Black History Month

First things first, this is not intended to be racist.

I believe it's now become some sort of commercialized giant billboard/opportunity for false advertised unity and understanding.

Black History Month just seems to be an appeasement of some sort to warrant tidings and a slap on the back of blacks. WAY TO GO! Good job!? Isn't this supposed to be for pride and not for multiculturalism?

en.wikipedia.org...

What are your thoughts on this?

Does our society feel the need to congeal into some sort of non-diverse, bland singularity or should we celebrate our differences?

"Their accomplishments should doubtlessly be taught in our schools, but within the context of the times in which they lived and the struggles they faced. It makes little sense to dust them off for one month, give a cursory treatment to their work and then shove them back into the dustbin of history." Ross Rosenfeld in one of todays articles

Read more: www.nydailynews.com...

Some of the headlines today...


Long Beach Tells Teens To Pick Up Saggy Pants
losangeles.cbslocal.com...


Black History Month, it is time to get rid of this celebration:
www.nydailynews.com...

Should we end Black History Month? POLL results
Honestly in the "deny ignorance" mindset I do have racial issues. But I'm working through them personally.
Through experience I've been programmed to have racial tendencies however I never act on these tendencies, it's unfair to classify an entire race. But statistics say otherwise.

www.nydailynews.com... hould+we+end+Black+History+Month%3F+&voteExpirationDate=&option_labels=Yes%2C+the+celebration+is++an+insult.+%3BNo%2C+it%27s+important+for+teaching+Af rican-American+culture.+%3BI%27m+not+sure.+&20110204_no_more_black_history_month_=1&vote=vote

paratus

i always wondered why there cant be a white history month?????? they say all the stuff like the white man enslaved us when really africa sold them to europe europe to us and i wasent the one who owned a slave so?????

Black history month is great. But why can't we celebrate black history all year long? There is nothing wrong with racial pride be it black, white or any other color. As to the saggy pants story, I see white kids dressed like that all the time in my neighborhood. I think to myself "Don't worry you will be in prison soon enough and can have droopy drawers all you want." I always want to run up behind them and pants them. But I am an adult and have to behave like one in public.

I am white, age 20

I never get why they say we should always remember things like this. For people like me just 20 years of age blacks and whites have always been at the same level. We all get the same treatment so to speak. It just makes me think...so I should feel sorry for black kids the same age as me who have got a bad attitude constantly because they are reminded of slavery. When nothing bad even happened to them.

Do black people feel bad that us white kids don't have white history month.

reply to post by groingrinder


Only in public

disrespecting themselves automatically gains disrespect from others.

Separation and division allow those who are unified to retain control.

Black/White
Straight/Gay
Christian/Muslim
Republican/Democrat
Rich/Poor

Sounds like any given day of news reports, right?

His story is great if you feel like hearing a story versus fixin things that need fixin.

I was just discussing this with my 15yro. He said why do we have to call black people African American? he said if I were black I would just call myself black.

White people just say white, not European Caucasians American etc.

He went on to say that to him it seems like more separatism. I agree.

Originally posted by RANDOMguess
It just makes me think...so I should feel sorry for black kids the same age as me who have got a bad attitude constantly because they are reminded of slavery. When nothing bad even happened to them.

Great point, never thought of that.
Shaming everyone into understanding the indebtedness surely will cause more issues, especially when no one living has responsibility for the past.

paratus

Originally posted by zrothHis story is great if you feel like hearing a story versus fixin things that need fixin.

Funny just had the His-Story vs History conversation at dinner last night with my 5 and 7 yr old and their grandmother.

It's amazing the level of control thats instilled at a young age, and the differences in the application from generation to generation.

The Grandmothers history class was almost inverse of whats taught now.

it seems as if you can only be racist if you're white...thats about the way its taught nowadays.

i agree with teaching their accomplishments in the period they deserve to be taught in. imagine the uproar if there was a month entitled "white history month" ...

Who could've said the following:
"I do have a test today, that wasn't bull****. It's on black history. I mean, really, what's the point? I'm not black. I don't plan on being black. So who gives a crap if a black invented the traffic signal? They could all be nuclear physicists, it still doesn't change the fact that I don't own a car."

"Not that I condone racism, or any -ism for that matter. -Ism's in my opinion are not good. A person should not believe in an -ism, he should believe in himself. I quote John Lennon, "I don't believe in Beatles, I just believe in me." Good point there. After all, he was the walrus. I could be the walrus. I'd still have to bum rides off people. "

Anyone? Anyone? Anyone?

