Eugene Rivers and the responsibility of intellectuals

No series of analyses, papers, discussions, and books will stop the slaughter in our streets, or children from having children, men beating up women. The role intellectuals is limited; excessive expectations only produce disappointment. But that limited crucial, fears disappointment should not serve as an excuse for continuing along current course. (Rivers, 1995, p. 18) Some 25 years ago, Edward Said claimed “the world more crowded than it ever has been with (…) intellectuals” (Said, 1996, 15). Yet Black continue to be sidelined, marginalized, ignored public discourse. As Jeffrey Watts contends, there a “longstanding racist marginalization African American within mainstream intellectual discourses” (Watts, 2004, 2). However, this “came under intense attack during 1960s 1970s, at least black circles” In recent decades, slowly permeated into wider/Whiter discourse United States, but by no means fully accomplished yet. Bolstering archive crucial task allow new generations scholars draw on wider set contributions key intellectuals. Recovering Reverend Eugene F. Rivers III's interventions days important contribution task. Debates about causes suffering America usually fall one two camps. According Cornel West Nihilism America, “liberal structuralists” focus structural societal constraints facing Americans while “conservative behaviorists” decline Protestant ethic growing crisis anomie (West, 1994, 13). While falls most clearly latter group, his combined attention individual morality places him idiosyncratically relation urges, “debate must go far beyond liberal conservative positions” 12). Rivers’ essay provides going dichotomy. I develop three main lines argument thought. First, he seeks bridge disconnect between social struggle. Second, envisages vanguard activist disinterested scholastic academics—resembling Boaventura de Sousa Santos’ idea rear-guard intellectual. Third, basis distinguishing types responsibility: responsibility to, falling latter, former, category. therefore (re)consider conditions systemic racism. September 1992, Dorchester, Boston, MA, played major yet underappreciated debates among leading thinkers publishing “The Responsibility Intellectuals Age Crack” Boston Review (BR) 1992). Drawing rich hitherto untapped historical centered around essay, interpretive theorizing today. intellectual, unrealized promise rational democratic sphere, siloing disciplining academia, racial economic disparities all demand classic texts relationships theory practice, race class, well religion politics are scientists presciently raised essay. idiosyncrasy, controversy, rigor thought can considered thinker, despite being overlooked academic literature. Moving these questions widespread implications society whole periphery studies history political science urgent For instance, Michael Hanchard contends “attention might expand complicate understanding modern conceptualization contemporary theory” (Hanchard, 2010, 510). Most according Rivers, evident title opening call, was crack epidemic harrowing working class poor Blacks 1980s 1990s. This speaks closely W.E.B. Du Bois’ evolution academically defending ‘‘talented tenth’’ way Sam Hose lynching 1899 threw dual scholar-activist role, later revising ‘‘guiding hundredth’’ struggle, sacrifice, solidarity (Rabaka, 2016). Famously, Bois purchased shotgun after 1906 Atlanta Massacre moved confrontational line resist White supremacy, foreshadowing many concerns. sense, sought link struggles. arguments ensuing debate contribute resources conceptualizing today's reality. Excavating thus implies contribution: part larger effort recenter theoretical fresh intervention long-standing analysis across five sections. Section 1 introduces Rivers. 2 maps dominant understandings focusing Antonio Gramsci direct inspiration, Noam Chomsky. 3 contextualizes including specific reasons its emergence. 4 reconstructs arguing theorizes intellectuals, just also 5 argues successfully bridges hermitic need collective responses problems. Moreover, constructs middle-way unrestrained vanguardism disinterestedness ‘impartial’ academic. At time when both distrust experts politicization academia high, offers compelling conceptual solution. involves shifting model to. pastor, activist, founder Pentecostal Azusa Christian Community Massachusetts. Although dropped out Harvard, established enduring friendship returned Fellow Center Study Values Public Life 1990s reunited Harvard Divinity School. Evidence difficult upbringing college-educated parents, joined Somersville street gang Philadelphia, adult life founded Ten Point Coalition, successful attempting solve problems Boston. Coalition came result frustration Boston's clergy gun violence following death 20-year old Robert Odom shooting members young man named Jerome Brunson Odom's funeral. brought together 300 church ministers taking lead formulating 10-point plan ending featured front page Newsweek efforts gained recognition Magazine New Yorker (D. Kennedy, 2001). frequently collaborates wife, Dr Jacqueline C. PhD mentored Orlando Patterson whose concept recurring theme something Rosetta stone through which interpret themes likely have