How do you feel about Kanye West's Comment
 

I watched the Concert on NBC and I was curious on what you all felt about Kanye West's comments. First off I could tell that he wasn't following the television prompter, but I am AMAZED :eek: at what he said. Apparently after the special went off, the News came on and he stated that "Bush doesn't care about black people". Luckily the network cut away quickly and went straight to Chris Tucker, I knew something was wrong, because the way they cut away didn't seem right, and you could tell that this taping was live with a 5 second delay.

The news however, played the part that was cut out of the official airing. I am looking for his publicist to issue out an apology statement for his comments.

I just wanted to know if you any one else caught his comments that he made, and what were your thoughts on it?

I saw it on the internet so I assume I saw the uncut version. I agree with Kanye fully but I do not believe that was the platform in which to express his political views.

Just found an article about it...Here you go...
 

LOS ANGELES - It began, fittingly enough, with jazz from New Orleans natives Harry Connick Jr. and Wynton Marsalis.

But “A Concert for Hurricane Relief,” a heartfelt and dignified benefit aired on NBC and other networks Friday night, took an unexpected turn thanks to the outspoken rapper Kanye West. Appearing two-thirds through the program, he claimed “George Bush doesn’t care about black people” and said America is set up “to help the poor, the black people, the less well-off as slow as possible.”

The show, simulcast from New York on NBC, MSNBC, CNBC and Pax, was aired live to the East Coast, enabling the Grammy-winning rapper’s outburst to go out uncensored.

There was a several-second tape delay, but the person in charge “was instructed to listen for a curse word, and didn’t realize (West) had gone off-script,” said NBC spokeswoman Rebecca Marks.

As the show came to a close, host Matt Lauer noted that “emotions in this country right now are running very high. Sometimes that emotion is translated into inspiration, sometimes into criticism. We’ve heard some of that tonight. But it’s still part of the American way of life.”

In a statement, NBC said, “Kanye West departed from the scripted comments that were prepared for him, and his opinions in no way represent the views of the networks.

“It would be most unfortunate,” the statement continued, “if the efforts of the artists who participated tonight and the generosity of millions of Americans who are helping those in need are overshadowed by one person’s opinion.”

Comedian Mike Myers was paired with West for a 90-second segment that began with Myers speaking of Katrina’s devastation. Then, to Myers’ evident surprise, West began a rant by saying, “I hate the way they portray us in the media. If you see a black family, it says they’re looting. See a white family, it says they’re looking for food.”

While allowing that “the Red Cross is doing everything they can,” West — who delivered an emotional outburst at the American Music Awards after he was snubbed for an award — declared that government authorities are intentionally dragging their feet on aid to the Gulf Coast. Without getting specific, he added, “They’ve given them permission to go down and shoot us.”

After he stated, “George Bush doesn’t care about black people. Please call —” the camera cut away to comedian Chris Tucker.

The concert ended with the entire ensemble performed “When the Saints Go Marching In.”

Friday’s program was the first of several TV benefits planned through next weekend.

NBC and the five other major commercial broadcast networks, along with PBS, plan to unite next Friday for a special. The same night, BET will air a benefit. And on Saturday, Sept. 10, the MTV networks will air a special.

I agree with his comment.

^^^^ Ditto. And I didn't see a problem with him saying it. Desperate times need desperate measures.

I agree with Kanye but I don't feel it was the right place to make those statements. He is fully aware that all of the people watching the special DO NOT have the same views as he does, and I'm sure he wouldn't want that to affect how much money is donated. I wouldn't go as far as to say Bush doesn't like Blacks on national televison. I guess I just don't know what to say about Bush anymore :( I honestly think he just doesn't know any better. Did anyone hear him speak today? He's not the brightest... I mean, really, how could you NOT see the damage the hurricane did. Anyone with half a brain could turn on the tv and assess the damage. Maybe he doesn't believe in watching tv while on vacation :confused: I dunno. But to say that HIS GOVERNMENT was not well prepared is just NOT a good excuse. There was well enough warning..... Sorry for the rant...:rolleyes:

So what would be the right place to make those statements? I don't see anything wrong with what he said. That's how he felt and he had a medium available to him to say what he felt. I hope his publist doesn't ask for an apology from him. And, if they do I hope he doesn't give it.

