Thousands of UC Berkeley students, faculty, occupy protesters and residents from around the Bay Area lined up Friday night to view a dialogue between Carl Dix, a founding member of the Revolutionary Communist Party, USA, and Cornel West, a politically progressive professor from Princeton University.
The dialogue — which was titled “In the Age of Obama…Police Terror, Incarceration, No Jobs, Mis-education: What Future for Our Youth?” — featured the speakers addressing topics and answering questions related to social and economic change in front of an audience that filled Pauley Ballroom to capacity.
“The issues that the occupiers are talking about are the same we’ve been talking about for 30 years,” West said to The Daily Californian before the event. “This is a magnificent awakening … and we’re proud to be a part of it.”
West and Dix agreed that students play a crucial role in any social movement, if they recognize injustice and make up their minds to fight back.
During the dialogue, Dix spoke at length about the need for Communist revolution in America.
“This is an especially good time to be in Berkeley,” Dix said. “I saw the video of the folks on Sproul and got a real sense of inspiration for the sentiment people had … to stand up to injustice.”
West said that while he considers himself a “revolutionary Christian,” he disagrees with many of Dix’s political ideas. The two were arrested together in New York in October with other demonstrators protesting the New York City Police Department’s “Stop-and-Frisk” policy, which demonstrators say targets African American and Latino youth.
In a speech peppered with humor and jazz references, West emphasized the need to look past prejudice and politics to implement real change for the poor. He addressed issues ranging from the lack of accountability from Wall Street executives — who he charged with causing the economic recession — to the “warped” political priorities of the federal government.
“Young people are tired of lies … and weapons of mass distraction,” he said. “They’ve been taught to be well-adjusted to injustice.”
The line extending from the Martin Luther King Jr. Student Union building where the event was held reportedly stretched to Memorial Glade prior to the event. Overflow rooms were set up in Dwinelle Hall to accommodate those who could not fit into the ballroom.
Both overflow rooms were filled, making the estimated number of attendees close to 2,000, according to UC Berkeley junior Justin Richmond, one of the coordinators of the event.
“Unfortunately, we had to turn people away,” Richmond said. “It was great that so many turned out, I just wish we could have known how many would come. We could have gotten a larger venue if we had known.”
Ericka Huggins — a former leader in the Black Panther Party — and author Alice Walker were also in the audience Friday night.
UC Berkeley sophomore Ashley Cooke said she was inspired after hearing the speakers from opposing political backgrounds put their views aside to fight for what they see as a greater cause.
Richmond said Dix and West visited the encampment on Sproul briefly after the event and talked to Occupy Cal protesters there.
“This event came at the right time,” Cooke said. “With the Occupy movement on the rise and it being visible even on our own campus, Cornel West and Carl Dix seemed to fuel the spark of passion for the movement.”
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JK, it does, but not enough!
This doesn’t even mention the fact that BOTH speakers came out and spoke to Occupy Cal….
Marketing! Look behind the curtain Dorothy!
Sorry to inform all you Cal activists, but this was an act. They performed the same show at UCLA in April. You are so behind the times
It’s interesting that none of the people posting the harshly critical comments here have anything to say about what West and Dix were actually talking about, but rather take general jabs at the USSR and call the speakers overpaid. In terms of solutions, the speakers do not profess to agree on an answer. What they agree on is a set of problems that are being caused by our current system. It is incredible to me that people commenting here are debating about the fall of the Berlin Wall, but seemingly have nothing to say about the actual topics discussed at this event of mass incarceration and divestment from education. Apparently they take it as an inevitability that our political and economic system must produce such injustice. In terms of the speaker fees, each speaker charges $10,000 plus travel expenses (not the $30,000 for West alone that someone here claimed). This is not an insignificant sum of money, but let’s put this in perspective: both of these speakers spend a tremendous amount of their time as activists, marching, speaking at protests, and getting arrested in acts of civil disobedience for which they obviously do not get paid. Additionally, many of their speaking engagements on this tour are at community colleges, city colleges, and historically black colleges with little or no money to pay them. The $10,000 speaking fee, already significantly lower than many high profile speakers, is really going to subsidize their activism for the cause.
Thank you for telling us the amount they were paid. If you read my posts carefully I never said West was paid $30,000. I said that is what I could find on the internet that he charges to speak. I was encouraging someone to disclose that information. If you feel $10,000 is appropriate compensation, then that is your business. I personally do not feel it is. I find it hypocritical. As far as the posts debating actual communist countries and their failure – why wouldn’t that be appropriate when your paper states Dix calling for communist revolution in America?
