Black History Month
Thats right everyone, its February and that means its Black History Month. I do not think its coincidental that February also happens to be the shortest month of the year. Like, not a snowballs chance in hell they would make January, March or May Black History Month or anything. Ok, Im just trying to cause controversy. Anyway, back in December, one of the greatest actors ever, Morgan Freeman, had this to say. Now, this really knocked me on my ass and Ive been meaning to raise the discussion for a while.
It always irritates me how race always has to be a major factor in everyday affairs for the purpose of advancing agendas. Maybe I am biased because of the perspective Morgan Freeman gave me when he played God in Liar Liar 3, also known as Bruce Almighty (I tend to think Mr Freeman was playing himself, he is that great of an actor to me- who else could tolerate sharing a set with a has-been like Jim Carrey and a never-was like Jennifer Aniston?). Anyway, Freeman says, the only way to get rid of racism is to "stop talking about it." I love it, I really do.
Now, I absolutely hate racism when it is intended to insult or offend, but I am a sucker for racial humor. I recognize that there are differences between all people, from mannerisms to culture, and those differences are funny, but really great, when you apply them to everyday life and how we relate to one another. Like, any time I go out and see white people dancing to gangstah rap music or something, my reaction is usually, "oh shit, white people are dancing, can we go somewhere else?" I'm sorry, but white boys should not dance and girls who weigh more than me shouldnt either (Im being generous here, I weigh 170 lbs) . Im kidding and just being a wiseass- My real point is that I just dont like how race always has to be such a sensitive subject- people should be proud of who they are but at the same time recognize that we are one nation with one history of numerous origins coming together.
When I was living in Boulder, three of my good friends were black, and whenever we went out, it was always hilarious to see some rich white boy from California kissing their ass because they were, well, black. My friends never got offended, they knew that people meant well, but they didnt feel that people had to be so outgoing and nice to them just because they were black. It must have been like some guilt complex or something, we never really quite got it- but boy did we make fun of it: our group of friends would hang out- a pretty diverse crew- and our black friends would try to order us around and command respect- "hey, we're in Boulder and I'm black, get me a beer white boy." It was funny- but seriously, all my friends wanted to do was to just hang out and be part of the crowd. Same with Morgan Freeman, he just wants to hang out and not have to be treated differently or looked at in a different light because of his skin color. Why dont we just judge people or treat them a certain way based on their eye or hair color?
Now, I understand that African-Americans in this country have had a lot to overcome the past few decades, definitely more than the average White person. They have overcome enormous obstacles and have achieved. We have witnessed some of the most brilliant leaders in this nation's history, from Dr. Martin Luther King to the Reverend Al Sharpton- who I think is a brilliant man with a great spirit. At the same time though, I agree with Morgan Freeman, his history does not need to be relegated to a month. His history is my history is your history is our history. What does that accomplish when we have to call a month "Black History Month?" Everyday and every month is Black History as far as I am concerned.
The liberation of African-Americans and the abolishment of slavery was the Civil War, not the month of February. The drive for equality, civil rights, suffrage, to be a part of everyday life like anyone else is our nation's history- not the month of February. Let us recognize and respect our cultural differences and be proud of who we are and where we came from. But let us all recognize that we are in this together and decisions do not always need to be made to appease a certain race or group of people and people shouldn't be treated differently- negatively or positively- based on their skin color.
It always irritates me how race always has to be a major factor in everyday affairs for the purpose of advancing agendas. Maybe I am biased because of the perspective Morgan Freeman gave me when he played God in Liar Liar 3, also known as Bruce Almighty (I tend to think Mr Freeman was playing himself, he is that great of an actor to me- who else could tolerate sharing a set with a has-been like Jim Carrey and a never-was like Jennifer Aniston?). Anyway, Freeman says, the only way to get rid of racism is to "stop talking about it." I love it, I really do.
Now, I absolutely hate racism when it is intended to insult or offend, but I am a sucker for racial humor. I recognize that there are differences between all people, from mannerisms to culture, and those differences are funny, but really great, when you apply them to everyday life and how we relate to one another. Like, any time I go out and see white people dancing to gangstah rap music or something, my reaction is usually, "oh shit, white people are dancing, can we go somewhere else?" I'm sorry, but white boys should not dance and girls who weigh more than me shouldnt either (Im being generous here, I weigh 170 lbs) . Im kidding and just being a wiseass- My real point is that I just dont like how race always has to be such a sensitive subject- people should be proud of who they are but at the same time recognize that we are one nation with one history of numerous origins coming together.
