Kanye West: The confederate flag is now ours. Average black guy (me): F*** off!!

[Parasondox]

Aftereveningnoon Escapist,

Oh Kanye West, since when were you the spokesperson for black (Afro-Caribbean) people. "New Slaves"?? Are you trying to make a political point here? First the "N" word is more normalised BUT can't be used out of a certain race but now you want the confederate flag to be "ours". Before certain people call me a fucking "token" or "Uncle Tom", stupid nonsense like that, I am honestly getting fed up of this.

http://www.complex.com/style/2013/11/old-flag-new-slaves-kanye-west-confederate-flag
http://edition.cnn.com/2013/11/04/us/kanye-west-confederate-flag/

Should I defend this man because he is the same race as me? NO. I won't and I refuse too because using something that has been a symbol (you can even say word) to put down your own race and saying it's ours and no one else can use it is, just confusingly stupid. It's like the Jewish community using the Nazi's Swastika as a normal good thing. They wouldn't do that. So why is it the the comment section of these articles about Kanye West doing this, that people are defending him? WHY?!?! In all seriousness I must ask WHY do people follow any crap that Kanye West says and does but more important people get ignored. You can say its entertainment and money but people are stupid are they? Are you trying to make a point by saying, "This has been used to suppress my people and fellow race, so now we will use it to show others it does not stop us from achieving greatness and overcome diversity". I would totally understand that but maybe just, I don't know, not give it any attention so it doesn't gain more power?? Maybe try that. Point is I will be seen as a black person who doesn't defend the actions of Kanye West and others because for some reason I should and black people should always stick together... NO not when shit like this happens. Should I defend Obama for being drone loving war criminal that kills innocent civilians because he is half black? NO. Further more stop with the "Token" or "Uncle Tom" comments just because something has been disagreed.

Off topic thing here but remember the days when Rap and R 'n' B was about life, having a good time and even telling a story about things can be tough at times and how they overcame it? Remember those days, or is it just me?

Please let me know what you think of this matter and if I am just overreacting or have a point. Sorry some of you may have no idea what I am talking about but if you do, please let me know what you think. It's me just asking a question about what and why.

 

[Thaluikhain]

Yeah, I'm going to agree with you on this. Mind you, I don't even live on your hemisphere.

But...yeah, all this is likely to do is help racists pretending they aren't, because this one black guy says they aren't.

 

[Legion]

I have always find it kind of funny the way people seem to think the same race, sex, sexuality and so on should "stick together" regardless of whether or not people are right or wrong. It's that kind of tribalistic attitude which is why nothing ever gets resolved. Rather than looking at things rationally and choosing those who are right over those who are wrong, people will just pick sides and start digging trenches.

I cannot speak for the Confederate flag issues specifically, because such a symbol is pretty much unknown in the UK. I am aware of what it stands for, but cannot really grasp what impact it may have on people for whom it has affected directly or indirectly. What I can say is that I agree with you in that taking the word or symbol for yourself doesn't really work, it just causes more tension.

The idea that a word is offensive, but only when certain people use it (regardless of context) just causes arguments and strife, whereas simply having the word being considered unacceptable would tear down another barrier. When you get music frequently using the word, so much that it is always in the public consciousness, but at the same time all but a single group of people have to be careful when they use it so as not to offend, it just causes needless problems.

That is not to say I do not completely understand why some people have chosen to use it, but overall I don't think it is a good thing.

 

[Jonluw]

So only black people can use the confederate flag now?
Cool. I'm sure that's a step in the right direction towards eliminating racial divides.

I don't care if West wants to use the flag for whatever. He's probably just trying for attention anyways. But this idea that only people of a given skin colour should be allowed to do or say certain things is profoundly stupid.

 

[TheRightToArmBears]

Kanye West is being an egomaniac twat? Stop the presses.

Spoiler

I find it hard to believe that this chap would have given a fuck, nor do the many rednecks that have it slung up in the back of their pickup trucks.

 

[omega 616]

"Man, that Miley Cyprus sure is getting a lot of attention for being wacky and people forgot about my kid awful quickly (and it's silly name).... How can I get that spotlight back? I KNOW!"

Can someone organise an intervention for this guy? Just kill him, sure his fame will skyrocket for a few months but then it's over! No more silly shenanigans!

 

[RhombusHatesYou]

Please let me know what you think of this matter and if I am just overreacting or have a point. Sorry some of you may have no idea what I am talking about but if you do, please let me know what you think. It's me just asking a question about what and why.

I think it's an exciting step forward (in brainless fuckwittery)!

I can't wait for him to get dressed up in some white sheets and burn some crosses, claiming that the KKK now belongs to black folk.

 

[Shadowstar38]

This is the same guy that said he should be in the bible. He likes making outlandish public statements. Just, you know, don't take it seriously.

