Posted on 06/25/2002 1:02:31 PM PDT by jalisco555
SOMETIMES WE READ the Gospel and we shake our heads at other people's attitude toward Jesus. We say, how could they stand in his presence and not know him? How could they see him and not believe him? Or, was it really possible for his own to know him, and receive him not?
Yet, right now in 2002, with all of our spiritual awareness and enlightenment, we too entertain prophets unaware. We pray for deliverance, and we remain oblivious to what it takes to change our situation. We run full throttle after prosperity, but we don't tap into the promises of God. And, we lament over the lack of dynamic leadership within the body of Christ, and yet we won't avail ourselves to faithfully serve or follow one another.
Last month, Dr. Cornel West visited Columbia. Once I learned he was the keynote speaker for the 2002 Black Pages Business Expo, I got excited! I expected it to be standing-room-only at the Coliseum. It turned out to be a wet and rainy Saturday, but I could not miss this opportunity to hear Dr. West in person.
It never dawned on me that others would not feel the same.
As a writer, I stand in awe of his work. As a woman, I champion his profound regard for black women and the depth of relationship. And as an African-American, I am grateful for his insight and ability to keenly capture the essence of our existence. If you can identify with his issues, his book Race Matters will change your entire perspective.
Undoubtedly, Dr. West is one of the greatest minds of this century. A noted scholar, he has been labeled as both poet and philosopher. I believe the more apt title is prophet. If the world does not wake up to the essence of his message, if black America does not heed his voice, we will miss a prolific part of our history. And, if African-Americans in Columbia don't wake up, we will continue to suffer from the lack of economic independence and spiritual growth that will keep us in a continual state of compromise.
There should not have been an empty seat in the Coliseum on May 18! Especially if you consider how much people in Columbia complain about the lack of quality programs, entertainment and spiritual gatherings. In fact, if I had $1 for every time someone said, "there's nothing to do in Columbia," I wouldn't have to concern myself with entrepreneurship, because I'd have mine.
Last month, one of the most respected scholars of our day came to Columbia. And most of us stayed home. In a state, in a county, in a city, where race so obviously continues to matter, why did we not sit at the feet of this great orator?
We have canonized great leaders like Martin and Malcolm. We keep asking, "Will there ever be another great leader among us?" Yet, we won't collectively receive another. It is not the leadership we lack, it is the following.
For those of us who were there last month, did we really hear Dr. West? He had a powerful message, but we had to fight to receive it. Truly, my spirit grieved for the manner in which we received him. As he began to speak, I gazed onto the floor and was embarrassed by our hospitality. We continued to walk, we continued to talk; we politicked and campaigned. We took our eyes and ears off of the man.
We should have been riveted! All cell phones should have been off. Chattering should have ceased. Movement should have stopped. I was surprised Dr. West spoke above the din.
However, I soon realized he has more than the knowledge of a prophet; he has the understanding of one as well. He came to do what he was asked to do. He came to say what he was charged to say. He came to appear as he was paid. Whether we heard him or not was on us.
Dr. West delivered words of wisdom that every person in Columbia should have received. He said the key to our (black) survival and our success was economic independence and spiritual growth. That we could not have one without the other, and that we had to change the mindset of our youth in order to pass our success on to future generations. He touched on every nuance of black culture that we so often celebrateour music and its tie to spirituality, our sense of neighborhood and community, and its necessity to home training and family.
We shake our heads in amazement that race relations are as they are in Columbia. We can't believe the economic situation of our people as a whole. We can't believe that the Confederate flag still flies on the State House grounds. We can't understand why our youth are walking around "dazed and confused," with no sense of purpose and pride. And, we still can't quite believe that we live in a state where we are still touting "The first African-American" to do this or to do that on a regular basis. Still, in the year 2002, the first, ever?
And yet, he came to share with us. Like Jesus, he ignored his personal level of comfort, and he delivered a powerful message. And what did we do? To my way of thinking, not enough, not nearly enough. For surely, his own knew him, and they received him not.
Ms. Holland, a freelance writer, is public relations and women's program coordinator for the YWCA of the Midlands
Deus Vult! 'Pod
Did "Dr. West" violate the NAACP boycott by coming to South Carolina?
I wonder why this author calls him "Dr. West," and not "Cornel" (unlike "Martin" and "Malcolm"). I suppose West may be insisting on his title (which is apparently why the NY Times calls him that.) But why "Martin," and not "Dr. King" (as I believe he was called during his lifetime)?
The absurdly overblown praise, the comparisons to Jesus all make the article seem like satire. Except, she's serious.
Well, I said Cornel West. A Barf Alert would be redundant.
Compare Cardinal Law who said he knows now how Jesus felt on the cross via the criticism he received for his bureaucratic handling of child abusers. THAT really peeved me.
Excellent summation in one sentence. If our strength is in our diversity, one would not want to weaken these universities by only hiring smart professors when people like Mr. West are available to provide a counterbalance to the competent.
Of course he did - but if you ask him, he'll tell you that this didn't count...[rolling eyes]
If you want on (or off) of my black conservative ping list, please let me know via FREEPmail. (And no, you don't have to be black to be on the list!)
Cornel West can be a bit pedantic and he is somewhat of a socialist but he can also be entertaining and compelling sometimes too.
Maybe I will just muddle along with my own thoughts.
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