As the curtain rose and the lights dimmed, music played as an audience waited in anticipation to hear Dr. Cornel West speak of heritage, hope and rediscovery.

On Tuesday, March 5 at 7 p.m., the Black Cultural Programming Committee in accordance with UT Philosophy Department and Hodges Better English Fund of the English Department presented nationally recognized West and Black Men Who Mean Business at Cox Auditorium.  The event was free and open to the public.

West, author of "Race Matters" and professor of religion and African-American studies at Princeton University, was welcomed onto the stage with a standing ovation.

The main topic of West's lecture was about finding and lifting a personal voice. West first discussed the problem of "too much bodily stimulation and not enough spiritual stimulation," found in some songs today.  According to West, the main issue is the message straying away from where music began - humanity.

"One of the ways we're always reminded of humanity is in the music," West said. Following the statement, West continued to explain how crucial it is to live life to the fullest.

"If you get deep enough into the music, into the funk of the earth," West said, "it comes down to the question of who you are between the push your momma gave you and the worms waiting for you in the ground."

West said love in the world today is in short supply, and people today are being "targeted, bombarded with g-string bling-bling as opposed to (being) a human being."

The point was raised by West that "who raises you makes you," and he continued to discuss the nature of truth.

"The condition of truth lets suffering speak," West said. He explained how the suffering of slaves made way for spirituals, which are songs the slaves sang while working in the fields, to begin. "It's not just what they're singing about," West said, "it's how they sing."It's not just what they're singing about...it's how they sing. Cornel West, author and professor of religion and African American studies

Learning how to fly is part of becoming free, according to West.  "It's about getting distant from pain and what's going on," he said.

West then contrasted eagles and peacocks when they fly.  "Peacocks strut because they can't fly," he said.  West warned against becoming boastful and pursuing a materialistic kind of success rather than a spiritual success.

Knowing the difference between hope and optimism is important as well, West said.  According to West, hope is "unconditional love" and "unsuffocatable," whereas optimism is "dreaming to be a homeowner."

Following West's lecture was a question and answer session with Isaiah Reese asking the questions and Cornel West, Clifton West, Cornel West's brother, and Mike Daily answering.  All three worked on the CD project titled, "Never Forget:  A Journey of Revelations."

"When I heard (Cornel West) speak, I heard the music.  Basically, what he's doing is he's rapping from the pockets, old-school rap," said Daily when asked about Cornel West's involvement with the project.

Reese asked about the song "Mr. President," which addresses the government's slack on Hurricane Katrina relief, health insurance and the war in Iraq.

"We have to have politicians that will lie on war and justify terror," said Cornel West.  "I'm also thinking of the Iraqi babies.  They have the same view in God's eyes as our babies," added Cornel West.

On matters of terrorism and the Iraq War, Clifton West believes those dealing with terrorism on a first-time basis should listen to the "veterans of terrorism."

"When in the face of terrorism, do we hear the voices of Martin Luther King, Jr. and Emmett Till's mother, or do we say no one's messing with us?  We're big and bad.  Let's allow love to deal with terrorism," Clifton West said.

A reception and CD signing was held in the UC Auditorium following the presentation.