National news coverage has descended upon a North Carolina high school after a quote from the artist formerly known as Kanye West’s 2022 interview with Alex Jones—which saw Ye saying, among other things, that he sees “good things about Hitler”—was seemingly referenced in a valedictorian’s graduation speech.
Per a report from regional outlet WWAY, Hoggard High School valedictorian Kyler Hosek’s speech included what has been argued as an indirect reference to Ye’s Infowars interview, leading to another student, Sara Rudeseal, attempting to point out the connection when taking the mic herself.
“As my biggest inspiration once said, every human being has something of value that they bring to the table,” Hosek said in his speech, as seen below.
While reports suggest that the apparent reference was not immediately caught by most attendees at the ceremony, Rudeseal later made an effort to contextualize the moment before her mic was either cut off or taken from her.
“Valedictorian Kyler William Hosek quoted a 2022 interview with Kanye West from Infowars,” she’s seen telling fellow ceremony attendees below. “What Kyler forgot to do was finish the quote.”
In the 2022 interview, which also saw Ye expressing “love” for Hitler and referring to the Nazi dictator as a “cool guy,” the 24-time Grammy winner did indeed say, “Every human being has something of value that they brought to the table.” But in its original context, Ye goes on to mention Hitler.
“Every human being has something of value that they brought to the table, especially Hitler,” Ye said at the time while wearing an all-over face mask. “How ‘bout that one? They wanna separate and confuse the Christians and make us afraid to stand next to each other. A Christian can stand next to anyone.”
In January of this year, Ye shared a full-page ad in the Wall Street Journal in which he detailed his struggles with bipolar disorder, including a four-month “manic episode” he says led to “psychotic, paranoid, and impulsive behavior” that “destroyed” his life. While he did not directly mention his remarks in the Alex Jones interview, he said he’s “not a Nazi or an antisemite,” and expressed aspirations of earning “forgiveness” moving forward.
“In that fractured state, I gravitated toward the most destructive symbol I could find, the swastika, and even sold t-shirts bearing it,” he acknowledged in the statement. “One of the difficult aspects of having bipolar type-1 are the disconnected moments–many of which I still cannot recall—that lead to poor judgment and reckless behavior that oftentimes feels like an out-of-body experience. I regret and am deeply mortified by my actions in that state, and am committed to accountability, treatment, and meaningful change. It does not excuse what I did, though.”
As for the Hoggard High School controversy, Christopher R. Barnes, who serves as superintendent of Wilmington’s New Hanover County Schools district, said in a statement to Complex on Wednesday (June 10) that the speech in question went through “standard review procedures” prior to the ceremony. However, district officials “did not identify any connection” at that time, though Barnes did acknowledge that others have “perceived the language differently.”
See Barnes’s full statement below.
“I want to address concerns that have been raised regarding a portion of a recent graduation speech. First, I want to thank the students, families, staff members, and community members who have shared their perspectives with us. Graduation is one of the most meaningful milestones in a young person's life, and our ceremonies are intended to celebrate our students' accomplishments. I regret the concern and distraction this situation has caused.
First and foremost, New Hanover County Schools unequivocally rejects and condemns any messages of hate, discrimination, antisemitism, or other harmful ideologies associated with any individual or public figure. We remain committed to ensuring that every student, family, and staff member feels welcome and respected.
As part of our established process, the speech underwent the district's standard review procedures, including a review of the speech in its entirety. While the district did not identify any connection during the review process, we understand that some members of our community perceived the language differently. Listening to those perspectives is important, and we are carefully reviewing our graduation speech protocols and practices to determine how additional guidance and safeguards can improve the process moving forward.
Our goal is to ensure that graduation ceremonies remain focused on celebrating students, honoring their accomplishments, and bringing our community together. We are committed to learning from this experience and continually improving the processes that support our students and families.
As a matter of policy and federal privacy law, the district does not discuss disciplinary matters or information related to a specific student's educational record.
We appreciate the continued partnership, trust, and support of our families and community as we work to provide a welcoming and respectful environment for all.”