The response to this tragedy has been horrible. We need to let them know that the excuses are tools of the incompetent ......

So True...
 

This is the first I am hearing about Kanye's statements but yes they are very true, and personally they keep talking about looters, but how else are these people surviving? I have a one year old daughter and if she was without diapers and other essentials...you damn right I'm going in there and taking what I need. It's not like there's a cashier there to check me out. However, these people who are stealing stuff like TV's are out of control. I heard that it's mainly drug addicts who's supply has been cut off and they don't know how to act. But I don't know... this is crazy.

To quote an old Dr. Hook song, it was in the right place, but it happened at the wrong time. People -- okay, those people -- are already hesitant to send money to charitable organizations because of the race/class of the people involved. They became even less inclined to help after the looting started. Now Kanye goes and smacks his jaws on National TV, saying what a lot of us think anyway but generally we have the sense to keep to ourselves -- saying it during a fundraiser, no less?

The people in NO are going to suffer more because of what he said. It was truthful, but not particularly helpful.

BTW, video's here in case you want to see it: http://media.putfile.com/Kanye79 (windows media), or here http://movies.crooksandliars.com/Kay...ack-People.mov (QuickTime).

Anywhere else, except for a fundraiser for the victims. Say it in a televised interview. Make a video and run it at the bottom of the screen for the full four minutes. But don't turn something that has the potential to help the people that this government would just as soon forget into your own personal platform. It alienates people and causes them to put their checkbooks away. How is that helpful?

I'm an advocate for free speech; it is our right. Whether "I' agree with Kanye or not is besides the point. Yeah for free speech...see I would be the one holding up a "free speech" sign in support of it and not necessarily because what he said. It was, after all, his opinion.

I also don't think his statement will cause the NOians to suffer because they are already suffering due to this catastrophe. I saw his statement as a challenge to Bush who seems to be changing his tune somewhat. I'm definitely NOT a Bush supporter but let's see over the next week or few weeks if his approach changes.

Kanye saw an opportunity and took it. Go Kanye!! I'm not nearly a fan of Kanye's, but I like that he took the risk.

I'm curious if people have people been criticizing Mayor Nagin's comments? That brother was furious and had alot to say. I think there's a transcript out there on the web. His comments, IMO, were just as strong plus he had alot more to say and time to say it. He wasn't censored. I didn't realize Nagin was so "crunk". :mad:

Sorry for dropping in but the Dr. Hook reference really caught my eye... ;)

Okay back to the Kayne's comment - what would have been the best time for him to make such a comment if not now? I think he picked the best time, politically speaking, to make such a comment... if he waited until later to make such a comment I doubt it would even reach a 10th of the audience it has now, nor would it have the same impact. Look how many people are talking about it in the news and here on GC - I firmly believe if he made such a statement say a month ago, or a month from now the spinmasters would go to work and suppress, discredit, and dismiss.

I agree with what he said, but I can not help but laught at the looks. When he first strayed away from the script - you can see Mike try to bring it back around by following the teleprompter. Then when Kanye made the Bush statement: Heeeelllllllaaaarrrrrioussss! He looked like "No you didn't..." Even Chris Tucker looked stumped for a moment.

*listening to KW's Late Registration as I type this*

My best friend sent me an email attachment with what he said and to tell the truth, I have to agree. I usually don't go for some of Kanye's media antics but this time, I am not blaming him one bit for what he said. There are hundreds upon THOUSANDS of people down in NO, Biloxi, Gulfport, Mobile, etc. are without food, water, formula, diapers, medical care, etc. They are being warehoused like animals at the Superdome and the Convention Center. As a native southerner and native Mississippian I am angry about this. As an American, I am ashamed and appalled that our citizens would be treated like this. I am angry with our president that he has not done more to bring relief. I am angry that he went on GMA Thursday morning to say that he would not ask other countries for help. Why the hell not? He seems to have no problem giving OUR money to help OTHER countries, why not get on the phone and call up Tony Blair and Vincente Fox and Vladamir Putin and ask for their help. I am pretty sure that they and their citizens would have no problem helping our country.

