FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Friday, July 26, 2024
Cornel West for President
[email protected]

[Washington, D.C.] – In a recent Supreme Court decision that undermines the very fabric of social justice, the rights of the unhoused have been severely compromised, allowing for the criminalization of homelessness when no adequate shelter options are available. Dr. Cornel West, a lifelong advocate for economic justice and a presidential candidate, strongly condemns this ruling as a grave injustice that highlights the need for systemic change in how we view and treat poverty and homelessness in America.

The ruling, City of Grants Pass v. Johnson, effectively strips away the minimal safeguards that protected individuals from being punished for sleeping outdoors when no emergency shelter options were available. This decision not only contradicts basic human decency but also reveals a deep flaw in our commitment to economic justice.

"Our campaign is rooted in the belief that economic justice is the cornerstone of a moral society. This decision by the Supreme Court is a clear indication that our work is far from over," Dr. West stated. "It is not enough to offer temporary shelters or short-term solutions. We need a transformative approach that ensures permanent and secure housing for all."

In light of this ruling, Dr. West’s economic justice platform calls for a comprehensive national housing strategy that includes:

• Expansion of Affordable Housing: Massively increase the availability of affordable, safe, and dignified housing to ensure that no American is left without a home.
• Healthcare and Mental Health Services: Provide accessible health services, including mental health and substance abuse treatments, to address the underlying issues contributing to homelessness.
• Economic Reforms: Implement policy changes that redistribute wealth, improve access to quality education, and ensure that all Americans have the economic means to live with dignity.

"Our vision of economic justice is one where every individual’s divine worth is recognized and honored. This includes our brothers and sisters who are homeless," said Melina Abdullah, Dr. West's running mate. "To abolish homelessness, we must do more than remove people from the streets; we must provide a sanctuary that they can call home, equipped with the support and services needed to heal and thrive."

The Vermont Green Mountain Peace and Justice Party, which has nominated Dr. West in Vermont, expressed strong support for this platform. "The recent 6-3 conservative decision in Grants Pass v. Johnson is an infuriating example of the anti-democratic trend from the highest court," a representative stated. "Homelessness is not a choice; it's a byproduct of an economic system designed to create winners and losers. This decision perpetuates a long-standing American tradition of exploiting the vulnerable, tracing back to the Black Codes and the era of Jim Crow. Providing housing, not punishment, is the ethical, moral, and practical solution."

Adding to the urgency, the recent directive from Governor Gavin Newsom in California, following the Supreme Court decision, to remove homeless encampments marks a significant and troubling step by a state leadership. This order, as the nation's most sweeping response to the Supreme Court's ruling, demonstrates the vital need for federal guidelines that protect, rather than punish, our unhoused citizens.

We strongly encourage all Americans to review the 100-day plan at www.CornelWest2024.com/100_days, which makes economic justice a top priority. Call your local representative and voice your dissent against the City of Grants Pass v. Johnson decision, and donate to our movement at www.CornelWest2024.com/donate so that we can continue to fight for the poor and working class. "I will not move into the White House until everyone in this country has a place to live," Dr. West emphasized, highlighting the urgency of the housing crisis as a national priority.

To date, the West/Abdullah campaign has secured ballot access in Florida, Mississippi, Nebraska, Pennsylvania, Georgia, Michigan, Colorado, South Carolina, Utah, Oregon, Alaska, and Vermont, pending finalization of certification in certain states.

About Dr. Cornel West

Dr. West, affectionately known to many as Brother West, is the Dietrich Bonhoeffer Professor of Philosophy and Christian Practice at Union Theological Seminary.

Dr. West is the former University Professor at Harvard University, Professor Emeritus at Princeton University and the first Black person to receive a Ph.D. In Philosophy from Princeton University. He has written 20 books and he is best known for his classics, Race Matters and Democracy Matters, and for his memoir, Brother West: Living and Loving Out Loud. He will deliver the historic Gifford lectures at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland in Spring 2024.

Dr. West enters the 2024 Presidential contest at a time in which he describes a national crisis of moral bankruptcy and spiritual obscenity driven by a derelict duopoly of both major parties that equally places profits over people and the planet. West asserts that running as an Independent candidate affords him the opportunity and duty to deliver policy prescriptions incorporated by and for the people, instead of political parties beholden to corporations and special interest groups who feel no solidarity with poor and working-class people of all races, gender identities, and age groups.

The West/Abdullah campaign to empower poor and working people everywhere stands at a pivotal moment in history, committed to being a true campaign for people around the globe. Our aim is and will always be to unite in solidarity with movements of truth and justice, who seek a choice beyond empire, white supremacy, capitalism, patriarchy, and the confines of the corporate-dominated two-party system.

About Dr. Melina Abdullah

Melina Abdullah is Professor of Pan-African Studies at Cal State LA’s College of Ethnic Studies, Co-Founder of Black Lives Matter - Los Ángeles and Black Lives Matter Grassroots, where she is also Director. She is a leader in the California Faculty Association (the faculty union), both locally and statewide, and mama of three. Dr. Abdullah earned her Ph.D. from University of Southern California in Political Science and her B.A. from Howard University in African American Studies. Abdullah has authored numerous articles and book chapters. Known by the moniker, Doc Melly Mel, she is creator, host, and producer of the radio programs Move the Crowd on KPFK 90.7 FM and This Is Not a Drill! on KBLA Talk 1580, and is a recognized expert on race, gender, class, and social movements. In April 2024, Abdullah was announced as vice-presidential pick for Dr. Cornel West in his run for president of the United States on a platform of “Truth, Justice, and Love.” She is the first Muslim to run for the vice-presidency.

Learn more about Cornel West at CornelWest2024.com. 

Learn more about Dr. West’s Policy Pillars at CornelWest2024.com/Platform.

For more details and press inquiries, please contact [email protected].