Slavery...A choice?

5/4/2018

Critics

Commentary

People are entitled to their opinion, right? Then why is it that every time Kanye West gives his opinion, it sounds bizarre, vapid and offensive?

He didn't disappoint when he appeared on a video that TMZ published on May 1st. He had some critics. He had some supporters.

The question remains, however, did he make some valid points? Some people feel that he is a genius because most geniuses are viewed as "weird," "crazy" or different. But at what point does your genius get in your way to be respected or taken seriously?

On the other hand, some believe that West is mentally ill and suffering a mental breakdown. I want to know what you think.

Watch the videos above..the large one with the image, then the links under the heading "Critics" that I have provided. Read the Tweets on the Revolt site. All of them. All..so that you can make some informed opinions. Then, let me know what you think below.

1. INCLUDE: First initial AND last name AND class period.

2. Respond in no more than 10 sentences and no less than five.

3. You MUST respond to at least TWO other posts from any student. Your replies cannot be identical comments on different posts and posting shallow comments such as "I agree" or "I disagree" will earn you a zero. Make sure your reply addresses the comment that you are responding to.
Be sure to--

Be clear about your position
Provide specific support for your argument
Use rhetorical devices and other grammar elements
Write EPIC Content-Engaging, Powerful, Informative, Creative

CAUTION!! Do NOT embarrass me, yourself, your class, the English department, the school or your parents with tasteless, meaningless comments. This is for a grade.

Due: Sun., May 6, 2018 6:00 p.m. CST

Savion Stewart

5/4/2018 11:47:11 pm

How was slavery a choice, we where forced by fear how dump can West be I don't agree with him at all

T.Shelton 1st

5/4/2018 11:50:53 pm

This is just regular Kanye being Kanye . Only people that agree with him are closed minded .

N.brown1st

5/6/2018 05:22:15 pm

I agree with you Jayne says some really off the wall things but you listen to everything he says your just a follower

Jonathan Chicas

5/6/2018 05:36:32 pm

I agree with this statement rich people don’t even care about what is trump is saying so rich people don’t even care about what is trump is saying

Courtney M 7th

5/15/2018 10:21:04 am

I Agree Because Kanye Doesn’t Think Before He Speaks.

J.Bonilla- 4th

5/6/2018 05:46:26 pm

It’s okay to not agree, but he is entitled to his own opinion. There are people that are closed minded in this world, we just not pay attention to them.

J.jackson

5/12/2018 03:09:39 pm

I agree you can’t agree with something you don’t like but what he thinks is what he thinks

JameelaB 7th

5/15/2018 07:37:28 pm

I agree with you. Slavery was something that was forced upon us and had no choice then to do it

adrian geter

5/17/2018 06:28:36 pm

i agree with you if slavery was not a choice we forced to be slaves

T.Shelton 1st

5/4/2018 11:49:44 pm

For Kanye to say that slavery was a choice shows to sides of a coin. When your rich and black , it's said that white people try to use you as a pawn in a game . Because of what Kanye has said there are Trump supporters that are saying " look this black person knows what he's talking about " . Slavery was never a choice . If slaves tried to leave they were killed , almost anything they did could have gotten them killed there was never a choice . Kanye isn't sick this has always been Kanye . Kanye doesn't have a filter and never has . Also Kanye just piggy backs off of other people's thoughts . When he said something about Bush other people were talking about it before him . Slavery has always been a topic of discussion and to some people it has always been seen as a choice . Kanye is being Kanye, ain't nothing new .

victor ajuobi

5/5/2018 12:01:50 am

I like your statement on Kanye not having any filters. He likes to speak his mind which is good, but sometimes he says things out of impluse, that sometimes maybe didn't come out right like the way he heard it in his head.

T. Tate 1st

5/6/2018 05:26:18 pm

I feel like what he thinks in his head comes out the same way. He has to big of a platform to be saying wild things like that. I understand everyone has the right to there opinion but sometimes you just have sit back and think it but not say it .

D. Carter 1st

5/6/2018 01:00:31 pm

My point exactly slaves had consequences for their actions. The only think I disagree with you in is when you said he piggy backs. Kanye always speaks his mind and doesn’t care what anyone else says.

