In honor of Black History month

[Asclepias]

Makes race stand out as a important issue.

Is race not an imporant issue in this country? I personally wish it wasn't but thats not the world we live in.

And that's my whole point in objecting to these ethnic recognition months. If we are really serious about creating a color blind society, we need to stop focusing on skin color and ethnicity and start focusing on American achievements. Overcoming racial and/or ethnic or other barriers will inevitably be part of many stories within that, but in my opinion to single out people who are BLACK first and achievers second defeats the purpose however well intended it was.

I believe just the opposite. I have been in other countries that are predominantly 1 skin color and it gets old fast. The lone exception was in Senegal. I appreciate seeing all the different colors here in the US. I think instead of being colorblind we need to stop racism. Nothing wrong with noticing a persons ethnicity. There is something wrong when you have to lower that persons worth in terms of humanity in order to feel good about yourself.

 

[Foxfyre]

Is race not an imporant issue in this country? I personally wish it wasn't but thats not the world we live in.

And that's my whole point in objecting to these ethnic recognition months. If we are really serious about creating a color blind society, we need to stop focusing on skin color and ethnicity and start focusing on American achievements. Overcoming racial and/or ethnic or other barriers will inevitably be part of many stories within that, but in my opinion to single out people who are BLACK first and achievers second defeats the purpose however well intended it was.

I believe just the opposite. I have been in other countries that are predominantly 1 skin color and it gets old fast. The lone exception was in Senegal. I appreciate seeing all the different colors here in the US. I think instead of being colorblind we need to stop racism. Nothing wrong with noticing a persons ethnicity. There is something wrong when you have to lower that persons worth in terms of humanity in order to feel good about yourself.

Which is exactly what I think is wrong with Black History Month. It lowers a persons worth to a skin color so that the person can feel good about himself or herself.

My goal is not a uniform society and I don't know how you possibly got that out of what I posted. Actually I do but I'm trying really hard not to be contentious here.

My goal is to promote a society in which skin color is of no more importance in evaluating a person's worth or character or abilities than is eye color or hair color. I'm not suggesting we will ever stop noticing whether people are light, dark, short, tall, fat, thin or whatever. But we can certainly stop singling out such people for either special merit or special scorn based on some trait that should not be important, and start judging them on their accomplishment, character, and commendable qualities as people, citizens, Americans, or whatever.

 

[Asclepias]

Jesse Owens

 

[Asclepias]

And that's my whole point in objecting to these ethnic recognition months. If we are really serious about creating a color blind society, we need to stop focusing on skin color and ethnicity and start focusing on American achievements. Overcoming racial and/or ethnic or other barriers will inevitably be part of many stories within that, but in my opinion to single out people who are BLACK first and achievers second defeats the purpose however well intended it was.

I believe just the opposite. I have been in other countries that are predominantly 1 skin color and it gets old fast. The lone exception was in Senegal. I appreciate seeing all the different colors here in the US. I think instead of being colorblind we need to stop racism. Nothing wrong with noticing a persons ethnicity. There is something wrong when you have to lower that persons worth in terms of humanity in order to feel good about yourself.

Which is exactly what I think is wrong with Black History Month. It lowers a persons worth to a skin color so that the person can feel good about himself or herself.

My goal is not a uniform society and I don't know how you possibly got that out of what I posted. Actually I do but I'm trying really hard not to be contentious here.

My goal is to promote a society in which skin color is of no more importance in evaluating a person's worth or character or abilities than is eye color or hair color. I'm not suggesting we will ever stop noticing whether people are light, dark, short, tall, fat, thin or whatever. But we can certainly stop singling out such people for either special merit or special scorn based on some trait that should not be important, and start judging them on their accomplishment, character, and commendable qualities as people, citizens, Americans, or whatever.

No need to get contentious. I consider it an honor to be Black. I dont see it as lowering myself to a skin color. Me being Black is a special source of pride to me. It is part of me and who I am.

You can promote a society that honors people on their achievements and character but unless you also make it to where there is no distinguishing outside appearance then you will never make it solely based on that criteria. I'm being realistic. Humans are hardwired to notice differences. As long as we recognize it solely as a cosmetic difference then we should have no issues. We have to get there first before expecting people to pretend like they dont see color. Like I said before there should be special mention of Blacks and other ethnicities simply because of the fact that most of those achievements have been hidden or lied about in history in order to give whites a feeling of superiority.

 

[House]

Me being Black is a special source of pride to me. It is part of me and who I am.

This is ignorant. And I don't say that because you're black, but because taking pride in a genetic coincidence is ignorant. That's nothing to be proud of, it's just how you landed on this planet.

Saying, "I'm proud to be black" is like saying, "I'm proud to have lungs". There's no accomplishment in it. It simply is what it is.