Interesting banner...
http://lastplanetojakarta.com/archiv..._and_paste.php

I agree Kanye. There is NO excuse for the amount of time it took to get people out of the area and/or provide them with food.

Thumbs up to Kanye!
 

YAH!!! for Kanye! Its about time we get our voice heard, its about time we get a little more radical and little more vocal about the issues going on.

I know the people in New Orleans could hug Kanye for voicing their opinion live on air. The response time for this disaster is ridiculous, its been 6 days and people are still hungry, stranded, sick and dying!!!

I could understand if this was a THIRD world country, but we are in the RICHEST country in the world and we have these disaster in our backyard. IF this happened in another country we would RUSH out to help but we cant send enough troops in our neighborhood???....Kanye said it right if this was a group of white people this issue would have been solved so ill repeat...



BUSH DOES NOT CARE ABOUT BLACK PEOPLE!! :mad: :mad:

i'm not sure what part of this situation disgusts me the most but...

i personally know from my own experience as a medic in the US army, that, it only takes FOUR flippin' hours to have a CSH (combat support hospital) set up and fully operational. to not be able to provide medical services to individuals in this situation is freaking beyond my comprehension. there are tons of air force bases in texas where i'm sure there is aircraft just sitting and ft. polk is a JRTC with stockpiles of MREs. why does it honestly take five days to start the process?