When I was living in Boulder, three of my good friends were black, and whenever we went out, it was always hilarious to see some rich white boy from California kissing their ass because they were, well, black. My friends never got offended, they knew that people meant well, but they didnt feel that people had to be so outgoing and nice to them just because they were black. It must have been like some guilt complex or something, we never really quite got it- but boy did we make fun of it: our group of friends would hang out- a pretty diverse crew- and our black friends would try to order us around and command respect- "hey, we're in Boulder and I'm black, get me a beer white boy." It was funny- but seriously, all my friends wanted to do was to just hang out and be part of the crowd. Same with Morgan Freeman, he just wants to hang out and not have to be treated differently or looked at in a different light because of his skin color. Why dont we just judge people or treat them a certain way based on their eye or hair color?
Now, I understand that African-Americans in this country have had a lot to overcome the past few decades, definitely more than the average White person. They have overcome enormous obstacles and have achieved. We have witnessed some of the most brilliant leaders in this nation's history, from Dr. Martin Luther King to the Reverend Al Sharpton- who I think is a brilliant man with a great spirit. At the same time though, I agree with Morgan Freeman, his history does not need to be relegated to a month. His history is my history is your history is our history. What does that accomplish when we have to call a month "Black History Month?" Everyday and every month is Black History as far as I am concerned.
The liberation of African-Americans and the abolishment of slavery was the Civil War, not the month of February. The drive for equality, civil rights, suffrage, to be a part of everyday life like anyone else is our nation's history- not the month of February. Let us recognize and respect our cultural differences and be proud of who we are and where we came from. But let us all recognize that we are in this together and decisions do not always need to be made to appease a certain race or group of people and people shouldn't be treated differently- negatively or positively- based on their skin color.
posted by DM at 5:53 PM
12 Comments:
CH!
A topic I can sink my teeth into.
Not long ago an American journalist referred to one of the black Islamic youths in France who was rioting as "African American". This is what it has come to, and most whites have no idea what they have helped perpetuate at the behest of "black leaders". Black history, MY history, is most notable for its treachery. If we want to celebrate our history, then we celebrate my fellow black men exploiting and using their fellow men. THIS is our biggest tradition, our most notable accomplishment. From ancient Africa to present, we have exploited our own people for our own gain--from constant tribalism and bloodshed on the mother continent to capturing and selling of our own people into slavery to the current message of victimhood that we preach to our young men and women. (Unlike CH, I don't particularly care for Al's agenda-even though I know him personally) The problems the black people have faced have been the ones of our own making. This is our "proud" heritage. This is our "history".
Some time back, Smorg had asked a question about priorities in one's life--a rather thought provoking post. Several of us who commented put heritage up near the top. I think I may have been the one who put heritage near the bottom. Mainly because what makes a man is not his family, not his pedigree, but the content of his soul. Dragging up black history or ANY history for that manner is fraught with pain and uncertainty--the world's history is dark enough as it is, much less black history. When one becomes mired in the past they have little or no ability to look forward and that is what makes a man. If we want to talk about black history I use Michael Jordan as an example. Michael spent day after day in front of a basketball hoop taking shot after shot--not because he was a Pavlovian construct conditioned to do so, but because he wanted to go to NC and be the best basketball player ever. What Michael did each day was based on where he saw himself tomorrow, not yesterday--and it launched him to greatness. While we had our share of opportunist, we have our share of great men who lived their lives focused on the future, not our history. Our history is what defeats us, and this is something that few white people understand. Well-meaning white people who tend to listen to our race opportunists and believe them.
Charity, welfare, pity, empathy--all of these have been offered from well-meaning white people who do not realize they assist in continuing the cycle of failure we blacks have lived with. There are some of us who are breaking that cycle, but it comes at great opposition from those who want to keep us dependent and under control. I have little interest in celebrating my differences so much as my similarities. I don't look for uniqueness, I look for something in common. Those of us who do this are often referred to as Uncle Toms or Apples--anyone of us who have worked hard to build and develop ourselves and our community only to have the opportunists and the critics come in and try to destroy our work and success.
