Actor Kanye West Ruins NBC Relief Show, declares 'George Bush doesn't care about black people'
September 02, 2005
Posted by jkhat at September 2, 2005 09:07 PM
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During a nationally televised Hurricane Katrina relief show, actor Kayne West showed the world what he was made of as he went on a tirade against George W. Bush.
"George Bush doesn't care about black people," West said. "They're saying black families are looting and white families are just looking for food...they're giving the (Army) permission to shoot us"
NBC attempted to cut off the out-of-line remarks by cutting to a shot of actor Chris Tucker, but by then, the damage had already been done.
Technorai Tag: kanye west
Posted by jkhat at September 2, 2005 09:07 PM
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| # September 3rd, 2005 10:10 AM mbrlr |
| I'll confess I'm old enough not to be acquainted with Kanye West (I don't recognize 3/4 of the actors and singers my wife knows --- age does that to you) but I respect his sincerity even if he should have perhaps let the folks at NBC know about it beforehand. And I do feel sorry for Mike Myers.
But he said what he said because he looked at the evidence and simply couldn't *not* say it given the opportunity. That doesn't make his behavior good or professional, but it also doesn't make what he said any less true. The truth hurts sometimes, you know? The priority must be to take care of the folks in need. But that's not where the story ends; some fakery and facades aren't going to survive this trauma. |
| # September 3rd, 2005 12:12 PM Daddy |
| We now know the mbrlr man's true identity:
Ladies and Gentlemen, LOUIS FARRAKAHN!! It's a good thing I don't have anything in my stomach this early in the morning. TRUTH and EVIDENCE?? "They're giving the Army permission to shoot us". OK, truth. Fair enough. "They're saying black families are looting while whites are just looking for food". Yeah, that's a f*ck-up. Also truth. It's in the links section, because of how f'ed-up it is. Now--WHAT DO EITHER OF THOSE THINGS HAVE TO DO WITH GEORGE BUSH HATING BLACK PEOPLE?????? He's telling the army to shoot Black people...who are beating and raping the OTHER BLACK PEOPLE! As far as that news story--yeah, the media blew it. If he would have limited his comments to that particular topic, there wouldn't be any controversy. Now let's talk about EVIDENCE... Any white racist can take this whole incident and use it as proof to back up their assertions: "N*ggers are too dumb to understand the word 'evacuate'. If they weren't so busy buying crack with their welfare checks, maybe they could afford gas to get out of the city. Then they start lootin' and rapin' each other....it's like I said: you take the n*gger out of the jungle, but you can't take the jungle out of the n*gger." Now...that last paragraph is vile, disgusting, and anyone who has evolved past the brain stem would disregard that as hateful tripe. However, pictures and stories from the ravaged areas "back up" those assertions. The white racist who would say those things only looks at race, and uses the "facts" to back up beliefs he already holds. Just like Kayne West. That's why Kayne West's comments, in my mind, are no different than the ones I made up. I take his comments personally, and I feel like I'm one of the objects of his rage. Hearsay and conjecture are being treated as truth and evidence. THAT'S what hurts. |
| # September 3rd, 2005 1:16 PM tigger |
| I like how no one in the media explains what Kanye West was talking about.
This is what he was referring to... http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/2410/214/1600/loot1.jpg He was totally right. Both were at the grocery store to loot yet one becomes a 'looter' the other 'found' the food. LOL |
| # September 3rd, 2005 2:07 PM james |
tigger, this link explains the captions on the photos.
The photographer who took the Getty/AFP picture, Chris Graythen, also posted the reasons behind his caption: |
| # September 3rd, 2005 2:19 PM BrianH |
| tigger,
Those photos and the captions were created by journalists, not by Bush. West was assigning the blame for that on Bush. But then we all know that everything wrong that happens in the world is the result of Bush wanting oil, right? |
| # September 3rd, 2005 3:12 PM tigger |
| ^^Uh no. Here is what he said.