Subsidize their activism for the cause? Have you ever heard of marketing? Showing up at Occupy events and getting arrested is nothing more than self promotion. They have speaking engagements to sell for $10,000! To think that this money is somehow going to enable them to speak at poor colleges is ridiculous! Does Berkeley get to write this off as a charitable donation? They have websites that promoting them as activists/ speakers/ authors. I can’t find any charitable organization they are affiliated with. Maybe you have that information also. Right now how do you know that $10,000 didn’t just go to another finely tailored shirt and cuff link. Also, isn’t the whole point of Occupy Cal to protest budget cuts? When is Cal in the position to “subsidize” poor community colleges?
Marketing for what? Dr. West doesn’t have a new book out. And he certainly needs no help selling his old books given the turn out of between 4,000 and 5,000 people to this single event. Also if you do not believe the man is dedicated to his work than you have not been to a single one of his events where he speaks and then answers damn near every question the audience has, only to hang out for another 2 hours signing books and answering more questions with audience members one-on-one. I do not believe the man flew out here from the east coast 2 hours before the event and stayed until 12:15am just for marketing. I believe he has a deep love for the people that he inspires. You may say that $10,000 is too much. However, most high profile speakers charge this much or more. This is one of America’s finest universities and we deserve to have the finest and most high profile speakers, regardless of political affiliation. That’s what we are here to do as students–actively engage our work and also, most importantly, the world around us that often times is not inline with our views.
He is a high profile speaker and yes Cal does deserve top speakers. My problem with the $10,000 fee for each man is that it is not inline with their message. If he truly believed what he is saying he would have charged just for travel expenses. He already has an income from Princeton and books. So why not question the fee? Is this his time to cash in? I bet he is working on a new book right now, maybe even a documentary to sell. Did you notice a film crew in his entourage? Where is you skepticism? Don’t you sense any hypocrisy in all of this? Carl Dix accepting $10,000 while proclaiming the proletariat of Cal unite!
Lol, reminds me of those guys at Sprowl trying to sell their book on communist revolution.
We can wish that Dr. West would come west more often…like permanently as a faculty-member here. If you know much about Princeton, he must feel like a duck out of water there. Here? He’s home.
This was an incredible event!!! Thousands of people turned out to hear a much-needed discussion between two voices of conscience on the most critical issues facing this generation. Props to all the students from all over the Bay Area who came out… got these right wingers a little upset (judging from some of the other comments)!
Who provided the $25,000? Was it from all those calls we parents receive? Did a wealthy communist pay for it? Did you donate any money to this Viva la revolution?
If you think that communism is such a great idea, why don’t you move to some place like Cuba, North Korea, or Zimbabwe, and see how well it has worked there? I’m sure you won’t have much problem finding someone there who is willing to trade places with you…
you bash communism without understanding why it ‘failed’. it wasn’t because communism is inherently wrong, but because governments who wanted to maintain capitalism as a dominant global force choked the life out of communist nations through economic, political, and social tactics of intimidation most of which were illegal. Its funny that you all believe that capitalism works for us all when most of the world outside the U.S. is struggling even worse in free-market and capitalist based economies than they did under communist rule. the reason why we are in a so called first world is because we suppress other nations to remain in the third world.
I have a lot of family in the former East Germany. They are all doing much better since the wall came down. Not only economically but living in a free society. If you believe government deciding what you can study, what books are allowed, where you can travel, who you can meet with, what art or music you can create, what speakers you can see, and you are happy to have your hard work compensated the same as your neighbors’ sloth, then maybe communism is for you. I was pointing out that I think Carl Dix and Cornel West should disclose how much money they made off of this event. If we were in a communist society, first of all there would not be an event like this and secondly they would only speak at it if the government arranged it. They would not be free to advertise and solicit themselves as speakers for a fee.
[If you believe government deciding what you can study, what books are allowed, where you can travel, who you can meet with, what art or music you can create, what speakers you can see, and you are happy to have your hard work compensated the same as your neighbors' sloth, then maybe communism is for you.]
Unfortunately, that’s the ideal society for leftists. They have no problem with a totalitarian society telling other people what to do, provided they are the ones who get to be the totalitarians…
Yes! I am challenging the people who organized and profited from this event to follow their ideals. Why not barter services to have him speak. Write some poems for trade. Paint something that you can exchange for payment. Don’t just talk about it live it. Do what Scott Nearing did.
That is just not what I believe at all.
