Culled from fstv
Toni Morrison and Cornel West
In Conversation
CORNEL.WEST: We want to begin just by raising the general query of you would
characterize our historical moment.
TONI. MORRISON: I feel two things - terrified and melancholy - at the same
time, and think in both domestic and foreign affairs it's frightening - the
alterations, the agenda. But at the same time there have been other frightening
moments. But this melancholy that I feel now is about a country like this with
the best shot in the world, the best shot in the world, at this moment, at this
time, with a certain kind of plenitude and intelligence and ambition and
generosity and some history from which to learn could, indeed, throw it away in a
sense and become the worst parts of its own self.
And I'd really like to know, Cornel, I see you sitting here nodding and
frowning, but what is curious for me is whenever I read you, as well as talk to
you, and as clear sighted as you are and as aware as you are of these
difficulties, you always seem to be, something I used to be but no longer am,
optimistic.... even though I felt this despair almost, fear, and melancholy at the same
time about the state of affairs, that when I read your work and when I talk to
you, even though I know you know the hypocrisy, the duplicity, the
wrong-headedness, etc., you are ever hopeful -
CORNEL.WEST: That's true.
TONI. MORRISON: -- and you are always optimistic in some part. And since I'm
rapidly losing that quality of just, maybe just age, and I wanted to ask you
why.
To watch the conversation click here.
To read the rest of the excerpt and view the entire Special Report on Racism
Click here
http://www.freespeech.org/fsitv/fscm2/contentviewer.php?content_id=447
http://www.freespeech.org/fsitv/fscm2/contentviewer.php?content_id=803
"The world is a dangerous place to live; not because of the people who are
evil, but because of the people who don't do anything about it."
- Albert Einstein
"
Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change
the world. Indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has."
- Margaret Mead
"When the government fears the people, you have liberty. When the people fear
the government, you have tyranny."
- Thomas Jefferson
"All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing"
- Edmund Burke
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