Maybe I should bring up the counterpoint that the other eleven months of the year are white history months? Frankly, I, as well as a few prominent black people feel it is time to take pride in one's self and move forward. There's nothing wrong with remembering the past but it should never cloud one's judgment and corrupt the future.

reply to post by abecedarian


The few prominent black people today are actually not that prone to promoting social and racial equality, i.e. Sharpton, Jackson, etc.

They are inciting more racism be it white or black.

Originally posted by RANDOMguess
I am white, age 20

I never get why they say we should always remember things like this. For people like me just 20 years of age blacks and whites have always been at the same level. We all get the same treatment so to speak. It just makes me think...so I should feel sorry for black kids the same age as me who have got a bad attitude constantly because they are reminded of slavery. When nothing bad even happened to them.

Do black people feel bad that us white kids don't have white history month.

Do you know anything about the slave trade? Does that get taught in American history lessons?

Its always important to remember while your ancestors probably chose to move to America, most african American' s ancestors were probably stolen from their homelands and shipped to America to work as slaves and to be treated like animals. Whereas white Americans can look back at their ancestors leaving europe and discovering a new home and escaping tyranny. Black Americans see their ancestors as people who were forced to leave their homelands to work for the white man.

You can say your only 20 and it has nothing to do with you which is fair, but having said that you cant take pride in the acheivements of white history without recognising the bad.

Black Histroy Month should be banned.

Why?

Because it creates division.

We should have a Human History Month.

Everybody, black, white, chinese, japanese, muslim, christian, sikh, whatever are Human.

Simple

Originally posted by paratus
reply to post by abecedarian

 

The few prominent black people today are actually not that prone to promoting social and racial equality, i.e. Sharpton, Jackson, etc.

They are inciting more racism be it white or black.

The prominent blacks that promote equality, moving forward, etc. are ridiculed and and marginalized by Sharpton, Jackson, etc. But I see your point. I suppose it comes down to who yells the loudest.

I dislike any kind of ''history month'' based along racial or cultural lines.

What this does, by highlighting different races, is encourage children to divide people along racial/cultural lines, and just perpetuates this way of thinking from a young age.

Surely the most sensible thing to do would be just to teach history with fairly proportioned coverage to all races and cultures ?

This would encourage children to look at events because of their historical importance rather than viewing them because of any supposed ''racial significance'' that the events may be purported to have.

Originally posted by woodwardjnr

Originally posted by RANDOMguess
I am white, age 20

I never get why they say we should always remember things like this. For people like me just 20 years of age blacks and whites have always been at the same level. We all get the same treatment so to speak. It just makes me think...so I should feel sorry for black kids the same age as me who have got a bad attitude constantly because they are reminded of slavery. When nothing bad even happened to them.

Do black people feel bad that us white kids don't have white history month.

Do you know anything about the slave trade? Does that get taught in American history lessons?

Its always important to remember while your ancestors probably chose to move to America, most african American' s ancestors were probably stolen from their homelands and shipped to America to work as slaves and to be treated like animals. Whereas white Americans can look back at their ancestors leaving europe and discovering a new home and escaping tyranny. Black Americans see their ancestors as people who were forced to leave their homelands to work for the white man.

You can say your only 20 and it has nothing to do with you which is fair, but having said that you cant take pride in the acheivements of white history without recognising the bad.

Jim Crow laws and Reparations are always invoked during Black History month along with MLK and maybe Malcom X...
Is that all there is to black history? C'mon... I even saw a lesson plan on Famous Amos!

here's another good site:
www.thehistorymakers.com...

however the always present "in the face of adversity" is for all humans not just blacks.
The true adversity is those that promote it.

reply to post by Sherlock Holmes


You're exactly right, the fact alone of even having Black History Month plastered all over everything only creates a division in a young mind of "black is different than me"

Originally posted by Haydn_17
Black Histroy Month should be banned.

Why?

Because it creates division.

We should have a Human History Month.

Everybody, black, white, chinese, japanese, muslim, christian, sikh, whatever are Human.

Simple

There should be no "special" history for anyone/anything, only HISTORY.
The banning of Black History Month would automatically be construed as RACIST
Why not make Black History Month into a year long event and not marginalize it?
And add in all the other "throw a dog a bone" holidays too...

reply to post by woodwardjnr


That's assuming I am American and assuming I take pride in white history. Which I am not and I do not. I only every take pride in things I have personally done or achieved. And yes in the UK the lesson is called Humanities and were taught about black history. I was not a fan.

And yes I know enough about the slave trade that goes on now in our current time. Ask yourself why is that not as important to you, the main export of slaves being Indonesia.

Consistently remind the black and white youth how bad it was back in the day is mainly adding negativity.