Happy Black History Month
I'd honestly forgotten until today that February is black history month. For those of you who don't know what that is, it's the time of year when all the Jews in Hollywood decide that they've made enough movies about the holocaust for the time being, and focus one month on pretending to care about the plight of the African-American. Or, in short, it's a total joke. Black history month is an excuse for the History Channel to get lazy on us and only air the same three documentaries on MLK, the Klan, and the Civil War ad nauseam. That's it. I'd bet that most black people don't even care that this is black history month, but that doesn't stop some local tv station from constantly airing reminders that this month is, indeed, black history month. Who cares? If there were a Christian history month, or a white people's history month, or a German heritage month, I sure as hell wouldn't care. But, for some reason, we are forced to put up with endless ads for PBS specials and documentaries that no one will watch. Why are we force-fed this pseudo-tolerant gibberish? Why not call it what it really is: "We-Still-Feel-Guilty-About-Something-We-Didn't-Even-Do Month." We really are just kidding ourselves if we think we're living in an equal society. It's only equal if you're not white.
posted by Vaughan at
8:13 PM
15 Comments:
I like your blog. It's funny. But dude, why would we need a white people's history month? All we learn about in history classes is white Western European shit. Don't worry, though, the blacks won't get you. You live in Monument, CO where the population is as white as the snow.
Gavin, is that you? You're not black dude.
But that's really part of my point, The Soccer God. We don't really care about "white" history as such. We're only taught it as history, so why should "black" history be any different? Oh, no... All of a sudden it's not simply the history of a region or time period, but of a group of people who just happen to have more pigment in their skn than this other group of people over here. I was using those other things as examples for how ridiculous it all sounds, that's all.
I can see your point. I wish they'd teach history about lots of different cultures in high school. Now with these damn Christian groups we'll be getting messed up text books that preach their propaganda.
I don't get which part is propaganda. Creationism? Why would they teach that in a history class?
Yeah I don't agree with Creationism, and Christian groups try to preach their crap everywhere. History class, Math class, probably even PE too. It's not so fun living in the Bible Belt area. At least I think Texas is in the Bible Belt.
Andrew thank you for insulting "We have no history" history month. Really, what do they want the rest of us to study? Before 200 years ago you produced nothing while living in huts in Africa, then you sold each other into slavery so that you got transported to North America, then we(the white people)gave you your freedom, and now all you do is whine about how you used to be slaves. News flash: none of you are or ever were slaves, nor were any of your parents or for that matter, grandparents. Do something productive such as oh, create the printing press, the computer, gun powder, democracy, or anything else that actually impacts the rest of the world and we'll study you. Quit whining.
First off, The Soccer God, you totally nailed that assesment of the racial demographics of Monument. You're right. We have more Starbucks than black people. I just want to know how you knew that. Have you been here?
Also, Anonymous, I just wanted to make it clear to you that I was in no way attempting to put black people down. On the contrary, I was belittling this ridiculous month-long celebration that was imposed on us by white people on a massive guilt trip. I hope I didn't portray the wrong message to any black readers out there. I was ripping on the stupid program, not the actual history. Also, I believe the automatic transmission was invented by and African-American. And, let's not forget George Washington Carver.
Actually I've never been to your town, but I figured the only racially diverse area in Colorado would be Denver. But even then, probably only minimal. I've travelled the country quite a bit, so I have decent knowledge about most states/regions. I agree with your post, by the fact that it is odd that we only study black history for one month. Sort of a superficial, "guilt-trip" type deal like you were saying. However I don't agree with what "Anonymous" said. He/She seems like a bigot and a bit ignorant to the facts. Even if there hasn't been slavery for a long time, does not mean that racism has been eliminated. We still live in a very Eurocentric society, where not everyone has equal opportunities. This is based on where they grow up, their social life and family dynamics. Take Houston for example, there are tons of inner city Mexicans and Blacks that are not raised in an environment where education takes precedence over anything else they do. On top of that they come from poor and dysfunctional families. That makes it tough for them to "rise above their station" in life. Even so, this still is an excuse, but a good one. It's just something to think about before someone like "Anonymous" posts, because it's hard to sympathize with these groups if you haven't seen it first hand. I grew up in a rich white town in the New England area. It wasn't until I moved to Texas that I could see that people don't have the same opportunities. But whatever, it's all good. My blog is full of bullshit people won't agree with either.
Yay, now I'm a bigot as well.
Andrew, I would like to point out that George Washington Carver was a black guy who actually got off his ass, stopped whining, and accomplished something. I have great respect for that, as I do for other blacks such as Condoleezza Rice, Clarence Thomas, Bill Cosby, and any other person actually attempting to accomplish something, even if it's just getting married and going to work 9 to 5.
