It has nothing to do with the style of either speaker. It has to do with the political context. Two years ago the Wisconsin hadn't happened. Two years ago there had not even been gestures of popular resistance to austerity.
No one yet has said a word about the content of West's speech. That seems to suggest that this list has ceased to be interested in politics.
That's o.k. There's no reason there shouldn't be a list in which people can moan and groan about bad style etc. I'm not interested however.
Carrol
-----Original Message----- From: lbo-talk-bounces at lbo-talk.org [mailto:lbo-talk-bounces at lbo-talk.org] On Behalf Of John Gulick Sent: Tuesday, March 22, 2011 7:44 AM To: lbo-talk Cc: John Gulick Subject: [lbo-talk] Cornel West at the Left Forum
HENWOOD
Would a white evangelical preacher with similar politics ever achieve West's fame and wealth? Of course not. It's a performance for a largely white audience that *expects* black people to act all dramatic.
GULICK
Yes, and Adolph Reed's decidedly more low-key, decidedly more sardonic, decidedly more learned, and decidedly more incisive plenary talk registered a totally flat reception before the exact same audience two years ago...
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