Morgan Freeman on Racism

Morgan Freeman says that Black History Month is ridiculous! He claims that the use of the words 'black' and 'white' keeps racism alive. I agree with him 100%.

I love this whole concept. Since when is there a Jewish History Month or White History Month? Making special days and months for black people only keeps the separation alive.

Associated Press

Morgan Freeman says the concept of a month dedicated to black history is "ridiculous." "You're going to relegate my history to a month?" the 68-year-old actor says in an interview on CBS' "60 Minutes" to air Sunday (7 p.m. EST). "I don't want a black history month. Black history is American history."
...
"I am going to stop calling you a white man and I'm going to ask you to stop calling me a black man," Freeman says.

Any thoughts on this issue?

Originally posted by Benevolent Heretic

Morgan Freeman says that Black History Month is ridiculous! He claims that the use of the words 'black' and 'white' keeps racism alive.

That's the French approach to race relations and they thought it was working until they had the riots a couple of months ago.

I'm not sure what the solution is.

Funny that he is actually telling the truth, our country wants to be so politically correct that is only perpetuating the separation of races when it comes to [Dedications and Remembrances of anything that actually has more tragic roots than anything else.

Holocaust, black history month, Hispanic heritage month, Vietnam, pearl harbor ect.

Is just a way to make people remember nothing but bad episodes in our historical past.

I would assume that the Sharptons, and Jacksons would have a hard time getting face time if racism never existed. So they may not want to help it behind closed doors... Any thoughts?

I too agree 100%. I think the media especially loves issues of race because it keeps people divided, distracted, and feeling guilty.

I dont feel that racism is as large of an issue as it is made to be. Thats not to say that racism is not an issue but, I think that what people mistake as racism the majority of the time is actually classism.

Is hell freezing over? Because I agree 100% with Benevolent Heretic & marg6043.

Mr. Freeman is correct.

-- Boat

if we all agree then why is there still a need to single out black folks contribution to this country with a black history month...we've all seen the history books in our public schools, so there is no need for me to go on about how they are lacking. Just the other day a poster on this board said he knew nothing of Malcolm X and Marcus Garvey, and he's a teacher.

I agree with Morgan too, but society and most definitely, the public school system isn't ready for a colorless society. It's great in theory but in practice there is a need to highlight those black folk that US historians continually leave out of the books. Maybe as a solution to having an actual "black history month" we should just include "black history" in the overall american history...the overall american story...but that has yet to happen.

funny thing is i remember learning about garvey and x at the same time i learned about mlk. i know from school that the man who invented the stop light was black and that the first doctor to work as a heart specialist was black. now its been years ( i am 28) since i learned these things but i still remember that i did. i dont think things have changed that much.
i not only learned these things in elementary school but again in middle school and then again in high school.

Originally posted by Saphronia
Maybe as a solution to having an actual "black history month" we should just include "black history" in the overall american history...the overall american story...but that has yet to happen.

This is, of course, my solution as well. Not "black history" but just include prominent figures in history regardless of their race. But how can we even hope to do that when even the white history books of today are so inaccurate? Even the 'white history' is filled with lies and omissions.

Sorry, but the public school system in this country is worthless.

But yes, to teach the children about important people in history, regardless of their race is the answer.

more people need to listen to people like morgan freeman and bill cosby. there is no such thing as an african-american, italian-american, hispanic-american, irish-american, arabic-american,etc ad nauseum.

either you are an american or you are not. the sooner people realize this the sooner we truelly become the country our founding fathers intended.

Originally posted by snafu7700
either you are an american or you are not. the sooner people realize this the sooner we truelly become the country our founding fathers intended.

Love it! I talked about this very idea in the PODcast linked below (in the My Rights vs Your Rights PODthread). Political Correctness as a conspiracy to keep us divided.

www.abovetopsecret.com...

How VERY VERY true, Im glad he spoke up.

Playing the "race card" is how idiots like Sharpton and Jackson,get listened to.

Originally posted by Saphronia
Maybe as a solution to having an actual "black history month" we should just include "black history" in the overall american history...the overall american story...but that has yet to happen.

Who's not being mentioned? My history experience in high school way back when covered many blacks in history. Who's being left out that shouldn't be?

funny thing is i remember learning about garvey and x at the same time i learned about mlk. i know from school that the man who invented the stop light was black and that the first doctor to work as a heart specialist was black.

These things were most likely taught to you during black history month. It is kinda like BH said most of the history taught in public school is distorted and watered down to the point of half truths and nearly lies.

Mr. Jake: I would've like to hear about the South Hampton Slave Revolt and Nat Turner before college or the Amistad before the movie, and maybe the murder of Fred Hampton should be in the history books as well. And I'm sure there would be far less confusion between the races if W.E.B Dubois book "The Soul of Black Folk" was required reading just like Romeo and Juliet is. I think many americans of other races don't understand the black experience so they want to dismiss it as black folk wanting special treatment, since you are not wearing this skin you don't know what it feels like the first time you find out you are different. The first time a person doesn't shake your hand...the first time you are followed in a store, the first time you hear your ancestors were slaves, and so on. Tis easy for someone that doesn't deal with the ignorance or that lives above it to dismiss it. There are things that should be taught to our children and its not being done in the history class or in many homes.

