KC Congressman and Congressional Black Caucus Chairman Emanuel Cleaver is no stranger to controversy.
This, however, is still somewhat surprising:
Please join
Chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus
Congressman Emanuel Cleaver, II
for an evening concert featuring
Jay-Z and Kanye West
Thursday, November 3rd, 2011
7:30 PM, Verizon Center, Washington, DC
And here’s the kicker:
1 Ticket: $2,000
That’s one hell of a cover.
The question here is: how far is too far? Not to sound like the moral police nuts over at the Parents Television Council and other groups, but the “music” these two performers produce isn’t exactly appropriate for a congressional fundraiser, especially when the congressman in question is the Chairman of the Civility Caucus and a pastor to boot, for God’s sake!
And while, aside from the lyrics, holding a fundraiser with Jay-Z may not be the most outrageous or hypocritical thing to do (he’s one hell of a capitalist), holding one with Kanye West certainly is.
After all, Kanye is the man who famously appeared on the cover of Rolling Stone depicted as Jesus, complete with crown of thorns, not long after making the unrealistic and blatantly racist accusation, on a nationally televised charity telethon, that “George Bush doesn’t care about black people.” (Along with his claim that were the Bible written today he’d be in it.)
This is a fundraiser focused entirely on the funds and not at all on the message. It’s a $2,000 a seat concert at a time the economy is collapsing and people are struggling. We’re not all “rock-a-fellas”.
You could call it tasteless if it didn’t taste so much like a “sugar-coated Satan sandwich”.
- B.H.
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