Kanye West co-opts Confederate flag

[apples and oranges]

The rapper thrust himself into the spotlight, yet again, with news that several pieces of merchandise from his Yeezus tour are emblazoned with the controversial Southern Cross. At his tour store in Los Angeles, a replica of the flag is affixed to the wall with red tape and adorned with the words, "I ain't coming down."

Twitter exploded after word got out, and while West saw some support, including a fellow who called him a "pro-black genius," others called him a disgrace. Read one tweet, "Ye - THATS STUPID! Brother I marched to have that vile rag torn down from the state house grounds."

Asked to explain the rationale for including the controversial symbol on his clothing, West told AMP Radio, "The Confederate flag represented slavery in a way. That's my abstract take on what I know about it, right? So I wrote the song, 'New Slaves.' So I took the Confederate flag and made it my flag. It's my flag now. Now what you gonna do?"

http://www.cnn.com/2013/11/04/us/kanye-west-confederate-flag/index.html?hpt=hp_t3

[1000words]

1. This is actually very savvy

West is kind of a dick, but he does understand the finer points of subversion

[CFLDem]

3. I agree

[PoliticAverse]

4. If by 'subversion' you mean 'publicity stunts' I agree.

Next thing you know he'll be dating a Kardashian...

[1000words]

9. Isn't that just the right kind of guy to really piss some people off?

Kardashian. Nicely done.

[backscatter712]

8. Let me throw out a Bill Maher style New Rule.

New Rule: Just as black people are the only ones allowed to use the N-bomb, black people are the only ones allowed to fly the Confederate Navy Flag. White people aren't allowed.

[1000words]

10. I would love for that symbol to die a pop culture death

[cali]

13. lol yeah, sure.

[giftedgirl77]

2. Uh yeah no. West is an attention grabbing tool

and nothing more. That fucking moron would wear a white pointed hood if he thought it would get him some attention.

[NYC_SKP]

5. Oh fucking Kanye. Please just go away. Go bother the Visigoths or some other people.

Hat tip to La Vita e Bella.

[Hoyt]

6. Cool. But confederste flag waving bigots will just use this as rationale for bigots

to act like friggin bigots. That's a cool looking jacket as far as colors go, but flag needs to go for something else in same colors.

[Gravitycollapse]

7. I actually think it's a brilliant tactic.

[Blue_Roses]

11. I think it's his way of saying that no one

can use this flag to hold the black man down any more. By taking it as " his" he is basically flipping the finger at the bigots.

I watched him on Jimmy Kimble's show a few weeks ago and I had never heard an interview with him, but he is actually a very smart business man.

[LittleBlue]

12. Interesting

I wonder if he will reclaim the Confederate Flag the same way black music artists reclaimed the n-word in pop culture.

He's certainly an interesting guy.

[msongs]

14. follow the $$ nt