You have wisdon way beyond your years. They would probably never accepet you in Berkeley. The only way they would be happy is if Che Guevara were mayor, and everyone wore green army fatigues as the Cuban revolutionaries did. On a positive note, at least they wouldn’t have to stand in the hot Caribbean sun in line for food. But I’m sure that in exchange for losing their personal freedom and going to bed hungry at night, they won’t complain.
Look at the tailored shirt cuff adorned with an equally bourgeois cuff link Dr. West is wearing as he points to his audience who are probably all wearing Che Guevara t-shirts recently purchased from Urban Outfitters.
Typical left-wing nonsense. It all failed because of evil capitalists conspiring to undermine communism. How far removed from reality can you get?
hope i don’t sound like i’m picking on you, Stan, but what you’ve said is not a rebuttal. what is your counterpoint, exactly?
You’re clearly not with the program.
Yeah, sure, whatever. As if YOU could somehow make communism work, if only YOU were in charge, right?
you people are all fools
So when are you moving to Cuba?
hopefully soon, before all the other dopey americans catch on & start going back there!
This was just a capitalist venture for Cornel West and Carl Dix. They both have websites advertising that they are available to speak for a fee to any organization. According to http://www.internationalspeakers.comspeaker/165, Cornel West charges between $30,001 and $50,000 for a speaking engagement. This paper reported the whole event cost $25,000, so I guess he gave Berkeley a discount. Wouldn’t it be interesting to know just how much he charged for his appearance? Maybe some investigative student journalism could provide us with this information. Friday’s event was merely an opportunity for him profit off of Cal and promote his “brand” and sell his books. He is a salesman and he is cashing in. I’d bet 2011 is turning out to be a good year financially for Cornel. He might be in the 1% if he doesn’t watch out! Also, I would be surprised if Carl Dix entertained Berkeley with his ideas without charging a fee. I think it is shameful if university donations, taxpayers dollars or tuition revenues were used to pay for this event. If Berkeley students are interested in social change and communism why doesn’t Berkeley provide a forum for real people who actually lived under communist rule? Why pay these two men to speak? I acknowledge the adversity Cornel West has had to endure being a Harvard graduate and a Princeton professor. I don’t want to diminish the hardships that he has had to endure and the oppression he has had to overcome carrying this heavy burden. Carl Dix is an expert on communism and he charges fees to speak about it, yet he has never lived in a communist country. This seems like a total waste of $25,000! My mother escaped the DDR. As a 19 year old university student, she risked her life to get away from communism. With nothing but the clothes on her back, she made a daring and risky escape all alone. Many Americans have personal stories of escaping communist oppression and I think many of them would be happy to tell their stories to your naive students for free.
“Tell their stories for free!” Are you kidding? Most of the Communists, Socialists, Faculty/Staff and news media are still mad at Ronald Reagan for bringing down the Berlin Wall. They wouldn’t let them speak if they paid THEM!
How true.
Dr. West does not charge $25,000, much less upwards of $30,000. Also, given that he is on the road most of the year I do not see how he could be living lavishly even if he were to be profiting so immensely from these speaking engagements.
Really? Why don’t you find what he charged? All I could find is a website advertising speaking engagements for $30,001-$50,000. So how much did he charge Berkeley? Did he donate his services? Why don’t you even question this? I read in this paper that the event for a communist organizer and a social reformer representing the down trodden cost $25,000 and I question it. Cornel’s old Harvard salary was reported as $300,000. I don’t know if this is true, but I think it should be questioned. What’s his salary at Princeton? Where did he stay when he was at Berkeley? I am just challenging you to know who you are blindly following and paying.
Cornel West is a racist carpetbagger.
My name is Maria, I am an Afro-Cuban American born and raised in the US. I have had the privilege to see what cummunism is first hand. I first went to Cuba to visit my family when I was 9 year old, then again when I was 15 years old and so forth. I don’t think that white american students as intellectual as they say they are. Really have an indepth understanding of what cummunism is. Here are some of the things I saw while in Cuba, Large amount of people standing in line waiting to recieve a bag of rice, and small portion of meat and a little oil . From the Cuban goverment that must last a whole month for a family of 5 people. I saw my family members having to pick worms and rocks from the rice before cooking and eating it. In Cuba you have to boil the water before you can drink it. If you run out of the goverment food and don’t have american dollers you starve. So I find it funny when I see well educated white men trying to implement such policy here in the US. Carl Dix if you want to exchange places with one of my beloved aunts that would be fine. On a personal note I am a libreal and grew up in Berkeley , CA. I just feel that sometimes we want to get rid of one extreme for another. I like the middle way that seems to be philosophy that can be applied to most things in life. With a high success rate.
