Kanye West, Deconstructed (With Video)

At some point – right around landfall, probably – Hurricane Katrina stopped being a terrible disaster and started being a political football for the left to toss around casually.

Last night, rapper Kanye West tried out for quarterback, and he's getting mad props for exercising his "right of free speech." ("Free speech" is defined by the left as "anything slurring Republicans."  It is not to be confused with "hate speech," which the left defines as "anything said by Republicans.")

Joined by comedian Mike Myers, West used his moment in the sun on NBC's "A Concert for Hurricane Relief" to baselessly perpetuate a number of outrageous memes.  He starts out strong:

"I hate the way they portray us in the media.  If you see a black family, it says they're looting.  If you see a white family, it says they're looking for food.  And you know it's been five days, because most of the people are black."

As far as I can tell, this rumor about press coverage is getting such mileage exclusively from a single event in which Yahoo News Photos has been accused of believing that black people "loot" while white people "find things."

But Yahoo does not write the captions.  The photo of the black looter came from the AP, while the photo of the white looter came from French news service AFP.  Different news organizations have different standards.

Indeed, it is to the AP's credit (or to the AP member who wrote the caption) and to AFP's shame that it uses the English language accurately and refuses to excuse criminal behavior, regardless of the race involved.  (Remember, another European news organization famously refuses even to call terrorists "terrorists.")

"So now I'm calling my business manager right now to see what is the biggest amount I can give. And just to imagine if I was down there, and those are my people down there."

West, an African-American, feels it incumbent to remind us that "most of the people are black" and that those are "(his) people down there."  If he feels that the media is unfairly dividing tragedy victims by race based on one dubious example, then why deepen those divisions by speaking so callously of non-black victims?

"With the set-up, the way America is set up to help the poor, the black people, the less well-off as slow as possible."

There's the race card again.  ZZZzzzzz ...

While there is no doubt the response could have been faster – as is usually the case in a tragedy of virtually unprecedented scale, and a fact the President himself has acknowledged – it is (yes) anti-American to believe that your own country is "set up" to help the poor or black people "as slow as possible."  While "everyone's a little bit racist," as the song goes, it takes a twisted mind to think that our nation's rescue and protection infrastructure is "set up" to respond differently to people of differing financial means or colors.

West should try to peddle his line of garbage to all the non-blacks who have also been killed or affected, and who make up the majority population in the parishes adjoining New Orleans (to say nothing of other areas and states that were impacted.)

"We already realize a lot of the people that could help are at war right now, fighting another way and they've given them permission to go down and shoot us."

Umm, I thought that the citizens were the ones who started shooting at their would-be rescuers.  Perhaps that's why our country was "set up" for a slow response.

OK, now it's Mike Myers' turn, and you can see exactly what is racing through his mind: I hope to God the next thing that comes up on the TelePrompTer will make sense after that absurd non sequitur!

As it turns out, Myers' next line is about rebuilding, which didn't quite follow what West said, but no matter.  West barrels blindly ahead, ending with this little coda:

"George Bush doesn't care about black people."

Mike Myers' head darts back and forth a bit nervously the entire time.  At this point he pauses, clearly wondering if West will ever decide to read from the TelePrompTer.  Then, as Myers begins to say "Please call," his microphone is cut.  The camera cuts to a clearly rattled Chris Tucker, who makes a plea for help without any of the flecks of spittle that characterized West's outburst.

Mr. West, a few words of advice before your next tirade: Get your facts somewhere other than the Daily Kos.

And the next time you fling such a loaded (and demonstrably false) charge at the President, don't do it on a friggin' telethon.  Last I checked, 50.73 percent of those who went to the polls last year voted for George Bush.  Now, ours is a country with $11.75 trillion of purchasing power, and 50.73 percent of that is ... let's see, carry the 5 ... nearly $6 trillion!  That's a lot of money you probably just flushed down the toilet, jackass.  Does your "business manager" think you can afford that?

It will be a good thing if West truly opens his wallet to those in need, and I concede that he was just "exercising his freedom of speech."  But the First Amendment does not guarantee that in doing so, you won't make a mighty ass of yourself.