"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." Where does he say "Bush"? He says "the way they treat us in media." -------------- And Kayne's right...what were those white people doing at a closed store? What were they doing there? Were they also not there to "loot" cause they too also didn't have any food or anything? If they didn't "find" the food floating out of the store why didn't they do the right thing and return it? If it was not an appropriate caption why would the French newswire AFP then pull it? I love how the journalist tries to justify it..."They would have floated away anyhow." Obviously when both photos and captions appeared on Yahoo News it presented a stark and complex view of the level of racism inherent in society that blacks all too often see and white people rarely even know about. |
| # September 3rd, 2005 3:21 PM tigger |
| And if one really wants to get technical...
Cops Looting New Orleans http://blighty.multiply.com/journal/item/537 |
| # September 3rd, 2005 3:22 PM tigger |
| “The police got all the best stuff. They’re crookeder than us,” one man said.
^^pwned |
| # September 3rd, 2005 3:26 PM james |
| are you damaged, tigger? or just illiterate?
the captions don't reflect any "racism" whatsoever. the differing caption are the result of 2 different editing processes from 2 different news outfits. the photographer himself said that his pic w/ the words "find" could have just as easily been of black people. you're seeing a result that looks bad, and yes, it does look bad. but one can hardly draw the conclusion you arrive at, especially after reading the "real story" behind the captions |
| # September 3rd, 2005 4:38 PM tigger |
| are you on drugs james? or just on crack?
Ya no shiit 2 different stories by 2 different journalists. I already read the thing on snopes when this first came out. You being white dont see any perceived racism. Myself on the other hand do. Its not as obvious and blatent as some guy in a KKK uniform yelling out 'zieg heil' or whatever. But it is there and its very subtle. We obviously come from 2 different backgrounds so we are probably not going to see eye to eye on this one. Why did that journalist say they found those items? They obviously came from the store and the items weren't theirs. He states he didn't see where they got the items from...he just assumed. If the people in the photograph were black instead of white would that journalist have said the same thing (subtle) that they 'found' those items or would he have said they 'stole' them? Did he simply conclude they found them because they were white? See what I'm getting at...its like when cops assume a black person driving a nice car stole it. |
| # September 3rd, 2005 4:57 PM james |
| so it's illiterate then.
to quote, AGAIN: These people were not ducking into a store and busting down windows to get electronics. They picked up bread and cokes that were floating in the water. we were right near a grocery store that had 5+ feet of water in it. it had no doors. the water was moving, and the stuff was floating away. also there were other people in the water, both white and black. I looked for the best picture. you'll find that people all over the news are misusing the word "loot." that's probably because most of them have no idea what it means, and "loot" sounds scarier on tv so it sells better. race has nothing to do with it. finally, you dont know my background, nor do you have any idea what color i am. if you're assuming that im a certain color because of my words or opinions, then i think you're the one with the problem. |
| # September 3rd, 2005 5:32 PM Daddy |
| I gotta say, those that ARE "looting" grocery stores--I don't blame 'em.
Perishables are going to perish, anyway. The store's not gonna open for business anytime soon, and I'm starving--FOR REAL!--right now. "Looting". Like their stealing Hi-Def big screens. Yeah, it's OK to steal a bag of Fritos to feed your family. And other families. Doesn't mean I'm proud of it; I know God forgives, and if I get to LIVE til next week, I'll make amends then. |
| # September 3rd, 2005 6:10 PM james |
| me neither, daddy. i've got no problem with people taking food or water. that isn't "looting" - a mistake the media has been making all over the place. if it was me, you're darn right i'd take the food and water. however, you would NOT find me with a VCR in my hand. |
| # September 3rd, 2005 6:41 PM mbrlr |
| Well, here comes another long one.
