We Should Be Celebrating Candace and Carol, Not Kanye

 

For years we’ve wanted to see more African American conservatives who aren’t afraid to speak up for the cause. There are already outstanding examples in Walter Williams, Thomas Sowell, Clarence Thomas, Jason Riley, and Shelby Steele, among others. Now, we have two black women — one a millennial activist and one a woman running for mayor of Nashville — who are both conservatives. These are the people we should be talking about.

Candace Owens is the Director of Communications for Turning Point USA. She explains what the organization stands for: fiscal responsibility, limited government, and free markets. She travels all over the country, encouraging people to dialogue with her and consider joining a TPUSA campus affiliate or form their own group. She is fearless, outspoken, and convincing. Many things that she says serve to empower black Americans.

Here are some comments that she has made in her campus speeches and TV appearances:

Black people are not a monolith. I can think differently from Angela (Davis). We are not ideological slaves. I do not have to think like her, she does not have to think like me because of the color of our skin . . .

Every single thing that Black people are going through in this country is because of Democratic policies, because of the welfare system and because individuals like you who don’t allow us to have different ideas and believe in free market capitalism . . .

I’ve been really strong-minded from the time I was a little girl, and I hate being told what to think. So propaganda just doesn’t really work on me. I’m not afraid . . .

You can’t be afraid to be referred to as a “coon” or an ‘Uncle Tom,’ which, by the way, Uncle Tom, for people that actually read the book, was the hero of the novel. That term does not work . . .

It’s going to take people with some courage to step up and say, ‘You can call me whatever you want, this movement is happening. You can get on board or you can watch it.’

Now, let me introduce you to Professor Carol Swain.

I first came across Professor Swain when she appeared in Dinesh D’Souza’s movie, Hillary’s America: The Secret History of the Democratic Party. As a result of her appearance and other public comments, an online petition was circulated in November 2015, as reported by the Washington Times, “demanding she be suspended for alleged discriminatory practices in the classroom.” The petition said in part:

Although Miss Swain is free to speak openly and have her own views, no matter how disagreeable they may be, it is generally unprofessional to attach your job title to a channel promoting your personally held beliefs. Keeping personal beliefs and University-endorsed statements separate is crucial to maintaining the integrity of Vanderbilt’s values. Students also accuse her of ‘expressing hatred towards minorities,’ EAG [News] reported. The petition demands that Miss Swain be suspended so that administrators can ‘confer with the ACLU to create and mandate a diversity training program for all Vanderbilt faculty — including Professor Carol Swain — to increase their cultural awareness, foster inclusion of various identity groups, prevent discrimination in the classroom, and to protect the University against inadvertent civil rights violation.’

Swain’s personal story is one that quite literally exemplifies the American dream. She grew up in southwestern Virginia, living in extreme poverty with her mother, stepfather, and 11 other siblings. A short documentary on Swain’s life tells the story most accurately.

Swain was such a trailblazer of her time that when she wanted an academic scholarship, but was told that as a black woman it would not be possible, she set out to start her own. She went to a wealthy black man in the area and simply asked him to help her start her own academic scholarship program for black students. Swain proudly relayed that the academic scholarship she started continues to reward eight to nine minority students every year.

Now she is running for mayor of Nashville.

Nashville had the second highest murder rate in its history. Property prices have gone sky high. Corruption and the Democrats have dominated city investment:

Swain’s fight for Nashville is not one isolated to Nashville. It’s a broader fight for American cities that have had to endure rapid mass immigration, increasing housing costs, crime, and sanctuary city policies – all at the hands of wealthy, well-connected power players.

Along the way, Swain is optimistic that the fight for America’s cities won’t stop with her.

‘I’m hoping there will be a lot of other people that will follow my example,’ Swain says.

Let’s spend our time talking about real black conservatives — not Kanye West.

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  1. Tutti Inactive
    Tutti
    @Tutti

    Kanye’s personality is mercurial; we should welcome his conservative statements with a healthy dose of skepticism and be prepared for the eventual “Ima gonna let you finish, Donald, but first……”

    • #1
  2. Drew, now with Dragon Energy! Member
    Drew, now with Dragon Energy!
    @DrewInWisconsin

    I have no problem celebrating Kayne’s attempts to break free of tribalist thinking. I would encourage it. I think telling him to get back on the reservation (as the left is doing) or dismissing his statements as crass self-promotion (as the Nevers are doing) are both wrong approaches.