A.Moore

5/6/2018 03:30:52 pm

This statement is very true.Kayne has been the same and has never changed .

K. Allen 1st pd

5/6/2018 05:44:46 pm

I disagree with your entire statement becaause slaves living or dying is a choice and was their choice. Also, you contradicted yourself when saying “he speaks his mind” then turn around and say “he piggy backs”

J.Fluette 6th link

5/7/2018 03:41:55 pm

Slavery was never a choice . If slaves tried to leave they were killed , almost anything they did could have gotten them killed there was never a choice . Kanye isnt bad,just his opinions are disagreed with.some of our opinions could be disagreed with also.

Courtney M 7th

5/15/2018 10:23:13 am

I Agree Slavery Was Not A Choice . It Was Forced.

J.jackson 6th

5/12/2018 03:10:34 pm

I agree with what you said because he is rich and he is black so I think he says. Thing because for that

victor ajuobi 4th period

5/4/2018 11:58:35 pm

I'm not a bug Kanye west fan, and there was some truth i what he was trying to say. I respect his right to his own opinion, but no slavery was not a choice and the mental slavery was there too. Slave owners put laws and restrictions for African slaves to get out of their position. They made African slaves feel like they aren't even human, they denied them the right to read and write. This caused african alives to not only be physically in chains but mentally in chains, as there was no way for them to advance in society at that point. They were seen as nothing more than tools and were treated as such. I understand kanye not wanting Africans to be under a victim mentality but the way he connected it to slavery was wrong. You can be a be a free thinker and not anyone hold you back, but always remember where you come from.

J. Grant

5/5/2018 12:34:58 am

I totally agree because it really takes us back to slavery day where everything was force hes right it wasnt a choice but it was brought back on us like it was a choice and thats how slavery actually got started

D. Tonche 1st pd

5/5/2018 08:43:07 pm

I concur with your statement, Kanye was referring to victim mentality rather than actual slavery but he did state his opinion in a inarticulate manner and was misinterpreted by the public. Because he has a sense on entitlement he thinks he can state his opinion in any manner without suffering the consequences.

T.Dawson 4th

5/6/2018 01:29:13 pm

I have to agree with your statement regarding slaves being mentally enslaved. There is no way you can choose to be a slave , especially not when your mind is being manipulated.

N.Brown1st

5/6/2018 05:25:28 pm

I agree with you but you can remember where you come from with out insulting your own race

S.moncivais 4th

5/6/2018 05:39:12 pm

I have to agree with you because the way Kanye express himself was referring to slavery but more as how it was causing pain mentally more or equal to physically.

victor ajuobi

5/4/2018 11:59:24 pm

big*

victor ajuobi

5/5/2018 12:14:30 am

* put them in their position

J. Grnat

5/5/2018 12:32:06 am

yeah Im not a big Kanye fan but i feel like he is entitled to his own opinions.Although it had us confused and disappointed when he made the statement ''Slavery was a choice ''.I think what he is doing right now is actually the absence of thought . And the reason I feel that way is because you also entitled to believe what ever you want. His statement sent a different vibe to other people that looks up to him .However Kanye was speaking some true things . us people felt like he should've kept his comment to himself

D. Tonche 1st pd

5/5/2018 08:48:59 pm

The way Kanye expressed his opinions was filled with filibuster and was misinterpreted by the public because he was inarticulate.

T. Tate 1st

5/6/2018 05:28:52 pm

Kanye’s opinions was not misinterpret it by the public. The public took the Comment for what it was. He was out of his mind to say something so disrespectful .

D. Carter 1st

5/6/2018 12:56:13 pm

You are right he is entitled to his own opinion however there are actual facts that say otherwise. The only true thing he said is that slaves were mentally enslaved. And ps repeating what you heard in the video does not make you sound smart.

J.Bonilla - 4th

5/6/2018 05:50:26 pm

The way he presented his idea was in a bad way, the public did misinterpreted it. It may have seem inappropriate, and yes he could’ve word it differently. Now we know his views on this whole situation.