- marissa

Chris Tucker's face after Kanye's comments
 

...priceless :D :D

http://whatisinternet.org/sa/chris-rock.jpg

~~~~~~

On another note, I agree with Sistermadly - a crucial fundraiser such as this wasn't the place. This was a time for encouraging people to GIVE money because now, people need money - not political agendas.

As ya'll may know, I am a HUGE FAN of Kanye's. I didn't see the telethon. Would I have said what he said on a telethon, probably not. Do I agree what he said? As he would put it, YES SIR!

A lot of people, black and white, have said what he said but not in that language. They tried to twist it around and make it sound "less harsh". I think he's getting all of the attention becasue he didn't BS his statement. I guess this was the only opportunity to say what he (and a lot of people) felt.

If this was Florida, Texas, or even my home state of SC, that help would have been there in a heartbeat. But since it is in LA, MS, and AL, hardly none has arrived and it's very sad.:( :( As a survior of a hurricane (Hugo in '89), my family and I didn't have it as nearly as bad as those people in NO. But if we did, I would want someone to come help me ASAP, not 5 days later!!!!:mad: :mad:

We do not need to buy into the White critics that say now I'm not going to give money. That is just a smoke screen. Who knows it may have motivated people to give more money and even better more Black folx to give money.

As a professional fundraiser, I see nothing wrong about what he said at that particular event. The folx who were going to give from their heart still will, and some who weren't going to give may now find it in their heart to give.

I think that's one thing that pisses me off the most - the BS about the deployment and set up times for units, I mean I'd understand if the response came in waves as the rapid deployment units deployed on site first followed by supporting waves of troops afterwards. I have seen deployments to disasters and I'm sorry this was a clusterf*ck up until today.

http://i23.ebayimg.com/04/i/04/de/39/87_1_b.JPG

I wish dangon Black Republicans would get a clue after this....

Kanye did nothing wrong, in my opinion. He expressed some personal feelings. That's all.

Anyone who is distracted from donating to the cause based on this individual who isn't getting any of the money, didn't really want to donate in the first place.

I like that tshirt...where can I get one ;)

I agree also. Period.

I love Kanye...I love him even more after what he said! It is about time someone just laid it all out there...to hell with breaking it gently

This is kind of unrelated, but now that Chief Justice Rehnquist has died, who wants to bet that the President will appoint Clarence Thomas to the position in the next few weeks or so?

That way, you know, people can't say he doesn't care about black people. They'll then be able to say the Chief Justice doesn't care about black people.

:confused: Oh my WOW... That's all I gotta say for now...:confused:

What she said. Those who are/were going to give will do it and a comment from Kanye will not stop them. Those who don't give because of this had no intention of giving in the first place. JMHO.

Did nothing to help race relations???? His comments were a direct result of the bad race relations that already exist. It was not kumbaya before, why should Black folx be trying to make it a kumbaya moment now?

We are sick and tired of being sick and tired of the daily racism in our lives--subtle and not so subtle. This non-subtle situation exposed it for all to see. And I hope it starts a new revoloution that WILL be televised

The folx on here who know me, know that I am not the one to point to racism everytime something happenes. In fact at first I was one of the ones helping to explain that the Yahoo pics were not a form of racism. But after everything else I have seen and some of the comments over on Chit Chat, I am through playing ambassador.

Unless you have walked in the shoes of anyone of color who has experienced a lifetime of racism then, STFU! Yes I am p*ssed!!!!!!!!

Oh and one more thing. It was a damn if he does, damn if he doesn't for Nagin. He chose to stay in N.O. in a hotel without electricity rather than go to Baton Rouge with the rest of the city officials. But he has been criticized for not going and running the city government. On the other hand, folx who did not know he had stayed in N.O. criticized him for running off to the comforts of Baton Rouge.

The fact that in your post you tried to remove racism from the situation is what is frustrating. We need White people to stand with us and say"Yes, it is racism now let's work together to do something about it." But to keep being in denial about racism is hurting not helping.

I wish I had the answer for you....:(

Yes


okay


Racism is stupidity

Not quite that simple. Not just no one--Bush! It even goes back to the reduction of federal funds that may have kept the broken levees from happening.

I think the first step as cliche as it sounds is to stop seeing people as black or white - to look past the colour and see the person. That is the biggest and most important step that a person can take themselves... and its a hard one because so many in the US seem to have/give an inordinate amount of weight to race and "race relations". Ideally colour should really only be used as a discriptive device, not as an identifier... but then again this is all just me spitballing really.

When it comes to NO it find it incredibly frustrating that people are politicizing or racializing the rescue and relief effort - all the talk of "our people" or accusations of favouritism really only cloud and dilute the many message: People need help! Not blacks, whites, hispanics, asians, native americans, or creoles,; but PEOPLE period.

Oh Lawd, I am already trying to ignore the Chit Chat thread. Don't tell me I'll have to start ignoring this one in my own org's forum, too.

:confused: I don't even know where to begin... First and foremost, I am a black person, but I don't speak on behalf of all black people. I am speaking on behalf of myself because all black people are individuals. We think differently. Meaning, that just because I may feel one way about a situation, the black person standing next to me probably wont feel the same way. We are all different people with different lifestyles, complexions, opinions, upbringings, etc. Like you, we can't help the fact that we were born black. It's not like we had the option of choosing our race.

