Black History Month

[Cyrinne]

Some friends of mine were having a lively discussion on Morgan Freeman's words to CBS.

What do you guys think? Is Black History month a good thing or a bad thing?

[Gromgor]

I made a very similar argument on my online journal recently about the term African-American. I don't call myself a Scott-Irish, Native American, Norwegian, German-American. Why? Because that's just stupid. It's impossible to have a fully accepting society if that society, by default, segregates itself.

[Pyrosama]

As a Nation, we are Americans first and then we have our unique pasts that distinguish us from one another, race history being one factor but not the only factor.

I think it's true that having a black history month hurts the African Americans as a whole because it implies to other minorities that African Americans need that extra recognition that nobody else receives. It's a negative perception, but in my opinion perceptions do shape how society reacts.

We may have very intelligent and competent (and even non-prejudiced) people running America, but collectively, they can produce some unintended results. I think it slows the promotion of equality for minorities in all facets of life .

I'd prefer to have one month dedicated to cultural diversity which celebrates all people and the uniquity that makes them who they are. Slavery, genocide, and any other pain inflicted by and endured by our ancestors of the past should be embraced and accepted. Only then can equality work for everyone who wants to participate in the American Dream, unencumbered by the past.

[Lokrian]

I wish I had heard the orinignal. If there is a web site for it, I would like to see it.

It sounds like it was another of those, "don't blame whitey," sorts of things. While I as a white fellow am sick of the constant barrage of negative press, I know that a: there are poor people who need help and b: blacks form a disproportionate number of the poor.

I don't have a simple answer to that situation, but I think it must have to do with treating the working class better despite race. It is all about actually uniting the people of various races who nevertheless are of the same class, and presenting a united front to those who insist that their labor is superior and more deserving of extremely high wages than that of the average laborer.