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Yeah, I like it. When it's St. Patrick's Day I go to a pub and drink green beer. When it's Cinco De Mayo I go to a cantina and drink Mexican beer. When it's black history month I go to the hood and... well..., it's kinda like the running of the bulls in Spain ;)
Any celebration of an entire race of people, and most especially people that were so wronged, is absolutely in order in this land. Black History month reminds us of their many contributions to our culture and that's A-OK with me. As a matter of fact, I'd like to see more months dedicated to those ethnicities whose contributions to this nation go untold and un-reminded.
"I'd like to see more months dedicated to those ethnicities whose contributions to this nation go untold and un-reminded."
My sentiments exactly. And that's why I don't like black history month. Because it's racist against all other races. Why do the blacks get a month dedicated to their history but nobody else?
I don't mind Black History Month. I can respect all that african-americans have gone through throughout all of history, but what about White History Month, Hispanic History Month, or Asian History Month. Just because we weren't slaves doesn't mean we aren't important in history.
I think it's very important to celebrate BHM. Take a look at the Chicago Police Blotter and see that 80% of the perps ae Black. What kind of role model is this for our young black children. As long as the violence is abound in our black communities, it's important to bring forth those who have represented something positive. I think that the next revolution of change, needs to continue to come from within the black community.
And if I was black I would feel like it wasn't fair. Because black history is just part of U.S. history.
The major problem I see with your particular contention is that it's not a part of US history - not in the social practice and not in the academic practice. Most people have to take elective classes or major in African American studies just to learn about black history in America. And I don't think a week's lecture on slavery and civil rights does justice to the black experience in America when its confounded by nearly a year of Greek and European Philosophy, Sociology, Psychology, History and so forth - the latter being reinforced in the American pedagogy throughout a student's entire academic life. It's to at least for a moment, reintroduce people even in passing to the contribution and accomplishments of blacks in America, who have historically been the Other in American history.
I think the problem here is that you are looking at a white America and a black America.
I recognize that there is an instructive ideal: America. I also recognize that I am looking at this from a black and white perspective; this is an issue of black history (month), and black history in America can only be juxtaposed with and framed by white and black interaction. That's how the experience has blossomed historically in this country.
But as a country: America, I am looking at it for what it is. There is no such thing as "only one America", any more than there is one Pakistan, or one Turkey, or one Georgia. There exists a variety of historical experience in all countries that - this idea of "one x" seems to dismiss off-hand and unfairly - which underpin our evaluation of a country and how peoples interact within and with it.
"Germany" means something different to a holocaust survivor than it does an ethnic Prussian. "America" means something different to Yippies than it does a historical Conservative; it means something different to blacks than it does to whites, Amerindians than it does to Europeans. And if this was a debate about "minority history" in general, then I would lament the fact that no one learns much about Sun Dancing in native American history, or the treatment of Irish immigrants in the early and middle 19th century. But this isn't that kind of debate. This is a debate about black history (month).
So I will lament, instead, that barely anyone knows about Stokely Carmicheal, Red Jones, Sterling Stuckey, Benjamin Bannecker, Fannie Lou Hamer, Charles Reason, Kelly Miller so on and so forth. And I lament it because these names and what they've done, and what they represent in American history (the only America you supposedly believe in) are totally, wholly absent from most curricula. There can not be one America, even metaphorically, if there are people and histories of groups of people marginalized and left out of the social and academic discourse. And if it takes one month every year for at least one group of people to have their history recognized, I'm all for it.
Do you want to explain what you mean by that?
Not really. But I will. I don't think that Morgan Freeman's opinion is particularly meaningful. He's not an academic: he's not a black historian, sociologist, anthropologist, philosopher; he's just a dude with an opinion. And that's fine, but the whole "let's see what Morgan Freeman has to say" thing is an attempt to treat his input as if it's reflective of 1) a rational position, 2) a critical position and 3) a representational position. And it's none of those things. And to be quite frank, "don't talk about race" has never, ever helped race-relations. It doesn't help in the same way that not talking about the mistreatment of women during the early and middle 20th century helped gender-relations.
I think the problem here is that you are looking at a white America and a black America. There is only one America.
Wow, that is a mighty big assumption.
America is made up of a lot of different people, and a lot of different "Americas". It's not just America, nor is there a white or black or Hispanic or anything America.
To me black History month is a celebration of African Americans overcoming their oppression. If you want a month, go for it.
Well, if I was oppressed I wouldn't want a history month I would just want to be treated equal to everyone els. I wouldn't want extra perks. No "only I can say this word" kind of stuff. Because that defeats the purpose of being equal.
Yes history is important, but one month? There are better ways to get information out there.
There is not a Holocaust month is there? I'm not sure if there is.
"America is made up of a lot of different people, and a lot of different "Americas". It's not just America, nor is there a white or black or Hispanic or anything America."
I'm confused. At first you start to say what I was saying, then you said: It's not just America. What do you mean? What is it then?
"If you want a month, go for it."
haha yeah right. A white anything month will never happen. That would be racist. [sarcasm]
Well that's what you would want, and I don't disagree with your reasoning. However, I don't see it as inequality or picking on African Americans. I see it as a celebration. Like a Pow Wow.