I'm all for people taking pride in who they are, but it should be for what they accomplish, not something that happened to them over which they had absolutely no control.

Needless to say, I totally agree with Foxfyre.

 

[Gracie]

Oy

 

[Gracie]

I sure see allowing tolerance for the intolerant going on in this thread.
Or is that intolerance for the tolerant?
Intolerance for intolerance?

Oh, the irony.

 

[House]

Jesse Owens

^ This dude was a freakin' rock star, man.

 

[Asclepias]

Me being Black is a special source of pride to me. It is part of me and who I am.

This is ignorant. And I don't say that because you're black, but because taking pride in a genetic coincidence is ignorant. That's nothing to be proud of, it's just how you landed on this planet.

Saying, "I'm proud to be black" is like saying, "I'm proud to have lungs". There's no accomplishment in it. It simply is what it is.

I'm all for people taking pride in who they are, but it should be for what they accomplish, not something that happened to them over which they had absolutely no control.

Needless to say, I totally agree with Foxfyre.

What exactly is ignorant about it? You don't get to dictate what someone should or should not be proud of. I take pride in it because of what my people have accomplished throughout history. I belong to that same group. Therein comes the pride. That strength, intelligence, and ability evidenced by my ancestors has been handed down to me. People have a source of pride being American. That was strictly a coincidence too as they could have been born in Hungary. If people can be proud of being American, I can have that same type of pride being Black. The great thing about that is I can never change being Black like I can change my citizenship.

 

[House]

Me being Black is a special source of pride to me. It is part of me and who I am.

This is ignorant. And I don't say that because you're black, but because taking pride in a genetic coincidence is ignorant. That's nothing to be proud of, it's just how you landed on this planet.

Saying, "I'm proud to be black" is like saying, "I'm proud to have lungs". There's no accomplishment in it. It simply is what it is.

I'm all for people taking pride in who they are, but it should be for what they accomplish, not something that happened to them over which they had absolutely no control.

Needless to say, I totally agree with Foxfyre.

What exactly is ignorant about it? You don't get to dictate what someone should or should not be proud of. I take pride in it because of what my people have accomplished throughout history. I belong to that same group. Therein comes the pride.

Therein lies the ignorance. Every culture has their own achievements, has made their own contributions to society. The kind of pride you are describing is elitism, as if to elevate yourself above anyone that doesn't share your particular heritage. That's bigotry.

People have a source of pride being American. That was strictly a coincidence too as they could have been born in Hungary.

You won't find me arguing with you on that point. Not one bit.

 

[Asclepias]

This is ignorant. And I don't say that because you're black, but because taking pride in a genetic coincidence is ignorant. That's nothing to be proud of, it's just how you landed on this planet.

Saying, "I'm proud to be black" is like saying, "I'm proud to have lungs". There's no accomplishment in it. It simply is what it is.

I'm all for people taking pride in who they are, but it should be for what they accomplish, not something that happened to them over which they had absolutely no control.

Needless to say, I totally agree with Foxfyre.

What exactly is ignorant about it? You don't get to dictate what someone should or should not be proud of. I take pride in it because of what my people have accomplished throughout history. I belong to that same group. Therein comes the pride.

Therein lies the ignorance. Every culture has their own achievements, has made their own contributions to society. The kind of pride you are describing is elitism, as if to elevate yourself above anyone that doesn't share your particular heritage. That's bigotry.

People have a source of pride being American. That was strictly a coincidence too as they could have been born in Hungary.

You won't find me arguing with you on that point. Not one bit.

Where do you see me downing another ethnicity because I celebrate my own? If I said Blacks were superior to whites then I would understand what you are talking about. I would be no better than the people that have hidden, omitted, and lied about history to justify themselves. Thats not elitism. Thats confidence.

 

[House]

What exactly is ignorant about it? You don't get to dictate what someone should or should not be proud of. I take pride in it because of what my people have accomplished throughout history. I belong to that same group. Therein comes the pride.

Therein lies the ignorance. Every culture has their own achievements, has made their own contributions to society. The kind of pride you are describing is elitism, as if to elevate yourself above anyone that doesn't share your particular heritage. That's bigotry.

People have a source of pride being American. That was strictly a coincidence too as they could have been born in Hungary.

You won't find me arguing with you on that point. Not one bit.

Where do you see me downing another ethnicity because I celebrate my own? If I said Blacks were superior to whites then I would understand what you are talking about. I would be no better than the people that have hidden, omitted, and lied about history to justify themselves. Thats not elitism. Thats confidence.

So what's to be proud of? Somebody that you share a genetic similarity with accomplished something... you didn't do it. They did.