It's a horror and needs to be dealt with, but those responsible for letting it get to this point need to be dealt with and should not be able to hide by touting "national unity". The captions are important because they point out very clearly where we are as a nation right now and the tenor of our times. The truth exposed by this horror , a truth which the rather casual racist assumptions of the captions makes very clear, is that this country (not just the South) is still racially divided and economically unfair. It's a truth that's not pleasant or easy to deal with, but it has to be confronted. This horror has exposed very, very clearly that this society --- and not just the South --- is still racist as all get out. And I'm tempted to make an "empty stomach to go with empty head" jab at you, Padre, but I feel we should stay above that sort of...wow! I just said you were foolish and veiled it by saying I wasn't going to say it. Next thing you know, I'll be a regular on Fox. As for the evidence, many folks look at this and it seems clear either by a preponderance of the evidence or beyond a reasonable doubt. If you're polite and call it a civil action, we win and if you lean towards pursuing it as a criminal offense, as I do, we win. But I know evidence and its value are almost always matters of interpretation and construction. That's why we have juries and in this case, the entirety of the American people. But I would argue that the evidence so far from this mess, not just from the caption incident, is that we're in trouble as a country, economically and socially and politically and I think the jury (and I would have struck you from the jury as soon as I saw you, mon pere, btw) is leaning towards my interpretation. Much of the evidence --- FEMA budget request cuts, general indifference to the less fortunate, a tendency to lie and call it truth --- supports throwing the rascals out. However, under our system that can't happen in Congress till 2007 and in the White House till 2009. And 2009 can't come too soon. And my identity? I'm a Southerner, an Arkansan, a lawyer, and a Catholic. I don't ever recall signing up as a follower of Mr. Farrakhan. Although sometimes the church and its bishops get near his level of idiocy, we're not quite there yet. Please know that I am trying, in addition to praying for those in need and giving to charities both here in Arkansas (where we're about to get over a thousand of the poor souls from New Orleans) and nationally who are trying to help them, to be fair. For instance, I just want y'all to know that in this time of troubles, it's nice to know that Condi was still thinking of the bigger picture and helping to spur the economy by those purchases in New York. And she got to see the stage version that's running of Spamalot! See? Both conservatives and liberals can be Python fans. Does my disgust show? Good. Deal with it, folks. The face of this administration, its denial of reality, and the contempt it has for anyone but those who meet the "right" profile has become very, very clear. If you're poor, black, or just not in their voting column, to hell with you and hope you have fun drowning until it becomes politically necessary to help you fully and appropriately. I just don't think the falsehood is going to take this time. The bloom's off the rose, George W., and much of the country wants answers and is beginning to realize the tragedy of your being in office when this horror happened and before. Ask yourself, folks, and please be honest, if the efforts at relief or the failure to foresee and forestall the failings of the system would have been this way under Clinton or if Gore had been in office? My reaction to this and wanting answers and yes, pointing fingers where I think fingers should be pointed, isn't out of joy; it's out of rage and horror. Again, both liberals and conservatives should give money and make other efforts to help these folks if they can. But don't pretend that this situation and the response or lack thereof isn't political. Wishing that is...well, wishful thinking. So, longwinded though I am, what i boils down to is give money, help personally if able, and make sure that the feds and your state governments see these foks are taken care of, but there are and will be questions and they will have to be answered. BTW, anyone know if Alex Chilton (Boxtops, Big Star) has been located down there? I named one of my kids after him. |
| # September 4th, 2005 3:43 PM smartindependent |
| For a site that attacks its opponents' intelligence (oh so cleverly) in its very name, you might want to work on your own mental and fact-checking powers. Kanye West is not an actor, he is a rapper who writes some of the most thought-provoking and socially conscious lyrics today. And I highly doubt that his comments (whether or not you agree with them) "ruined" anything. While the format may or may not have been inappropriate, West attempted to give voice to an idea and a people that has gone quite unheard in the past days. Certainly we can sympathize with his frustration as we watch American citizens suffering unnecessarily. As far as the show went, anyone with any intelligence would not let his comments, even if they disagree, stop or lessen their giving to this disaster. Your response seems more rash and less well thought out than his.
To those of you confused by the link between Bush and the media, West was not blaming Bush for the captions that the media puts out. He was talking about two separate things. The negative portrayal of the media, and the slow federal response to the disaster, for which Bush must take some responsibility. |
| # September 4th, 2005 3:59 PM james |
| "you might want to work on your own mental and fact-checking powers."