Wonderful comment . Have know for a long time about the massive hunger problem in Fidel Castro’s “Communist Paradise.” As in Communist East Germany, the Castro regime is kept in power by a massive secret police force. The news media, of course, conveniently ignores the story.
Of course they ignore the story, because in the mindset of the Left, stated intentions are more important than actual results.
See Obama’s record as an example.
Maria, you mention “white men” yet this reveals your lack of attention to detail. The two speakers are African-American, and your story of visits to Cuba reveals your naivete and privilege. There are actually many places throughout the U.S. for example where you have to boil water to make it drinkable, including areas of San Diego where I live… And you are right, you do sound like a liberal… and both liberals and conservative alike share a problematic and myopic global analysis of society. Stan de San Diego and others dismiss Rahrahrah’s point about capitalist interests strangling the life out of communist revolutions, but if you do your homework you would know that this is plain and simple facts. The same is the case with Cuba. This is a failing not of communism, but of the theory that suggests that countries exist in isolation from one another and that if you take over a country you can change the policies and all will be better. The Cuban revolution has ‘relatively’ failed to the extent that it bought into such idea of the autonomy of nation-states, and failed to recognize the global nature of capitalist relations of domination that have in fact placed a stranglehold on communist countries. The same can be said of other current and former socialist countries. In other words, Cuba is as it is because of the 40+ years of U.S. economic embargo and military/intelligence attempts to undermine it. What change can any country undertake when more than 50% of its budget HAS TO go to military and intelligence to keep the U.S. at bay and ensure its very existence? What you saw in Cuba is the result of the embargo, not a failing of communism itself.
Your argument fails. Examples USSR, Warsaw Pact nations etc. Communism doesn’t work. China will soon transform.
[ Stan de San Diego and others dismiss Rahrahrah's point about capitalist interests strangling the life out of communist revolutions, but if you do your homework you would know that this is plain and simple facts.]
Communism has FAILED – not only in Cuba, but in North Korea, Zimbabwe, Eastern Europe and China as well – because the human and economic theories it is built on are fundamentally flawed. Lefties can’t accept this because their inherent narcissism permits them to think that they have special powers and insight over human nature. Leftists believe that THEY could somehow make communism work, if only they were put in charge…
My name is David. I am a liberal, and my suggestion to you is that if you would like me to take your argument seriously, refrain from using terms like “lefties” and the like–as they not only insult the people whom you are trying to convince but also make you look quite inconsiderate, only helping to play into the “conservatives are selfish and inconsiderate” myth among other liberals (excluding myself). Quite plainly, I have closely examined both Capatalism and Communism, and the reality is that neither works by itself. That being said, it is frustrating how the right side has convinced people in this Country that Socialism=Communism, as it is just plain not true. Socialism is government control of major industries (like energy, utilities, etc), Communism is government control of ALL industries. In socialism, there is plenty of room for a free market. On the other hand, in pure capatalism what has been seen to constantly occur and what is occuring now is that corporations do not tend to act in the interest of those whom they are selling their products to, hence the need for a government essentially saying “consider the people who you are aiming to sell your product to.” The idea that I believe we need others to be considerate of their surroundings makes me a “freedom hating liberal” (a term I hear far too often) only makes me fear for this Country further. No, I don’t believe we should be communist, and I don’t believe Obama (who is constantly protrayed as a “communist”) wants this either. I only aim to have a society where EVERYONE is given an equal chance in life. If they mess it up: that is there own problem. But I do feel that the government has to be involved to help create the right to the pursuit of happiness that our founders dreamed of.
[ Cuba is as it is because of the 40+ years of U.S. economic embargo and military/intelligence attempts to undermine it. What change can any country undertake when more than 50% of its budget HAS TO go to military and intelligence to keep the U.S. at bay and ensure its very existence? What you saw in Cuba is the result of the embargo, not a failing of communism itself. ]
The embargo only applies for trade between Cuba and the United States. Cuba is free to trade with Canada, Mexico, the EU, Russia, and China. Canadian and European tourists are free to travel there. Cuban rum and cigars can be found just over the border in Tijuana and Mexicali. Cubans are not restricted from buying food, fuel, or finished goods from most of the world. Cuba’s problem is that it doesn’t have hard cash, thanks to an economic system that punishes success and drove off most of the people with any semblance of education or marketable job skills. It’s the same old story over and over, but you leftists, SOOOO indoctrinated in your wacky belief system and desperate to find some piece of success floating and bobbing in a sea of failure, refuse to deal with reality…
Cuba would win the global awesome farming contest. necessity: mother of innovation
Well said Maria y gracias…I brought a lot of Cuban people over during the Mariel boat lift in May 1980..It was a very touching scene and story of those whom I spoke with during the trip back to the states…When I think back at how some of those people suffered and how this country is slowly moving in that same direction I feel for my grandchildren and the next generation..Thanks again Maria y que Dios la bendiga..