And it's not limiting the celebration of black history to one month, it's simply focusing on it for one month. There is no time limit on being grateful for your or your ancestor's struggles. We, as a country, celebrate many peoples, and that's a beautiful thing. This is a recent part of our History, and I think eventually it will be less popular and fade away just like anything does. But for right now I think it's good to celebrate it.
Everyone lives their own America. So there isn't one America, and there isn't a defined set of Americas. I wouldn't want to segregate each "America" nor would I want to disregard our diversity as a people.
You always say things like, "there are other ways." For example, you said we should just get rid of all the trash instead of reducing our usage of resources. But you never back those claims up, Jake. In the future don't just be negative, be constructive. Back it up.
"Everyone lives their own America. So there isn't one America, and there isn't a defined set of Americas."
I think your beloved Obama would disagree.
Barack Obama:
Now even as we speak, there are those who are preparing to divide us -- the spin masters, the negative ad peddlers who embrace the politics of "anything goes." Well, I say to them tonight, there is not a liberal America and a conservative America -- there is the United States of America. There is not a Black America and a White America and Latino America and Asian America -- there’s the United States of America.
"But you never back those claims up, Jake. In the future don't just be negative, be constructive. Back it up."
Thank you for the constructive criticism. I will take that into consideration.
So I have a slightly different view point than Obama? Boo hoo, whaa whaa? I don't agree with Obama on every single issue, nor do I think his opinion is completely contradictory to mine. Both viewpoints celebrate diversity, and that's all I care about.
PS. I'm never trying to be a "jerk" to you, and I'm really sorry you feel that way. But you have a lot of misconceptions, I'm simply correcting them. If you have a problem then we can talk about it, but don't be immature.
I'm not boo hooing I just wanted to make sure that you where well informed.
"PS. I'm never trying to be a "jerk" to you, and I'm really sorry you feel that way. But you have a lot of misconceptions, I'm simply correcting them. If you have a problem then we can talk about it, but don't be immature."
2. Morgan freeman is so right you are just singling it out and its not fair on Muslims Chinese British and any other sort of skin color/ religion (sorry if i missed any out)
I certainly hear what Mr. Freeman is saying but I'm hoping Black History month goes beyond slavery, which it does, and honors the contributions of Black People. Many more should be honored and maybe he is right...perhaps they should not be singled out, but so many people are ignorant of their accomplishments it does help to keep it green in our minds. Perhaps one day, we can do away with singling out but I personally love Black History month for its reminder to me, once again.
It took much legislation to get that month...it will take even more to tear it down, Jake. On a personal level you can always simply ignore what the month is about...there's no need to acknowledge it!
I did answer it Jake...I seriously don't know what you would like me to say! If we're going to do away with Black History month we do need legislation to do that but as a free person, you have a right not to observe the month for such a purpose.
I asked why we can't do away with singling out. As singling out in general, I know that Black History month wont go away, I don't care about it that much.
But let me ask again, why can't we as Freeman put it, stop talking about it?, why can't we not single people out? Why cant we not have words that only some people say?
If there's Black History Month, there should be White History Month. If there's Women's History Month, there should be Men's History Month. Why are accomplishments and events separated by race? Isn't that racist?
White history month is essentially played out every academic year in white-dominated countries - and I'm not complaining about that. It's just a fact. I come from Jamaica, and you know what we learn about in Jamaica? Nanny, Alexander Bustamante, Paul Bogle, Bauxite and black-Jamaican history in general.
That being said, the reason why a country might highlight a specific group is because they're generally not represented in the social discourse.
this is so bad as well because it causes friction about racism because if you notice white and black people and Asian people can get in trouble like if a white person says nier he would get arrested yet black people say it to each other all the time and I'm sure if a black person called me whitey he could done for it as well like if a i called an Asian yellow its all just a political mess
It does more to perpetuate racism than to bring tolerance.
It's insulting to say that an entire race's history can be taught in one month, and should be taught separately from the standard history curriculum. Um, hello? Our history is the same. We just need to start teaching a less Eurocentric history the rest of the time.
My school doesn't have a Gay-Straight Alliance because there's no need for it; gay people at my school aren't first and foremost gay, but people. People simply don't care about sexuality; it's such a non-issue that a Gay-Straight Alliance would call attention to a difference that isn't a problem. Black History Month is similar- if you're teaching correctly, it shouldn't be an issue, and if you aren't, a month isn't going to fix your problem. There are more minority groups that are under taught, and they don't have months. A less euro-centric view of history would be far better than trying to learn all about other cultures in a designated part of the year.
The minimum length for an argument is 50 characters. The purpose of this restriction is to cut down on the amount of dumb jokes, so we can keep the quality of debate and discourse as high as possible.
Black history month? Now there is a laugh. They give an entire month to some damn negro but don't even bother with the Indians, who lived here thousands of years earlier? What about Norse History Month? They were, after all, the first Europeans in North America (some sources say that the Irish were here first). What about Welsh History Month? They were the first Europeans on mainland United States (Vikings came to Canada)?
