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Kanye West Blames Bush at Hurricane Concert

By Jeralyn, Section Huricanes Katrina and Rita
Posted on Fri Sep 02, 2005 at 07:39:44 PM EST
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NBC hosted and aired a hurricane relief concert tonight. Kanye West went off-script. Crooks and Liars has the video:

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.”

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.”

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    Kanye West Blames Bush at Hurricane Concert | 38 comments (38 topical)
    Re: Kanye West Blames Bush at Hurricane Concert (none / 0) (#1)
    by Ernesto Del Mundo on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:06 PM EST
    Outstanding. The truth is something I haven't TV in so f-ing long.

    Re: Kanye West Blames Bush at Hurricane Concert (none / 0) (#2)
    by Ernesto Del Mundo on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:06 PM EST
    heard on*

    Re: Kanye West Blames Bush at Hurricane Concert (none / 0) (#3)
    by aw on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:06 PM EST
    I'll second that. Maybe it'll become an epidemic.

    Re: Kanye West Blames Bush at Hurricane Concert (none / 0) (#4)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:07 PM EST
    You people are celebrating the fact that this guy made the claim that Bush doesn't care about Blacks? Good. A lot of us "wingnuts" -- who you are going to find out are really classical liberals -- are itching for this fight. Turning a hurricane into a "racist" event is just what this country needs to have the conversation it's been too afraid to have for 30 years. Bring it on.

    Re: Kanye West Blames Bush at Hurricane Concert (none / 0) (#5)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:07 PM EST
    Jeff: Rich white people were yanked out from the Hyatt (where they had it good compared to the hell on earth in the rest of NOLA) and put on the first buses out of town rather than waiting their turn with the poor & people of color at Thunderdome. You have any idea why?

    Re: Kanye West Blames Bush at Hurricane Concert (none / 0) (#6)
    by bad Jim on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:07 PM EST
    "Bring it on"? Perhaps that's what Bust shouted into the wind when Katrina moved onshore.

    Re: Kanye West Blames Bush at Hurricane Concert (none / 0) (#7)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:07 PM EST
    Wonder if Kanye reads Daily Kos? IIRC, that's where it was first pointed out that the press was blatantly describing black foragers differently from white ones. It was on Boing Boing as well, though, maybe he saw it there. The meme definitely originated in the left blogosphere, though, so chalk up another score for our side!

    Re: Kanye West Blames Bush at Hurricane Concert (none / 0) (#8)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:07 PM EST
    You know it is sad to see AMERICANS (not WHITES, not BLACKS, not Mexicans, not CHINESE, not MUSLIMS, not CHRISTIANS, etc, but all of us as one) argue over what one american had to say. Our eyes are going away from what really needs attention, the victims of Katrina. Yes, the victims whether black, white, yellow, or purple. I was a fan of kanye west but right now i will never look at him in the same sense. But i still have to respect him and his opinions or i would just discriminate against myself. thanks for your time.

    Re: Kanye West Blames Bush at Hurricane Concert (none / 0) (#9)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:07 PM EST
    hey, All in your comment you said the "poor and people of color" well, some of them poor people happen to be white, so why would color matter really if you make it into a racist statement, make sure it is 100% one color

    Re: Kanye West Blames Bush at Hurricane Concert (none / 0) (#11)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:08 PM EST
    We spend all this time in our country trying to convince people to never talk about class ("no class warefare" and all that). And so many people in our country are not aware of how incredibly classist our society as become, how much poor people are given the short end of the stick. Yet we do talk about race still (though there is a concerted effort to stop that too), and so it is understandable that someone would conflate class and race issues in our country (and of course, the poor are way disporportionately people of color in the south. I teach in rural area of NC and while all my students are poor, my black students are really, really poor). And I have had plenty of conversations with white upperclass southerners who oppose some measure for poor people where there are definite racial overtones to their opposition. So don't say it has nothing to do with race. Of course, if I was up on that stage I would have said "Bush (and the leadership of the republican party) hates poor people"

    Re: Kanye West Blames Bush at Hurricane Concert (none / 0) (#12)
    by Ernesto Del Mundo on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:09 PM EST
    shorter Jeff G: Divide and conquer...works for us!

