“You all knew Prefontaine as an athlete, but we knew him as a human being”
“I am a contingent extension of my heritage–of a people that have been terrorized for 400 years”
“You can play all kinds of games as a spectator–until it’s you and your loved ones. That is the great story of white supremacy.”
I chose these quotes because I am very familiar with Cornel West and his work, and he is a very controversial figure–as was his work when it was released, but nothing should be “controversial” about racism. The things he speaks about are considered to be taboo because he talks about racism at its core–not just against black and brown people, but the greater crime against humanity, and the general discard of others. Furthermore, the first quote is the epitome of what I think matters the most. We treat people differently based on unspoken criteria. A social hierarchy that shouldn’t exist. Athletes are treated and discarded as business transactions, rather than who they are as people. Specifically, black men and women are valued more based on what they can do, and what talents they possess… It’s wrong and inhumane. Importantly, I chose to use all quotes from this video, because it was so heavily packed, that I couldn’t decipher which quotes to use. When I first became familiar with his work, I was a Freshman in high school–using his reading as a source to discuss the things that Black and brown people go through. Still, now 4 years later, I am able to hear him give a presentation on his work, hear his voice, and understand the impact of what he is actually saying, and why race REALLY matters.
Similarly, the framework of “reality,” spoke to me in ways that I cannot explain or exhibit–as I explained in class, as a black woman, I will never be able to understand what Iranian women go through, but I can educate myself. Furthermore, I don’t believe anyone who is not Black, can understand the experiences Black people go through. I want to first point out that Harry Elam Jr. does an amazing job at bringing the reader into the perspective of our shared experience as a minority, and rather than focusing on one person or one victim–he uses multiple instances of police brutality, systemic oppression, and dehumanization that we as a people have faced for years. Elam Jr. does a great job at breaking down these injustices in lamens terms, for people who may not understand, and his work goes hand in hand with Dr. West’s work and the point they are trying to get across–which is race matters, and it will always matter because that is how the world views and identifies us as humans.
Moreover, I think it’s important to note what Elam says contributes to this reality–now being in the 21st century there is video footage, body cam footage, and viral videos of systemic oppression, so there isn’t a question of the importance of the race, and the importance of acknowledging the fact that this has been going on for 400 years, as Dr. West said–its ingrained in America’s history, they intended for not only Blacks, but Iranians, and indigenous people to be oppressed. To further put things in perspective–I stop breathing when I see police cars on the highway, my mother calls my brothers and uncles whenever she sees police cars and ambulance trucks, and I no longer watch videos or repost triggering content about police brutality. This is the reality I live through. We grow up learning about slavery, MLK, and the tragedy of Emmit Till, but the fact that I vividly remember when Trayvon Martin passed away, and the fact that I remember being 10 years old and attending a protest in his honor. Or the fact that Trayvon Martin’s killer has never been brought to justice and is still walking freely. Race didn’t just begin to become an issue in 2020, and the framework of this piece does a great job at providing the facts, and a timeline of murders that have been committed against black and brown people.
Reverting back to Emmit Till, and the horrifying reality of what was left of him–stings a little bit more for me, because the woman who has admitted to lying about the things she accused Emmit Till of, is currently residing in North Carolina–where I’m from. Furthermore, no police action was taken after she admitted this, and I doubt there ever will, given her age. Above all, the only thing I can say is that it never becomes easier to be a black person in this country, and there will always be an underlying amount of fear in relation to the police, and what they represent, as well as the fact that we are all human, we all bleed the same, but my reality is very different from yours.
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Mari, I really enjoyed your response. I also talked about how race is not just about black and brown people. We must also acknowledge the indigenous people who were pushed out and killed almost to extinction. There is a social hierarchy that is still present, but way outdated and does not apply to us today. We need to start recovering and apologize to those we have abused. I agree West is doing a great job of educating people on the subject. Great response.
Mari, I really appreciated how you highlighted the use of black individuals (athletes, singers, actors, etc.) as capital and assets, rather than actual human beings. Social hierarchy and class certainly play a role in how the white majority imposes an identity on the other, especially for Black Americans, but the commodification of black bodies for economic gain is dangerous and dehumanizing. I also think you bring up a great point about the traumatic nature of these reality checks. These reality checks (footage from police murders and brutality against racialized bodies), are powerful in that they can expose social realities for those who have been blind to them (i.e. white persons and institutions). And the juridic power of this footage is…
Dear Mari, You did a great job responding to Dr. West lecture and Reality combined with your own experience. I loved your reasons for choosing these three quotes. Reading about Emmit Till from your perspective and your authentic experience was very educational. As an Iranian, I am familiar with the trauma of seeing police in the street, but Yes, our experiences are different and we can educate ourselves about it. Thank you very much again for sharing your thought and experience and keep up the great work, Mari
Wow Mari. What I can tell you is that I am so sorry for what you have to go through and feel for the simple fact of living. Dr. Cornel's words opened my eyes even more on this issue of large-scale injustice that is in no way justified in treating others. Your relationship with the work of Dr. Cornel and with the subject makes your writing really powerful. And one should think that it is time for everything to be better, but in reality, as you mentioned, it is worse. One begins to reflect and thinks if we are really advancing as humans living in the same world or are we regressing further. Thank you, Mari for your writing and…
I loved your blog! I thought your focus on Cornel West was great because of your personal connection with his work. I agree that when writing about race and racial issues it becomes difficult to speak on behave of others because there is no way for us to truly understand the reality of each other's existence. I also wanted to add that I agree that Dr. West's work is amazing because he's not afraid to speak the truth outright and within the context of our realities.