Kanye West Calls Emma Gonzales His 'Hero,' And She Responds With Her Hero James Shaw Jr.
Kanye West praises Parkland shooting survivor and activist Emma Gonzalez as his hero, but the student has another hero in mind as an idol.
Yeezy Tweets About His Hero
West, 40, may love President Donald Trump, but his hero is someone decidedly different: teen activist Gonzalez, who has been outspoken in her criticism for the president in the past.
The rapper has been getting a lot of flak for his recent eccentric Twitter behavior and public proclamation of his love for President Donald Trump. West's recent tweet is once again deeply polarizing as he called Gonzalez his hero, posting a photo of the young shooting survivor.
my hero Emma Gonzalez pic.twitter.com/aSdFmraenU — KANYE WEST (@kanyewest) April 29, 2018
It's a declaration that didn't go over well with his more conservative following, Vulture notes, who reacted quickly to West's tweet. A number of Twitter users responded with derision, from asking whether West has been bribed by liberals to criticizing Gonzalez herself and calling her names.
West also posted a close-up photo of himself looking to the camera, saying he's inspired by Gonzalez. It's not clear what he means by this tweet, but if his previous tweets are anything to go by, he's not likely to explain anything at all.
inspired by Emma pic.twitter.com/TiZMthLK92 — KANYE WEST (@kanyewest) April 29, 2018
Gonzalez Reacts With Her Own Hero
The student activist isn't fazed by the positive shout-out from West and the negative attention that came from it.
Instead, Gonzalez shares a photo of her own hero: James Shaw Jr., the Waffle House employee who wrestled the weapon away from a gunman who opened fire at his workplace in Tennessee on April 22.
my hero James Shaw Jr. pic.twitter.com/BRnuYEURdv — Emma González (@Emma4Change) April 29, 2018
No doubt, Gonzalez appreciates the man's heroic actions after surviving a school shooting that killed 17 and injured many more.
Shaw, 29, charged at the gunman when he saw a lull in the shooting, tussling with him until he was able to wrestle away the rifle, according to a report from CNN. It left him with a burn from the rifle and a bullet graze on his arm.
Furthermore, he not only saved people from the attack that claimed four lives, but he also opened a GoFundMe campaign to raise money for the victims' families. His efforts have already resulted in over $200,000, a far cry from his initial goal of just $15,000.
It's not just Gonzalez honoring Shaw, though. The Waffle House employee has also been officially recognized for his heroism by Tennessee lawmakers in a joint resolution.