    Re: Kanye West Blames Bush at Hurricane Concert (none / 0) (#13)
    by Ernesto Del Mundo on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:09 PM EST
    Bush doesn't hate poor people. How can he when he doesn't even know they exist?

    Re: Kanye West Blames Bush at Hurricane Concert (none / 0) (#14)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:09 PM EST
    The corruption of the levy board, the dependance culture of New Orleans, and the ineptitude of the Mayor and Governor have been on display for all the world to see. New Orleans is one of the most liberal cities in the south. It and most of LA have been straight ticket democrats since reconstruction. All that liberalism for all these years has produced a 30% poverty rate, a horrific crime rate and a mayor who wants to blame everyone else for his inability to get his city evacuated. Thank goodness that G.W. and the military have come to the rescue. If you are going to call for a mandatory evacuation maybe you should figure out how to get your people out of your city! If you don't, it seems rather unseemly to blame everyone else for the problems that result from your poor planning.

    Re: Kanye West Blames Bush at Hurricane Concert (none / 0) (#15)
    by squeaky on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:09 PM EST
    PlessPro-It is an excellent time to critisise our 'you're either wit us or agin us' Leaderless leader. A consensus is realizing that he is out for himself and his cronies and if a disaster happens near you he will get in the way of helping unless you live in a heavily red district. Yes balme whoever you want but this is a clear picture of Neocon madness at work. Sadly there was great planning and it didhappened as predicted. God is doing Bush's work for him. Fear for what he preys for.

    Re: Kanye West Blames Bush at Hurricane Concert (none / 0) (#16)
    by Ernesto Del Mundo on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:10 PM EST
    New Orleans is one of the most liberal cities in the south.
    Excuse me, but things aren't any better on the redneck riviera of the Mississippi coast, that votes redder than red. Whose fault is their misery? Go ask them. I heard a few good ole boys cussing out George W. Bush the past couple days. You need to hear it, too.

    Re: Kanye West Blames Bush at Hurricane Concert (none / 0) (#17)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:10 PM EST
    The point is that the buck for regional disasters stops on local authorities. The Feds are secondary. 9/11 is a good example of the way its all suppose to work. New York City and State authorities were responsible for their disaster. They take the lead and call the shots. The feds provide money and support as they are called upon by the state and local authorities. Blaming Bush or cussin' him may score political points, but its stupid. If anything, the mayor and Gov. of LA blew this. That having been said, it takes time to mobilize an army. The levy broke on Tuesday. 72 hours later 7000 troops are in the area and 10,000 people have been saved off rooftops and out of hospitals. Another 100,000 have been transported to safety. Neither Clinton nor Gore could have mobilized any faster. Again, its just political posturing to say otherwise. The real questions is why and the heck were 100,000+ people still in the city after a MANDATORY evacuation by the mayor.

    Re: Kanye West Blames Bush at Hurricane Concert (none / 0) (#18)
    by squeaky on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:10 PM EST
    FEMA was just as involved as the city state. For gods sake they were there two days early.

    Re: Kanye West Blames Bush at Hurricane Concert (none / 0) (#19)
    by Ernesto Del Mundo on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:10 PM EST
    The point is that the buck for regional disasters stops on local authorities.
    So why aren't you blaming Haley Barbour for the good folks in Mississippi who are still waiting for a response? Could it be because you are a Republican shill?
    The real questions is why and the heck were 100,000+ people still in the city after a MANDATORY evacuation by the mayor.
    Because many of them couldn't afford to leave or didn't have the means. And there was no way to evacuate them because all the money for such an effort went to Iraq. (Along with the money to shore up the levees). Was that the mayor's fault, too??