D.Moseley-4th od

5/12/2018 08:46:01 am

I do agree that he was speaking some truths, but if it was truth then why were so many people offended and upset from the single commentary from only one individual made up of the same flesh and blood as everyone else?

D. Tonche 1st pd

5/5/2018 08:28:28 pm

I have hear about this occurrence the last couple of days, what I gathered was that Kanye stated that slavery was a choice, and the black community was disgruntled with his shared opinion. Now that I have seen the video, I can see why people would be upset about his opinion and speculate that he is having a mental breakdown. I could also see what Kanye was trying to convey. He was trying to bring up the matter how people try to judge him from straying from the mindset the black community has, like a hive mind. An example of this would be slavery during the 1800s, when Harriett Tubman had to force many slaves to leave their encampment because their mindset was molded to stay with the familiar. Even tough they had the numbers to rebel back and abolish slavery they perpetuated the hive mindset they were taught to have. Another example of this would be mothers teaching their daughters to be "lady like", and to keep their opinions to themselves. Its the perpetuation of mindsets that Kanye is trying state. Yes, he could've he expressed his opinion in a more articulate manner. But because he is a celebrity he is entitled to express his viewpoints. I think the public has a right to be angry at him because in the manner he expressed his statement.

victor ajuobi

5/6/2018 05:56:44 am

I can also agree that kanye is having a mental breakdown because he keeps talking about controversial things. This slavery comment was one of the weird things he said just to sound controversial, he is saying things just to satisfy his ego.

B. Haynes 1st

5/6/2018 04:54:53 pm

I agree. Kanye is entitled to his own opinion, but the way he expressed it was inarticulate, which also added to the amount of backlash he received.

Daijah Jackson 6th pd

5/5/2018 11:03:36 pm

I think that he should have never said that. Why ? Because if his family was in slavery right now then he would be against it. But it's wrong because we tried so hard to get out of slavery and he thinks that it is okay to be back in slavery. To me I think that he just wanted the media fame but at the same time it's like he done care about his own religion. This is my opinion about the situation and to me this is really dumb and was not a good situation to bring up.

J. Maple 1st

5/6/2018 03:22:59 pm

What’s wrong with stating your opinion? He wanted to bring light to the fact that slavery was a state of mind. There’s no reason for him to have to hide his beliefs, however because of his fame he’s bashed for it.

ms d

5/31/2018 02:56:43 pm

So it is okay to publicly compare Black people to monkeys? It is okay to publicly call women b*****s? It is okay to publicly talk about someone's mother or grandmother? Oh....okay.

A.Moore

5/6/2018 03:24:46 pm

Right, it’s like he has no respect for his race or culture .

D.Moseley-4th pd

5/12/2018 08:50:17 am

I understand your viewpoint, but who is the author of right and wrong? What makes what he said so false and incorrect? He never said slavery was morally correct or OK to any standard. Kanye never stated that he was trying to be back in that day and age of containment. Hr just simply said the situation was a choice.

Daijah Jackson 6th period

5/5/2018 11:05:01 pm

Dont*

D. Carter 1st period

5/6/2018 10:59:57 am

Throughout this week my family and I have talked about this several times and I’ve heard many different opinions and perspectives from every race, age, and gender. I do not agree that slavery was a choice however I do agree with one thing that Kanye said, “we were mentally imprisoned”. Our people were denied basic education and grew up in a life of fear. They had consequences to there actions, for example if a slave master told you to do something or he’s going to rape you’re daughter in front of everyone would you do it? Yes it seems like you have a choice but do you really?

T Dawson 4th

5/6/2018 01:38:50 pm

The reason slavery lasted so long was because of the mentality a slave was brought up in. It is difficult to defy what has been deemed as normal for so long. And when it is, ground breaking things occur.... That's why Kanye may see slaves as docile, when really, there was no choice.

B. Haynes 1st

5/6/2018 05:03:06 pm

I agree. I feel like slaves could have revolted if they wanted to, but it was the consequences that held them back from achieving it. Haiti was the result of slaves revolting, but it does not have the best conditions in terms of living and the economy is depressed.

