FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Tuesday, January 9, 2024
Cornel West for President
[email protected]

[Birmingham, AL] – Independent candidate for President of the United States, Dr. Cornel West, will be honoring the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. with his participation in several significant events in Birmingham, Alabama, on January 15, 2024, MLK Day in what would have been his 95th birthday. These engagements reflect Dr. West's dedication to continuing the vital conversation on civil rights and social justice.

The day's observance will commence with Dr. West attending the 38th annual MLK Day Breakfast at Birmingham Southern College. This gathering, a pivotal part of the day’s celebrations, will see Dr. West engaged with local community leaders and residents, and local lawmakers, sharing his insights in the spirit of Dr. King’s legacy.

Following the breakfast, Dr. West will participate in a tour of the 16th Street Baptist Church with Reverend Price, leading to a press conference with Dr. West outside of the church. This event is set to focus on the themes of activism and scholarship, resonating with the church’s historic significance in the civil rights movement.

The series of events will culminate with Dr. West’s keynote address at the People Over Party rally at Kelly Ingram Park across from the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute. This rally, occurring at 3PM CT, will include various community members and leaders, will highlight the continued importance of Dr. King’s teachings in advocating for truth, justice and love in our society, while confronting the triple evils of poverty, racism, and militarism as characterized by King.

"In every state in America there is a 'spot' where someone has been needlessly killed, a family is homeless because they can’t earn a living wage, or an elderly citizen looks out their window too afraid to leave their home. These are the results of decades of political failure and corruption by both Democratic and Republican parties," explained Kenyan Carter, Organizer with People Over Party. They continued,  "Our goal is to educate citizens in every state in America and through education create the change needed to empower a new generations of leaders. Holding a rally in Birmingham on MLK Day is a way to both honor Dr. King’s memory and carry out his dream."

Dr. West, renowned for decrying what he refers to as the deodorizing and sanitizing of King, will use these engagements, to honor Dr. King's tremendous and radical legacy that continues to inspire ongoing dialogue and action for civil rights and social justice.

Dr. West noted, “I can’t think of a better place to commemorate MLK Day. Birmingham, like Brother Martin, is a staple of the 1960s Civil Rights Movement.” He continued, “As we celebrate the work of Brother Martin and his dear wife Coretta, who made this day possible, there are myriad reminders that the work continues. From the murder of Steven Perkins by Decatur Police forces, to the intransigency of the Three Main Evils - poverty, racism, and war - we know the best way to honor Martin and Coretta is to continue the struggle through collective resistance and collective acts of selfless service that put and keep us on a path to truth, justice and love.“

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Tuesday, December 19, 2023
Cornel West for President
[email protected]

Independent candidate for President of the United States, Dr. Cornel West today called on the International Criminal Court to launch an immediate investigation into likely war crimes committed by Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu and the Israel Defense Force (IDF). 

As more details and evidence emerge, Brother West believes the global community must intervene and administer comeuppance for clear violations of Articles 6 (Genocide), 7 (Crimes Against Humanity), and 8 (War Crimes) of the Rome Statutes of the International Criminal Court as part of a larger set of immediate actions to protect Palestinian civilians including, but not limited to, an immediate and enforced ceasefire.  

Dr. West commented, “I have seen enough, the global community has seen enough, and people of conscience have seen enough evidence of intentional barbaric and genocidal crimes committed by the Israel Defense Force at the behest of Prime Minister Netanyahu against the Palestinian people.” He added, “In addition to the nearly 20,000 murders of civilians, almost half of them children, the IDF’s indiscriminate killings now include three precious Israeli hostages who were clearly waving a white flag of surrender before they were taken out. As more truth is elucidated from this fog of war, it’s clear there must be swift and righteous justice. The ICC must intervene and demonstrate that no one is above the laws of the global community or basic humanity - Netanyahu and members of the IDF have to answer for the likely war crimes they are committing.” 

West’s comments come after video evidence has emerged along with accounts of numerous people in Gaza who witnessed IDF soldiers intentionally shooting and killing Palestinian women and children taking refuge in a school and IDF soldiers burning food and humanitarian supplies meant for Gazans trapped in the southern part of the strip, in addition to reports by the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem that two Christian women were targeted and killed at Gaza’s Catholic Holy Family Parish in “cold blood” by an IDF sniper and the apparent use of white phosphorus, supplied by the United States, against Lebanese civilians and Hezbollah fighters.   

In addition to supplying the IDF with white phosphorus, Dr. West cited other examples of fact that the U.S. is a direct sponsor of, and complicit with myriad iniquitous activities and tactics used against Palestinian people by Israel. For instance, last week the Biden Administration vetoed a UN Security Council resolution calling for a ceasefire, and more recently Senate Democrats led by Majority Leader, Chuck Schumer, have delayed their holiday recess, in part, to secure $14.3 Billion of aid to Israel. 