    Re: Kanye West Blames Bush at Hurricane Concert (none / 0) (#20)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:11 PM EST
    Not sure where you guys are from, but here in south La. all those opinions don't really matter. People are helping each other, outpoorings of love and kindness and generousity. Using his public image so recklessly to foster hate and negativity is inexcusable. None of the hundreds I've seen in our shelters voiced any feeling of racism...until he tries to convince them it is for his own agenda. Where was he and other supposed black 'leaders' when all of OUR, not his, masses of poor could not get out because of poverty? Did they find a way to help the poverty?NO. Now they just want to blame. Idiots. Shoot looters? So this West fella thinks you should'nt shoot them? Oh, 'cause they're black. But if you didn't, and they continue raping women and children, then you'd scream about that. Are you saying it's ok for them to rape black women, and they shouldn't be protected? Hypocrite. Kanye West, are you only able to look at the parts of the situation that suits you? You mention two or three negative comments involving blacks. What color are most of the nurses and doctors saving lives and risking their own, working 24hrs a day? What color are most of the coast guard and rescuers risking their lives to save black and white alike? I guess you'll find something negative to say about that, 'cause that's what small-minded people do, complain but don't help. Our beloved Charmaine Neville was raped, and then had to be strong enough to steal a bus and drive surviovors to safety, never having driven a bus before. We love and help each other down here in the N.O. area, and don't need big mouth Hollywood types instigating trouble when they don't know what they are talking about. Maybe you should move to another country.

    Re: Kanye West Blames Bush at Hurricane Concert (none / 0) (#21)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:11 PM EST
    Maybe Gov.Kat and the best mayor in the US, Mayor Nagin might have not been perfect in their handling of the worst natural disaster ever, but they should have only had to deal with the hurricane itself, NOT the flooding and devastation that followed. Our state reps and senators have been begging the government for years tirelessly for money to repair the reinforce the levee system and wetlands. But Washington said 'it is not a strong probability of occuring" so the proposed budget was slashed to less than half. They are to blame for this ever happening. Also, many orgs. and private groups from around the country have been contacting many of us to help, but FEMA has refused or will not respond. FEMA was not on the scene two days later as one comment said, not sure where you heard that. Their organization has been nothing less than incompetant in so many local examples. Please pray for all of the victims and all of here who love our home here.

    Re: Kanye West Blames Bush at Hurricane Concert (none / 0) (#22)
    by squeaky on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:11 PM EST
    Gee Deane glad to hear about all the love down there, we are mainly hearing about bad stuff although I have seen a few really moving photographs of people helping other people. I also do not have a TV and did not know that most of the nurses and doctors saving lives there are Black, Coast Guard and Rescue workers too, not bad. Here in NYC it is the other way around. I also did not realize that racism has ended in NOLA. NYC shoulld learn from y'all.

    Re: Kanye West Blames Bush at Hurricane Concert (none / 0) (#23)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:11 PM EST
    I live in Louisiana and have watched the disater unfold over the past week. The question asked so frequently is why were so many African-Americans left in New Orleans after a mandatory evacuation was declared? New Orleans is 80 per cent African-American. The homes that flooded were in the low lying area of N.O. mostly, if not all, occupied by African-Americans. The 'poor side of town' sought to seek shelter in the Aster Dome or to stay in their homes. That was their choice. The Mayor had city buses in N.O. offering assistance to higher ground, some took the offer, others didn't. Once again, their choice. America needs to stop finger pointing and put all this negative energy into a postive direction. Louisian, Texas, Arkansas and many more states have and are opening their states to offer temporary housing for these storm victims. People like Mr. West should not take advantage of their prestigous standing and slap America in the face. One question for Mr. West. Who did you vote for?

    Re: Kanye West Blames Bush at Hurricane Concert (none / 0) (#24)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:11 PM EST
    Wow, I never thought telling the truth could upset Republicans so much. The true face of the GOP has been exposed, and it isn't just Kanye West who sees it this way. All of the "people of color" and poor that I know and work with are expressing the exact same view, and it didn't come from reading "liberal" blogs. But don't expect Republicans or conservatives to ever see it this way; they have all been closeted bigots since the Dixiecrat exodus from the Democrat party.

    Re: Kanye West Blames Bush at Hurricane Concert (none / 0) (#25)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:11 PM EST
    The guy was upset and very emotional at the time of making his comment. I haven't heard all of the GOoPers out there condemning any of the nutjob pastors saying Katrina happened because of Mardi Gras and abortion clinics. But a hiphop producer/ rapper makes one comment and all of the good, god-fearin' white trolls that slum around here gotta make sure that uppity negro knows his place. Hmmm, I wonder if all the commenters here of the Dumbya apologist persuasion could have just proven Mr. West's point?

