"George Bush doesn't care about black people." - Kanye West

[Neon_Chaos]

hxxp://www.big-boys.com/articles/kanye.html

Video of an NBC special w/ Mike Myers, Kanye West and Chris Tucker. Kanye talks about how the blacks are oppresed, and then delivers a last second statement that leaves Mike Myers and Chris Tucker dumbfounded.

Myer's reaction in priceless.

[NoMyths]

old

[Neon_Chaos]

didn't realize it. sorry.

[NoMyths]

n/p

[ThunderingHERD]

Originally Posted by Neon_Chaos

hxxp://www.big-boys.com/articles/kanye.html

Video of an NBC special w/ Mike Myers, Kanye West and Chris Tucker. Kanye talks about how the blacks are oppresed, and then delivers a last second statement that leaves Mike Myers and Chris Tucker dumbfounded.

Myer's reaction in priceless.

I really like Kanye West, but some of the political shit he puts out is total BS--But I don't like musicians getting political even when I agree with them.Which is why I put off watching this, because I thought I'd just be rolling my eyes.

While I don't neccesarily agree with what he's saying, I did think it was very powerful and it only made me like the guy more. You can feel the sincerity in his stuttering delivery and searching for words, especially when he attempts to reconcile his everyday lifestyle with the guilt he feels for maintaining it given what has happened. The "George Bush doesn't care about black people" line while inappropriate and irrelevant (though probably true) was amazing in it's go-for-broke guilelessness.

I haven't really been reading or watching any reaction to this anywhere, but I'm sure some are saying it was a publicity stunt for his new record. If that was all an act then this guy is a fucking brillaint actor. Watching the lump rise in his throat kind of gives me goosebumps.

[ThunderingHERD]

Just cruised over to Last Plane to Jakarta, John Darnielle's (of The Mountain Goats--one of my personal heros and a brilliant songwriter) zine. Was glad to see that he picked up on this:

Originally Posted by John Darnielle

If you saw it, you know it was the best television moment since Prince kicked over the microphone stand at the 1985 American Music Awards. Almost immediately, the kind of people who can't tolerate actual people expressing actual dissent in real-time began to put spin on Kanye West's impassioned, emotional, and most importantly accurate outburst on NBC earlier this evening: they hauled out their abusive epithets as they always do. They're especially fond of the word "disgusting"; I'd wager they've done some focus-group research on it. These are the same people who're all for shrinking government until it comes to your bedroom, at which point they're all about legislation. Whatever. If you saw it, and you feel like I feel, please post this banner on your site, or your LJ, or wherever you got space. Control-click the image and upload it to your favorite server, and then go nuts. Let's show love to a guy with the guts to go off-script and say it out loud.

[BigJohn&TheLions]

Who is Kanye West?

[rexallllsc]

Judging by his FEMA appointments, I'd wager to guess that George Bush doesn't care about any of us.

[Dutch]

Originally Posted by BigJohn&TheLions

Who is Kanye West?

Some idiot that is gonna sell about 10x as many records than he would have if he hadn't said anything controversial.

[KWhit]

I had never heard of him until this.

[BigJohn&TheLions]

Originally Posted by KWhit

I had never heard of him until this.

Same here. I hope to go back into that blissful hole of ignorance now.

[Bubba Wheels]

National Post (Ontario Canada), in an editorial (from the USA Today Friday):

"The sense that government would be there to make everything all right-to provide food, shelter, water, medicine-is not surprising given that for so many New Orleanians, a general reliance on social assistance is a normal part of daily life.

With a median household income of $31,369 and some of the country's oldest and most notorious public housing projects, New Orleans is a city that is fully emeshed in the vicious welfare cycle that leaves the poor incapable of taking care of themselves.

If there was a problem, many of the residents had been conditioned to think, then surely the same people who came through every month with money for food, prescription drugs, housing and child care would be there to take care of it."

I think so. West just echoes this mentality.

[HomerJSimpson]

Chris Rock- "George Bush hates midgets."

[Galaril]

Originally Posted by Bubba Wheels

National Post (Ontario Canada), in an editorial (from the USA Today Friday):

"The sense that government would be there to make everything all right-to provide food, shelter, water, medicine-is not surprising given that for so many New Orleanians, a general reliance on social assistance is a normal part of daily life.

