Summary of Cornel West’s Race Matters
The book Race Matters by Cornel West was published in the year 2001. In the book, the author addresses the issue of racism from a spiritual and political perspective. He explains how racism affects both whites and Afro-Americans and criticizes the various approaches that have been used to deal with racism. He tries to find equality between these two races and his objective is to ensure that the whites do not have too much power. He argues that the anger that the blacks have towards the whites is a result of oppression experienced during slavery and also the nihilism they feel. The blacks are brought out as lacking any meaning in their existence and lacking political power and as being stripped of their morality . To these problems, cornel offers three solutions which include the need to find hope to carry on from their past, aiming for the common good and the formation of new leadership methods that will take care of the needs of the black people. He emphasizes that the anger by the afro Americans should be met with love and not with animosity so as to address the blacks’ political and economic statuses so that they can stop feeling discriminated by the whites. In this book, West admits that the problem needs commitment from both parties so that it can be dealt with together with love for one another and not just for the self. The author addresses themes affecting blacks such as sexuality, black leadership, relevant action, Malcom X and the impact of nihilism to the Americans. The book is, therefore, a keen description of the plight of the afro Americans and the impact it has on the Americans as well as suggestions to possible solutions to deal with discrimination. The liberal notion that is applied by the American government by trying to improve the economic state of the American has failed to work. The Blacks socio economic status is not the sole problem that has led to discrimination. The whites look for ways to create an identity and they use the presence of the black American in order to paint an appealing image of themselves. The author continues to explain how these conservative methods are failing to eradicate racial discrimination in America. The author explains how nihilism has risen as a result of racial discrimination and describes nihilism as a disease that attacks the soul . America continues to overlook the blacks’ lack of self-worth which has led the community to lose their morality to drug abuse and violence. He explains that these feelings of self-worthlessness can only be addressed with love a bold step that America is not bold enough to make.
The Connection to Let Nobody Turn Us Around
The book let Nobody Turn us Around by Manning Marable was published in the year 2000. This book contains five sections which describe the issues affecting African and afro Americans during slavery and after slavery was banned in the United States. The book has five sections which represent the development of afro Americans through the entire process of slavery which led to racism and segregation in America. The author makes a collection of essays, documentaries, interviews and manifestos which show the different stages of the development of discrimination against the African Americans. The connection is found in section four of the book which discusses how after segregation and migration to the ghettos, the blacks are fighting to attain total and complete freedom . These two books are in unison that there is a prevalent problem that is facing the entire American population that doesn’t seem to go away despite the numerous attempts by both parties. The Afro Americans have turned hostile due to the labels that are associated with their race. “Let nobody turn us around” documents the happenings resulting to their current plight, West explains why these approaches failed to work and comes up with new solutions which he believes will work. They both discuss themes related to discrimination which continued to thrive even after the era of slavery came to an end. Section 3 of the book Let Nobody Turn Us Around has a similar setting to that found in Cornel West Race Matters.
Question from the Reading and Answer
What are the causes and impact of Nihilism in America?
In 1915, the end of salvation gave the blacks hope for a new beginning. However, it also gave rise to a new perception by the whites in which the whites were placed at the center of the action while the blacks were given supporting roles such as kitchen staff and criminal roles in movies. Drugs and guns were easily available in their neighborhoods and in the end they ended blaming each other for their misfortunes. This led to the belief that the blacks did not deserve the good life that the whites were living and they deserved to remain in the low life neighborhoods . The blacks resolved to a street culture which is associated with drugs and violence. Just like during the era of slavery where they used songs to redeem themselves, the blacks have resolved to nihilist music to express their woes. This is evident in the music by the blacks which is nihilistic in nature by musicians such as Tupac . Matters representing the past of the blacks have transformed into new things, which are evident in mass media, social class and mass media presentation. The former patterns of mass media segregation have replicated themselves in new forms, causing the blacks to feel trapped in their plight and to lack meaning for their existence and the current social order.
Works Cited
Collins, Patricia Hill. Black Sexual Politica: African Americans, Gender, and the new Racism. New York: Routledge, 2004. Print.
Marable, Manning. Let nobody turn us around : voices of resistance, reform, and renewal: an African American anthology. Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield, 2000. Print.
West, Cornel. Race Matters. Boston: Beacon Press, 2001. Print.