S.moncivais 4th

5/6/2018 05:32:51 pm

I have to agree with you because I believe that many people has a different say on what Kanye expressed but I think that most people would agree with the fact that he only said one thing that was truth that people were mentally enslave.

S.johnson1st

5/6/2018 06:10:46 pm

I agree that slaves could have defended themselves in some cases but back then they didn’t know any better because they were used to life of being held captive.

T.Dawson 4th

5/6/2018 01:21:04 pm

Kanye Is entitled to express his opinion, as is any other person. But the opinion he expressed is under fire because of the lack of information and sympathy within his opinion. Yet, he was correct in one thing .Slaves were mentally enslaved, but that doesn't mean slavery was a choice. In fact, far from it. Being mentally and physically restrained along with other barriers results in slavery NOT being a choice.

M Williams 7th

5/6/2018 04:52:45 pm

I agree , everyone is entitled to there on opinion but I believe some opinion should not be discussed.

I. Chancellor 1st/5th period

5/6/2018 05:22:41 pm

With all honesty, he is protected under the 1st Amendment, to speak his mind. Not only, did it contain lack of information, but also showed, that he likes to be the center of attention. To be honest, most of his opinions contained fallacy, but he did have one thing correct though. In the light of his incorrect opinions, the only one, that made sense, was when he said,"Slaves were mentally enslaved." With all honesty, it does not support, that slavery was a choice. In the same fashion, there were other factors, that made slavery not a choice.

R Young 6th

5/6/2018 05:32:42 pm

Ok , west has his own opinions... But as community it makes us look silly to reply to such an unlikely manner towards Kanye

J. Maple 1st

5/6/2018 03:17:53 pm

I believe that Kanye West knows exactly what he’s doing, but as a community we’re taking it negatively because that’s not something you hear everyday. We defended his more unorthodox ways of acting and speaking because Kanye was seen as a catalyst for the views of the African American culture. The fact that we say he is entitled to his opinion but he gets bashed for saying what he believes is contradictory. He has a right to support the president that makes life better for wealthy people like him, and although what he said about slavery seemed thoughtless, I understand what he meant by it. Slavery was a state of mind and they could’ve chosen to revolt, like in the Haitian revolution. Overall, it’s likely that Kanye is at a point in his life where being politically and socially conscious doesn’t matter to him anymore.

T.shelton 1st

5/6/2018 04:17:17 pm

I agree Kanye does have the right to side with the president if he wants but at the same time he needs to watch what he says .

C.villanueva 1st

5/6/2018 06:15:32 pm

I agree, he does not care anymore and he has a family so what else is there to care about? Although we say he is entitled to his own opinion, we judge him anyways because his comment was a problem many people now a days still get mad

D. Hearne 1st

5/6/2018 10:49:35 pm

I don't think it's contradictory that we say he is entitled to his own opinion then bash him for it. Anything anyone says will be judged and since he had such a large audience there is a lot of people who want to comment on what he said.

ms d link

5/31/2018 02:55:09 pm

Miss Maple, how can you choose to revolt when you have nothing but your fists and your oppressors have guns? When you don't speak their language or know their customs. Do you not know how it feels to be vulnerable? Do you know what it is to be mentally imprisoned? I can tell you, you do based on your actions as a teenager and the choices you make. So I would love to hear how slavery was a choice.

A.Moore

5/6/2018 03:23:24 pm

I’m not really a big fan of Kayne West,and I’m also not a fan of what he said on this past week. I feel like he is a disgrace to the community, as far as right now. Honestly,we all know slavery wasn’t a choice and neither was poverty. It’s pitiful on how people are calling a "rapper" a genius. In the TMZ interview, I don’t think he meant to say it the way he did,but then again I do because he started to laugh after he stated his comment .

M Williams 7th

5/6/2018 04:48:30 pm

I also agree, but I believe that what he said was misunderstood and people took it too far.I honestly do not see the problem hear we all know that Kanye is crazy so we should'nt be so shocked on what he said.

K. Allen 1st pd

5/6/2018 05:31:47 pm

I disagree with everything you’re saying because what does you being a fan have to do with anything? Also you stated that poverty is not a choice? How is that? You have a choice to go to college and you have a choice to get a good job, someone that lives in poverty made choices in the past that led them to that.

