|
Whenever "racism" happens to be the topic of discussion, I always remember something I once read about Morgan Freeman. He has in the past publicly criticized the celebration of "Black History Month" and doesn't take part in any related events. He said: "I don't want a Black History Month. Black History is American/World History."
He thinks the only way to end racism is to stop talking about it, and he notes that there is no "White History Month".
What are your thoughts?!
Hotep.
|
Jul 1, 2008
6:50 AM
|
|
Black will always be black, so give them Black History.
Africans they are no more and white they will never be. Be proud of them that they never used force to kill and abuse others like what happened to their ancesters.
Let us all, black and white, be proud about what Michael Jackson gave as share for our western culture. And all others too, like Muhamed Ali, Martin Luther King and more. We have the Bluess, the Jazz and we have America.
|
Jul 1, 2008
10:51 AM
|
|
|
Marius,
What do you mean by "Black will always be black"?
I mean what is Black? How did an adjective become a noun?
I do think that it's only right to teach Black history just like any other branch of history that is being thought because only then will the youth grow and learn to survive until they gain control.
But what is the relevance of a "Black History Month"??!
Furthermore, not all black skinned colored Americans are "Africans". Majority of them are NOT from Africa. I was privileged to have met and discussed this issue with a lot of great minds. Most of them don't consider themselves American or Black for that matter and their skin is darker than chocolate!! They made reasonable arguments and left me with more curiousity than ever.
Personally, I think "Black and White" should be used ONLY as adjectives and nothing more.
Regarding the "our western culture" remark; it's is their culture as well. They are westerners as well.
|
Jul 1, 2008
12:57 PM
|
|
|
--- What do you mean by "Black will always be black"?
I mean what is Black? How did an adjective become a noun? ---
Black as noun sound more positive. Black starts with B and beauty starts with b. If I think about blacks, I think about Whitney Houston. Ooh, sexy as can be!
Adjective: black market, black magic, black what ever black. Never have black as adjective in front of your name.
Blacks are no Africans and will never be seen as Calvenists.
--- I do think that it's only right to teach Black history just like any other branch of history that is being thought because only then will the youth grow and learn to survive until they gain control.
But what is the relevance of a "Black History Month"??! ---
Recognition. Equal rights starts with recognition as equals. In the Netherlands everybody has the right to celebrate Liberation Day to remember the Nazi occupation to know how to value our freedom of today. So why not the blacks to on the 1st of juli, to remember the days of slavery and Kwakoe the ex-slave of Paramaribo.
--- Furthermore, not all black skinned colored Americans are "Africans". Majority of them are NOT from Africa. I was privileged to have met and discussed this issue with a lot of great minds. Most of them don't consider themselves American or Black for that matter and their skin is darker than chocolate!! They made reasonable arguments and left me with more curiousity than ever. ---
This is exactly why I speak about blacks.
--- Personally, I think "Black and White" should be used ONLY as adjectives and nothing more. ---
This is the difference with Europe. We have blacks but no whites. We have English, Germans, Flamish, danish and so on, but no whites. Those are Americans.
--- Regarding the "our western culture" remark; it's is their culture as well. They are westerners as well. ---
Yes they are, that's why we have to recognize black history as well. As part of our common history and culture. Without the slaves we couldn't built up America. 60% didn't survive the journey and 85% didn't survive the plantations. A very high price, that deserves peace and respect.
|
Jul 1, 2008
4:10 PM
|
|
|
--- What do you mean by "Black will always be black"?
I mean what is Black? How did an adjective become a noun? ---
Black as noun sound more positive. Black starts with B and beauty starts with b. If I think about blacks, I think about Whitney Houston. Ooh, sexy as can be!
Adjective: black market, black magic, black what ever black. Never have black as adjective in front of your name.
Blacks are no Africans and will never be seen as Calvenists.
--- I do think that it's only right to teach Black history just like any other branch of history that is being thought because only then will the youth grow and learn to survive until they gain control.
But what is the relevance of a "Black History Month"??! ---
Recognition. Equal rights starts with recognition as equals. In the Netherlands everybody has the right to celebrate Liberation Day to remember the Nazi occupation to know how to value our freedom of today. So why not the blacks to on the 1st of juli, to remember the days of slavery and Kwakoe the ex-slave of Paramaribo.
--- Furthermore, not all black skinned colored Americans are "Africans". Majority of them are NOT from Africa. I was privileged to have met and discussed this issue with a lot of great minds. Most of them don't consider themselves American or Black for that matter and their skin is darker than chocolate!! They made reasonable arguments and left me with more curiousity than ever. ---
This is exactly why I speak about blacks.
