In Defense of Kanye West
If you hop over to NashvilleisTalking.com you’ll see a lot of folks aren’t real happy with Kanye’s words during an NBC benefit concert.
I’d like to offer a brief defense. First, I hope you folks have paid attention to some of the good things Kanye has been doing. Speaking out against homophobia and gay-bashing, writing a song and music video about Conflict Diamonds, and many here might appreciate his Grammy award winning song Jesus Walks.
I think maybe we all need to have a long talk about racism. I think Kanye spoke from a place of hurt and frustration during those concerts. I’ve heard some say that he is wrong, that this is not a racist thing, and there is a possiblity you are right. At the same time there is a possiblity he is right, and I think it comes from many other times when he was right, when there where situations he or others he knows faced that were inherently racist.
I’m done. I just want everyone to know there is a Nashvillian out here who understands Kanye a little and does not hate him for speaking what was on his heart.
As for those upset with the possiblity that it cost some donations I couldn’t have said it better than Aunt B on Sharon Cobb’s post:
“I mean, I don’t know if Bush hates all poor people or just black poor people, but I do know that if you’d withhold money from a charity because you don’t think how a black man behaves himself is “proper,” you’d better look long and hard at your own soul.”
Amen, Ariah. However, unlike the media portrays it, racism is not an African-American issue and we white Christians owe our black brothers and sisters a serious apology for not standing up for them and with them & making their battle our battle. It is our battle to fight because we are the ones who benefit from the system and have nothing to lose if we remain with the status quo.
Maybe I’m just simple, but I can’t seem to find what Kanye West said that was controversial. What did he say?
I just don’t really like Kanye West…I don’t find anything particularly exciting about his music.
Would someone mind explaining, apart from all the nonsense about making their battle our battle, how George Bush hates black people?
First off how is the battle against racism/classism nonsense?
Speaking from a guess I think it becomes clear that GWBush #2 is not a fan of the poor or for that matter poor black people. It took 4 days for the feds to get into their and he stayed on his vacation while a part of his country was flooded. I would say that he felt apathy not hatred but I can understand why others might feel those actions or inactions were spiteful especially w/ thousands being dead and all.
p
i just want to know how he HATES black people, since this post purports to defend him.
it’s nonsense because it’s trite, cheap christian talk.
Not when its a lifestyle for people who live it like me. I am an advocate for a lot of different people and I don’t waste time being Christian or trying to pretend that I can change the world by myself but it is not just talk and you are being really ignorant to think that it is.
Did you read the last part of what I said? I will break it down to you like this. Some people feel that Bush has not done anything for the black community whether that mean going to NAACP meetings, not listening to the majority view on education, inner city rebuilding and infrastructure development, he can’t seem to bother himself w/ issues that affect so many of us and as a result some have concluded that he hates black people.
I guess my argument is that he probably just has a great deal of apathy for the poor and thinks that tax cuts are the solution to that problem. In all honesty I don’t think that works too well because the number of working poor and the poor are increasing and not decreasing everyday.
p
Some empirical evidence backing up your claim that American poor are increasing everyday would be appreciated. Perhaps your frustration is due to a failure in reading: have you missed the widespread consensus building over the past twenty years that capitalism a la free markets and free trade is the most effective, efficient and productive way to raise people out of poverty? Perhaps you are a victim of the poor education you decry, but there are always public libraries, you know?
There is no such thingas an argument that starts, “I guess my argument is that he probably…”. You need facts, backed up by hard philosophical underpinnings. Going to NAACP meetings will not help black people. The federal government is not responsible for city infrastructure; the city and state are responsible, in that order. He pushed a $2B education package with Ted Kennedy.
But save yourself the breath - “He underfunded it, he underfunded it!”. I’m not hear to defend Bush’s education policies. Kanye West said that Bush hates black people. to this point, you have made no attempt backed up by hard evidence to substantiate this assertion.
It’s really cute that you think your an advocate for “a lot of people”. And I know the social justice lifestyle thing - like hey, we wear Birkenstocks, vote Democrat and judge people driving SUVs - is attractive for a lot of young people. But most people usually grow out of it and realize that it’s a cheap, trite way of living. Just because it’s your lifestyle doesn’t make it any less so.
Who’s ignorant now?
Payshun,
First of all, yes - to make those kinds of claims, please provide evidence.
Second of all - “I guess my argument is that he probably just has a great deal of apathy for the poor and thinks that tax cuts are the solution to that problem.”
Either he’s apathetic or he thinks that he’s providing a solution. One or the other, they’re mutually exclusive. I think the second one is true. Honestly, now - do you really want to try to defend the claim that George Bush worked his way up to the highest elected office in our country, all the while hiding his true inner feelings, just so that he could use his power to screw over the black people that he’s hated all along? Seems kind of silly once you spell it out, doesn’t it? Doesn’t it seem more likely that Bush is trying his hardest to run this country in the most effective way possible? Certainly his (Republican) view of “the best way” differs from your (Democrat) view of “the best way,” but that doesn’t mean he’s purposely oppressing blacks.
Sorry Payshun - I just reread your posts and realized that you said you don’t think President Bush hates blacks. Thank you. I still stand by what I said, it just shouldn’t have been directed at Payshun.
“…he can’t seem to bother himself w/ issues that affect so many of us and as a result some have concluded that he hates black people.”
Assuming that the above is true, how do those who think George Bush hates black people explain that he has appointed the most diverse cabinet in history?
They don’t.
[...] just started a series of post about war which you might be interested. We’ve had a few heated commenting debates as well so check those out. Most of all drop me a line and tel [...]
First of all, Kanye West said, “Bush doesn’t care about black people.” He didn’t use the word “hate.”
Second, Jon, are you suggesting that Bush’s primary decision in picking in his cabinet was on whether he liked the people or not? I guess I just didn’t expect that sort of argument from you.
[...] ri 9 Sep 2005
Further thoughts on Kanye West.
Posted by Ariah under Blog
My original post on Kanye West was written before I saw the actual video footage of what he said. From t [...]
[...] This topic always draws a lot of feedback. The thing is from the moment someone starts to talk, or write, you usually have a good idea what side of the fence they are on (it’s the same as when you listen to someone talk about Kanye West’s statements and racism). I fear-and I’m speaking about myself too-that too often we are choosing what side of the fence we want to be on, and then just finding evidence to back it up. Maybe it’s cause you had a bunch of liberal friends, or you hung out with the grunge crowd, some external pressure just decided for you that you hated Walmart, and since then you’ve found all kinds of reasons why this is true. For others it’s their republican upbringing, their support of “Christian” values, or their love of low prices that swayed their decision and now they’ve found all kinds of reasons to support that choice. Honestly, I probably fall into one of those categories, but give me a minute to share with you why I personally avoid Walmart. [...]
[...] September 3rd, 2005: I’d like to offer a brief defense. First, I hope you folks have paid attention to some of the good things Kanye has been doing. Speaking out against homophobia and gay-bashing, writing a song and music video about Conflict Diamonds, and many here might appreciate his Grammy award winning song Jesus Walks. [...]
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