Why Kanye West’s Political Stand Matters More Than Taylor Swift’s

[NightHawkeye]

We have understood how to determine when we are being used as tokens since companies started sitting us beside the door back in the 60s. I've been used as a token from time to time myself.

So ... affirmative action is now bad?

And, yes, Trump is using him as a token.

Not. At. All.

Trump is using him for political advantage. Trump very much wants Kanye's followers to hear what Kanye is saying.

 

[iluvatar5150]

Colin Kaepernick was disruptive.

So, it's disruptive to quietly kneel on the sidelines for a few minutes before the game starts, during a segment that may not even be televised...

...but it's not disruptive to have a meeting with the POTUS, in the oval office, surrounded by media.

Got it.

The criticism was mostly leveled at his actions.

No, the criticism was leveled at the meaning that was inferred from his actions, his justification for expressing those ideas, and his right to express them in the first place.

 

[RDKirk]

So ... affirmative action is now bad?

There is a difference between affirmative action and tokenism.

Not. At. All.

Totally.

Trump is using him for political advantage. Trump very much wants Kanye's followers to hear what Kanye is saying.

I doubt Kanye West has any political followers, and as I've said before, he lost any he might have had with "slavery was a choice."

You have no clue how that has roiled through black communities. There are actually many black people who are now determined to vote against anyone and anything Kanye supports specifically because of that statement.

 

[NightHawkeye]

There is a difference between affirmative action and tokenism.

While there are certainly differences in intent, affirmative action leads to tokenism.

I doubt Kanye West has any political followers, and as I've said before, he lost any he might have had with "slavery was a choice."

LOL, the same can be said of Taylor Swift and most celebs who, nevertheless, endlessly bombard the airwaves with their ill-considered political viewpoints.

You have no clue how that has roiled through black communities.

Sure I do. I pay attention to the news ... same as you.

There are actually many black people who are now determined to vote against anyone and anything Kanye supports specifically because of that statement.

Meh ... we both know that the block of black voters have voted solidly against Republicans for years. What we don't know is whether Trump has made any inroads into fragmenting that block.

The FACT that black unemployment is now at its lowest levels ever may change that voting pattern, irregardless of what Kanye says. We should know sooner rather than later about that.

 

[RDKirk]

While there are certainly differences in intent, affirmative action leads to tokenism.

LOL, the same can be said of Taylor Swift and most celebs who, nevertheless, endlessly bombard the airwaves with their ill-considered political viewpoints.

Sure I do. I pay attention to the news ... same as you.

Meh ... we both know that the block of black voters have voted solidly against Republicans for years. What we don't know is whether Trump has made any inroads into fragmenting that block.

The FACT that black unemployment is now at its lowest levels ever may change that voting pattern. We should know sooner rather than later about that.

Your basic failure here is that your understanding of what's happening with black people is based solely upon the news you follow.

And I find that a whole lot of white people tend to think that's also the only way black people know what's happening with black people.

Take, for instance, the unemployment numbers.

White people see low numbers in the media and think, "Well, blacks have it good!"

The problem is, you have no "ground truth."

Within the black community, we say, "Hey, man, have you found a job yet?"

And his response is that he's working part time at Kroger's...which has taken him off the list of job seekers, but it's still not paying his rent. So is he "grateful" enough to vote for Trump?

Nope.

 

[NightHawkeye]

Your basic failure here is that your understanding of what's happening with black people is based solely upon the news you follow.

Nah.

I also watch Terrence Williams Youtube videos from time to time. He's "just trying to figure it out".

 

[RDKirk]

Nah.

I also watch Terrence Williams Youtube videos from time to time. He's "just trying to figure it out".

Why don't you go over to some black people you personally know and ask them how they feel about the employment picture for black people in general?

 

[NightHawkeye]

Why don't you go over to some black people you personally know and ask them how they feel about the employment picture for black people in general?

