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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