We live in a society that tells us everyday it's wrong to be black. To be something that we didn't choose to be and cannot change even if we wanted to. For this reason, many people develop a form of self hatred. Don't be mistaken, I couldn't be anymore proud of my culture and my heritage. But there are some black people who are, unfortunately, not.

You asked what can you do to make blacks know that you are not racist. First you should ask yourself why you feel that blacks perceive you as being racist. Start there. Then teach yourself to not be oblivious to what's going on around you. Understand one important thing, racism is a LEARNED behavior. There are a lot of studies that proves this. Another thing you can do is RESEARCH racism. This will help you understand the concept of racism. I also suggest exposing yourself to other cultures more. I am black, but I have friends from many different races, including white.


I think it's harsh and a broad overstatement to say " blacks will see me as white and therefore a racist. " Be careful how you say things because it can be taken offensively. Personally, I have not been raised to believe that because a person is white, they're racist. But I do know that racism exists.

Thank you for this. Please understand that this whole situation has left many of us raw with emotions and has opened old wounds. Also understand that many of us have family, friends, sorority sisters and fraternity brothers that are directly affected, and we are still awaiting word from them.

**THUMBS UP**
at first i was a little upset at where he chose to say what he said. Red Cross is supposed to represent an org. without an opinion but honestly he had said it somewhere else he may not have been taken seriously.

as far as the shirt my friend just ordered one in pink.

I have a million things to say about this situation but I'm at a loss for words really. The entire system has failed us IMO and it has been failing forever but people will begin to open their eyes and then shut them all over again. People forget so easily.

interesting clip: http://thatvideosite.com/view/629.html i dont know if it has been posted anywhere yet just another example of our media

"So poor so Black" WTF?!?!

I don't think there is anything you can do to let BLACKS know you are not a racist because, as previously stated, every single black person is different. Point blank. My mother, for example, thinks ALL white people are racist. Every single one. The only way a white person can get on her good side is if she's known them for years. Seriously. She blames everything that white people do (cut her off while driving, accidentally bump into her in the store) on racism. I disagree with her and she says that I wear rose colored glasses (or whatever that phrase is). I DO NOT believe ALL whites are racist, I just don't feel it in my heart. I don't believe that God made me to think like that. I do believe, however, that racism does exist in many white people.

On the other hand, I am sure that there are white people out there who were raised to think certain things about black people based on their parents and surroundings. Just as my mother tried to instill in me that all whites are racist, I'm sure white families said stereotypical things about blacks and other minorities that are not true. You cannot change the way people are brought up, because most children trust in their parents, they believe their parents speak the truth. Some peoples truths are based on experience, some on ignorance. My mother's truths are based on many bad experiences with white people as a child, teenager and in college and thus groups them in a bunch. Her not trusting and hating white people comes from experience. A lot of times, whites live in gated communites, or communities where they have that 1 black family...so their truths are based on what they see on TV!!!!

They're calling US refugees and looters...refugees??? Tell me if I"m wrong but when I think of a refugee, based on what I have seen on TV growing up, I think of poor Hatians, Jamaicans, Domicans etc. who are also black. Although the people in NO were basically living in poverty and without homes I never thought for a minute they would be called refugees. I went to dictionary.com and refugee =One who flees in search of refuge, as in times of war, political oppression, or religious persecution. Although this is just one definition this is the definition we use the term to mean in the U.S. This in no way reflected those people down south. Now they are using the term evacuees...:rolleyes:

All of these are examples of things that white people have said or done to us to make us the way we are. Just as you clumped us together when you said what can you do to let BLACKS know that you're not a racist, some BLACKS also clump WHITES together when using their judgement. All Black people don't think all white people are racist, and not all Black people are the same (reference me and my mother). I don't think you should be concerned w/letting people know you're not a racist. If they care about you then they will be able to see it in your eyes and feel it in their heart. As for everyone else, let them do what they do.

You can't be all things to all people. No matter how hard you try, you will never be able to please EVERYONE. So, the goal of proving to every Black person you ever meet that you are not racist might be difficult to accomplish. However, it is helpful that you acknowledge and do not make light of racism in its present or former state.

Yes, there are some people who have so much pain that they cannot trust again. Yes, there are plenty of people who believe that the response in New Orleans has to do with race also. In this day, with the racism that still exists in our society, I believe it is a valid claim. No one will ever admit that New Orleans residents suffered because of racism. However, how realistic is it for a white person to understand the covert racism that many Blacks encounter daily? We know what is happening. It is not discussed in stratetic plans. Instead, it remains at a subconscious level in the minds of many leaders in this country, especially those from the South.

I don't know what's on the minds of the people in leadership. So, I don't know if their actions are the result of racism and classism. But I can say that I don't think the reults would have been the same if a hurricane left people stranded in a wealthy, white community.