Hey, I'm proud to have two hands. So therefore, anybody else that accomplishes something that has two hands now feeds my own pride.

Makes total sense, doesn't it?

 

[Pheonixops]

Therein lies the ignorance. Every culture has their own achievements, has made their own contributions to society. The kind of pride you are describing is elitism, as if to elevate yourself above anyone that doesn't share your particular heritage. That's bigotry.



You won't find me arguing with you on that point. Not one bit.

Where do you see me downing another ethnicity because I celebrate my own? If I said Blacks were superior to whites then I would understand what you are talking about. I would be no better than the people that have hidden, omitted, and lied about history to justify themselves. Thats not elitism. Thats confidence.

So what's to be proud of? Somebody that you share a genetic similarity with accomplished something... you didn't do it. They did.

Hey, I'm proud to have two hands. So therefore, anybody else that accomplishes something that has two hands now feeds my own pride.

Makes total sense, doesn't it?

Are you against studying American history?

 

[BDBoop]

My take on it is this. If people for instance think I should feel like I am 'less than' by virtue of being a woman - then no. I reject that. I am proud to be a woman. There is no reason I shouldn't be. Yes, it is who I was born as. I was born as a woman - NOT a second class citizen due to my gender.

 

[House]

Where do you see me downing another ethnicity because I celebrate my own? If I said Blacks were superior to whites then I would understand what you are talking about. I would be no better than the people that have hidden, omitted, and lied about history to justify themselves. Thats not elitism. Thats confidence.

So what's to be proud of? Somebody that you share a genetic similarity with accomplished something... you didn't do it. They did.

Hey, I'm proud to have two hands. So therefore, anybody else that accomplishes something that has two hands now feeds my own pride.

Makes total sense, doesn't it?

Are you against studying American history?

The fact you even have to ask that shows that you are a Johnny Come Lately that hasn't even tried to read the rest of my posts on this thread.

I encourage you to do so. It may also answer other questions you may have.

 

[Pheonixops]

So what's to be proud of? Somebody that you share a genetic similarity with accomplished something... you didn't do it. They did.

Hey, I'm proud to have two hands. So therefore, anybody else that accomplishes something that has two hands now feeds my own pride.

Makes total sense, doesn't it?

Are you against studying American history?

The fact you even have to ask that shows that you are a Johnny Come Lately that hasn't even tried to read the rest of my posts on this thread.

I encourage you to do so. It may also answer other questions you may have.

I've been on this thread since page 2. I asked a pretty simple question, why you didn't give me a simple answer is a mystery to me.

 

[House]

Are you against studying American history?

The fact you even have to ask that shows that you are a Johnny Come Lately that hasn't even tried to read the rest of my posts on this thread.

I encourage you to do so. It may also answer other questions you may have.

I've been on this thread since page 2. I asked a pretty simple question, why you didn't give me a simple answer is a mystery to me.

http://www.usmessageboard.com/race-...or-of-black-history-month-29.html#post8542419

I didn't see any point in repeating Morgan Freeman's point when I provided the link to the video.

 

[Unkotare]

My take on it is this. If people for instance think I should feel like I am 'less than' by virtue of being a woman - then no. I reject that. I

Wouldn't being a woman mean you're 'more than'?

 

[Pheonixops]

The fact you even have to ask that shows that you are a Johnny Come Lately that hasn't even tried to read the rest of my posts on this thread.

I encourage you to do so. It may also answer other questions you may have.

I've been on this thread since page 2. I asked a pretty simple question, why you didn't give me a simple answer is a mystery to me.

http://www.usmessageboard.com/race-...or-of-black-history-month-29.html#post8542419

I didn't see any point in repeating Morgan Freeman's point when I provided the link to the video.

Well both Wallace and Freeman were wrong; there is a Jewish Heritage/History Month, it's in May.
Jewish American Heritage Month - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I agree that so-called "Black History" should be part of American history. The facts point out that the achievements and history of Black people in this country were confined to MLK Jr., Georg Washington Carve, maybe Booker T. Washington, and some blurb about slavery.

The so-called "Black experience", as well as the "Native America Indian experience" in this country is a pretty unique and unparallelled experience and their history as well as a achievements in this country should be showcased.

 

[House]

I agree that so-called "Black History" should be part of American history. The facts point out that the achievements and history of Black people in this country were confined to MLK Jr., Georg Washington Carve, maybe Booker T. Washington, and some blurb about slavery.

Yes, and that is a problem that should be addressed head on, by demanding changes to curriculum, not making an excuse for such teaching to continue by setting aside one month of the year.

If the problem is actually fixed, the achievements and contributions of blacks can be recognized all year long, not just in February. How is that less desirable than having a single month for such recognition?!