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Forget ‘Coon-Ye’
anye West is a dumb
ass. I know this is not the most politically correct or proper thing to say, but it’s the best way for me to relate what I think about a man who, over the last few years, has deliberately sabotaged his career and reputation through a series of bizarre antics, questionable deci- sions and eyebrow-raising remarks that have caused many to question his sanity.
In fact, based on the way he’s carried himself lately, I believe calling him Kanye, Yeezy, Yeezus or any of his other hip monikers would be disingenuous to the person he’s become. Since he wants to act like one, I think that referring to him as “Coon- Ye” going forward would be a lot more appropriate.
For a long time I tried to give the “Jesus Walks” rap- per a pass on his corn-ball- ness and eccentricities because of the emotional devastation he suffered after the untimely passing of his mother, Donda. But after his recent interview on TMZ, where he stated his belief that the 400 years of slavery endured by Blacks in America was a “choice,” I re- alize that Coon-Ye’s awk- ward disposition isn’t so much a result of his tragic heartbreak as it can be at- tributed to his complete clue- lessness, lack of knowledge and his deep desire to play the role of mascot for the Alt- Right movement.
How else can you explain the same person, who once boldly proclaimed “George Bush hates Black people,” saying something so ridicu- lously false and derogatory on national television? His statement made it perfectly clear, to everyone witnessing his stupidity, that Coon-Ye is not only woefully unaware of his own history, but he also lacks a basic under-
KANYE WEST
standing of this country’s history as well.
The truth of the matter is that slave rebellions oc- curred on a regular basis throughout the western hemisphere for centuries. In fact, plantation owners were so fearful of slave revolts that they forbade the use of drums to prevent enslaved Africans from communicat- ing through the instruments with other enslaved Africans on nearby plantations.
These leery slave owners also outlawed the practice of West African spiritualities because they believed African ancestor worship had a profound effect on in- spiring slaves to seek free- dom by any means necessary, as was proven during the famously violent Slave uprising in Haiti.
For someone like Coon- Ye to imply that these Africans willingly went along with their bondage without resistance is not only a bla- tant distortion of the facts, it’s a slap to the face of all de- scendants of those Africans, who were brought to the U. S. in chains, by suggesting that their ancestors were, in essence, cowards who en- joyed being raped, beaten and treated like animals.
I guess we shouldn’t be too surprised by Coon-Ye’s opinions. After all, this is a man who, back in 2014, tried
to make a fashion statement by wearing clothing stitched with the Confederate flag.
He was also one of the first people to kiss Donald Trump’s ring at Trump Tower after the presidential election. And just two weeks ago, he donned a “Make America Great Again” hat while calling Trump, a man who openly embraces white- supremacists, his brother.
Considering everything he’s shown us, is it really so out of character for Coon- Ye to dismiss slavery as something Blacks humbly accepted? I mean, to be hon- est, the person who should be the most upset at what’s transpired is Kim Kar- dashian. Right now she’s probably wondering how the cool Black guy, she thought she married, transformed into this bigoted white dude that everyone hates?
At the end of the day though, as much as we de- plore what Coon-Ye stands for, he’s only the latest ver- sion in a long line of tap- dancing, “yessa bossing,” boot-licking, Sambo types who garner great pleasure from easing the burden of racist white men by absolv- ing them of any guilt stem- ming from their actions or those of their forefathers.
I just hate that the tech- nology doesn’t exist yet that would allow these new-age Uncle Toms the ability to make their outward appear- ances match their inner white-washed mentalities.
That way, when they say the crazy and hurtful things they speak, we won’t contin- uously be subjected to the painful sting that comes with being sold-out so publicly.
Reality On Ice is © by the Florida Sentinel Bul- letin Publishing Com- pany. You can contact Mr. Barr at: cbar- ronice@gmail.com.
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Bill Cosby, Undone
he recent judge’s verdict against celebrity Bill
Cosby has split American opinion like a pair of Fat Albert’s underwear.
In case you’ve forgotten, Fat Albert is a cartoon charac- ter Cosby created that was based on his brother, Russell. It was supposed to have been a cruel joke on Russell. One imagines here recently, that the tables have been turned.
Thirty years behind bars for the man once called “America’s favorite Dad”. . . Dr. Huckstable . . . the man who along with actor Robert Culp caused the series I Spy to become a household word on TVs throughout the nation and around the world, and the same Bill Cosby who created The Cosby Kids.
A legacy of disgrace left by the same icon who hosted his own variety show, who revitalized the late Art Lin- kletter’s hit series Kids Say the Darndest Things, and Sidney Poitier’s pal and movie companion, not to men- tion Harry Belafonte’s ace-boon along with countless other men and women Cosby helped to climb the slip- pery ladder of Hollywood success.
Disappointment hounds countless millions of people around the world who adopted Cosby as their hero and role-model during a time when Black faces on celluloid or TV were few, . . . that same Bill Cosby was convicted of sexual assault against more than 40 women.
It is said, many Millennia’s laughed. But Baby Boomers held their breath and privately wept. Another minor god was dying. And along with that dying demigod, was a great big chunk of our cultural inner for- titude dying, too.
But the man was wrong. And because he was wrong (better to say “imperfect”), there will be many things written about Bill Cosby.
Books will be published, magazine articles authored along with countless social media opinions . . . movies will be made . . . stars will be born who may play the part of a downed Bill Cosby, and Ph.Ds./s may be granted to those who do research on the rise and fall of a natural American icon.
Far more than O. J. Simpson or other infamous no- tables, we will cross-examine ourselves to see how much guilt we the audience would bare for ignoring possible danger signs that Cos had crossed the line.
Cosby will either die in jail or fade under house ar- rest. His television series will continue to be shown somewhere around the world, and his family members will continue to live behind a wall of myth, majesty and tragedy.
At the end of the day, we know that living life out of order has huge consequences, especially so for celebri- ties like Bill Cosby, who not only have to pay the price, but have to do it in front of the whole world.
T
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FRIDAY, MAY 4, 2018 FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY PAGE 5-A