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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think Kanye West's racism is going to lead to an increase in violence against Jews?

254 replies

smokedsalm0n · 02/12/2022 11:03

Firstly, I am Jewish, no connection to Israel, I'm not Israeli (not that I need to qualify my post with that) and have lived in the UK all my life.

So, after his recent rantings about loving Hitler, Nazis and the holocaust (torontosun.com/entertainment/celebrity/i-like-hitler-kanye-west-doubles-down-on-hate-speech-on-alex-jones-infowars-show)

I'm feeling very scared and scared for my kids, especially reading recent threads like this:

www.mumsnet.com/talk/secondary/4662884-kanye-wests-harmful-views-tackling-antisemitism-at-school

Kanye is very influential and popular with the younger generation and my Jewish children are already getting more racist comments said to their faces without any fear of retribution. I am genuinely scared for their physical safety. Jews shouldn't have to live in fear, its 2022 ffs not the 1930s!

OP posts:
AgathaMystery · 02/12/2022 12:11

behaviour like KW’s is how ideas build. It starts as a joke and before you know it the Queen of England is hosting President Trump at a State Banquet.

I think KW is no better than a hate preacher and I find him very, very worrying. He is rich beyond measure and has limitless resources. He is like Trump, he will be mortgaged to the hilt and will STILL have supporters and backers.

KW is dangerous.

hamstersarse · 02/12/2022 12:11

I actually liked the way Elon Musk dealt with him btw. I think that will help in terms of the outcome and influence on other people

He was given a chance to not be a dick, but went on to be more of a dick. People can see that

When you are outraging Alex Jones, you know you have a problem

Billybear1 · 02/12/2022 12:12

Kanya West is a bloody idiot. He needs to stay away from the drugs and take his medication.

ghostyslovesheets · 02/12/2022 12:12

YANBU OP - and I can't believe people are trying to minimise racism or pick apart your post - bottom line - the antisemitism is an issue - it's not acceptable and I'm sorry you feel scared - and that you even need to mention Israel in your OP to stop further derailment

and yes it's not 'free speech' it's hate speech

Billybear1 · 02/12/2022 12:13

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Its called hate speech. Is that you Kanya?

hamstersarse · 02/12/2022 12:14

I'm not sure of his influence these days. My DS's (20 and 17) think he is nuts, but not even in a funny or engaging way. Just nuts.

Let's face it, he is a middle aged overweight guy who hasn't really put out good music for years - he's a has been as far as the young 'uns are concerned

TinFoilHatty · 02/12/2022 12:16

YANBU. His opinions and utterances are horrific. I hear you, OP.

Soothsayer1 · 02/12/2022 12:16

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Spoken like a true acolyte of looney toddler billionaire Elon musk !

Echobelly · 02/12/2022 12:17

BTW, The whole 'Ooh, the entertainment industry is run by Jews' thing is just like the 'Ooh, Jews in banking' thing because yes, there are quite a lot of Jews is both. And the reason is, funnily enough, antisemitism.

Jews historically were banned on many places from owning land and from many jobs. But they were allowed to be money lenders, because people wanted someone to borrow money off and who they could then accuse collectively off being mean, money-obsessed & exploiting good Christians. And so Jews have long had involvement in finance because they were basically forced into it.

The entertainment industry, when it began to be a thing, was picked up by Jews because it wasn't seen as very respectable or 'Christian', so it was Jews who became some of the first entertainment entrepreneurs (my Dad basically did a PhD about this!) and hence began the strong Jewish entertainment industry relationships.

Worth knowing if you ever want to refute people's conspiracy ramblings.

Vinvertebrate · 02/12/2022 12:21

I’m not Jewish so not really qualified to weight in here. But I suspect the reason it’s not got more publicity is because he’s known to be an absolute fruitcake. Like Farage, Kanye just gets the eyeroll in our house.

Mountainpika · 02/12/2022 12:21

There are two issues here.

  1. Anti-semitism is wrong. No question about that.

  2. The Israeli government's treatment of Palestinians is utterly apalling.

The two issues become confused so people lump all Jews together as bullies although, of course, not all of them support the government's actions in Palestine.

