Hope on a Tightrope

We're so close now to Election Day, what a breathtaking marathon . . .

This evening, picked up a copy of the latest work by Cornel West, Hope on a Tightrope: Words & Wisdom (SmileyBooks, November 2008 -- as in the always cool Tavis Smiley). A wonderful book'o'the times, and a keeper for the follow-through of this election and beyond, steeped in history and culture. I knew it was out there, but it was hard to find -- placed in "Psychology" for some reason. When I got home, figured I'd start it for now and finish it later, but once I began reading, couldn't put it down until reaching the end, page 237. Highly recommended, and it would make a nifty gift book. Includes a CD that I'm aiming to listen to tomorrow. The shape (about the size of a DVD case) and layout are nice touches, as well -- a variety of fonts and points, photos and chapters, a glossary of key terms and a coda: "The Books and Music That Made Me." John Coltrane is there (yeahdawg!). "I believe music is deeper than philosophy," West notes, and I couldn't agree more. But there's also plenty of philosophy, and deep-felt Christianity, too, in Hope on a Tightrope.


In all, I vote for Cornel West's wit and wisdom about 90% of the time.

About Barack Obama, there's much remarked obliquely and some directly. It's hard not to agree with this summation: "Obama's brilliance, charisma and organizational genius have been a grand catalyst for hope. The verdict is not yet in whether he can maintain his hope on a tightrope." Hoping for hope, let's hope he -- and we -- can . . .

Today's Rune: The Mystery Rune.

Cornel West: Race Matters

The second word in the title of Cornel West's Race Matters (1993, 1994) can be read, as West himself points out, as both noun and verb. It's a short book, well worth reading. Eight chapters to entice a contemporary audience fifteen years after originally published: Nihilism in Black America; The Pitfalls of Racial Reasoning; The Crisis of Black Leadership; Demystifying the New Black Conservatism; Beyond Affirmative Action: Equality and Identity; On Black-Jewish Relations; Black Sexuality: The Taboo Subject; Malcolm X and Black Rage. Plus an introduction and 1994 epilogue.

West writes from a direct, compassionate and fair-minded Christian point of view. In the introduction, he makes a vital point for Americans: "To establish a new framework, we need to begin with a frank acknowledgment of the basic humanness and Americanness of each of us. And we must acknowledge that as a people -- E Pluribus Unum* -- we are on a slippery slope toward economic strife, social turmoil, and cultural chaos" (p. 8).

At the end of the last chapter, West suggests a jazz metaphor for survival, recognizing the culturally hybrid nature of the USA:

To be a jazz freedom fighter is to attempt to galvanize and energize world-weary people into forms of organization with accountable leadership that promote critical exchange and broad reflection.

The interplay of individuality and unity is not one of uniformity and unanimity imposed from above but rather a conflict among diverse groupings that reach a dynamic consensus subject to questioning and criticism.

As with a soloist in a jazz quartet, quintet or band, individuality is promoted in order to sustain and increase the creative tension with the group -- a tension that yields higher levels of performance to achieve the aim of the collective spirit. (pp. 150-151).

It makes sense that Cornel West supports Barack Obama's presidential candidacy, as now do I.

(The Tavis Smiley Show). *"Out of many, one."

Finally, three cheers to the Pistons quintet and the Red Wings sextet! Go Detroit! RIP Sidney Pollack.

Today's Rune: Growth.

Let's Pretend Democracy

There are intelligent spiritual thinkers who speak well, and I'll get to Jetsun Jamphel Ngawang Lobsang Yeshe Tenzin Gyatso (the 14th Dalai Lama), Pope Benedict XVI, and Cornel West at some point soon, I'm hoping. Then there are straight out political leaders, Americans who try to project themselves as "just folks," or hopeless language butchers like G.W. Bush, or long-winded talkers like Fidel Castro, Hugo Chávez and Bill Clinton. And then there are the European politicos . . .


Today's European leaders are a lot more polished than their mid-20th century counterparts. Take one look at Russia's Vladimir Putin or Italy's Silvio Berlusconi and you know what I mean. Are these guys as ruthless as Joseph Stalin, Benito Mussolini and Adolf Hitler? Possibly. Are they more subtle about it? Absolutely. Would you want to mess with them? Probably not. Nice suits, though. . . . . Are these democratic leaders, of the people, for the people, by the people? Nah . . . But they'd fit in well with James Bond, certainly.


Putin and his special lady friend, former gymnist Alina Kabayeva. Saucy!


France's Nicolas Sarkozy with special lady friend, now third wife, Carla Bruni (Tedeschi). A month prior to their February 2, 2008 wedding, the Italian-born Bruni was quoted in Time (12/31/007/1/7/008) as saying: "I'm monogamous from time to time, but I prefer polygamy and polyandry." Ah, another one worthy of Mick Jagger and 007! The rich just want to have fun -- and rule the world while they're at it. . . . .

Today's Rune: Growth.