With a median household income of $31,369 and some of the country's oldest and most notorious public housing projects, New Orleans is a city that is fully emeshed in the vicious welfare cycle that leaves the poor incapable of taking care of themselves.

If there was a problem, many of the residents had been conditioned to think, then surely the same people who came through every month with money for food, prescription drugs, housing and child care would be there to take care of it."

I think so. West just echoes this mentality.

Though I disagree with Kenye West, my question is " What is the point you are making?"
That theyare expecting to much form the government. That this is not a socialist system so people should be on their own? I am a upper middle class IT professional and I expected.......no I DEMAND that my elected government all levels city,state and federal do there job and provide for ALL citizens not jsut the rich or certain ethnic groups.

[Galaril]

I am stealing this from another blog The sports gamer blog but it is appropriate IMHO.

Winston Churchill's quote from the 1930's. ‘The responsibility,’ of government, Churchill told the British Parliament ‘for the public safety is absolute and requires no mandate. It is in fact, the prime object for which governments come into existence.’”

[Bubba Wheels]

Originally Posted by Galaril

Though I disagree with Kenye West, my question is " What is the point you are making?"
That theyare expecting to much form the government. That this is not a socialist system so people should be on their own? I am a upper middle class IT professional and I expected.......no I DEMAND that my elected government all levels city,state and federal do there job and provide for ALL citizens not jsut the rich or certain ethnic groups.

Point is, the folks that suffered most were the poor, many who happened to be black, who put too much faith in government at all levels to protect them from the harm of an 'Act of God', so to speak. But the simplest minded like West don't even see the different levels of government and how they broke down during the crises (Bill O'Reilly, like him or not, is doing alot of reporting/analysis on how it all came apart and at what times.)

West just reacts to Bush as Big Daddy/President and blames him for the whole thing. Like a child blaming his parents for something. And as the writer of the article correctly points out, this happens because it is conditioned into the folks through the welfare state (politicians promising everything to basically buy votes.)

Remember, the 'government' (local level) was going to shelter the neediest in the Superdome and Convention Center. We all see how that turned out. Not saying that the goverment wasn't responsible for the people's safety. But the breakdown came at all levels sequentially. As another person wrote in a Detroit Free Press editorial "Everyone (government) needs to be looked at, not just the ones from the party you don't like."

I am reminded of the 70s movie "The Groove Tube." A parody of television, one of the spots was a commercial talking about a Corporation called 'Uranus." The catch line was "Put your faith in Uranus." In this case I would say that applies to the government (at all levels.) BTW, the job the Federal goverment is doing right now is remarkable (good!)

[Young Drachma]

They didn't vote for him. Of course he doesn't.

Next issue.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by ThunderingHERD

Just cruised over to Last Plane to Jakarta, John Darnielle's (of The Mountain Goats--one of my personal heros and a brilliant songwriter) zine. Was glad to see that he picked up on this:

I'd be ashamed to admit that this apparent complete idiot Darnielle is a "personal hero". You'd be better off claiming a mountain goat.

[-Mojo Jojo-]

If ya like that Kayne West thing, give this a listen:

hxxp://www.k-otix.com/bush.mp3

Hilarious. Politics aside (and I think these guys missed the boat on this issue), this is pure gold.

I ain't sayin he's a gold digger...

[BigJohn&TheLions]

I'm pretty damn sure that George W. Bush has nothing against black people. To say so is simply asinine. On the other hand, I am pretty sure that he doesn't give a flying fuck about poor people or anyone who didn't vote for him. A good number of such persons happen to be black.

[ThunderingHERD]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

I'd be ashamed to admit that this apparent complete idiot Darnielle is a "personal hero". You'd be better off claiming a mountain goat.

Darnielle is one of the greatest songwriters of our time. There is no one that can reconcile condecension with empathy as well as well as he can--which is a hell of a duel in my opinion. Listen to All Hail West Texas or Tallahassee about a dozen times and tell me you aren't moved by it. Or for that matter, the song "Going to Georgia".

He is an artist that deals in emotions more so than abstractions which is why I would expect him to be effected by Kanye West''s stumbling, easily dismissable plea. It is easy enough to be condescending of it, but why not appreciate beautiful, soul-baring honesty of it?

edit: The best ever death metal band out of Denton will in time both outpace and outlive you. Hail Satan!