    Re: Kanye West Blames Bush at Hurricane Concert (none / 0) (#26)
    by pigwiggle on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:11 PM EST
    This was fun to watch; almost as fun as the video of Kanye West at Live 8 describing the ‘white conspiracy’ which introduced HIV/AIDS to Africa just as it did crack to US blacks. Pragmatically speaking, with the major inroads the Republicans have made with black America I can’t imagine them intentionally killing all these newfound voters.

    Re: Kanye West Blames Bush at Hurricane Concert (none / 0) (#27)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:13 PM EST
    I suppose it doesn't matter that we minorities don't trust alot of you white folks, pigwiggle. We have learned from life experiences that you folks will screw us at the first possible opportunity. And New Orleans is yet another example of something us "people of color" know from very young ages, white people, especailly white males, don't like us too terribly much and think any misfortune that befalls us is our fault for not pulling ourselves up by our boot straps. Yuk it up, pigwiggle. Your laughter comes at the cost of over 10,000+ dead because they didn't measure up color wise or economically.

    Re: Kanye West Blames Bush at Hurricane Concert (none / 0) (#28)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:13 PM EST
    Also, just watch those supposed inroads the Republicans have made into the black community disappear after many African Americans have watched the callous disregard the federal government has shown them in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Say bye-bye to minorities, pw. We won't vote for a party that would rather see us drowning to death than being saved.

    Re: Kanye West Blames Bush at Hurricane Concert (none / 0) (#29)
    by pigwiggle on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:15 PM EST
    “I suppose it doesn't matter that we minorities don't trust alot of you white folks, pigwiggle.”
    You have no idea what color my skin is you prejudice putz.
    “you folks will screw us at the first possible opportunity.”
    Again, you are a bigot. Assuming I am white, somehow I am responsible for all the past injustices perpetrated by folks with my skin color. You need to blame the folks that have done you wrong, not the folks with similar skin color; or even worse, a general distrust or dislike for folks of a similar skin color to those that have wronged folks with a similar skin color to yours.
    “white people, especailly white males, don't like us”
    A living caricature of bigotry; you know how someone think because of their gender and ethnicity.
    “just watch those supposed inroads the Republicans have made into the black community disappear”
    I don’t give a $hit who black folks want to vote for; but I’ll do you one better and give them the credit of a mind independent of their skin color. I imagine some will continue to vote for the republicans pandering to their religiously conservative ideology, and I imagine most will continue to vote for democrats pandering to the same paranoia responsible for Kanye’s absurd HIV/AIDS/crack delusion, backed by a promise of handouts. You've convinced me, prejudice is still black America’s greatest problem, but you need to look within. It’s easy and probably comforting to scapegoat white males for black America’s problems. Explain how this is going to resolve the problems of illegitimacy, education, drug addiction, crime, HIV/AIDS, etc?

    Re: Kanye West Blames Bush at Hurricane Concert (none / 0) (#31)
    by Ernesto Del Mundo on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:15 PM EST
    backed by a promise of handouts.
    Spoken like a true bigot. Then you have the nerve to call black people prejudiced for reacting to your nonsense. FYI...It is not a handout to be paid a living wage.

    Re: Kanye West Blames Bush at Hurricane Concert (none / 0) (#32)
    by Dadler on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 01:03:16 PM EST
    Piggle, Are you white? Because if you are, your reactionary taking offense to being assumed white is nothing more than an act. You're not offended in that case, you're revealed, and that makes any of us uncomfortable. One can learn a lot about a person from what they write, how they write it, how they react to certain things, and on and on -- hell, if you were writing by hand i could get a handwriting analyst to tell me even more about you. I mean, come on, bro, falling back on the old they blame the white male for their plight is just WEAK. Very, very WEEEEEEEEAK. And it reveals a lot about they way you think. Are you really a WOMAN of color? Now that would be impressive. But we'll never know. That kind of frank talk about race/class is off-limits, I suppose. Which reduces your argument to its logical reversal: Who wants to dig deep and talk about ugly truths, when it's easier to reduce the entire argument to "poor blacks just blame white males for everything." In simply making that statement, you reveal a bias stronger than the one you are projecting onto an ENTIRE population. Have a good day, Mrs. Green

    Re: Kanye West Blames Bush at Hurricane Concert (none / 0) (#33)
    by pigwiggle on Sat Dec 17, 2005 at 0