"George Bush doesn't care about black people."

I love Kanye West.

I mean his albums are pretty good. I like his wit and his cleverness always makes me smile. Jesus Walks and Diamonds From Sierra Leone are both great songs. But now I truly love the man.
Why?

I hate the way they portray us in the media. You see a black
family, it says, "They're looting." You see a white family, it says, "They're
looking for food." And, you know, it's been five days because most of the people
are black. And even for me to complain about it, I would be a hypocrite because
I've tried to turn away from the TV because it's too hard to watch.
I've even been shopping before even giving a donation, so now
I'm calling my business manager right now to see what is the biggest amount I
can give, and just to imagine if I was down there, and those are my people down
there. So anybody out there that wants to do anything that we can help -- with
the way America is set up to help the poor, the black people, the less well-off,
as slow as possible. I mean, the Red Cross is doing everything they can. We
already realize a lot of people that could help are at war right now, fighting
another way -- and they've given them permission to go down and shoot us. ...
George Bush doesn't care about black people.

Bravo Mr. West.
By the way, those comments came during an unscripted moment on NBC's A Concert for Hurricane Relief that aired Friday night. I applaude Kanye for standing up and speaking his mind, on live national television. I'm sure he knows this could cost him. I'm sure he knows that this could hurt his career. This could be Kanye's Wardrobe Malfunction. MTV and other networks could stop playing his videos, or at least keep him off of award shows and interviews where he'd have a live mic. But he did it anyway. He did it because that is what he truly believes in. And for that he deserves applause. As Kayne himself says on Diamonds From Sierra Leone, "You gotta love it though somebody still speaks from his soul."

However the thing that really annoys me about this whole situation is NBC's pathetic, politically correct, cop out statement that was issued after the show:

Tonight's telecast was a live television event wrought with emotion. Kanye West departed from the scripted comments that were prepared for him, and his opinions in no way represent the views of the networks. It would be most unfortunate if the efforts of the artists who participated tonight and the generosity of millions of Americans who are helping those in need are overshadowed by one person's opinion.

Yes, the man broke from the script. But I'd rather have someone come on television and give a heart-felt real statement in a situation like this than hear someone read "scripted comments that were prepared for him."

Whether you agree with West or not you should respect him for coming out there and refusing to give a wooden statement like his partner on screen at the time Mike Myers did. A monotone, emotionless reading of "and subtle, but in many ways even more profoundly devastating, is the lasting damage to the survivors' will to rebuild and remain in the area. The destruction of the spirit of the people of southern Louisiana and Mississippi may end up being the most tragic loss of all" does not make me emotional. It does not make me feel anyone's suffering. It does not make me want to help. While Kanye's statement wasn't what he was supposed to say, I'm glad he said it.

If more celebrities actually said what they thought and not what was prepared for them the world would be a hell of a lot better off.