FWIW, I've had a number of political discussions with a former manager, who is black. He even sought me out for such discussion a few weeks back.

 

[GoldenBoy89]

Colin Kaepernick was disruptive.

And Kanye was not?

Incredible.

 

[GoldenBoy89]

Criticisms against Kanye, even on this forum, have been mostly personal attacks.

He's earned it.

 

[GoldenBoy89]

I don't personally care what either of them thinks regarding politics, and I couldn't pick out one of their songs if you paid me. But what I find interesting about this how quickly the progressive left is working to put a black man in his place for daring to disagree with them.

It wasn't for disagreeing. It was for acting a fool, like he always does.

 

[GoldenBoy89]

The immediate and constant attacks for his support of our president, like calling him a "token negro."

The "token black guy" remark is an attack on Trump who is obviously using Kanye to try and improve his image among black voters. Unfortunately for Trump, no one takes Kanye seriously and haven't for years. He just acts off the wall to try and remain relevant. I think he honestly plays up a lot of his crazy behavior because that's what's worked for him.

 

[NightHawkeye]

The "token black guy" remark is an attack on Trump who is obviously using Kanye to try and improve his image among black voters. Unfortunately for Trump, no one takes Kanye seriously and haven't for years. He just acts off the wall to try and remain relevant. I think he honestly plays up a lot of his crazy behavior because that's what's worked for him.

Yes, Trump and Kanye have the crazy behavior angle in common. It works for them.

 

[Kentonio]

Something, something ‘dragon energy’ something..

 

[Kaon]

So ... affirmative action is now bad?

The idea of Affirmative Action is a commentary on the nation, because it forces humans to acknowledge a certain amount of decency. In other words, it is a reflection on the people when a nation has to make a law that basically says institutions must consider a group (somewhat) as equally as others are considered.

 

[SolomonVII]

I think the best illustration of celebrity culture is Bojack Horseman. To the point that the artists of Hollywood remain true to themselves, Bojack Horseman fully embodies the values of celebrity culture. Hollywood may be leftist, but art itself is never propaganda. The true artist bares his own soul, and in baring their souls, they produced Bojack Horseman as the caricature of their own Hollywood values.

Now Bojack Horseman is a moral imbecile and a dead beat. They only way that he can live with himself is by keeping stoned and drunk 24/7.

To the extent that any celebrity influences the voting choice of any voter, well, who’s the bigger imbecile?

From what I understand Kanye portrays the black voter as choosing to be slaves of the white liberals, who are the masterminds of the Democratic Party. The black voting bloc serves white liberals very well indeed. White liberals rule the roost, an elite controlling media and tech and universities, keeping wages low through establishing a permanent underclass of brown workers devoid of citizenship.

Now, to the extent that other blacks are the brawn liberals send to whip this uppity Uncle Tom into line, even a moral imbecile has a better sense of reality than people who pretend that they are voting Democrat,again, only to spite Kanye.

The flesh pots of Egypt.
A chicken in every pot.

5000 years later, even the rhetoric of the slave masters remain exactly the same.
It is typical of people to sell their birthright of freedom for a big mug of savoury soup, when their stomachs tell them to.

 

[iluvatar5150]

To the extent that any celebrity influences the voting choice of any voter, well, who’s the bigger imbecile?

 

[SolomonVII]

Yes, Trump and Kanye have the crazy behavior angle in common. It works for them.

From the way I heard political commentators describe it, Trump listened to Kanye as befuddled and mouth agape as everyone else usually is when it is Trump dominating the room.
The same crazy that Trump employs, Kanye has it in spades.

 

[Kaon]

I think the best illustration of celebrity culture is Bojack Horseman. To the point that the artists of Hollywood remain true to themselves, Bojack Horseman fully embodies the values of celebrity culture. Hollywood may be leftist, but art itself is never propaganda. The true artists bares his own soul, and in baring their souls, they produced Bojack Horseman as the caricature of their own Hollywood values.