Berkeley is the only place that a guy like Dix would even manage to find an audience. Communism has been shown to fail pretty much everywhere – and this, decades ago – but Berkeley still holds onto it with all its might. And hence, the empty storefronts, broken streets, and wandering homeless. Can you imagine how beautiful Berkeley could be, with its intellectual vitality and natural environs, if its leadership were even halfway moderate?
That an event featuring these two pretty extreme left wing characters generates this type of audience is, well, shocking.
The American Left suffers from Narcissistic Personality Disorder. These people think that THEY could be the ones who finally make communism work, provided they are put in charge and can force it down everyone else’s throats.
Again, very few people in this country are communist–which is what you are suggesting. Even the “American left.”
Event organizers planned for an audience of 1,000, which seemed a generous estimate. Overflow seating accommodated an additional 800. By the time the doors opened, the line contained from 4,000 to 5,000 people who stood for over an hour the hope of hearing Dr. West. Even for those of us who didn’t get in, the overwhelming turnout was heartening. Meanwhile the music event at the Glade drew about 100 people. Who says students aren’t paying attention?
West is full of himself, and Dix is a communist. If young people are really looking to these ass-clowns for solutions, this country is really screwed.
Just a hint. Leave the profanity out of your post and people are much more likely to seriously consider your opinion.
Here’s a better hint. Don’t endorse or promote people who are admitted communists, and see if people who work for a living and have a clue take you seriously.
Of course, if a conservative speaker showed up, some group would go out of the way to disrupt the event…
conservatives tend to target groups of people… the “leftist” speakers tend to target “injustices, corruption, greed, inequality, racism, ableism, homophobia, sexism, etc, ” why would people protest that?
-Another SD resident
Leftists target groups of people all the time, regardless of the excuses or justifications they use.
example?
How about that 1% who have become the scapegoats for all the ills of the world in the minds of the Left?
i think the 1% are a perfectly fair target, hardly a vulnerable population. doesn’t scapegoating generally involve targeting some random group of people who haven’t done anything wrong?
Have the 1% done anything wrong? Break the law? Tried and convicted?
Thanks for illustrating that wonderful example of the type of cognitive dissonance practiced by the Left.
That’s because Libs are so open minded..LOL
You are correct. They may call anyone who dares to disagree with their political viewpoint anything they want. The self-serving liberal hypocrites can’t even tolerate a bakesale.
Maybe the Bake Sale people should have pitched tents then challenged the cops to a physical confrontation. That seems to be the definition of “free speech” on the Left…
ANYONE can call ANYONE ANYTHING. p.s. i’m pretty liberal, and i love bakesales! what are you selling?
You’re late to the party, junior.
brilliant point, Stan! your sassy rhetoric drives me wild! keep it light, keep it snide, keep it perfunctory. yum-yum…
yes, you’re right, Stan. and if these two speakers went to a University in NC, for example, they’d also be protested (it happened to the author of “Fast Food Nation at UT-Austin). i guess i just don’t see your point…or was that the end of it?
There’s a difference between “protest” and “disruption” – and most lefties can’t tell the difference. They also have painfully different standards about what constitutes free speech as well. Many of the excuse-makers who think that free speech for the Occupy Cal people comes the right to trespass and obstruct law enforcement individuals carrying out their lawful duties, were not too long ago calling for punitive sanctions against the BCR Bake Sale people because they were “offended”. Hypocrisy runs rampant at Cal and other places where liberals have obfuscated basic principles and distorted the truth to push their wacky agenda.
Stan,
The Libtards know exactly what they are doing. They believe in free speech as long as it is congruent with their belief system. Other views must be shut down by what ever means. See Alinsky.
i agree that there is a difference between a protest and a disruption: protests don’t accomplish much outside of making the participants feel alleviated of some grief and putting them in the company of people like them; disruptions, on the other hand and regardless of how you or i feel about the particulars of any given one, have the potential to change things. if protests are not disruptive, they’re pretty futile.
i don’t know anything about this bake sale, i’ll have to look into it. was the BCR sanctioned for its sale as a result of protestors?
Online instruction and testing done by High Speed Universities can be as good or better than classroom, if done well. One of the things I do is create learning management sites using the Moodle content management system, and design and author courses for them.