Summer Johnson

5/6/2018 06:08:32 pm

It is obvious that what he said is misunderstood by many people in the community but who is he to care about our opinion his is his own person.

M Wiliams 7th

5/6/2018 04:43:33 pm

I feel that Kanye was entitled too his opinion about how slavery was a choice. At first I did not understand what he meant by it but I believe that he should really think before he speaks.It does not make any sense for him to say something like that, dealing with the fact that he is also black, and that it might of offended his people. Just maybe Kanye is ill and having some problems or it could just be on what he believes in.

J. Maple 1st

5/6/2018 05:13:55 pm

He should think before he speaks, but it makes sense to him and that’s all that matters. It’s not his job to protect the feelings of the African American race, and he doesn’t have an obligation to be a Democrat.

Jonathan Chicas

5/6/2018 05:32:18 pm

I agree because he dosent now what trump is doing to Hispanic family’s he is separating them apart no one what’s that to happen only only republicans and racist white people

R Young 6th

5/6/2018 05:05:29 pm

How could he say slavery was a choice ? when slaves would try to leave they were put to their death & to me any other person that agrees with Kanye is so close minded , not only that but if people picture west as “ I’ll or crazy “ why should we be surprised or so interested into what he’s saying ? He really needs to think before he talks ..

I. Chancellor 1st/5th period

5/6/2018 05:07:28 pm

To begin with, Kanye West is entitled to his own opinion, because under the 1st Amendment, he has freedom of speech. With all honesty, even though much of his opinions contained fallacy, one point of his was true. When he said, "We were mentally imprisoned", and to be honesty, that was the only good thing he said. And again, he is entitled to his opinion, but a good retort, to his we had numbers on them, is that slaves were killed or disappeared, if they dared tried to revolt, against a slave plantation owner. Plus, some were lucky, if their stories were like, Harriet Tubman and others who successfully lead a revolt against slave masters. Lastly, as a big Kanye West fan, I am woebegone and dishearten, that a genius, like Kanye West, would speak such blasphemy.

S.Moncivais 4th

5/6/2018 05:19:28 pm

After watching the videos and all the comments I have to agree that Kanye west has his own opinion over whatever topic is being discussed. The fact that he said that "slavery was a choice" was not appropriate and was also misunderstood by people. Slave was something that people had to go through to be able to be who they are now days, one of the things that he said were right that people were mentally enslave. The way he tried to share his opinion was not the best, also maybe what he intended to say came out wrong. But as a human I respect his opinion but I do not agree with him.

I.Chancellor 1st/5th period

5/6/2018 05:37:03 pm

In agreement, Kanye West is entitled to his own opinion. To be honest, it was distasteful and a lot of people are going against him, for saying that opinion. Slavery was a thing people were force to live by and not by choice. In like manner, the only fruitful thing he said was that, "Slaves were mentally enslaved." With all honesty, I think Kanye West probably had good intentions, but when thoughts came to words, it didn't seem that way.Lastly, he is entitled to his own opinions, but I do think much of his opinions contained fallacy.

B. Haynes 1st

5/6/2018 05:25:20 pm

Kanye has been promoting free thinking during his tweeting spree on Twitter, which all came to a finale on his commentary on slavery: that it was a choice. Since Kanye is seen as a face for the black community, many black people—including myself—were very appalled by his statement. Celebrities, even those who were considered friends of Kanye, were vehement on criticizing his opinion. I think that Kanye is entitled to his own opinion, and while I do not agree on everything he has said, there is truth to his statement—slaves were imprisoned mentally, but slavery itself was not a choice. In terms of Kanye’s view on free thinking, I do not think that free thinking should be rooted in the oppression of minorities. I do agree that Kanye should be seen more as an rapper or a face for the black community, which is what he said in an interview recently. This whole situation all boils down to perspective—not everyone has the same views, but many see Kanye, being a black man with his proud support of Donald Trump and calling slavery as “choice,” is just as crazy as him. It’s why his actions are seen as so unorthodox—he’s going against what he’s supposed to do and think.