And then there are people who just dislike others becuse they are a different colour or race. No excuse for that.

ohfook · 02/12/2022 12:21

I might just be wishful thinking here but I hope instead it leads to people realising that everything Kanye says is a load of crap and no longer giving him a platform to air his nonsense. I really feel as though we're watching him destroy his own legacy to be honest.

Dissuadepersuade · 02/12/2022 12:21

Ridiculous the things he's saying right now.

However everyone I know looks at him and realises he has major issue right now. No one thinks he's in his right nind at the moment and that is plain to see.

Also most of the people who hate Jews also don't like black people all that much so they won't be seeing it as an excuse to invite them to do anything against Jewish people either.

He needs serious intervention and I hope he gets it soon.

CarPoor · 02/12/2022 12:22

Kanye West I wouldn't say in himself is very influential. I think he's considered genuinely insane. But the fact he's seen as a joke will almost worsen the Copying. Teenage boys take what he said because he's outspoken and funny.

I think the fact that so many people are dismissing it is also concerning. It enables antisemitism to thrive if we dismiss prominent cases. It doesn't matter if Kanye himself isn't influential, by ignoring it it encourages others to follow

toffeecrisps · 02/12/2022 12:24

Mountainpika · 02/12/2022 12:21

There are two issues here.

  1. Anti-semitism is wrong. No question about that.

  2. The Israeli government's treatment of Palestinians is utterly apalling.

The two issues become confused so people lump all Jews together as bullies although, of course, not all of them support the government's actions in Palestine.

And then there are people who just dislike others becuse they are a different colour or race. No excuse for that.

What has Kanye West making antisemetic comments got to do with the Israeli government's foreign policy?

CarPoor · 02/12/2022 12:25

Mountainpika · 02/12/2022 12:21

There are two issues here.

  1. Anti-semitism is wrong. No question about that.

  2. The Israeli government's treatment of Palestinians is utterly apalling.

The two issues become confused so people lump all Jews together as bullies although, of course, not all of them support the government's actions in Palestine.

And then there are people who just dislike others becuse they are a different colour or race. No excuse for that.

But this isn't about Israel/Palestine. This is about blatant anti-semitism. Man's talking about supporting hitler and Nazis being great. And denying the holocaust.

OoooohMatron · 02/12/2022 12:27

I wouldn't worry about Kanye West's popularity. The majority of people now see him for what he is, an attention seeker with mental issues. He made some decent music about 15 years ago but he's only still in the public eye due to his unhinged behaviour.

daisyjgrey · 02/12/2022 12:29

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Found the racist.

CountZacular · 02/12/2022 12:29

I’m somewhat on the fence about his influence as he’s clearly unhinged, has been for a long time and I thought it was well recognised. However, I’ve noticed bizarre outbursts of support on social media. I appreciate this could be a small minority.

That said, I worry more about his influencing other influential people - the new, young rap generation that admire him and what knock on effect that will have. So I don’t think YABU OP.

Without sounding like ‘whataboutary’, I also feel like there’s been a huge rise in misogyny and homophobia too and I wonder why, at time when we’re supposed to be more aware of combating hate is society becoming abhorrent in general?

phoenixrosehere · 02/12/2022 12:30

Anyone who supports his rhetoric already had those feelings to begin with before he opened his mouth.

He’s losing more fans and people distancing themselves from him than gaining support of his views and the ones who mainly are agreeing with him are racists using him as an example to paint other people who happen to be black, like him.

Thebestwaytoscareatory · 02/12/2022 12:34

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In my opinion people who proclaim "it's freedom of speech" are almost always racist homophobes with the IQ of a tadpole.

JustDanceAddict · 02/12/2022 12:35

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Don’t be ridiculous. Freedom of speech doesn’t apply to racism.

fdgdfgdfgdfg · 02/12/2022 12:35

Most young people know him as that mentally ill rapper who likes trump and was married to a Kardashian. He's the very opposite of popular with my daughter's age group and they certainly wouldn't take anything he said seriously

TellMeWhere · 02/12/2022 12:35

I think he's seriously unwell and nobody seems to be intervening.

I don't think he's particticularly influential on the younger generation though, is he? He doesn't seem particularly relevant.

I'm surprised no legal action has been taken against him though. He's said some shocking stuff and nobody seems to do anything about it.

Hobbi · 02/12/2022 12:36

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We seem to have found our resident anti-Semite. That was quick.