Soccer God, you mention blacks' inability to rise above their own circumstances. How about their apparent inability to keep their clothes on? 70% of black children are born out of wedlock, and 80% of black children barely know their father. I don't care if they are rich in the suburbs or in the ghetto, I guarantee they all have the "equal opportunity" to keep their pants zipped. And take California for example, 33% of its black males are under the supervision of the criminal justice system. Whites are not the cause of this. I may be a bigot, but I'm a bigot who knows that a white guy can't make a black guy have sex outside of marriage or commit a criminal act. They are keeping themselves down.
Oh, and Pueblo, CO is an outcropping of Mexico. In fact much of Southern Colorado is hispanic. There may not but that many blacks, but Colorado certainly does not merely consist of us whiteys.
Hi. I just want to say that I like your blog too. It's the best that I've seen I think. But I have mixed feelings about your Black History Month post. "Guilty about something that we didn't do?" Well, it's true that slavery was before our time, but things are still not equal by any means and I think people should care about the underdog if there is one. The whites have more of an ability to reduce racism than the blacks do. It was the whites who persecuted the blacks, so now as whites, if we are not racists, we have to take the lead and show it every chance we get. And I don't mean the ads on TV, I mean in our personal interactions with people, with each other. This is what I believe and it's what I do. And the ads for Black History Month, though they might not do much, they certainly aren't harmful. And I like to watch documentaries on such subjects. Maybe that's why I understand the importance of showing kindness and consideration. Or maybe it's because I am kind of an underdog outcast so I am more sensitive to people's struggles.
You know, I like to be calm and rational, but the truth is I wish people like this anonymous bigot would just drop dead. It is not like he’s just ignorant—he’s completely hateful—a disease to civilized society.
Anonymous, how can you not realize that you are completely racist? Are you that stupid? You say you “don’t care whether they’re rich or in the ghetto, they all have equal opportunity to keep their clothes on?” Well, have you by any chance compared the “out of wedlock” birthrates between African Americans living in the ghetto compared to those living in the rich suburbs? Have you looked into those same statistics for white Americans, meaning, the percentage of “out of wedlock” births in the white ghettos and those in the middle and upper class? Have you noticed that there is a greater ratio of wealthy whites to poor whites than there is wealthy blacks to poor blacks? Have you put all this together and, by any stroke of genius, figured out that you’re a moron? Since you seem to have a big head about being so well informed maybe you’d also like this bit of info: There are two drugs which are actually the same drug: cocain and crack cocain. In California, cocain is popular amongst wealthy whites and crack cocain is used more often by poor people, often black people who live in the ghettos. So, what am I getting at? Well, the penalties under law are very different for possession of cocain versus crack cocain. The white lawmakers didn’t want to send their rich white business buddies or hollywood pals to jail for long periods… so the sentencing is very light if you’re caught with a fairly large quantity cocain, whereas you will be sentenced for a much longer time if you get caught with a much smaller amount of crack. Add to that the fact that if you’re black and in the ghetto the police will be after you regardless. Blacks being under greater surveilance by mostly white law enforcement has everything to do with the laws written by white law-makers.
Another thing mister smarty pants… whether you want to acknowlege it or not, neighborhoods that are black and poor do not get equal funding for their schools. Schools in rich white neighborhoods are MUCH better funded. Children who go to well funded schools get better education, and it’s been shown that the number one thing that reduces unwanted or unplanned pregnancies is better education (not pro-marriage counseling as Mr. Bush advocates). Also, if kids are given equal education and opportunities begining at kindergarten, then perhaps Affirmative Action would no longer be needed to make up the difference (which it doesn’t anyway).
You are one real creep, and all I can say is I sure am glad not to be a hateful person like you. How miserable and pathetic.
Yay, now I'm a bigot, a racist, and a creep.
I would just like to note one thing. Detroit, with one of the highest violent crime rates in the country, gets approximately twice as much money per student as any other school system in the country, and they still have the worst educational system. No, you're money towards schools idea will not help.
Thanks, mujayami, for the compliment. I totally see where you're coming from, but I feel obligated to point out two things.
Schools who get better funding (whether or not funding translates into quality is a different issue, for the time being) actually HAVE TO BE in poor neighborhoods. Schools are funded almost entirely by property taxes. So, an area that is made up primarily of lower-scale property is just going to have less funding for the local schools. There's really no practical way to change that, ever.
Also, you're absolutely correct in your assessment of the ineffectiveness of affirmative action. America is the "land of opportunity," not the "land of a governmental guarantee for quality of life." Those things are often confused by some people. We have the unalienable rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, but we don't have a right to having all the same things as everyone else. That's a right guaranteed to the people under communism.
Lastly, I'd just like to request that people just agree to disagree. Now, I'm really sorry I posted this thing, because it has inadvertently opened a can of worms that I hadn't even seen coming.
I thought the can of worms was the point? What's worth saying that doesn't get people riled?
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