Dr. Cornel West, civil Right Movement and Green Movement

On May 7th, 2010, The Week in Green with Hamid Dabashi, a weekly broadcast covering the civil rights movement in Iran, released an exclusive interview with acclaimed scholar and activist Dr. Cornel West.

In the inspirational episode, both Dr. West and host Hamid Dabashi drew parallels between the American Civil Rights Movement and Iran's Green Movement. Dr. West argued that both the US Civil Rights Movement and the Green Movement, which he called, "the most significant and exemplary movement for justice in the world today," were born out of the same love for humanity. "When you really love people..." Dr. West claimed, "you loathe the fact that they're being treated unfairly, and you must do something..."

Dr. West also drew on the history of the struggle for civil rights in the USA to offer strategic suggestions for the leaders of the Green Movement. He highlighted three important fronts on which the movement should focus: keeping its supporters motivated, making connections with those inside the government, and maintaining international focus on the struggle. "The Green Movement is a fundamental source of inspiration," Dr. West concluded, "and any support that we can provide, we are willing to do so."

Cornel West is the Class of 1943 Professor at Princeton University. The author of over twenty books, he is one of America's leading public intellectuals. Dr. West has served in many roles throughout his accomplished career, including philosopher, teacher, writer, orator, civil rights advocate, and even actor, appearing in The Matrix Trilogy.