If we say we want to erase race, and make it so that it doesn't matter like Mr. Freeman says it actually has to not matter and I don't think we are there yet or that we will ever get there because we are all individuals and its going to matter to someone and they are going to let you know it. You can't dictate to people who and what they are especially if you don't have a clue of what it is like to be them.

The Soul of Black Folk

Marvelous, that's what I wanted to see. First, I'd like to say that my ancestors were slaves. There's a park dedicated to my family as a result in New Orleans. At least, there was; I'm not sure if it's still there after Katrina. Ours is a story of rags to riches; risking everything to give my great grandfather a chance, and they got away with it.

My question to you, Saphronia, would be have any of those you mentioned moved current society as George Washington did, as Eli Whitney did, or as Albert Einstein did. For the most part, reading through your post, I recognized archaic historical figures, which means they weren't taught in mandatory public school (i.s. non-college). Do you believe any of those individuals you mentioned changed American society as Patton or Westmoreland did? If you do and can make a strong case for it, I support your stance.

If not, then I ask you this: What's the point of teaching a computer programmer about a local event in history? After all, high school is for teaching the basics of all fields so the individual has an idea of where they'd like to specialize. Are those individuals and events you mentioned major movers and shakers, or are they more relevant to a history major? Did those events you mentioned revolutionize American society (or solidify it), as all those I was taught about in school did, or do you want them taught because they had darker skin? Do you want to teach about relatively inane events to perpetuate racism, or did they really move America as Kennedy did and you are trying to strike a blow for equality?

I could make a strong case for all of the figures I mentioned. Of course I believe they gave significantly to this country and in the case of Nat Turner and Fred Hampton they gave their lives which I don't think there is any greater sacrifice.

But for the sake of argument and time I will only make a case for the South Hampton Slave Revolt and Nat Turner.

To start, John Brown's revolt at Harpers Ferry is taught to every American child from an early age. The South Hampton Slave Revolt of Nat Turner took place in 1831 before Harpers Ferry and it is widely believed that John Brown got the idea of a slave revolt from what Nat Turner tried to accomplish. By excluding Nat Turner's revolt, history not only erases a whole chunk of our past but they effectively rewrite the nature of John Browns' attempt at rebellion...which wasn't even nearly as successful as Nat Turner's by the way. John Brown's revolt at Harpers Ferry is more pleasing to the eye. Many times John Brown is portrayed as a madman willing to give up his life for the liberation of black people.

As for the significance, it was argued before these rebellions that black slaves were content with being slaves. It wasn't until the slave rebellions that there was actual cause for southerners to be alarmed about what was being planned in there slave quarters. If John Brown at Harper's Ferry is worthy of elementary school history books...so is Nat Turner and the South Hampton Slave Revolt because it gave birth to Harper's Ferry and it was the first successful slave revolt in the United States.

As for your second set of questions--My only goal in posting in this thread was to add my point of view. You asked who I felt was left out, and I answered honestly. Am I seeking to change some curricula up in public schools...no. These are my personal opinions. Most of which comes from knowledge that I dug up after high school that made me say, "dang...why come this was never brought up?" Is it limited and flawed of course maybe I was out the week they taught Nat Turner…but, I have no other agenda...which is what you are eluding to, right? Because if I don't believe I have to give up my race…cease to see myself as a black woman then I'm somehow part of the problem, right? A better question for other's would be why is it we can't just accept each other for who we are instead of trying to blend everyone into something that seems "normal"…do I have to be like you for you to like me? can you see race and say so what because it truly doesn't matter? or do you have to actually be completely so called "color blind"?

see how I did the whole bunch of questions at the end…just like you!

Harper's Ferry
Nat Turner & Southhampton Slave Revolt

the links are quick first ones I saw...read good i thought but that's for someone who aint been to sleep. forgive spelling mistakes and all that jazz...yall know I do that nightshift thang...peace.

[edit on 6-2-2006 by Saphronia]

i dont know where you went to school saphronia, but even in rural georgia we were taught about nat turner....and it wasnt in connection with black history month, it was simply part of american history. slavery as an issue was covered in depth as part of pre-civil war history, as well as historical figures such as harriet tubman. however, as a side note, the thing i find interesting is that nobody seems to cover the fact that maryland was not covered in the emancipation proclamation as it was only directed toward southern states and as a result, maryland still had slaves for several years after the civil war was over. revisionist history has made sure that that simple little bit is never taught. wonder why?

originally posted by saphronia
You can't dictate to people who and what they are especially if you don't have a clue of what it is like to be them.