had impact his, particularly given cases wives women partners playing roles development (officially) single-authored men. sociology lecturer, frequent speaker, leader who like her husband against equal marriage abortion. prolific writer figure. would map how influenced limit my inquiry considering practice. Writing long tradition religious variably attracted controversy sphere Calvin O. Butts, West, Adam Clayton Powell Jr., Jeremiah Wright, contentious figure establishment. wide-ranging Charles Banner-Haley says “like without overtly Marxist perspective” (Banner-Haley, 81). Indeed, characterizes own practice speaking “with mind heart pastor” Fox News interview himself “a pastor intellectual” (Okholm, 1997; 2020a). He served advisor George Bush Sr., appealed engage bipartisanship. endorsed W. Jr.’s faith-based policy initiatives, extent York Times called “point church-state collaboration” (Niebuhr, 2001), Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) unconstitutional (Formicola & Segers, 2002). What more, influential far-right conspiracy theorist convicted felon Dinesh D'Souza used argue abolishing (limited) welfare programs exist States (D'Souza, strained relationship Jesse Jackson considers relic outdated activism based partisanship, affirmative action, civil rights. Phoenix, summarized objectives “cultivating new, younger leadership understands rhetoric merely protest. Sometimes protest those activities simply multifaceted strategy, end game programs, policies, results” 2006). explicitly depart rights movement MLK Jackson. castigates Louis Farrakhan's Nation Islam dead-end emancipation, claiming “Farrakhan exploits indifference poor” 1997, Interestingly, parents became Islam. likewise criticizes Lives Matter (BLM) mistaken ideological project. lauding collaboration people fighting police violence, simultaneously rejects BLM: “Although fundamental disagreements organization agenda, able exhibit level interracial we haven't seen churches since Martin Luther King” (Rivers 2020). specifically calls “agape love” kind love humankind unconditional, transcendental, decontextual. disagreement BLM concerns support LGBTQ what ideology underpinning favors self-help self-reliance vein thought, running importance industriousness antimaterialist frugality characteristic Protestantism. seems nonmoral vision There several ambiguities ambivalences mean cannot accepted face value. starting point concern poor—ending poverty, especially poverty haunting Americans. realism grounded reality existence racism, irreducible moral question alone. lecture, summarizes position “taking theology Pentecostalism applying form liberation emphasis serving concretely” 2020b). nationalism ‘racial capitalism.’ Rather, begins critique capitalism tout court: “Western civilization itself saturated, elementary gesture racism constructed, binary opposition: splitting dominated dominant” 17). say supremacy does play central him—it absolutely does: evidenced claim foundation inequality white supremacy,” “every other oppression domination mediated lens supremacy” subscribes embedded so centrally English language goes conscious expressions preconsciously reproduced very (the use modifiers, instance), akin B. Moore's David R. Burgest's (Burgest, 1973; Moore, 1976). pillar critical circles (Habermas, 1991; Rossi, 2015; Verovšek, 2018). responsibilities debates. Broadly speaking, whereas realists real emancipatory practices movements radical parties, idealists truth, understanding, normativity abstract terms. Realists, Raymond Geuss, scorn apolitical status quo-abetment (Finlayson, 2015a; 2008). Idealists, Jürgen Habermas, realization rational, could help 1991). Beyond such principled disagreement, Alice Baderin identifies strategic negotiating “democratic restraint” whereby adjust their better align attitudes (Baderin, 2015). Compatible attempts neat separation (Verovšek, 2021), formulation middle-ground negotiates outer positions. collectively emerges Chomsky, however. refers points work 1995). even accepts Gramsci's notion organic Warning dangers speculative philosophy, proposes agenda theorize vis-à-vis organizations. Speculative philosophy unreflexive take origin really-existing (Gramsci, 1971, 370). first conceptualizes subsection philosophers mostly are, undertaken range different thought-workers: teachers, journalists, advisers, party cadres some figures count conception. Thus, view, everyone function professional distinguishes traditional former formal training conventional philosopher, often removed abstracted conditions. Organic hand, characterized belonging directing ideas pp. 5–23). against: conception concerned outside immediate relevance: answering big, humanity art, science, metaphysics. contrast, subordinated knows feels plight 418). Even secures certain amount cultural capital, they remain committed (class) struggle (Celikates, account, linchpin Chomsky's writings (Chomsky, 2017). Chomsky specifies special normative duty him, “opportunity confers responsibility” elicits suspicion because furthered rather countered war case Vietnam War embraces writes pessimistic conceptions coalescing fairly 1940s postwar socialist Dwight Macdonald sardonically mocks wartime