    • #2
  3. Stad Coolidge
    Stad
    @Stad

    Susan Quinn(quoting Candace Owens): by the way, Uncle Tom, for people that actually read the book, was the hero of the novel. That term does not work . . .

    Candace is right.  While I have never read Uncle Tom’s Cabin, I listened to a Great Courses lecture series titled “Heroes and Legends”:

    (https://www.thegreatcourses.com/courses/heroes-and-legends-the-most-influential-characters-of-literature.html).

    In one lecture, the professor discusses why Uncle Tom is a hero, which destroys the whole notion calling a black “Uncle Tom” is an insult.  (Aside: Another one of the lectures discusses Lisbeth Salander as the hero in The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo and its sequels.  I agree completely.)

    I also find it ironic Professor Swain is in the anti-free speech crosshairs, yet that mountain of brain lard professor at Fresno State can trash the late Barbara Bush and is praised.  Just rubs me the wrong way . . .

    • #3
  4. Hoyacon Member
    Hoyacon
    @Hoyacon

    I concur.  These are accomplished, thoughtful women with proven track records.  I don’t have a great deal of trust in Kanye’s consistency and he’s mercurial.  If you accept what he says today, who knows what he’ll say tomorrow. 

    • #4
  5. Stad Coolidge
    Stad
    @Stad

    Susan Quinn: Let’s spend our time talking about real black conservatives — not Kanye West.

    Disagree.  No one ever said Kanye was conservative.  We should celebrate his coming out of the closet (so to speak) as an advocate for free speech and free thinking . . .

    • #5
  6. Susan Quinn Contributor
    Susan Quinn
    @SusanQuinn

    Tutti (View Comment):

    Kanye’s personality is mercurial; we should welcome his conservative statements with a healthy dose of skepticism and be prepared for the eventual “Ima gonna let you finish, Donald, but first……”

    Mercurial, and other things. I think people are making way too big a deal of his behavior, and missing the opportunity to laud people who represent conservatism.  Why aren’t we hearing more about both women and so much about Kanye, even in the conservative media? But I like your approach, @tutti: with a healthy dose of skepticism!

    • #6
  7. Susan Quinn Contributor
    Susan Quinn
    @SusanQuinn

    Drew, now with Dragon Energy! (View Comment):

    I have no problem celebrating Kayne’s attempts to break free of tribalist thinking. I would encourage it. I think telling him to get back on the reservation (as the left is doing) or dismissing his statements as crass self-promotion (as the Nevers are doing) are both wrong approaches.

    I’m not condemning him at all, Drew. But there’s only so much air time. Why aren’t we talking about people who represent our overall ideas?

    • #7
  8. I Shot The Serif Member
    I Shot The Serif
    @IShotTheSerif

    Candace is kind of sketchy though. She claimed that she became conservative overnight in response to the backlash for her doxxing website. She specifically chose a trans YouTuber to publicly debate the website with her, even though this was not one of the people who had done a video on it, so that she could discredit the character of her opponent.

    • #8
  9. Drew, now with Dragon Energy! Member
    Drew, now with Dragon Energy!
    @DrewInWisconsin

    Susan Quinn (View Comment):

    Drew, now with Dragon Energy! (View Comment):

    I have no problem celebrating Kayne’s attempts to break free of tribalist thinking. I would encourage it. I think telling him to get back on the reservation (as the left is doing) or dismissing his statements as crass self-promotion (as the Nevers are doing) are both wrong approaches.

    I’m not condemning him at all, Drew. But there’s only so much air time. Why aren’t we talking about people who represent our overall ideas?

    Nothing’s stopping us. Let’s do it. However, it’s true that Kanye has a much larger platform and is more culturally influential for better or worse. So let’s take a both/and approach.

    • #9
  10. Drew, now with Dragon Energy! Member
    Drew, now with Dragon Energy!
    @DrewInWisconsin

    I also have to say that I’m a little uncomfortable with putting an extra spotlight on black conservatives because of their skin color. That allows for the charges of tokenism.

    • #10
  11. Susan Quinn Contributor
    Susan Quinn
    @SusanQuinn

    I Shot The Serif (View Comment):

    Candace is kind of sketchy though. She claimed that she became conservative overnight in response to the backlash for her doxxing website. She specifically chose a trans YouTuber to publicly debate the website with her, even though this was not one of the people who had done a video on it, so that she could discredit the character of her opponent.

    I didn’t add that the Turning Point, USA website has a professors watch list.  I think this was on her site before it was on TPUSA, and it also makes me uneasy. So we’ll see what happens over time. (I didn’t include it because the post was already a long one.)

