Dr. West delivers provocative speech

By Stanland Bryant
Staff Writer

Noted author, orator and activist Dr. Cornel West addressed a nearly filled theater Feb. 24, which was diverse in race, age and backgrounds at GPAC.

As part of the Distinguished Speakers Series and a celebration of Black History Month, no other speaker could have held an audiences’ attention like Dr. West. At the very beginning of his speech with a wry smile and chuckle, Dr. West said that he hoped he said something that thoroughly unsettles you, and, for the most part, he achieved his goal.

Dr. West spoke about some of the most controversial issues facing America today, from homophobia, same-sex marriage, religion, racism and terrorism.

Dr. West managed to make every person in the audience question their beliefs and what they stemmed from. He used references from literature that varied from quotes from Socrates to lines from the famous play turned movie, “A Streetcar Named Desire.”

Dr. West took listeners on a journey that showed the development of racism in America and the creation of self-hatred among African-Americans.

He also noted that American society fosters the ideology of greed and this encourages materialistic values in the youth of our country.

He managed to touch on an aspect of life that would appeal to any audience member no matter what age, race or religion.