribution of wealth and power.”[9]
[1] West, Cornel. Race Matters (Boston, MA: Beacon Press, 2017), 18.
[2] Ibid., 52.
[3] Ibid., 52.
[4] Ibid., 64.
[5] Ibid., 37.
[6] Ibid., 38.
[7] Ibid., 46.
[8] Ibid., 64.
[9] Ibid., 109.