The Irish are very familiar with useful idiots - those who serve as propagandists and supporters of dangerous ideologies which they don't understand or in fact do them a disservice. This is Kanye's new role with Trump.
News that the White House is making efforts to host a series of meetings with black performer and athletes, headed by Kanye West, broke yesterday.
Trump, with his history of racism - especially against blacks (he always wanted them gone off his casino floor when he visited), must be rubbing his hands in glee.
Thank you Kanye, very cool! https://t.co/vRIC87M21X
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 25, 2018
The Irish had lots of useful idiots in their time, people who told us to get over the Famine, that there's nothing wrong in Northern Ireland and the poor unionists were the ones maligned.
Chief useful idiot in his day was Conor Cruise O'Brien, an intellectual and public figure vitriolic against Irish nationalism.
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Conor Cruise O'Brien
He once predicted 100,000 would die if the Irish peace process went ahead. His line was parroted by major newspapers, especially the Independent group, and it soon became de rigueur to report the fact that it was the unionists who were beleaguered, not the republicans.
Kanye seems to be also trying to turn history on its head.
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
The notion he's now espousing - that slavery was a choice on behalf of those who were enslaved - is right up there with the frequent assertion by some that the Civil War was not about slavery but state's rights. Alexander Stephens, the Vice President of the Confederacy, said it differently:
“Our new Governments' cornerstone rests, upon the great truth that the negro is not equal to the white man; that slavery, subordination to the superior race, is his natural and normal condition."
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I have seen many musicians over the years lose the run of themselves but Kanye has outstripped even Sinead O’Connor at her worst.
my wife just called me and she wanted me to make this clear to everyone. I don't agree with everything Trump does. I don't agree 100% with anyone but myself.
— KANYE WEST (@kanyewest) April 25, 2018
There is only one answer to this kind of nonsense, utter and complete repudiation by everyone. Kanye has succumbed to the Kardashian reality show fever - and it seems now that even Kim can't talk sense to him.
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