[Watch video – 9.4mb, WMV format]

Comments

[Roy]

well...the race card always comes into play....just does...as pointless or unnecessary as it seems. But I do agree that he doesn't need to fan the flames. What he needs to do is just open his pocket book, and shut his mouth, unless he's got something good to share with the rest of America.

[Kevin P.]

I was watching the show live and I honestly couldn't belive what I heard - thank god for digital video recording! I replayed it over and over. Sure enough he said it. Idiocy on display.

[Modern Guy]

As much as I may agree with the content of Kanye's statements, as President Bush and congress as a whole have dragged their collective feet to rush to the aid New Orleans, I do agree that it really isn't his place to be spurting ignorant babble on a telethon. Although it can be said that if he was trying to make a stir, then he has most definitely succeeded. I think the best part of the video though, is the face that Mike Myers makes prior to Kanye's off the wall remark. It will go down in history...

[Joe]

I don't think it's anti-American for someone to use their 1st Amendment right, I think anti-American actions are things like treason (and what West did was not treasonous, he expressed his opinion - what ever you think of it - I think the timing was in poor taste). Also, with the current opinion polls being low, quoting last November's numbers is meaningless. Yea, I know Bush doesn't look at opinion polls. Ultimately a President can only govern effectively if he has the support of the people, same goes for Congress. Right now neither (whether they have a R or a D by their name) branch has my confidence.

[The Malcontent]

OK, Joe, sorry I was so wildly hyperbolic. Mr. West is content to give the middle finger to $5.3 trillion of purchasing power.

And whoever said that "anti-Americanism" must always and everywhere be the same as "treason"? I think a more rational definition is "that which goes against America," and Kanye West's statement fits that description.

[Ben P]

Kanye West. Don't know about the advisability of his comments or not, but he's probably the best rapper out there right now.

And frankly, I don't think that money really matters. His albums number one on itunes right now and its debuting no. 1 on billboard next week.

Ben P

[Alec]

Kanye West = Idiot!!!! "they're giving the army (it's the national guard), orders to shoot us." If I recall, it was the governor of Louisina, Kathleen Blanco (a Democrat I might add), was the one who gave orders to the national guard to shoot. She says that 300 national guards troops have arrived fresh from Iraq. "They know how to shoot and kill and they are more than willing to do so, and I expect they will." The guard troops were carrying M-16s which were "locked and loaded."

[Jill Wagner]

Me and a friend with our children were sitting and watching television when Kanye chose to share his opinion. The thing about it is "THIS HAS ALREADY MADE HISTORY"! People can say what they want, call him what they want, but he is making major money off of his opinion. "SMART MAN KANYE".The funniest part about was Chiris Rock's face, now talking about making money!!!!!!!!

[The Malcontent]

Does poor Chris Tucker ever get used to being called "Chris Rock"?

[Jill]

Ok my fault Chris Tucker....I was rushing, but it was still funny as heck

[Jilly]

CHRIS ROCK is the funniest I hope this fixes the many mistakes....He will probably make major $$$$ of of this email....Thanks to who ever you are......

[Confused by Email]

I should have just thanked you and left well enough alone. Chris Tucker is what made it all funny,As usual. He looked as if: I can't believe he said that and why did yall put the camera on me, what am I suppose to say? I am outta here!!!! Thanks again...

[The Malcontent]

I'm a kidder; I kid. :-)

[CJ]

KANYE IS MY NEW HERO! In this country we are entitled to freedom of speech. As a black woman I agree with Kanye. The truth hurts. Whenever it takes 5-6 days to get food and water to people in our own country compared to the hours relief was sent to tsunami victims it is a shame. Stop with the "race card" non-sense because race still is and will always be a factor. I believe there is a vast misrepresentation of blacks in the media. this is nothing new it has happened since the inception of the media. The people who hold the flow of information hold the power. It is no secret that blacks do not control the media, therefore it has become very easy to display blacks in a negative light, even in light of a tragedy. A dose of truth is just what this country needs. Bush flying over devastated areas is harldy showing concern, and taking a few days off of vacation to do so! What a man. Unfortunately "our" president has been on vacation for the majority of his presidency. Wake up America.

[moodaddy]

Anybody who thinks that GW is anti black obviously does not have a TV and has never noticed that his secretary of state is BLACK. Oh and what about Colin Powell, in fact Bush has more high ranking officials in his cabinet that are black than any other president in HISTORY!!!