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by ThunderingHERD

Listen to All Hail West Texas or Tallahassee about a dozen times and tell me you aren't moved by it.

Sorry TH, but the only thing I want to hear about or from some guy who found anything praiseworthy in West's absurd outburst is an obituary.

[TheOhioStateUniversity]

Kanye West has a habit of speaking his mind whenever and wherever possible. Go back to his speach at the AMA's for that. I respect that he wasnt afraid to voice his opinion and the opinion of many impovrished people in this country. With that being said I really dont think he did it at the appropriate time or location. It definately caused a stir though, and that can only lead to more sales, which by the way I dont believe was one of his motivations.

[ice4277]

Originally Posted by TheOhioStateUniversity

It definately caused a stir though, and that can only lead to more sales, which by the way I dont believe was one of his motivations.

That makes one of us. Call me jaded if you like, but I have a hard time believing ANY Hollywood-type who does this kind of thing around the time of a new album/film/whatever is doing it without at least a little profit motive behind it.

[TheOhioStateUniversity]

Or maybe its a coincedence that his album release and hurrican katrina came around the same time. Kanye has been known to run off at the mouth since he came onto the music scene, this is not a first time event. Most of you people have no knowledge of his prior behavior. I could understand your thinking if this was a first time event for him.

[Dutch]

Originally Posted by TheOhioStateUniversity

I respect that he wasnt afraid to voice his opinion and the opinion of many impovrished people in this country.

Well, now we have enlightened that he only says this sort of stuff as lip service to bolster his career. But hey, it's America, I hope he makes a lot of money. Too bad he can only make his career take-off by bullshitting poor ignorant black people by busting out the race card.

[Hurst2112]

I just hopes he finds a different shirt to wear on TV. I think I wore that thing he had on to the double sessions a Skate City back in 89/90.

[dawgfan]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

Sorry TH, but the only thing I want to hear about or from some guy who found anything praiseworthy in West's absurd outburst is an obituary.

So people that don't think like you do should die, is that it?

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by dawgfan

So people that don't think like you do should die, is that it?

Anybody as fucking stupid as West or those who think he's some sort of hero for spouting a line of garbage like he did? No loss to the planet at all.

[Noop]

Wow.

[Dutch]

Originally Posted by Noop

Wow.

At Kayne West?

[dawgfan]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

Anybody as fucking stupid as West or those who think he's some sort of hero for spouting a line of garbage like he did? No loss to the planet at all.

I'd say the same is true of extremists like you, except that I realize that there is some value in people espousing those views to provide examples of the extreme viewpoints some people are capable of. It forces reasonable people to have to figure out how someone could arrive at such a bizarre worldview and figure out ways to bridge that divide and bring them back from the edge of the cliff.

[HomerJSimpson]

With Bush approval rating at 39%, I think Kayne West may be more popular.

[Noop]

Originally Posted by Dutch

At Kayne West?

No at Jon

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by dawgfan

I'd say the same is true of extremists like you, except that I realize that there is some value in people espousing those views to provide examples of the extreme viewpoints some people are capable of. It forces reasonable people to have to figure out how someone could arrive at such a bizarre worldview and figure out ways to bridge that divide and bring them back from the edge of the cliff.

Dawg, if you believe there are some people who can be brought back from the edge, I pity your naiveity. I'm just honest enough to admit that I've grown weary of those like West who appear to be beyond ever returning to sanity & am ready to go ahead & shove them off the ledge in order to get rid of the dead weight.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by HomerJSimpson

With Bush approval rating at 39%, I think Kayne West may be more popular.

I don't believe you've ever heard me claim there's any serious shortage of idiots in the world, wouldn't surprise me if you're right.

[Noop]

Wow.

[sovereignstar]

Kanye would've sold a gazillion records had he said this or not. Maybe a slight bump in his sales (probably from white suburbanites), but nothing more.

[dawgfan]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

Dawg, if you believe there are some people who can be brought back from the edge, I pity your naiveity.

Don't pity me - worry about your own lack of compassion and empathy. You can disagree with someone and think they're an idiot, but to think that the world is better off without them? I reserve that kind of extremism for mass murderers, not people who think that the President is racist.

I'm curious how this kind of thinking on your part is reconciled with your religious faith...

[dawgfan]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

Anybody as fucking stupid as West or those who think he's some sort of hero for spouting a line of garbage like he did? No loss to the planet at all.

