Kanye West has crossed the line – his actions posing a danger to society.
I’m a firm believer that everyone has their occasional mistakes, slip-ups, or bad days. Especially for those in the spotlight at all times, it is nearly impossible to hold a perfect and unblemished reputation. This leads to the following question: where does one draw the line between justifiable personal opinions and immorality? Regardless of this line, it is clear that Ye (formerly Kanye West, before legally changing his name) has crossed it, his actions posing a danger to society.
Ye has a history of sparking controversy, known for spewing problematic statements on social media, having outbursts at public events, and holding extremist political opinions, but his recent antics have put him under fire past the point of saving. As the young people would put it Ye has “been canceled.” In a recent interview with Alex Jones, Ye openly expressed his distaste for the Jewish community. During the interview, Ye declared that he “sees good things about Hitler” and proceeded to deny the Holocaust. While Ye is not the first to state this, he went on to repeat the age-old myth that the Jewish people have control over the media and entertainment industries. These recent antisemitic statements along with similar ones in the past have led to widespread outrage and many of his brand partners to suspend their contracts with him.
Kanye West was diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder
Kanye West was diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder in 2018, and he seems to have spiraled even further after his mother’s death and nasty public divorce with Kim Kardashian. Afterward, he supposedly had a religious revelation and now claims that he is a vessel for God. Evidently, his personal struggles and the high demands of fame might be a factor in Ye’s psychotic actions. The statistics for suicide rates and mental illness can attest to this, as the numbers are wildly higher for celebrities than the overall population. Nonetheless, this fact doesn’t excuse his offensive behavior.
My last name, Cohen, is the most common Jewish last name, indicating those who come from the line of Aaron: the brother of Moses and the first high priest. As a person of Jewish ethnicity, I am repulsed by the actions of Ye. When people with such large influence denounce certain groups (especially those in the minority), it sets a dangerous precedent and normalizes prejudice. Ye’s comments may seem insignificant in the grand scheme of things but can have a domino effect. After all, Hitler’s regime began with subtle jabs towards the Jewish people and eventually grew to an army of 8 million followers.
Conclusion
The capacity for a human to hate fellow humans based on religious beliefs, heritage, or other factors is truly baffling to me. In a world already full of division, pain, and suffering, why would anyone add more hatred simply due to a difference in lifestyle or lineage? I don’t believe that Ye is an evil person at his core— it is evident that he has lost touch with reality due to his mental illness and I hope he gets the help he needs. However, humans are so easily molded by what they see and hear, so it is important that we acknowledge his harmful behaviors and don’t allow them to go unnoticed.