Now Bojack Horseman is a moral imbecile and a dead beat. They only way that he can live with himself is by keeping stoned and drunk 24/7.

To the extent that any celebrity influences the voting choice of any voter, well, who’s the bigger imbecile?

From what I understand Kanye portrays the black voter as choosing to be slaves of the white liberals, who are the masterminds of the Democratic Party. The black voting bloc serves white liberals very well indeed. White liberals rule the roost, an elite controlling media and tech and universities, keeping wages low through establishing a permanent underclass of brown workers devoid of citizenship.

Now, tothe extent that other blacks are the brawn liberals send to whip this uppity Uncle Tom into line, even a moral imbecile has a better sense of reality than people who pretend that they are voting Democrat,again, only to spite Kanye.
The flesh pots of Egypt.
A chicken in every pot.
5000 years later, even the rhetoric of the slave masters remain exactly the same.

It is typical of people to sell their birthright of freedom for a big mug of savoury soup, when. Their stomachs start to growl.

It is more accurately art imitates life.

What we are seeing is an imitation of a caricature of life - very far removed from reality. Kanye west doesn't represent the black voter, because black voters are not monolithic.

He represents himself - poorly at time, but he can only represent himself. What he says is a reflection of himself, his views, his [in]securities, and his psychology.

The reason why Black people call him what they call him is because he behaves that way. He is pressing his lips firmly on the posterior of a man that said is at best a prejudiced sexist demagogue capitalist. And, I am just saying that because I am supposed to be ignorant of how racist Trump is for the sake of debate on these forums [/sarcasm].

Has Kanye West ever commented about the Jena 6, and Trump's long stance on their innocence? No, because Kanye is at best extremely ignorant, and in general a hypocrite. Here is a list of Trump's questionable moments about certain types of people:

Opinion | Donald Trump’s Racism: The Definitive List



It is very clear Trump is using Kanye for a political pull. This black man supporting a man people know is sexist and prejudiced is a long-suffering fault of Americans: that when a black person accepts an obviously oppressive and prejudiced entity, that means that entity is not prejudiced or oppressive. This is why people call him a coon, and an uncle tom - because that is what coons and uncle toms were used for (among other things). I would say Americans need to stop the ponderous cliche of "a black person likes it/accepts it... it isn't racist, or prejudiced!", but I know it cannot be helped.

 

[CRAZY_CAT_WOMAN]

I think the best illustration of celebrity culture is Bojack Horseman. To the point that the artists of Hollywood remain true to themselves, Bojack Horseman fully embodies the values of celebrity culture. Hollywood may be leftist, but art itself is never propaganda. The true artist bares his own soul, and in baring their souls, they produced Bojack Horseman as the caricature of their own Hollywood values.

Now Bojack Horseman is a moral imbecile and a dead beat. They only way that he can live with himself is by keeping stoned and drunk 24/7.

To the extent that any celebrity influences the voting choice of any voter, well, who’s the bigger imbecile?

From what I understand Kanye portrays the black voter as choosing to be slaves of the white liberals, who are the masterminds of the Democratic Party. The black voting bloc serves white liberals very well indeed. White liberals rule the roost, an elite controlling media and tech and universities, keeping wages low through establishing a permanent underclass of brown workers devoid of citizenship.

Now, to the extent that other blacks are the brawn liberals send to whip this uppity Uncle Tom into line, even a moral imbecile has a better sense of reality than people who pretend that they are voting Democrat,again, only to spite Kanye.

The flesh pots of Egypt.
A chicken in every pot.

5000 years later, even the rhetoric of the slave masters remain exactly the same.
It is typical of people to sell their birthright of freedom for a big mug of savoury soup, when their stomachs tell them to.

How exactly are black people choosing to be slaves of white liberals? I dont recall Liberals forcing black people to do any thing. Anyways liberals black, white or Native Ameicans don't tend to care about Kanye's ideas. Typically Republican don't either. Except he's likes Trump for some reason.