You realize that by this line of thinking you're including a sizeable chunk of this country's black population right?

Whether or not you agree with West's statement, the fact that as many people are supporting him as there are should be yet another major warning sign that there are still major problems with race relations in this country. Though I suppose you'll blame that almost entirely on blacks having a warped perspective on reality and not taking responsibility for their own problems...

[Noop]

Jon I guess you miss the good ole days huh?

[Dutch]

Originally Posted by Noop

Jon I guess you miss the good ole days huh?

Noop hates people from middle Georgia.

[moore4807]

I'm a public safety dispatcher (18 yrs experience), volunteer FF-EMT (20+ years), and live in a metropolitan area. My opinion is:
1) ANY natural disaster will overtax the abilities of local resources - thats why mutual-aid agreements exist in local/county/state/federal government. For FEMA to blame the state and local governments is S T U P I D. Its why Federal Emergency Management Agency - was C R E A T E D....to provide assistance the local resources. duh....

2) ANYWHERE in the United States your going to find roughly the same demographics and conditions in inner cities. Remember SouthCentral L.A.?, How about the MOVE bombing in Philadelphia, we haven't seen that in (fill in your region) area? So why are we surprised that this disaster brought out those conditions? BTW it's black on black crime thats skyrocketing there, the blame is we're not "taking care of it"? read on why it took a week to get help.....
3) The Feds REALLY screwed up this disaster, the locals have too much to handle and were'nt properly backed up by public safety & law enforcement because FEMA was too worried about "controlling" the response. Also for anyones knowledge fund - do you wonder why Utah and NJ emergency crews were called, not closer personnel? Its simply a cost per crew that gets submitted to the affected states and they choose crews based on lowest cost. Its FEMA's plan. ONLY then, those chosen start moving out to the emergency. This makes me feel all warm n fuzzy inside...
4) There is a way to address this without getting into a volume sized book. break the continental states into regions, affected regions are federalized in an emergency ( just like the Continental army of our country's birth), this way the affected areas get the closest resources and mutual aid can be called from neighboring regions as needed. Cost control is provided by the federalizing of the region.

As for Kanye West, I could care less about him, if I'm not correct most of the rap is about weapons, hoe's n' money and "respect". THEY (blacks) are shooting each other on a daily basis around my inner city. these idiots are glamourizing it, making rap music about it and then complaining that whites aren't doing anything, and if rappers really cared about the "brothers" then put your arse on the line - go there - and start serving some food - hand out clothing - pay for some portable toilets - a few hundred security guards would have been nice in the Superdome when those women were being raped. maybe a couple of tractor trailer generators flown in could of made a difference there. How bout that help rappers????
and finally George Bush picked Mike Brown as FEMA director when his emergency management experience consisted of being the US Arabian Horse Assn. director - NOw THAT'S P R I C E L E S S !!!!

[Dutch]

Had Bush over-ruled local authority and forced everybody to evacutate every hurricane taht came ashore, people would be screaming bloody-murder.

It's a no-win situation and why I would never be so pompous or political as to blame any one person or two people for a natural fucking disaster.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by dawgfan

Though I suppose you'll blame that almost entirely on blacks having a warped perspective on reality and not taking responsibility for their own problems...

That's where you'd be reading me wrong.

Among other things, I'm violently opposed to fucking idiots as well as people who contribute nothing except bad examples of how to leech off the rest of society & blame everyone but themselves for their problems. (Obviously that's just a couple of highlights, nowhere near a complete list).Neither black nor white have those markets cornered AFAIC, and you'll find no hesitation on my part to be critical of those who qualify regardless of their race, creed, religion, gender, etc. I give less than a rat's ass what color somebody is, it comes down to their performance, to the traits they exhibit, to their own words & actions.

Race doesn't affect my positions on people, their actions do. I see no reason to avoid calling out someone who happens to be black, nor do I hesitate to call out someone just because they're white. In this case, West happens to be black. But do you really believe I'd be any less critical of the comments (or the commentator) if they had come from Barry Manilow?

[moore4807]

Dutch

I'm not blaming Bush about evacuations - it wouldn't have mattered in this case. its about the aftermath THE first 12 hours after the storm left.....