Z. James 1st

5/6/2018 06:51:45 pm

I believe that it is going against what he believes in and how he lives. How do you support a misogynistic, racist, perverted man, when you have a biracial daughter? His support to Trump is basically saying, “Forget my daughter and everything that she believes in”.

Jonathan Chicas

5/6/2018 05:25:30 pm

After Watchingthe videos and all the comments I Have to agree that Kanye West has his own opinion over whatever topic is being discussed, When he said , We were mentally imprisoned and to be honesty that was the only good thing he said.

K. Allen 1st pd

5/6/2018 05:29:52 pm

In my opinion, Kanye was stating his opinion and it shouldn’t be anything wrong with that because everyone always say how we have “freedom of speech” so why criticize him for doing just that? In a way to me slavery was a choice because the slaves had a CHOICE to live in slavery or die and some chose to live while others chose to be slaves. Now maybe the way Kanye said it was wrong I believe that, he made it seem as if everyone woke up one day and was like “hey let’s go be slaves”. No matter what though that’s his opinion and he should not be criticized or harmed because of that.

D. Hearne 1st

5/6/2018 10:56:22 pm

He has the right to his own opinion and I have the right to criticize it. People criticize what everyone else does everywhere you look. So when you say that I shouldn't bash Kanye for what he said, you're essentially saying that I can't express my opinion. Yes, I can say it in a nicer manner and he could have worded what he said better.

N.Brown1st

5/6/2018 05:34:27 pm

Kayne West is entitled to his own opinion but he could’ve approached it a different way . Kayne just speaks he doesn’t think about what effect he will have on others . Kayne just voices his opinions and everyone took it they way they did . People were offend because they felt betrayed by their own race . People view Kayne as a God but he has no power he speaks on what he believes and so do we even though he spoke in a way we didn’t like it’s his opinion and we can’t change his mindset .

Z. James 1st

5/6/2018 06:47:48 pm

People do look at Kanye as a god. Kanye at times can open you third eye, so you can see all the evil in the world. Kanye is woke, maybe this is another woke moment he wants us to experience with him.

T. Tate

5/6/2018 05:36:08 pm

Kanye is know for his wild outburst and his no filter comments. But this time he went to far. We no longer can excuse his actions. He feels that it’s ok for him say these very offensive comments and just get a pat on his back for it. The horrible Backlash he is getting for saying this is well deserved . Hopefully next time he understands his platform is too big for him not to think about what he says before he says it.

J.Bonilla - 4th

5/6/2018 05:42:26 pm

Kanye West just like everyone else is entitled to his opinion, but to a certain extent. His claims hold no logical eveidence, he is just stating a what if. He is being closed minded about this whole situation. People often say what they would do if you were in that persons shoe, but in reality you don’t truly know until you’re in that situation yourself. He is a famous icon, that has an influence on millions of fans. Despite him being a wide known celebrity, many people also criticized what he had to say, because they knew what he said was wrong.

S.Johnson1st

5/6/2018 06:06:18 pm

Kanye West is known for his comments and actions he does, but this one pushed the button a little to far. Our first amendment is freedom of speech and Kanye did exactly that but yet we are publictly bashing him for his opinion. It doesn’t matter that he supports trump because that is our president for the next few years. Even though his statement about slavery was a little off there was still truth behind it because the slaves weren’t just held physically but mentally for a longer period of time.

C.villanueva 1st

5/6/2018 06:13:29 pm

I was talking about this with my coworkers recently and we all agreed on one thing... even though Kanye West is technically going “against” his own race, no one will really judge him. His comments don’t affect his viewers as much as it’s his own race. I personally don’t think it was something to say and it was wrong because I believe it’s completely false. He should think more before letting this go out to the public. He is someone may look up to or just follow in his everyday life...

Z. James 1st

5/6/2018 06:45:48 pm

This is just regular Kanye being Kanye. Kanye West is known for speaking his mind no matter how absurd it may sound. Think about the Hurricane Katrina situation where he called out George Bush for not caring about Black people. Kanye is just using his right of freedom of speech which we all are entitled to. However, he forgets to withdraw ignorance from some of his responses.I believe that nothing is wrong with Kanye, this is just the beginning of what’s worse to come from him.

