Racial Chest Bumping?Follow

I disagree. Unless things have radically changed, it was about the only time any time was spent in school learning about the achievements of African-Americans in our nation's history. And it wasn't as though we spent 28 days learning about it; it was more like one or two days of discussion about history and race relations and the like. I wouldn't weep if it went away but I see some good in it and no harm from it aside from that which people manufacture for themselves.

Would we be able to take those couple days and teach them anyway? Of course. But then, if we're going to have the same couple of days in April, what real harm is the title causing in February?

There is a difference. The black ones from Africa, almost entirely, were yoinked from their homes, taken here in chains and made to work as slaves for most of our colonial history and nearly the first half of our national history. Justified on the basis of their skin color. The effects of which are still deeply felt in American culture and politics.

Edited, Feb 17th 2009 8:47am by Jophiel

Yes, let's just keep apologizing for the actions of our jackass ancestors indefinitely. That should lead to social progress. Maybe one day, a black man could even be pres....OWAIT.

Who's apologizing? It's a simple matter of fact that the white colonists/early Americans & blacks have had very different American experiences. Black History Month is a time to spend a couple days on the latter instead of the former.

For the amount of time we waste on American mythology involving cherry trees, log cabins and midnight rides, I don't think the annual token mention of George Washington Carver is all that detrimental.

I think Black history is good. History is not objective, it's always a story told from someone's point of view. Usually the victor, or the dominant class. Black History supposedly teaches history from a different point of view. Surely, that can only be a good thing. Even with regards to slavery, the way it is taught is never from the slave's point of view, but from the traders point of view. Or the slave owner. Or the government. But History is rarely taught from the point of view of the slave, of the conquered, of the oppressed.

So yeah, I think it's good.

Really? You learnt about people living in Africa, and the reason why their tribes were the ones that were enslaved? You learn about why how some African tribes colluded with white traders to enslave other tribes? You learnt about the internal African conflicts that led to this situation? You learn about the everyday life of the slave, the work, the rapes, the murders, and the moral and religious justifications for these?

Maybe you do. In Europe, though, we don't until University. High school slavery is all about the trade routes and the plantation owners, and how slavery was quickly abolished. Maybe it's different in the US, though.

I don't know how it is anywhere else, but during Black History Month in my school, in England, I, and every other non-black person, learned nothing about history.

There was an assembly in which only black kids were invited, if you weren't black, you weren't allowed in. This included the albino kid (Whos parents were both black.) because he didn't look black enough.

Personally, I agree with AshOnMyTomatoes - continuing Black History Month just separates us every year. There is a difference, but I believe the idea of the world today is that race and sex does not matter. Why continue categorizing and segregating people?

Well, at least your History only goes back to 1492 (though I'm sure the meaty part starts in 1776). Ours starts in Roman times. You know, when we got invaded.

We really should have seen the start of a pattern there...

Honestly, I have no idea how you manage. The typical university breakdown for intro classes is American History 1492-1860 and 1860-Present with the Civil War being the dividing point and there's a push to break the second half into 1860-1942 and 1942-Present. But in grades 6-12, there seemed to be the idea that each year we need to learn US history from the start which meant that you learned a shitload about Columbus and pilgrims and had no idea that there was a Korean War.

Particularly when said slaves were forbidden to learn how to read and write in most places.

Makes keeping that diary a little harder.

Despite all your ramblings that doesn't negate the fact the the irish fleeing ireland because of the potato famine were treated far worse than african slaves.

There's Gay Pride Day.

Which reminds me of a really funny story...

I used to work at Six Flags St. Louis when I was younger. I operated the Colossus, an 18 story Ferris wheel. It was probably my favorite part time job ever.

Anyway, all Six Flags employees knew about the existence of Gay Pride Day, and most dreaded it. An extremely large amount of homosexuals flooded the park. Stories of gays being all gay ran rampant.

I, of course, bore the brunt of the gay swarm. The Colossus is the most romantic ride in the park. For the most part, everything was completely normal. There were definitely some blatantly gay people in the crowd, but everyone was convivial. My fellow crew members shot each other some sheepish smirks behind the retreating backs of gay couples, exiting down the ramp.

Then came the night.

The sun was just setting, when a large group of gay men boarded one of the gondolas. I was driving the ride, so I didn't get a close look at them.

A short while later, the ride was over, and the group disembarked. I finally got a glimpse of them close up.

They were all wearing various bits of Six Flags paraphernalia. But the last man to leave the gondola was wearing a tiny cape on his back that said "Wonder Woman."

I chuckled.

Then he leapt through the gondola door, yelled "I'm a princess (printheth)," and scurried down the exit ramp, limp-wristed arms akimbo.

I didn't know such a caricature truly existed outside the TV.

I literally died laughing.

The end.

Nobody ever has, or ever will, cared about the Irish. Now shut the fuck up.