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Lupe Fiasco attempts some political commentary
Lupe Fiasco popped up on CBS' What's Trending show yesterday. Yes, CBS have a programme called What's Trending, which is sweet, isn't it? It's like when my Dad tried to get to grips with Teletext.
Anyway, Lupe decided to share his political insight with the world:
“To me,” Lupe began, “the biggest terrorist is Obama in the United States of America."That Obama, then. Breathe again, Obamas elsewhere in the world. You're off the hook.
But tell us, Lupe, why do you believe that? Besides, presumably, because you've just finished ninth grade?
I’m trying to fight the terrorism that’s causing the other forms of terrorism.Righto, Lupe.
You know the root cause of terrorists is the stuff the U.S. government allows to happen.I don't think US foreign policy always helps in terms of ensuring the world gets on, but isn't you analysis a little over-simplistic?
The foreign policies that we have in place in different countries that inspire people to become terrorists.You're not really sure what a foreign policy is, are you, Lupe?
To be fair, a man who starts a song with the words "I'm not a turtle" isn't ever likely to be called upon to take the fifth seat on Question Time, so perhaps we're being unfair. After all, Mr Fiasco has said he won't be using his vote any time soon:
“No, I don’t vote,” he said. “I don’t get involved in politics. It’s meaningless. If I’m going to say I stand behind this person and write on a piece of paper that says, ‘Yeah, I stand for this person,’ then I have to take responsibility for everything he does cause that’s just who I am as a human being. So politicians aren’t going to do that because I don’t want you to bomb some village in the middle of nowhere.”So you don't vote for, say, your local mayor because if you did, somehow you'd be bombing Afghanistan?
Unfortunately, Lupe's interview seems to have ended before he could be asked, for example, whether the US intervention in Libya is justified, or if he understands that voting is a process in which you choose a candidate who is the best fit for you, and you're unlikely to ever find someone who you agree with 100%. Or that if you don't vote at all, you're never going to see your voice and opinions reflected in government because you've chosen to opt out. But, hey, I bet the kids who skipped civics class to smoke were impressed.
4 comments:
I have no idea who Lupe Fiasco is, but he seems to have a better grasp of power politics than do the editors of No Rock and Roll Fun.
He may do, John. He might have a very sharp mind, and he might understand politics, diplomacy, parapolitics and psychology much more acutely than I.
Doesn't alter the fact that when he talks about it, he appears to turn into a fourteen year-old going "what about Obama? He's the REAL TERRORIST". American foreign policy does radicalise people, and provides a convenient narrative for those who seek to radicalise. But that's not the same thing as saying "Obama is the biggest terrorist", which is just idiotic.
If you read any Noam Chomsky political text, you'll find him making a very similar point to Lupe. Of course, you may disagree, but the argument is cogent and fully backed up with references. From this perspective, Lupe doesn't look so stupid after all.
No, anonymous. Chomsky actually explains his use of the loaded term terrorist; Fiasco has farted out the sort of confused babbling you hear at a junior Tea Party rally.
When Chomsky draws moral equivalance, his argument is cogent and backed up with references. That doesn't mean Fiasco's superficially similiar position is.
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