Take Over Nonviolently, Says Mosley

Best known for the popular Easy Rawlins Series, Mosley eschews entertainment to bring tackle America’s favorite evil, the political system, in his newest book, Life Out of Context. As Life Out of Context progresses, Mosley floats on a coherent stream of contemplation on the state of his position as a middle class African American. When a random call from a friend leads him to introduce political activists Harry Belafonte and Masekela at NYU activism is awakened in Mosley.

Progressing through self-pity to desire for action, Mosley’s justice seeking spirit manifests. This honest humanity is more refreshing than the didactic, alienating, political tomes that have been on the shelves as of late. Popular fiction has made Mosley a master of the vernacular, and he uses this to his advantage. Mosley effortlessly engages the reader as if speaking to a long known confidant. Although the narration is in a heart-bearing tone, this brief manifesto shows a heart of steel in its succinct boldness.

Particularly moving in this piece is the Neo-Social Contract that allows one to add one’s own hopes for our country. The compulsion to grab a pen and write down your own proposition drives home the fact that if Americans want change, we must actively contribute individually with our singular acts and then work as a united force to make that change occur.
To make change, Mosley proposes Americans must recognize the ills within our society so we can tackle them head on. When writing on these social ills, Mosley courageously broaches subjects that most writers avoid out of fear of backlash. The tone of Context becomes firm when it details how politicians only care about ethnic issues when it is time to draw in voters. Mosley also confronts how Americans waste energy and resources by comforting themselves with material wealth instead of being concerned with the overall wellbeing of humanity. Furthermore, Mosley is also not afraid to tackle the most pressing issues within the African American community, urging blacks to take responsibility for making change amongst themselves.

Beginning with a quote from Whitman’s Leaves of Grass (“the president is up there in the white house for you…not you for him”) and ending with a call to create a black led political party, Life Out of Context is a passionate, eye opener that leaves the reader wishing it was longer than 104 pages. Context’s publication is timely when considering Barack Obama’s recent commandeering of presidential race. It makes one wonder if Obama and Mosley are in cahoots or if the two calls for change are simply signals that the time of non-white male leadership is a few hundred years overdue.