 

[Parasondox]

Please let me know what you think of this matter and if I am just overreacting or have a point. Sorry some of you may have no idea what I am talking about but if you do, please let me know what you think. It's me just asking a question about what and why.

I think it's an exciting step forward (in brainless fuckwittery)!

I can't wait for him to get dressed up in some white sheets and burn some crosses, claiming that the KKK now belongs to black folk.

Please don't give him ideas and encouragement lol He will do it.

 

[Jamash]

Aftereveningnoon Escapist,

Oh Kanye West, since when were you the spokesperson for black (Afro-Caribbean) people. "New Slaves"?? Are you trying to make a political point here? First the "N" word is more normalised BUT can't be used out of a certain race but now you want the confederate flag to be "ours". Before certain people call me a fucking "token" or "Uncle Tom", stupid nonsense like that, I am honestly getting fed up of this.

You shouldn't get so worked up about it. If Kanye West is acting like a spokesperson, he's only a spokesperson of African-Americans, i.e. the descendants of slaves born in America. He's not a spokesperson for every Black person in the world.

As a British Afro-Caribbean, your link to Kanye West is very tenuous, so it's silly to get worked up about his antics. It would be like me getting worked up about someone like Glenn Beck or some random Australian guy just because we're both Caucasoid.

If you insist on getting worked up about the antics of other Black people because you have similar genetic routes, then may I suggest that someone like Robert Mugabe or one of the other countless warlords and despots in Africa would be more worthy of your ire.

Forget about Kanye West and his appropriation of a symbol of slavery in America, what about the people in Africa who started the slave trade and still continue it to this day?

No matter how misguided he may be, at least Kanye is apparently trying to make things better in his own bizarre way, but why should you give a shit? You're British by nationality, Afro-Caribbean by ethnicity and African by race, so have a cup of tea and don't get so worked up about the crazy antics of some American celebrity.

 

[Johnny Novgorod]

Kanye is a spokeperson for his ego alone. It's what he does.
Even Obama thinks he's a jackass...

 

[Wraith]

As a black guy I do not care what Kanye says or does and you shouldn't either. He does not speak for anyone, but himself and being so worked up about what he says and does just gives him more power and attention. Which just feeds into his ego.

 

[beastro]

This is the same guy that said he should be in the bible. He likes making outlandish public statements. Just, you know, don't take it seriously.

The issue is that many will.

It's the essence of why bad role models are bad role models, idiots in that position help turn others into idiots.

 

[nyankaty]

Oh Kanye. If he belonged anywhere, he belonged in the Greek myth of Narcissus and Echo, falling in love with his reflection so completely that he kills himself out of sorrow from not being able to ever touch his reflected self.

That said, I'm more and more under the impression that the vast majority of stuff Kanye says is just to get a rise out of people and to stay in the public eye. When he does shit like this though, it divides people so much and causes so much strife over someone so silly. He just has so many die hard fans that take everything he says and does as law.

I won't lose any sleep over this because, as a Texan, the Confederate flag flies pretty much everywhere and no one here cares what Kanye does with it. It has an extremely different meaning to everyone around here and no two people will agree on what it means to them. I'll steer clear of that particular symbol because of the shit that was done under the flag, but it's free for everyone to grasp, interpret and use as they will and that includes dear, strange Kanye.

Just let it go. It's likely a publicity stunt (or a social experiment that he'll reveal dramatically later) and it'll go away soon enough.

 

[Souplex]

Does anyone ever take anything Kanye says seriously?

 

[Saltyk]

Kayne West. I never liked him. He's an idiot through and through. This is a man who claimed he would be in the Bible if it were written today (I'd say as an example of how bad some people can be, if anything). A man who famously made an outburst claiming that the President didn't care about black people. Who has stormed the stage while others were accepting an award and shot off his mouth on multiple occasions. The list goes on and will probably never end.

Seriously, if there's anyone that people shouldn't take seriously, it's Doctor Doom. You know, because he's fictional.

But followed closely by Kayne West.

As for the flag, I have no comment. I personally don't view it's as a negative thing, though. Nor really a positive. And the whole debate makes me think of a South Park episode.

 

[squall9126]

Wait, this is real? I saw an article on Buzzfeed about this, i didn't read it but looking at the title i figured it was something that The Onion had cooked up. This is nuts, seriously this guy is just an egotistical asshat. Just another stunt on his list of douchebaggery.

 

[Thaluikhain]

Kayne West. I never liked him. He's an idiot through and through. This is a man who claimed he would be in the Bible if it were written today (I'd say as an example of how bad some people can be, if anything). A man who famously made an outburst claiming that the President didn't care about black people. Who has stormed the stage while others were accepting an award and shot off his mouth on multiple occasions. The list goes on and will probably never end.

The claim that Bush didn't care about black people was in regards to the sever mishandling of the Katrina affair, so there is some justification for that.

As for being in the Bible, eh, that's easy. Quote a church type of any note in a thread, and you night end up in "Posts to the forum dwellers".