“Instead of rushing to send more money to fuel the IDF’s genocidal war machine, the Senate should be rushing to prevent the loss of more innocent Palestinian and Israeli lives,” West remarked. “ Moreover, until the ICC completes their investigation the U.S. must cease all military aid to the State of Israel - I believe that most U.S. taxpayers don’t want to be associated with funding war crimes, spiritual obscenity, and moral bankruptcy.”

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

Rome Statutes of the ICC: https://www.icc-cpi.int/sites/default/files/RS-Eng.pdf 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yspylXsoDf8 - Gaza school killings report from Al Jazeera 

https://www.cnn.com/2023/12/15/middleeast/israeli-soldiers-burningfood-gaza-intl/index.html#:~:text=A%20video%20posted%20online%20shows%20Israeli%20soldiers%20burning%20food%20in%20Gaza.&text=The%20Israeli%20soldier%20looks%20directly,of%20food%20supplies%20on%20fire - Reports of IDF soldiers burning food in Gaza 

https://www.nytimes.com/live/2023/12/16/world/israel-hamas-war-gaza-news/the-deaths-highlight-the-dire-risks-faced-by-the-remaining-hostages?smid=url-share  - Killing of three Israeli Hostages by IDF 

https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/256301/two-women-reportedly-killed-amid-israeli-attack-at-holy-family-parish-in-gaza - Latin Partriarchate reports of two women killed by IDF snipers

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Thursday, December 14th, 2023
Cornel West for President
[email protected] 

Independent candidate for president, Dr. Cornel West, backed by Alaska’s Aurora Party (AuroraAK.org) has obtained ballot access in Alaska for the 2024 US Presidential Election making him the first Independent candidate in the state to achieve the feat. 

“We're fighting for a society where public welfare is prioritized over private profit, where our environment is protected, where poverty is abolished, and where every vote counts by implementing rank choice voting. As part of the Aurora Party nomination and party line ballot access, it's a profound honor to be the first independent candidate on Alaska's ballot for 2024. Immense gratitude to my Alaskan family for championing this cause. Alaska, you're not just on the map, you're leading the march for justice and truth.” - Dr. Cornel West

As part of the Aurora Party nomination and party line ballot access achievement, Brother West will introduce a significant plan to raise the Alaska Permanent Dividend to $10,000 per resident, as part of a larger plan to eliminate poverty within the state.

"We’re honored to be the first state in the nation to place Dr. West on the ballot. He will be a President with the moral clarity and strength to institute a new national government with working and poor people as its priority. Alaska has a robust and independent spirit, and we will win for the Independent Dr. West in November.” - Aurora Party of Alaska

Additionally, the campaign will work closely with the Aurora Party to showcase three salient issues in Alaska : Public Ownership of Public Lands’ Natural Resources, Eradication of Poverty through an increased Alaska Permanent Dividend Fund, and Commitment to Environmental Protections and Environmental Justice. With the financial capability of the Alaska Permanent Fund and the state's demographic size, the $10,000 dividend initiative is a practical and influential move toward implementing a Universal Basic Income (UBI) in Alaska.

Enhancing his commitment to the environment, Brother West calls for an immediate moratorium on all oil and gas leasing, with a focused effort on fully protecting the idyllic Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR), including the cultural resources deemed essential to the continuation of Alaska Native’s way of life. This approach is in line with the critical need for environmentally sustainable practices that consider an increasingly perilous climate crisis that’s already distributing adverse impacts statewide, and disproportionately on Alaska Native and other environmental justice communities. Specifically, Brother West will cancel the controversial and climate killing Willow project as well as proposed geoengineering projects.

Highlighting his commitments to indigenous communities nationwide, Brother West's campaign focuses on obtaining Free Prior and Informed Consent from Alaska Natives before initiating any projects or initiatives on their sovereign territory. This approach will, in part, ensure that Alaska Natives play a central role in decisions affecting their territories and cultural heritage.

With respect to the general election, the Cornel West campaign is confident that the implementation of Ranked-Choice Voting in Alaska's presidential elections will benefit the campaign, offering a more favorable condition for independent candidates and transcending the limitations of a two-party system, which is a benefit for increasing democracy writ large.

In summing up the Aurora party endorsement and access to the ballot, Brother West noted, “Our alignment with the Aurora party’s platform is very congruent with our own Policy Pillars, a commission to study and implement Universal Basic Income, dedication to climate action, environmental justice, and respect for Indigenous sovereignty, and overall, I am confident that both of our approaches offers a new direction for political initiatives not just in Alaska but throughout the United States, I am honored and humbled to be in partnership with them and look forward to getting to work to win the State of Alaska next November.”