If you want to look at who is to blame (which is a stupid ass conversation in the first place) you need look no further than the Democratic controlled (and has been for decades) State and Local govt's of Louisana and New Orleans for failure to plan and years of corruption and funneling monies away from levee infrastructure and pushing towards casino's and other projects that did nothing to help ahead of time. Or how about Ray Nagin who left the poor and destitute to fend for themselves instead of putting them on the school busses ahead of time (school busses were sitting flooded in a parking lot).

Kanye used his right to free speech, and that right should be defended, his timing however, very poor.

The saddest part, is so many people who are so ignorant to real life and beleive only what they hear in the typical, all is bad, blame america first, media, really beleive the crap, like Kanye, they really beleive this BS, and they do not take the time to really educate themselves on the truth and are content at looking at only the view that is presented to them, and accept it all as fact.

Racism exists, true, and it infurates me, but, it is really easy to find when that is all you are looking for. Try looking for something else change and you might just be amazed at what you find.

[CJ]

IF you need an example of what Kanye was speaking on please see for yourself and go to
albinoblacksheep.com/image/racistnews.
Its a display of the american press at its finest.

[The Malcontent]

CJ, did you read my post? Toward the top, I already referred to the issue of those specific photographic captions. People are taking one single issue and trying to brand the entire media coverage as "racist" because of it, when the evidence is quite shaky. (Actually, it is two issues, because they're comparing the Associated Press' apples to Agence France-Presse's oranges.)

It is a stretch to say that because one news organzation (AP) calls looters "looters" (regardless of "why" they were looting), while another (AFP) calls them "finders," that it is inherently racist. If you could show me disparate treatment of races within individual news organizations themselves, I might be more sympathetic to the point. How do we know that AFP doesn't have a policy never to use the word "looter" regardless of their color?

The race issue long ago reached such ludicrous heights in this country that most white people are afraid even to say the word "black" for fear of being branded a cross-burner. Meanwhile, we grit our teeth as the N-word blares from car stereos in American cities, or as the African-American community refuses to muzzle its own race hustlers, such as Al Sharpton, Louis Farrakhan, etc.

So there is a big disconnect. But I think it is fair to say that white racists like David Duke are more often marginalized by mainstream whites, while black racists are idolized and celebrated by mainstream blacks. (Trent Lott lost a leadership position over the most abstract and opaque of racial comments, for God's sake.) It is not exactly the stuff of racial reconciliation.

People like me who see a liberal bias in the media, for instance, have entire warehouses of evidence to prove our point -- anecdotal and empirical, as well as surveys of journalists themselves and the American public to discren attitudes and perceptions. Where is the evidence, beyond one extremely iffy incident, for wholesale media "racism" in covering Katrina?

[J]

I don't agree with Kanye West's statement. This was a horrible and tragic natural disaster that has affected all races. Mississippi has still not recvd all the aide it needs, and some of their towns are primarily white. I do blame the local govt for not being well prepared, and as stated above...for not using the buses to ship out the handicap, and elderly. I think to blame gw is ludicris though. It's a shame that some people who look up to him and other "stars" might take their "opinions" as "facts". I really liked Kanye's new cd, but I am not going to purchase it after that remark...and I have turned off the tv when he has come on recently...along with other "celebrities" who have made such hateful remarks in the wake of this tragedy. I might not have a tv camera to speak to the world, but that is my voice. I am not supporting hateful people, who make uneducated remarks.

[Stuent]

Okay, I don't know who you are and all these other people saying "oh there goes the race card again" that's a load of BULL. You imagine for a second if all these people were not poor blacks, but middle class-upper class white or other american residents, would the government have responded any differently? think about that and then go post a site putting down what Mr. West has truthfully stated. He was not afraid to say what many people have thought about this government for the longest time.

[bob]

Hey jackass! Less than 40 percent of the country actually votes in these fucking Presidential elections, and that's the largest turnout we get for any of our sad elections. At best, Bush represents the conerns of 20% of the American public, not half of the entire United fucking states. And yes, I understand there's the issue of 'voter eligibility".

[BayAreaGuy]

Are you a gay Republican? You seem to be taking up for them a lot in this post. As a Jewish Nazi, myself, I can totally relate. Talk about idiocy!