--- Personally, I think "Black and White" should be used ONLY as adjectives and nothing more. ---
This is the difference with Europe. We have blacks but no whites. We have English, Germans, Flamish, danish and so on, but no whites. Those are Americans.
--- Regarding the "our western culture" remark; it's is their culture as well. They are westerners as well. ---
Yes they are, that's why we have to recognize black history as well. As part of our common history and culture. Without the slaves we couldn't built up America. 60% didn't survive the journey and 85% didn't survive the plantations. A very high price, that deserves peace and respect.
|
Jul 1, 2008
4:10 PM
|
|
I didnt read his comment cause i hate big comments so id say I agree with him, I mean , this creates a hole between ppl , to distanciate more white ppl from black ppl , we are all equal, and should be treated as equal, also woman and men, not only colors...
|
Jul 1, 2008
4:16 PM
|
|
|
the first him is the dude with huge comments and the second him is morgan ...
|
Jul 1, 2008
4:17 PM
|
|
I totally support Morgan Freeman on this question. And i'll tell you why. According the words of this great man and actor which i have always admired and appreciated, there is absolutely no need to divide the history on black and white. With this division we are also dividing the humanity again and we are are just getting deeper and deeper in unnecessary creation of problems.
Maybe it is ok to have history of the black race for example, but what would be the meaning of the Black History Month? What is that black history first of all? It does not sound very good to me. I have to say that this term is burdened with a lot of negative content, therefore its usage should be avoided. The Nazism is something that black people dislike, something that white people dislike, something that yellow people dislike. And talking about the great liberation of Nazism will not harm anyone - on the contrary it will produce antinazistic atmosphere which will prevent this phenomenon to show up ever again in the world history.
About the black history and the white history - what could we achieve with this division? To be proud on what we are? To be proud to be black or to be proud to be white?
Here is the logics: let's say that i'm black man and i celebrate Black History Month. This month is month of remembrance of how big are achievements of the black race in science, in sport, in the social life, in literature and poetry, in music, in art... This is month when i need to remind myself how big i am and how the people of my race achieved so much in the history. Michael Jackson the bestselling musician and most renowned entertainer maybe in the entire history, today probably the most popular person in the world, Martin Luther King - one of the most brilliant orators that USA knows about and Noble prize winner, Michael Johnson - great athlete, etc. All these things makes me feel proud, feel good. But... There is other part of the story entirely different than this one. The phenomenon described in Harriet Beecher Stowe's novel Uncle Tom's Cabin can not be avoided. It is also part of the so called black history. So in this particular month of the black history i also remind myself of the slavery and how the white people used to treat my ancestors. What mood could this history bring to me? I can be sure in one thing - this month is not a month to remember Morgan Freeman, Michael Jackson, Sachmo, Michael Johnson. It is more likely to remember Uncle Tom. And what feelings could this bring to me as black man? It may happen to be the same way as with Nazism - positive atmosphere to be created by disliking this phenomenon which will lead to prevention of its consecutive appearance. But could we also see the phenomenon "what goes around, comes around"? Could we have racism overturning to the other side? I think it is possible. I know that white people today are not guilty for what happened with my race in the past, but there is always a possibility feelings of hatred towards them to appear in my heart. And racism is not good thing no matter which race practice it today.
That is why i agree with Morgan Freeman that there is no need of such events if we want to overcome racism entirely. There is no History of the Blacks, there is no History of the Whites, there is simply just a History.
|
Jul 1, 2008
6:23 PM
|
|
Iron, in the same context of what you are talking about, we shouldn't celebrate St. patricks Day or even Independence day because this holidays only mirrowed certain part of the population....
|
Jul 1, 2008
6:42 PM
|
|
|
No my dear friend. These celebrations are not based on racial differences. These holidays can be celebrated by the black people and the white people together. I know that St. Patrick for example is national holiday of Ireland and i do not even know if it is celebrated with the same intensity in the United States as it is the case in Ireland, because it is also a religious holiday. But this is national holiday - it's not racial. I think that we should not let the term "racial holiday" to appear some day in the dictionaries. We are divided on nations all around the world and these nations are not composed only of white people or only of black people. They are mixed. Somewhere white people are numerous group and somewhere black people are numerous. But they are all part of one nation. Look at the United States for example. Someone will say that there is no nation in USA. On to contrary - there is nation in USA, because today we can distinguish ethnic and civic nations, but practically all of them are civic. And a lot of nations contain elements of a different races and different ethnicities.
|
Jul 1, 2008
7:11 PM
|
Report Abuse
