And why on earth would you consider West to be under the sway of Smiley? Why does Smiley have to be a “noted Obam-hater”? When we disagree with the President, we don’t have to hate him or have uterior motives, as you suggest. West and Smiley are friends, Smiley being the junior member of the relationship. Why do you consider West to be under Smiley’s influence. That makes no sense and cast you as an intellectual poseur; a light weight; a simpleton.

I really doubt that Donna Brazile went to Dr. West to persuade him to be quiet and it’s simple minded to assert that was the case.

How are we, the “little” people, ever going to get our needs met if we stay silent? The President requires pressure from the citizenry no matter who (s)he is or what party they’re in (of course, there’s not too much difference these days). It is our job in a democracy to be active, engaged and defiant. It is not our job to get “excited about any political candidate.” That’s a fool’s errand and an embarrassment – we shame our ancestors when we elevate style over substance.

“Dr. West’s outspoken demeanor couldn’t come at a worse time for President Obama and his party.” Well, good! Cause the man I voted for couldn’t come at a worse time for we the people. The wingnuts are on the warpath & the President seems content to let them roll over the least of these. I know, the Obamabots with their kool-aid on IV drip have no shortage of excuses, cause that’s so much more convenient that facing up to the facts.

Of course we have to vote for him in the next election, but that doesn’t mean we have a gag order. Smiley & West are hardly the most vocal critics of the President, as anyone who bothers to not watch the propaganda machines of corporate-owned media knows.

If we want anything to change, such as, “Black people are unemployed, incarcerated and miseducated more than any other group in America” there must be:
1) public financing for campaigns
2) a Constitutional Amendment to define what a person is – not a corporation! The Citizen’s United decision is a stain on this nation.
3) total transparency for donations to any political organization (Virginia Thomas, the Chamber of Commerce, etc. need to make public where the money comes from).

One of the drawbacks to the African-American community is a premise that we should all stick together and close our eyes to what we see politically, simply because we share the same skin color.

While, I am very proud of President Obama and all that he has accomplished during his presidency; he does not automatically deserve my vote because of the color of his skin. Cornel West has every right to exercise his right to speak against the President openly, in an effort to send the message that his allegiance is to the person who he feels performs the best, not simply the person whose skin is similar in hue to his.

WHEN the rest of the persons of color – (African Americans) realize what political power they have in their ability to deviate from the norm and vote their conscience; we might witness further change in our political systems. Other politicians will earn our vote and not automatically come to depend upon every African-American, who historically feels that we are beholden to the Democratic party. The dialogues that we are concerned about between Mr. Sharpton, Cornel West and Mr. Tavis Smiley is not about allegiance to a party or race of people, but their right to exercise their political power and vote their conscience, even when it is unpopular to air your dirty laundry for all to smell.