Sieng F. 7th

5/6/2018 07:27:06 pm

I think that Kanye's opinion caught so much negative publicity because that's like saying being sent to Jewish Concentration camp was a choice which it clearly was not. African Americans wouldn't sacrifice their freedom to take part in exhausting labor for the White peple if they had "the choice."

J Butler 1st

5/6/2018 10:39:55 pm

Yes, slavery is a choice. Slavery is a choice in both the past and present sense. Past because there is absolutely no reason there were 20 men to carry 400 hundred slaves on a boat and no rebellion, fight, or question against was even tried. Just alone off of numbers slaves could have out done their owners. Present because peoples brains have basically been trained by society, media, and public figures to look, think, and act a certain way. As if they were a slave. People or told they can’t think like this, say that, or question either so they can easily be swayed or controlled by higher power as if they were slaves. But that’s ALL a choice we just haven’t realized such as the slaves in the past they just didn’t realize they had a choice.

D. Hearne

5/6/2018 11:02:40 pm

The idea of slavery was a choice however it wasn't a choice made by Africans. Europeans chose to come over to Africa, take those people and enslave them. Yes, those slaves say and did what the Massa told them and yes they could have revolted. But how? How would the message get around to that many plantations quickly enough to start a revolution? One plantation at a time wouldn't work out because white people had the technology to get word around about slaves giving back quicker than the slaves. Other slave masters would've been on higher alert.

K. Brown 1st hour

5/21/2018 12:55:00 pm

I really like how you started off your statement. I think we all have this mindset of young black Americans from 2018. Today we are all able to fight back against injustice. We have access to weapons or people who have weapons. We need to put ourselves back in the mindset of those during slavery. They didn't have the power that we as Americans of 2018 have.

R. Gacia 1st

5/6/2018 11:59:04 pm

After watching the video, I can see how kanye could formulate such a thought, and even to a certain point I believe his statement makes sense. What i mean is that looking at slavery from the mere surface, the ratio between slave and capturer seems very large. Now based solely on that, the question on why slaves did not unite to retaliate against their capturers to escape enslavement does comes across. Perhaps something similar to this served as the basis to kanye’s statement, but even so i do believe his statement was a bit ignorant.

D Parker 1st

5/9/2018 07:33:13 pm

kanye initially started off this topic with the wrong language. slavery was not a choice, however black people had the numbers to overthrow their masters/owners. after years of oppression many black people did get used to being slaves and accepted it as their fate but that does not make it a choice. you can only fight for so long and be beaten so many times before you give up. if he'd used better language and clarified what he meant the first time, no one would be up in arms against his statement. he needs to learn to elaborate on his opinions before just saying whatever comes to mind so he can get a reaction whether it be good or bad.

ms d.

5/31/2018 03:00:38 pm

I think whether you have the numbers or not, if you don't have the weapons and you're in unfamiliar territory and you don't speak the language, all that makes it that much more difficult to overthrow. Wouldn't you say? You're thinking with a 21st century mindset and from the perspective that you know your way around the US for the most part and you're English speaking.

D.Moseley-4th pd

5/12/2018 08:42:05 am

I honestly think that Kanye has his own level of thinking and with few thoughts to his references, it doesn't make sense. After rallying up information I just believe what he said was misunderstood because it was a sensitive topic that changed the lives of black Americans. If you truly process the what he said it was just the act of free thinking. Without the restrictions that society enforces or from your own community. Why should he be able to express his own theoretical thoughts when we have president in place doing so public ally all the time. Because Kanye is mentally so far removed from society his though process now is pure thoughts and ideals without the toxins of influence. He is an innovator mentally and it'll all make sense once we catch up.

J.jackson

5/12/2018 03:11:58 pm

Another example of this would be mothers teaching their daughters to be "lady like", and to keep their opinions to themselves. Its the perpetuation of mindsets that Kanye is trying state. Yes, he could've he expressed his opinion in a more articulate manner. But because he is a celebrity he is entitled to express his viewpoints. I think the public has a right to be angry at him because in the manner he expressed his statement.