    • #11
  12. I Shot The Serif Member
    I Shot The Serif
    @IShotTheSerif

    Drew, now with Dragon Energy! (View Comment):

    I also have to say that I’m a little uncomfortable with putting an extra spotlight on black conservatives because of their skin color. That allows for the charges of tokenism.

    Agree. But they’re fun to point out when you are trying to explain that those who say you should shut up and listen to black people, are only talking about certain black people.

    • #12
  13. Susan Quinn Contributor
    Susan Quinn
    @SusanQuinn

    Drew, now with Dragon Energy! (View Comment):

    I also have to say that I’m a little uncomfortable with putting an extra spotlight on black conservatives because of their skin color. That allows for the charges of tokenism.

    Let them charge away! I think that people need to know that there are intelligent black people who embrace conservative ideas and the Democrats better pay attention. Or better yet, don’t!

    • #13
  14. Stad Coolidge
    Stad
    @Stad

    Susan Quinn (View Comment):
    Why aren’t we hearing more about both women and so much about Kanye, even in the conservative media?

    It’s obvious: Kanye is (and maybe soon to be was) a hero on the left.  He’s a rapper, and rap music is not viewed favorably by many people because most of it (for lack of a better term) sucks because of its content.  Nonetheless, he’s gone public with an opinion, and his mercurial royal rap highness has yet to walk it back.

    • #14
  15. drlorentz Member
    drlorentz
    @drlorentz

    Susan Quinn (View Comment):

    Tutti (View Comment):

    Kanye’s personality is mercurial; we should welcome his conservative statements with a healthy dose of skepticism and be prepared for the eventual “Ima gonna let you finish, Donald, but first……”

    Mercurial, and other things. I think people are making way too big a deal of his behavior, and missing the opportunity to laud people who represent conservatism. Why aren’t we hearing more about both women and so much about Kanye, even in the conservative media? But I like your approach, @tutti: with a healthy dose of skepticism!

    Credit where credit is due, @susanquinn. Mr. West brought attention to Ms. Owens in a way no one else could. Those of us who have been following her a while (and supporting her on Patreon) know that she’s been toiling away with limited recognition, until now. With seven words, Mr. West did more for free speech in general and for Ms. Owens in particular than black conservative pundits have done with a hundred of thousand words. If you don’t know what the seven words are, look ’em up.

    But Mr. West did not stop there. He went to see the president, got his MAGA hat, and then collaborated on a song with another rapper discussing freedom of thought. He took a big chance (pun intended*) of alienating his fans, not to mention bringing criticism of the Left down on him. In short, he has skin in the game, unlike the punditry.

    And, by the way, Ms. Owens is a big fan of Mr. West’s music. Me not so much, but he’s done a good thing here. Credit where credit is due, Ms. Quinn.

    *”Black People Don’t Have to Be Democrats.

    Edit: In case it wasn’t clear enough, the only reason you’ve even heard of Candace Owens is because of Mr. West. She knows it and is grateful to him.

    • #15
  16. Stad Coolidge
    Stad
    @Stad

    drlorentz (View Comment):

    And, by the way, Ms. Owens is a big fan of Mr. West’s music. Me not so much, but he’s done a good thing here. Credit where credit is due, Ms. Quinn.

    *”Black People Don’t Have to Be Democrats.

    That’s my thinking.  Free speech needs all the help it can get!

    • #16
  17. Percival Thatcher
    Percival
    @Percival

    drlorentz (View Comment):
    Edit: In case it wasn’t clear enough, the only reason you’ve even heard of Candace Owens is because of Mr. West. She knows it and is grateful to him.

    What if the only reason that you’ve heard of Kanye West is because he said something nice about Candace Owens?

    • #17
  18. Susan Quinn Contributor
    Susan Quinn
    @SusanQuinn

    drlorentz (View Comment):
    And, by the way, Ms. Owens is a big fan of Mr. West’s music. Me not so much, but he’s done a good thing here. Credit where credit is due, Ms. Quinn.

    Well said, @drlorentz. I could be wrong, but I think I did see her on Fox News, and did see her colleague, Charlie on Mark Levin’s show. To point out the degree to which he helped her is fine; let’s see how his attitudes pan out over time.

    • #18
  19. Susan Quinn Contributor
    Susan Quinn
    @SusanQuinn

    Percival (View Comment):
    What if the only reason that you’ve heard of Kanye West is because he said something nice about Candace Owens?

    Well, I have to admit I’ve heard of him before. Never heard his music, and don’t plan to. Hey, he’s married to Kim Kardashian, right?