reporter Max Lerner ascription guilt incapacitated Germans. claims holding individuals “morally responsible deeds ‘historical entity’ gets born into” abandoned (cited move responsibility, qua unbounded agency, toward account sensitive attuned forces peculiar scope agency Macdonald's fail understand systematic characteristics prevent formation alternatives ought doing challenging power class-based comradely critique, abetting (Slothuus, 2021a). if traditional, organic, know subordinate neither feel nor it. concurs view. elaborated unique ability seeing distortions mystifications, “unique privileges” gives them “speak truth expose lies,” “see events Along Gramscian intrinsic quality gifted section society, emergent thanks particular individuals’ perceived failure criticize challenge quo. largely perform quo-abetting justifying existing forms exploitation. contrast Walzer criticism interpretation, necessarily (Walzer, 1993). function, works bidirectionally—only powerful enough standing meaningfully quo, pose significant threat quo rise become powerful. Arguably, however, influence suggest precisely opposite. affluent, principles erode consequently weakens. suggests much faith dichotomy short providing sufficient strategy effecting change. By negative effects Cold generally, focusses too narrowly reinforcing To sure, do this. nothing inherently progressive indeed generally defend order. One famous Jordan Peterson, good example devote radically transformative contextually blinded impotence antiwar efforts. example, emergence left 1960–1970s play. Herbert Marcuse Angela Davis were instrumental backbone wide Lenin, Mao, Kwame Nkrumah further examples. Likewise, Karabel demonstrates undermining foundations Communist rule Eastern Europe (Karabel, 1996). A similarity foreshadows responsibility. Despite contextualization forces, nevertheless consolidates individualist “only willing authority themselves conflicts intolerably personal code, right condemn death-camp paymaster” anchors moralistic individualistic framework. incapacitates depoliticizes conversation judgment person, virtuousness, possibility hypocrisy. leaves little identity think symbiosis soon evident, directly inspired Prior intervention, court surfaced number times. After talented tenth, tenth rising spiritual leaders Harold Cruse's 1967 Crisis Negro Intellectual discussions (Cruse, 1967). nutshell, emancipation requires amalgamation ordinary people, On 25th anniversary, text reconsidered edited volume foremost Jerry 2004). here mention any authors, timely otherwise provide. makes invited initial debate, did participate. Neither Patterson, urgency appeals topicality, scholars, possibly controversial unorthodox positions, now explicated. suspicious partisanship community sees prima facie benefit unconditionally supporting movements. “In absence program mobilization needs poor, functional, difference conservatives Alan Keyes Thomas Sowell progressives Henry Gates West?” 4). Both speak caring tangible draws equivalence them. predicated upon action empty talk. develops definite space nonetheless vanguardist—intellectuals aid accelerate conceive process legitimation, justification, enunciation, processes (organic) suited fulfilling. related rear-guard, developed instance dos Santos (de Santos, context meaningful way. defines “intellectuals knowledge strengthening struggles committed” 2018, 9). stepping away limelight risk condescension power-grabbing and, becoming passive spectator, legitimating Rather struggles, uses social, cultural, capital reactionary status-quo biased criticism. engaged thinking self-sufficient separable struggle” (Horkheimer, 2002, 216). really matters experiences large, marginalized minorities majorities unjustly imposed marginality inferiority” where purpose “strengthening resistance” 2014, conceivably rebuffed questioning dispensing full enlightenment concepts recalibrated above, keen dismiss claim: want Eurocentric [throw] dustbin history, thereby ignoring possibilities Western modernity,” wants locked place 44). Because self-reflexive horrors exploitation enslavement Americans, maintain healthy distance smuggle another oppressive norms guise emancipation. comprised roundtable MIT, alongside dozen subsequent commentaries BR. dress rehearsal took 1986 auspices DuBois Society's Graduate Colloquium, Cruse, Howard participated graduate students. roundtable, spurred call 30 November 1992 involved bell hooks, Gates, Glenn Loury, Margaret Burnham, moderator Anthony Appiah. second, held MIT 17, 1993, Regina Austin, Selwyn Cudjoe, Randall Burnham. Several written intervened debates, too, Genovese, Eric Foner, Cathy J. Cohen, Noel Ignatiev, Harvey Cox, Clyde N. Wilson, Askold Melnyzcuk, Robin D.G. Kelly, Tony Martin, Kilson. Many enriched participate, Adolph Reed, Jr. Patricia Hill Collins, latter's publication (Hill 2005, 2013). severely underrepresented issue (Guy-Sheftall, motivation rapidly deaths homicide Dorchester neighborhood. These trebled 1987 1990. Not victims men, increased proportion relative total number. M. Kennedy et al. note landmark US Department Justice report Reducing Gun Violence: Project's Operation Ceasefire, “crack cocaine trafficking almost surely sparked t