D.Boyd 7th

5/14/2018 03:33:59 pm

I think that Kanye has his own way of thinking and with not many thoughts to his references, it isn't that clear. After rallying up information I just believe what he said was not understood because it was a sensitive topic that changed the lives of black people. Me personally I don’t think it was something to say and it was wrong because I believe it’s completely not true. He should think about what he says before letting this go out to the public. He is someone that somebody may look up to in there everyday life.

K. Brown 1st hour

5/21/2018 12:23:18 pm

I understand what you mean, Kanye needs to word himself better. I feel that there are times when celebrities have something really powerful to say but they don't word it correctly and they end up saying the wrong thing. Then people hone in on the either nonsensical or random statement that they have made.

Courtney M 7th

5/15/2018 10:20:11 am

I Don’t Agree With Kanye All He Does Is Talk. Slavery Was Forced And Not A Talk. He Should Really Think Before He Talk. He needs to look at his view points more differently.

Jahmi Andrews 6th

5/15/2018 01:03:58 pm

. Kanye isnt bad,just his opinions are disagreed with.some of our opinions could be disagreed with also.People often say what they would do if you were in that persons shoe, but in reality you don’t truly know until you’re in that situation yourself. People often say what they would do if you were in that persons shoe, but in reality you don’t truly know until you’re in that situation yourself. People often say what they would do if you were in that persons shoe, but in reality you don’t truly know until you’re in that situation yourself.

Jahmi Andrews 6th

5/15/2018 01:05:04 pm

Tyson thornton link

5/21/2018 07:54:29 pm

I agree you really don't know what the situation is until you've been put into about yourself if Kanye was put into slavery and got his like sucking over and just destroyed in front of him what he still think it was a choice I would he feel with the slaves felt for all those four hundred years

JameelaB 7th

5/15/2018 07:34:31 pm

I don't get what Kanye West was thinking when he said "slavery was a choice". Slavery was never a choice, we was forced to be slaves because our skin color was different then those white folks. It's just makes me so irritated, not the fact that he like Donald Trump's but the fact that he's over here saying that slavery was a choice. Like seriously, there's kids younger than me who looks ups to him but he's all on Tv acting a fool talking nonsense and making his self look bad.

Juan Ocampo 6th prd

5/17/2018 11:11:26 am

Everyone has their own opinion some agree and some disagree Kanye may have said some good that y’all disagree on you nevr know

adrian geter

5/17/2018 06:29:57 pm

if slavery was a choice the we would fight back we were treated as property and treated like dirt

Tyson Thornton link

5/21/2018 07:52:49 pm

Exactly like I was saying the only reason why they stayed in slavery was because there will was broken they didn't choose to be treated like dirt they felt like they were nothing but dirt after they've been broken down and beaten up all there life

K. Brown 1st hour

5/21/2018 11:59:01 am

At first I felt that what Kanye West said was utterly ridiculous. Just something stupid that slipped from yet another famous person's lips. Though I was given another outlook by a classmate who said that maybe he meant that 'remaining a slave' was a choice. She then explained how there were slaves who ran and who tried to find a route to their freedom. I feel that the way Kanye wording his statement was ridiculous. Though I feel, hopefully, he meant that not fighting for one's individual rights would make you remain a slave.

Tyson Thornton link

5/21/2018 07:51:13 pm

I believe that people with money are people with power don't necessarily care what Donald Trump says because it doesn't really affect them as much as it would people with less power are in property he can say that slavery was a choice and only reason why those slaves and leave is because there will was broken and when somebody's put in that certain situation it's hard for them to get out of it

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Mixed Ink

Mixed Ink is our class blog, the window into our souls. It was designed to improve students' writing, critical thinking and communication skills by giving them a platform to provide meaningful content based on their interpretation of what they see.

Although the students receive a grade based on a rubric for completing this assignment, they are not graded on complexity of thought. This is a place where students of all levels can freely, confidently and creatively express themselves and their opinions in a nonjudgmental platform. They are required to respond to and critique each other, but degradation, slander, lewdness, etc., will not be tolerated.

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Slavery...A choice?

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