It has been almost 23 years since Kanye West had his big break. Since then, his career has consisted of bad decisions and controversies. Only recently have people finally started realizing that West is not a good person, and there have been multiple warning signs in the past that have proven West’s serious mental health issues. 

Although West is diagnosed with Bipolar disorder, mental health never serves as an excuse for hatefulness. Bipolar disorder does not cause a person to be racist, anti-semitic and just straight-up rude.

In early October, Kanye declared “death con 3 on Jewish people” in a Twitter post, the platform he has used many times in the past to share his offensive and controversial remarks. After being told that he was inciting violence and being offensive, West continued to conduct interviews insulting Jewish people. On Oct. 17 in an interview with Chris Cuomo, West spoke about the “Jewish underground media mafia,” claiming that Jewish people were coming after him. These statements are incredibly harmful to the Jewish community, as they perpetuate stereotypes and can engender violence.

One aspect making West’s statements far more dangerous is his largely devoted fan base. In vocalizing these statements, West actively influences his followers on anti-semitic views. Posters at football stadiums and on highways have promoted West’s claims. His words influence millions of people, and he knows this, so he uses this to his advantage to spread hateful messages.

On the 405 Freeway in Los Angeles, CA, a group of neo-nazis held up a sign that said “Kanye was right about the Jews.” This is terrifying— not only because of what the sign said but the fact because people were honking in support.

West began his involvement in politics in 2016 when he became affiliated with former president Donald Trump. At the time, many people were upset with him, but it was not deemed “cancelable.” Additionally, West has made highly controversial remarks about abortion and slavery. While this has caused many people to stop liking him, it made a very minimal effect on his career.

West continued his time in politics when he ran for president in the 2020 election. While many knew there was no possibility of him winning, it was still a scary thought. 

Personally, I stopped liking West after his horrible treatment of Taylor Swift. As a young woman, it was horrifying to see West make up lies and say inappropriate things about Swift, especially when he went unpunished and Swift was the person who got “canceled.”

West believes he is untouchable, but this was proven wrong when he lost his billionaire status as Adidas and other corporations dropped him. No one is untouchable, and West had to learn that the hard way.

My most dominant feeling towards West is sadness. I am sad that he refuses to get help. I am sad that he has so much hate in his heart. I am sad that he believes the things he says are okay. I can only hope that he gets the help he needs and stops spreading his harmful messages.