which is why it is so important that people like cosby and freeman step up and tell the black community the truth. you've got people like jackson and sharpton who are trying to stretch that race card for all the money they can get out of it, and people dont seem to care. somebody like cosby and freeman have got to stand up and start telling it like it is, because when white people try to point out the truth, we either get called racists, or we get comments like the one above from your conversation with JJ.....obviously thinking he was white as well.

would you honestly have made the same comment if you had known he was black? because truthfully, that can be construed as racism. i have many friends that are black and the one thing i have noticed, and pointed out to them without getting any kind of a real answer is this:

there are things you say and do that if i said and did you would yell "racism" at the top of your lungs. ask yourself why its ok for you but not for me? is this not, indeed racism? an all black fraternity? an all black club on public school campuses? an all black television station? an all black beauty pagaent? take any one of these things and insert the word "white" over the word "black", and all of a sudden you are breaking the federal civil rights act, and you are a racist. what's wrong with this picture folks?

as i have said before, you are either american or you or not. we have to learn to take the hyphen out of our self discriptions if we are to be a truelly united country.

which is why it is so important that people like cosby and freeman step up and tell the black community the truth. you've got people like jackson and sharpton who are trying to stretch that race card for all the money they can get out of it, and people dont seem to care.

This whole thing is ridiculous. Because on one hand you say there should be no race--you are either american or not--then you say --oh but black folk need some old black folk with money to tell them how to think of themselves. You can't have it both ways...either there is no race or black folk need to be told how to think by other black folk (mainly the ones you agree with). I maintain that people are individuals and come to see themselves how they want and why shouldn't they? I don't need Mr. Freeman or you to tell me who and what I am. I have a mind and I have my experiences whether they are wrong or right in your eyes they are mine.

As for Mr. Jake being black...I must've missed that part...cause I don't see where he said he was black. He said there were slaves in his ancestry and if he chooses to "live above that fact" that is his choice, but everyone deals with their experiences differently and if this is going to be a actual free society we all should be able to do the same. IF he is black that doesn't change a single word that I posted or how I feel about this issue. I'd say it the same either way because I honestly didn't get what you got from his last post.

Truthfully, I'm not colorblind and I'm not going to sit up here and pretend that I run around not noticing race. It doesn't matter to me because it doesn't matter, so this need to just erase it is pointless in my book. Do I see myself as an African-American...nope, and I've said that countless times and always seem to have to repeat it. I am black, and that is a fact of description and what is so wrong with that? I don't need to hide it or hide behind it. It isn't some chip I carry on my shoulder, or a card I carry in my back pocket to whip out when need be. It is just a part of who I am.

As for Nat Turner...I didn't hear about it in until someone gave me a book. I don't know how old you are, but if they are teaching it in elementary and hs now then...I stand corrected. There you go again--different individuals--different experiences...peace.

Edit: one last thing...it really doesn't bother me when people call themselves african-americans or mexican-americans...that is a choice, as well. do what you do. I'm not the type that is going to tell them they are wrong. we are all still americans and that's what makes it a beautiful thing to me.

[edit on 6-2-2006 by Saphronia]

im 28 iand i learned about nat turner in elementary school. and no it wasnt during black history month.

Originally posted by Saphronia


This whole thing is ridiculous. Because on one hand you say there should be no race--you are either american or not--then you say --oh but black folk need some old black folk with money to tell them how to think of themselves. You can't have it both ways...either there is no race or black folk need to be told how to think by other black folk (mainly the ones you agree with). I maintain that people are individuals and come to see themselves how they want and why shouldn't they? I don't need Mr. Freeman or you to tell me who and what I am. I have a mind and I have my experiences whether they are wrong or right in your eyes they are mine.

you misunderstand what i am saying, and evidently what freeman is saying. niether he nor i are telling you how to think of yourself...we are simply pointing out that to separate yourself from other races and at the same time scream for equality is hypocritical. what we are both saying is that everyone needs to stop thinking in terms of black and white, and more in terms of being american. the term african-american in and of itself is racist. it separates you from the rest of america. rev. king fought for an end to segregation, but you are continuing segregation yourself by using that term.

As for Nat Turner...I didn't hear about it in until someone gave me a book. I don't know how old you are, but if they are teaching it in elementary and hs now then...I stand corrected. There you go again--different individuals--different experiences...peace.

i am thirty two years old and first learned of nat turner in 7th grade. then again in high school. so that would be the mid eightees and the early ninetees.

Edit: one last thing...it really doesn't bother me when people call themselves african-americans or mexican-americans...that is a choice, as well. do what you do. I'm not the type that is going to tell them they are wrong. we are all still americans and that's what makes it a beautiful thing to me.

yes, but again, by the use of such terms you are subjecting yourself to your own form of segregation.....keeping yourself mentally and therefore physically separate from americans of other races, as is any race that uses the hyphenated discription of themselves. i dont call myself "irish-american" with a mix of "cherokee-american", i am simply an american. the diversity in my background is what makes me such.....becaue when you get down to it, we are the only culture in the world that is so peacefully diverse. that, in and of itself, is the very definition of american.