The first time I met Dr. West I marched with him and the 99% to the supreme court. The goal was to get arrested.
When he first arrived I along with the spectators and supporters of the occupy DC movement listened to him give a fiery speech. It was the usual Dr. West speech, usual in its passionate message and bold truth. I however sat stone face and yet was in rapture watching a man I had held in high regard since the start of my intellectual life. I was not star struck I was inspired.
In truth I am not one for celebrities I have mostly seen news figures, Chuck Todd, Anderson Cooper, Savannah Guthrie, and when I met Willie Geist in New York City on the fourth of July he made the move to shake my hand, not the other way around. So in all truth Dr. West was the first celebrity who I held in high esteem that I had ever meet.
During his speech he mentioned a desire, a purpose to get arrested. As a matter of fact he mentioned that the sole purpose for coming down to DC was to get arrested. At this I was shocked. Not so much that he was okay with being arrested, but with the fact that it was his intent to be arrested.
It is ironic that the night before I met Dr. West I had a video taped interview with a occupy DC supporter who felt it was foolish to go to a place simply to get arrested, or to do a action with the intent and knowing that it would directly cause you to get arrested, and yet here is Cornell West, my hero, telling the crowd he is looking for something that will cause his arrest.
After his speech he was swarmed by people, camera's and supporters. I made my way patiently through the crowd to earn a handshake and a hug from my hero. I could not help but to smile. I yearned for intellectual conversation but the human embrace from a man I had only seen from afar and who has served as my intellectual father was rewarding in its self. It is something that I know I will not forget.
A short time later as I was basking in my glow of accomplishment a speaker gets on the microphone to tell the crowd that Dr. West is going to the Supreme Court to hold a sign in protest, which is illegal on the steps of the Supreme Court. I immediately though to myself that the idea was brilliant in its simplicity, there was no doubt, no hesitation within in me that I would join. Not so much to get arrested but to join in something once in a life time. Had I not gone I would have never forgiven myself. I felt my experience with Cornell West was reaching part two. I did not know what I was, a protestor, demonstrator, or just curious but I knew Dr. West was going to make history that day, and I wanted to take part, risks be damned.
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