"From Womb to Tomb..."
So says the profoundly wise Dr. Cornel West! Two weeks ago I made the long trek north to Hamilton College to hear Dr. West give the annual Voices of Color lecture at one of the most prestigious liberal arts colleges in the United States.
What I appreciated about him (and there are many things I appreciate about Dr. West) is how he challenged students to think deeply about the kind of people they want to be and to be reminded that life from "womb to tomb" must be one of compassion and love for one's neighbor. He was imploring all of us to get a grasp of the big picture and to really consider the ways in which we want to contribute to the world for good or for ill.
Another is that he said that inside him reigns White supremacy (and male supremacy and so on). What he meant is that one being born and raised in the US, one can't help but believe that Whiteness is better, smarter, prettier, etc. It's what US society has reinforced through generations and still does through media, movies and more.
Yet even in the midst of this quagmire, there is hope for justice. It takes honesty, clarity of purpose, initiative and resilience. Most of all it takes each individual in community to exert one's will do that which is better for all and in the end we may be very much saving ourselves.
What I appreciated about him (and there are many things I appreciate about Dr. West) is how he challenged students to think deeply about the kind of people they want to be and to be reminded that life from "womb to tomb" must be one of compassion and love for one's neighbor. He was imploring all of us to get a grasp of the big picture and to really consider the ways in which we want to contribute to the world for good or for ill.
Another is that he said that inside him reigns White supremacy (and male supremacy and so on). What he meant is that one being born and raised in the US, one can't help but believe that Whiteness is better, smarter, prettier, etc. It's what US society has reinforced through generations and still does through media, movies and more.
Yet even in the midst of this quagmire, there is hope for justice. It takes honesty, clarity of purpose, initiative and resilience. Most of all it takes each individual in community to exert one's will do that which is better for all and in the end we may be very much saving ourselves.
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