Read my 3rd point closely - italicized ITS FEMA PLAN to bid out emergency work. The fire service STOPPED doing that in the early 1900's because too many houses were burning while FF's were literally fighting each other in the streets over the insurance rights. Were now doing it in the freakin 21st century OVER hurricanes and flooding that killed thousands -now why wouldnt you assign blame to the idiot that signed off on that plan???

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by moore4807

...now why wouldnt you assign blame to the idiot that signed off on that plan???

When the taxpayers are paying for it? I'd be far more upset concerned with a lack of cost efficiency than I am with any attempt to create at least a little fiscal sense.

[moore4807]

Jon,
when this storm is in excess of 100 BILLION dollars the FEMA salary of $23/hr per crewman per day is a literal drop in the bucket. even multiplied by 10 thousand its not cost efficient to send somebody from Utah or Jersey a thousand miles south to save $4 per crew per day. Thats why you federalize the cost to a region. Its the same thing as a grocery food chain getting thier products to a store, wholesaler - warehouse - store. overall its a lot cheaper than piecemealing it to the store directly

[Solecismic]

Well, the mayor recognized the danger and ordered a manditory evacuation. That was the right thing to do. But, for poor people, an evacuation is difficult. How do they leave? Where do they go to?

The point is, Nagin is the one who set up the situation where the rich escaped and the poor didn't. He was the one responsible for evacuating those people, and the mistake was made long before the hurricane hit.

Had the poor been in camps away from the flooded area and the snipers, it would have been much easier to get them supplies, and the rescue workers could have concentrated on the more difficult cases.

Now, we're finding that the death toll is far less than the hysterical mayor predicted while he was pointing fingers. The guy's much better at acting than leading.

Look, I'm not defending FEMA. But they weren't the problem here, unless you expect them to evacuate urban areas prior to every hurricane threat.

[Neon_Chaos]

Originally Posted by moore4807

As for Kanye West, I could care less about him, if I'm not correct most of the rap is about weapons, hoe's n' money and "respect". THEY (blacks) are shooting each other on a daily basis around my inner city. these idiots are glamourizing it, making rap music about it and then complaining that whites aren't doing anything, and if rappers really cared about the "brothers" then put your arse on the line - go there - and start serving some food - hand out clothing - pay for some portable toilets - a few hundred security guards would have been nice in the Superdome when those women were being raped. maybe a couple of tractor trailer generators flown in could of made a difference there. How bout that help rappers????
and finally George Bush picked Mike Brown as FEMA director when his emergency management experience consisted of being the US Arabian Horse Assn. director - NOw THAT'S P R I C E L E S S !!!!

While I agree that most rappers are indeed like that, I, in particular, think highly of Kanye West.

He is very much your everyman rapper, relying more on his wit and his earnestness (and his own beatmaking) than the usual cocktail of sex, drugs, violence, and street dreams. And I'm sure that he's doing what he can to help, like most of Americans... of course without the dose of publicity that makes it all so plastic.

West's style of music has an emphasis on beat and soul, more on the music and less of all the talk of bitches, money etc. etc. And I think it's why he's earned a niche in the Rap/RnB community (specially after releasing his hit singles "Through the Wire" and collaborating "Slow Jamz" with Jamie Foxx.)

I have a copy of his album, and it's refreshing material. I particularly like "Jesus Walks". It's got a message, it's clear and it's simple, and it's basically a release of all his frustrations in life.

Lyrics: http://www.lyrics007.com/Kanye%20Wes...%20Lyrics.html

Here's the 2nd verse:
To the hustlas, killers, murderers, drug dealers even the strippers
To the victims of Welfare for we living in hell here hell yeah
Now hear ye hear ye want to see Thee more clearly
I know he hear me when my feet get weary
Cuz we're the almost nearly extinct
We rappers are role models we rap we don't think
I ain't here to argue about his facial features
Or here to convert atheists into believers
I'm just trying to say the way school need teachers
The way Kathie Lee needed Regis that's the way yall need Jesus
So here go my single dog radio needs this
They say you can rap about anything except for Jesus
That means guns, sex, lies, video tapes
But if I talk about God my record won't get played Huh?
Well let this take away from my spins
Which will probably take away from my ends
Then I hope this take away from my sins
And bring the day that I'm dreaming about
Next time I'm in the club everybody screaming out

I'm sure West was just carried away by emotion when he blurted out those words. Don't hate on Kanye.