Antisemitism, Antiblackness, and the (False) Hierarchy of Oppression

By Kirk Baltimore 

All hate speech is violent, but people determine what's intolerable based on who it offends. There's no better example of this than the careers of Dave Chappelle, Kyrie Irving, and Ye, formerly known as Kanye West.

The Faux Hierarchy of Oppression

"Proximity to whiteness (whether professional or personal) enables one to dissociate from the social plight of their community. However, it also sends the message that for Black people to be successful, they must be "useful" in ways that reinforce anti-Black narratives."

Ye's anti-Black statements have evaded repercussions for years. In 2020, he attempted tosuppress the Black vote during the 2020 presidential election. He established himself as an independent to draw Black voters to the republican candidate, Donald Trump. Still, most of Ye's endorsements remained intact; he continued to tour, perform, and release music, even skyrocketing into billionaire status with his apparel ventures. His anti-Blackness, ableist commentary, and behavior were dismissed as free-thinking. It wasn't until Ye's "free thinking" shifted from anti-Blackness to antisemitism that America finally responded with action. Not only has he received public scrutiny, but he's also losing many of his endorsements; Forbesrecently reported that he's no longer a billionaire. Why is antisemitism perceived differently from other forms of oppression when they derive from the same evil?

All oppression relies on bigotry, hatred, and prejudice. Yet, socially, it's not regarded with the same solemnity. Because, white supremacy created the very systems that disenfranchise and oppress marginalized communities, it's responsible for any (if not all) conflict between Black Americans and Jewish Americans.

Calculated Bigotry

"I think it's a fair assessment to say Kanye's punishment is part and parcel of him making anti-Jewish remarks and people care little to nothing about making anti-Black remarks." - Illya Davis

Nothing is coincidental about the lack of outrage over Ye's anti-Blackness over the years. Historically, he's been a trusted voice in the Black community. White supremacy seeks to utilize Black and Brown people with influence, like Ye, to reinforce anti-Black narratives in their respective communities. His anti-Black comments have perpetuated the essence of the typical "white adjacent" Black man. Proximity to whiteness (whether professional or personal) enables one to dissociate from the social plight of their community. It also sends the message that for Black people to be successful, they must be "useful" in ways that reinforce anti-Black narratives.

However, Ye's "free thinking" has a limit. It comes after an extensive list of racial tropes that reinforce bigoted views in America, narratives that support ableism, anti-Blackness, homophobia, and misogyny. Over the past few years, many other Black professionals have perpetuated said narratives. i.e., Ben Carson, Dave Chappelle, Kyrie Irving. Each has used their platforms to spread oppressive tropes despite pushback from people within the impacted communities. Dave Chappelle's platform has grown due to recent performances where he's challenged the rights and identities of trans people. He's currently securing millions of dollars in entertainment deals for future projects.

Historically, anyone outside the identity of a heterosexual, protestant, white male has been oppressed in some form or fashion. Through time, dynamics have changed, but not the philosophies or underlying intentions that oppress the most marginalized in our society. Communities will consistently be ranked based on their levels of social priority. Anti-Blackness and transphobia have yet to be taken as seriously as antisemitism because Black, trans, and queer communities are the least valued in our social climate. Despite Ye feeling the financial backlash of his antisemitic comments or Chappelle's rants that demean and invalidate trans people, neither will be canceled.

"There's no way to reason with it — it's pointless to try to demonstrate that no, actually, Jews don't control all that much. More effectively, we should call it what it is: a conspiracy theory." - Laura E. Adkins

We must eradicate all forms of white supremacy and patriarchy with the same urgency. One of the leading causes of death for Black trans women is murder. That's no less lethal as narratives that portray Jewish people as power-hungry, fueling antisemitism that leads to violence. Kyrie, Ye, and Dave should be held accountable for perpetuating antisemitism, as do many other non-Black people who uphold white supremacy. Until we collectively keep the same energy for all forms of racism and intolerance, white supremacy will always be in control.

Kirk Baltimore (he/him) is a writer and creator of the Blackfreud-ish podcast. Kirk serves as a Program Manager for two permanent supportive housing programs for recently homeless individuals with varying mental health diagnoses.  He advocates for mental health awareness in marginalized communities and ending homelessness through quality affordable housing. You can find Kirk on Instagram and Twitter