Kanye West has always been somewhat of a black sheep in society in the last couple of years. His outside of the box thoughts and ideas often confuse many people, however, I feel like that’s just how West is and people accept that. When he opened his mouth nobody knew what creative mess he would say next. He, like so many other celebrities, have worked hard to create a platform for themselves and in doing so have become very influential.

West’s recent support of Donald Trump created confusion and frustration amongst his fan base. This frustration comes from the difference in social and political beliefs about Trump and many of West’s supporters and friends.

His support of Trump is especially confusing considering his comments about George Bush and the misrepresentation of people of color by the media following Hurricane Katrina in 2005. In a 2005 telethon aimed to raise funds for aid and reconstruction following Hurricane Katrina, West pointed out the differences in the representation of people of color by the media compared to white people. He also recognized his own hypocrisy stating how many times he would simply turn off the TV in an attempt to ignore or forget about the issues at hand, something I believe everyone is guilty of doing at some time.

However, West’s comments on slavery at the TMZ offices May 1 caused the most uproar amongstKanye supporters and the black community. According to TIME, West said, “When you hear about slavery for 400 years — for 400 years? That sounds like a choice.” The most frustrating part about West’s words is the ignorance they hold. His failure to recognize the realities and the horror of enslavement demonstrates his disconnect from his fans and from reality. Although I am not aware of his intentions or the source of his comment, I find it incredibly disrespectful to the black community and to our ancestors who endured enslavement.

Credit also must be given to Van Lathan, a senior producer at TMZ, for confronting West on his comments. I appreciate Lathan’s opposition of West considering the presence and influence he carries with him. Lathan’s attempt to challenge West and hold him accountable for his words is admirable because too often discussions regarding race and history become Twitter wars and celebrities are not challenged for their comments. Considering West’s influence on pop culture, it is refreshing to see his thoughts challenged as opposed to blindly followed or simply ignored.

After going through an enslavement simulation in Selma, Alabama this past April and feeling a portion of the emotions and fears felt by enslaved people, I find West’s comments ignorant and insensitive. I encourage West to look into participating in an enslavement simulation to put himself in that position and mindset. I also encourage him to do some more research on the history of enslavement in the United States and to visit historical sights in the South and on the East coast. Nothing compares to walking in the footsteps of our enslaved ancestors.