Malaika Aman
Slavery was never a choice.
But Kanye West seems to think that it was. Then again, according to many things that he has said before, he also believes that he is the best rapper this world has seen which is up for debate.
However, just like his other half Kim Kardashian, Kanye West also loves to stir up controversy now and again probably to always keep himself relevant in the news. Although this time, he might have gone too far.
While Kanye was interviewing with TMZ, he went on a whole rant claiming that “slavery was a choice.” You can probably see why so many people around the world were offended by his choice of words.
“When you hear about slavery for 400 years, for 400 years? That sound like a choice.”
Kanye West stirs up the TMZ newsroom over TRUMP, SLAVERY and FREE THOUGHT. There's A LOT more that went down … and the fireworks are exploding on @TMZLive today. Check your local listings for show times. pic.twitter.com/jwVsJCMPiq
— TMZ (@TMZ) May 1, 2018
Excuse me while I grab my jaw off the floor. I mean, does he ever think before actually talking? Because he just took it to a whole new level this time. Thankfully there was a history professor to school him this time.
It turns out, Kanye isn’t the only one to think of slavery as a choice.
Right, because these young men know so much, right?
Haven’t watched the whole Kanye event today, working my way up to it. I will say, that a milder version of the “slavery is a choice” argument is made by uninformed people all the time. I’ve had young men in my courses say “they never would have enslaved me.”
— Blair LM Kelley (@profblmkelley) May 2, 2018
So these people should probably research a bit before talking about matters they don’t know about.
People aren’t aware of the alienation of people ripped from their homes, abused, walked hundreds of miles across Africa, sometimes so far they ceased understanding the language spoken around them…
— Blair LM Kelley (@profblmkelley) May 2, 2018
Because they only sound ignorant by talking about such matters.
People don’t know the brutality of the slave castles were people were held on the coasts, branded still holding out hope for escape, or reconnection with loved one….
— Blair LM Kelley (@profblmkelley) May 2, 2018
It’s easy to talk about it than actually living it.
Could they have survived the devastation of the middle passage, packed less humanely than animals below the deck of the ship, chained to people who were sick and dying?
— Blair LM Kelley (@profblmkelley) May 2, 2018
I am gonna have to say a big ‘No’ to that.
Could they have survived being sold like a good at market by people in a foreign land speaking a foreign tongue? Could they have survived torturous work, in scraps of clothing eating the food that was unwanted?
— Blair LM Kelley (@profblmkelley) May 2, 2018
A very strong culture indeed!
Not only did my ancestors and Kanye’s ancestors survive, they managed to make a way to make a new culture, remake family and faith. And in the process, make a culture so formidable that it continues to change the world.
— Blair LM Kelley (@profblmkelley) May 2, 2018
And it was a long hard road to freedom.
Slavery wasn’t their choice at any step. We know that freedom was always their choice, resistance was their choice when they couldn’t escape.
— Blair LM Kelley (@profblmkelley) May 2, 2018
Yet so many people do this.
Denigrating their lives at this point for attention and spare change is such an embarrassment.
— Blair LM Kelley (@profblmkelley) May 2, 2018
Twitter users were quite supportive of her whole thread.
"Attention and spare change." Thank you.
— Madeleine Berenson (@MadBerenson) May 2, 2018
And her thread resonated quite a lot with many people.
This right here pic.twitter.com/DTo8yulpQU
— temilade (@adetemilove) May 2, 2018
Thank you indeed for shining a light on this problem.
Thank you.
— 🇺🇸🇭🇹 Only4RM 🇭🇹🇺🇸 (@Only4RM) May 2, 2018
— brnzi (@brnzi) May 2, 2018
She did hit the nail on the head.
The spare change comment left me speechless. So apt…
— Darla (@moodigirl16) May 2, 2018
Well stated.
— True Love (@TrueLov91071611) May 2, 2018
Hopefully, many more people will read this and learn all that’s wrong with people like Kanye West.
Indeed! It is incredibly embarrassing and shameful.
— DÉBORAH MARIE (@iamdelaure) May 2, 2018
preach 🙌🙌🙌🙌
— luci @ ITS MY BDAY!! 👑 (@thotsuminakasu) May 2, 2018
What are your thoughts on what Kanye West said? Do you think it was an honest mistake or did he really mean it? Comment on below and let us know.