SPEAK OUT - DrCornelWest's Blog

I wanna just continue being

I want to always strive to do better, not in a competitive way but an inspiring and encouraging way to uplift myself, family, friends, whomever possible. Much love y'all!

Dr. West, this is a scary topic to begin with. First, an assumption is made that I can be any other kind of human being than I am, am already perceived to be; am challenged to rise to; or destined to change the construct of. I believe this is a problem in the having someone of your stature present this as a question. I ascribe to the belief that, because I have belief in a higher power - AND, in the construct of my religious practice - that I am already what I am forever meant to be. I just have to reach a higher degree of attainment in manifesting that fearful being into existence - given whatever "life tools" I come equipped with, or am able to equip myself with on a mental, physical, spiritual, educational or savant-ly "gifted" level of "reachedness"...is that a word? Anyways, given that the concept is flawed that I can become something greater than my maker intends and foresees that I am to be, this also lends to the understanding that I am ALREADY greater than I imagine myself to be as the "kind" of human being I am already scheduled to "arrive" to being. So...in that sense, my question cannot be what kind of human being I want to be. Maybe, on another level, I might just be able to give input on what kind of citizen, father, mother, brother, sister, aunt, uncle, cousin, friend, employee, member, christian, educator, leader, follower, supporter - you get the drift - one might become.

Personally, I think we all need to be better CITIZENS first, because in this country we are severely lacking in civil responsibility. One of the core reasons that any parity or reparations is not being made against the ills and profitability achieved by this nation through the abominable practice of slavery, hinges upon lack of this country's leadership to acknowledge its personal responsibility to restoration of the civil rights and benefits of citizenship in this "FREE" society - to those whose backs and ancestry have fully paid the price with their very lives (given no benefit for their HUMANITY - something for which THIS POST seeks to cull input from us through this very question), through slavery, the theft of property, the unpaid wages of our conscript, and debasement of ourselves as human beings, much less...CITIZENS. I hope that my input has provided some enlightenment; encouraged conversation; or manifest itself as conscious or conscientious "fodder" for thought on other levels of consequence. Have a blessed day!

Jazz

The kind of human I thrive to be is content with me as a person & unconditional to others as they are. Always ambitious for knowledge and perspective to make life better for me and my family. Thank you Dr. West for always having the future at heart.