1) we didnt write the article, we quoted it from another site. you might want to work on your reading comprehension skills. 2) he is an actor as well, appearing in more than one movie. 3) who do you think our "opponents" are? i didnt realize we were in a competition here. this site has no "opponents." oh, i get it, the enemy of my enemy is my friend, right? 4) "Your response seems more rash and less well thought out than his. " what the hell was "our" response? we ran a story saying kayne west was a fool. how is that a "rash" response? for someone claiming to be "smart" in his username, you've certainly disappointed me. |
| # September 4th, 2005 4:28 PM BrianH |
| tigger,
"Where does he say "Bush"? He says "the way they treat us in media." The quote was: "George Bush doesn't care about black people," West said. "They're saying black families are looting and white families are just looking for food...they're giving the (Army) permission to shoot us" Looks to me like he said George Bush and I don't see where he said "the media". It may be that he was misquoted. If so then he was misquoted in many places as I've seen a similar quote in several places. I'd expect him to issue an appology to Bush and some HARD criticism of the media (demanding retractions and appologies from them). |
| # September 4th, 2005 4:36 PM james |
| brian, check the video, that quote isn't dead-on. i think that tigger is right, he wasn't really blaming bush for the media portrayal, as far as i can tell. the statement was very disjointed and rambly, like he was just throwing out a bunch of random thoughts that popped into his head. im sure he was trying to get a message across, and im sure he was being sincere (he was visibly nervous/shaken), but it just didnt come off that well. if he had just not mentioned GWB this whole thing may have been forgotten |
| # September 4th, 2005 7:27 PM smartindependent |
| "if he had just not mentioned GWB this whole thing may have been forgotten"
Precisely. Which is probably exactly why he mentioned him. Because it's too important to be forgotten. I saw the thing happen, and when he said that it was a knee-jerk reaction. "I can't believe someone just said that on network tv." But then I thought about why I would have such a reaction in a culture where free speech is actually ensured and welcomed. People have opinions, and I find it refreshing to find someone being one-hundred percent honest about his. While I can understand the call for an apology to the telethon directors, I don't think he owes GWB anything. |
| # September 4th, 2005 7:30 PM james |
| "Which is probably exactly why he mentioned him."
oh please. yeah, he's a frickin genius. LOL ROFLMAO |
| # September 4th, 2005 7:32 PM james |
| by the way, saying "so-and-so hates black people" isn't protected speech. |
| # September 4th, 2005 7:56 PM smartindependent |
| He did not use the word hate. |
| # September 4th, 2005 11:27 PM siren8780 |
| To say that Kanye West \"ruined\" the show is short sighted. I may aggree with many Republican ideals, but this is not one of them. Kanye West is absolutely right. Bush may not hate black people or poor people, but they definately are not his priority...his domestic policy and poor PR choices reflect this fact. Kanye\'s choice to speak out in the way he did was inapropriate, but necessary. Everyone talks around the issue of race, but sometimes you have to stop playing nice and following the rules and just tell the truth. The President is now in a position to prove that he does care about these people by keeping his word and make things right. Many in this country have lost faith in Bush and the Republican party. Perhaps an improved response to this tragedy will restore faith in the White House and in the American Dream. I really hope that Bush\'s promises of relief are not empty. |
| # September 5th, 2005 12:25 PM mbrlr |
| You certainly have the right to say "George Bush hates black people" whenever you like. In that respect, it's protected. BUT Mr. Bush can certainly sue him for slander if he wishes. Call it a hunch, but I suspect he won't do that. |
| # September 5th, 2005 1:07 PM james |
| he cant sue for slander, he's a public official. the only defamation cause of action he would have would be what some call "first amendment defamation," and since he's a public official, he'd have to prove actual malice. a very tall order. |
| # September 6th, 2005 5:39 PM mbrlr |
| Give me the case sites on those. Not planning a response; just curious.
And you know my views on this administration's (and that President's) malice aforethought. Whether it could be proven in court is another question. |
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