First off, I wish to say that I feel for those people down there in Louisiana and Mississippi . They have lost a lot. No amount of donations or disaster relief can replace the people or things that these people have lost. That being said, there is something I must address.
This took place a few days ago, and I didn't see the telethon.
Kanye West made some remarks, unscripted and totally his opinion, that should not have been made in that venue. It was a telethon to raise money to help the victims, and he chose that time to make a personal statement. He was paired with Mike Myers.
Here's how it went down. Transcript as posted on
WashingtonPost.Com
Myers: The landscape of the city has changed dramatically, tragically and perhaps irreversibly. There is now over 25 feet of water where there was once city streets and thriving neighborhoods.
(Myers throws to West, who looked extremely nervous in his super-preppy designer rugby shirt and white pants, which is not like the arrogant West and which, in retrospect, should have been a tip-off.)
West: I hate the way they portray us in the media. You see a black family, it says, "They're looting." You see a white family, it says, "They're looking for food." And, you know, it's been five days [waiting for federal help] because most of the people are black. And even for me to complain about it, I would be a hypocrite because I've tried to turn away from the TV because it's too hard to watch. I've even been shopping before even giving a donation, 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. So anybody out there that wants to do anything that we can help -- with the way America is set up to help the poor, the black people, the less well-off, as slow as possible. I mean, the Red Cross is doing everything they can. We already realize a lot of people that could help are at war right now, fighting another way -- and they've given them permission to go down and shoot us!
(West throws back to Myers, who is looking like a guy who stopped on the tarmac to tie his shoe and got hit in the back with the 8:30 to La Guardia.)
Myers: And subtle, but in many ways even more profoundly devastating, is the lasting damage to the survivors' will to rebuild and remain in the area. The destruction of the spirit of the people of southern Louisiana and Mississippi may end up being the most tragic loss of all.
(And, because Myers is apparently as dumb as his Alfalfa hair, he throws it back to West.)
West: George Bush doesn't care about black people!
(Back to Myers, now looking like the 8:30 to La Guardia turned around and caught him square between the eyes.)
Myers: Please call . . .
At which point, they were cut off and it was thrown back to Chris Tucker.
Now, I don't agree with the point Myers is dumb. I think he was more along the lines of in shock at the sheer ignorance of Kanye West. If Kanye has an issue with the media or George Bush and the media portrays black people that's fine. However, in that venue, it was not the place to voice it. There was a greater good to be done that day. I would personally like to see him down in those very flood waters for that. Its an outrage, and unforgivable. Those people down there need HELP, not some glorrified rap artist pushing his personal message. He wants to help. Tell him to sell off his esate and property to help those people out. I'll have more to say on this later once I've collected my thoughts, right now I'm just so pissed at this guy.