    • #19
  20. drlorentz Member
    drlorentz
    @drlorentz

    Percival (View Comment):

    drlorentz (View Comment):
    Edit: In case it wasn’t clear enough, the only reason you’ve even heard of Candace Owens is because of Mr. West. She knows it and is grateful to him.

    What if the only reason that you’ve heard of Kanye West is because he said something nice about Candace Owens?

    Actually, I’m slightly embarrassed to admit that applies to me too. Not a huge fan of rap, I may have heard his name but didn’t really know who he was before this. So, yeah, I knew way more about Owens than I did about West before this. And I’d never heard of Chance the rapper before either. So you could say Owens made West famous for me.

    • #20
  21. Percival Thatcher
    Percival
    @Percival

    Susan Quinn (View Comment):

    Percival (View Comment):
    What if the only reason that you’ve heard of Kanye West is because he said something nice about Candace Owens?

    Well, I have to admit I’ve heard of him before. Never heard his music, and don’t plan to. Hey, he’s married to Kim Kardashian, right?

    I know that I heard his name, but his stuff isn’t on my play list.

    • #21
  22. Susan Quinn Contributor
    Susan Quinn
    @SusanQuinn

    drlorentz (View Comment):
    And I’d never heard of Chance the rapper before either

    Who?  ;-)

    • #22
  23. Drew, now with Dragon Energy! Member
    Drew, now with Dragon Energy!
    @DrewInWisconsin

    All right, I may be an old fart who wouldn’t even recognize their music if I heard it, but I knew who both Kanye and Chance the Rapper were.

    Candace Owens not so much.

    • #23
  24. drlorentz Member
    drlorentz
    @drlorentz

    Susan Quinn (View Comment):
    Well, I have to admit I’ve heard of him before. Never heard his music, and don’t plan to.

    I understand the sentiment. However, I’d recommend you read the lyrics to his latest opus, Ye vs. the People, with T.I. and Mr. West making their respective cases. It has… um… language. Brief [clean] excerpt:

    See, that’s the problem with this damn nation
    All Blacks gotta be Democrats, man, we ain’t made it off the plantation.

    Y’all been leadin’ with hate, see I just approach it different.

    Peace out.

    • #24
  25. Annefy Member
    Annefy
    @Annefy

    Percival (View Comment):

    drlorentz (View Comment):
    Edit: In case it wasn’t clear enough, the only reason you’ve even heard of Candace Owens is because of Mr. West. She knows it and is grateful to him.

    What if the only reason that you’ve heard of Kanye West is because he said something nice about Candace Owens?

    Both can be true. I’ve never been a fan of Kanye for no reason – he’s just not in my wheelhouse. After CandaceO spoke highly of him on the Dave Rubin show I started to pay attention. Kanye has also been on Scott Adams’ radar for quite a while; not as an entertainer but as someone very important and influential culturally.

    Those who discount Kanye (he’s not a real conservative!) remind me of people I know who don’t take Jordan Peterson seriously for the same reason or because he’s doesn’t tout Christianity enough.

    People like Kanye, JordanP and CandaceO are gateways to conservatism. 

    Appreciate them. There’s no way I can talk my young relatives into reading Locke but they’ll listen to JordanP’s lectures and they don’t need me to bring attention to Kanye.

    That Kanye is tweeting Scott Adams and Jordan Peterson is a very, very good thing.

    • #25
  26. drlorentz Member
    drlorentz
    @drlorentz

    Annefy (View Comment):
    After CandaceO spoke highly of him on the Dave Rubin…

    • #26
  27. Columbo Inactive
    Columbo
    @Columbo

    Both … and.

    This is not either/or.

    • #27
  28. Annefy Member
    Annefy
    @Annefy

    And because I’m feeling a little grumpy today, I don’t think any of us should be judgy about someone like Kanye who is speaking to an underserved audience whose language we don’t speak.

    Again, it confirms to me that the “big tent” I heard about for all those years was that; just talk. 

    • #28
  29. Boss Mongo Member
    Boss Mongo
    @BossMongo

    I didn’t see anyone else throw this up, but this is why I love Candace Owens:

    • #29
  30. Drew, now with Dragon Energy! Member
    Drew, now with Dragon Energy!
    @DrewInWisconsin

    Annefy (View Comment):

    Again, it confirms to me that the “big tent” I heard about for all those years was that; just talk.

    Yeah, I’ve come to that conclusion, too. I see too many who want to shrink the tent and cast out the Trump voters in order to purify the Republican party.

    • #30
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