I am an American, not an African American. I am a man, not a black man. I am a leader in my community who believes in the potential of my young people and fellow citizens. I, and others like me, have broken the cycle of welfare and poverty in dozens of lives within our community lifting them up when they are fallen and given them a reason to reach for the top instead of accept what is given, refusing to enable but empowering to suceed. CH, we have stood at the doors of the social services agencies and talked to any who would listen--and have hundreds of former welfare recipients who are business owners, white collar workers and real American success stories.
Black history is a PC ploy by those well-meaning fools and opportunistic ones who have done my people more harm than good.
MLK, Jr. talked about a dream--talked about a future, not a past.
-Jack
Oh, BTW, good post and thank you for it.
-Jack
Hey its been weighing on me for some time, and when I read that quote from Morgan Freeman, I really was wondering how you as a Black man would respond to it especially. I find that you have always been one to embrace individual responsibility as opposed to using past atrocities as an excuse for what may have gone wrong in society.
"There are some of us who are breaking that cycle, but it comes at great opposition from those who want to keep us dependent and under control." I have discussed race with my grandfather extensively, and I was talking to Mochi about this a few weeks back, and what my grandfather said stuck with me- that there exists a defeatist attitude among African-Americans. Now I dont at all intend to sound like a bigoted jerk, but it made sense and what you say here Jack applies- that there exists this belief that Black people need the government and other people to help them achieve- a notion that I find racist itself. Now, I find myself to be politically lost at times- I cannot and dont identify myself with the left or right- I do find myself to be socially liberal, but I have never agreed with affirmative action for any race or group, Blacks, Asians, Females. To me, it is racism and sexism and it is extremely undermining to those groups- it says that employers need to be forced to hire a certain group of people or else they will never achieve a "level playing field." I understand and sympathize with the intention, but it isnt necessary and I just think it sets a dangerous precedent. I know so many Blacks, Asians, Hispanics and females who are brilliant, articulate, driven, good people and I find it insulting to them that there is a need for agendas that require you to hire a certain group because they cannot achieve on their own. And it hurts those who might be qualified to earn a position they apply for when they dont get what they deserve because of such programs. It doesnt level any playing field or elevate a certain group to prosperity- I think it breeds animosity and the wrong attitude more than anything. The charity and pity you refer to are well-intentioned, as aforementioned, but it is not the answer and ultimately does not help anyone- it simply says you need to be felt sorry for and assisted to any extent possible to achieve. And the "Uncle Tom" argument- disgusting. Are all Blacks supposed to think alike since they have endured some severe hardships? Are Clarence Thomas, Condi Rice and Colin Powell race traitors for being Republicans? Condi, after all, was a Democrat and changed her party affiliation in response to how President Carter responded to Russia's invasion of Afghanistan. So she is more Democratic than people would be lead to believe. And as much shit as she has taken, I hardly ever recall her playing the partisan politics game, if at all. I dont typically agree with Dr Rice's political philosophy- I find that she is a Republican more out of her foreign policy philosophy that America should police the world- but what an absolutely incredibly brilliant lady who has worked so hard for everything she has achieved. Again, I might disagree with her a lot of the time but boy do I admire her achievement and resolve. People's politics do not make them who they are, there is more to people than red/blue and left and right- some of my best friends are Bush Republicans for crying out loud. Again, I find that intentions are good by trying to help out Blacks or any group of people for that matter, but those intentions are more naive than anything, and I cannot help but agree when you say that it does more harm than good. Our society has instilled in its people the wrong attitude by making race a factor in decision making and saying that certain decisions must be made on behalf of a certain group of people or else they will never advance in society.
Nice post CH. Remember paragraphs are your friend.
Jack when you say that black people "have exploited our own people for our own gain" aren't you falling into the same trap that CH outlines in his post? Is it really a unique characteristic of black people to promote their agenda at the expense of other people?
I don't believe that we are defined by our history but we certainly should learn from it. History can be used as a tool of oppression. I think you are confusing the social benevolence of white people as empathy when they are well aware it perpetuates a cycle of reliance.
I guess you aren't arguing against compartmentalization but the degree by which we differentiate ourselves in society in specific situations. Arguing against an innate sense is even less likely as winning a war on an ideology. After all it's innate. How can you make a statement like "I'm an American not an African American" and precede it with "Black history, MY history"?
I do believe racism is an instinctual interpretation of our necessity to put everything into a bucket. It's much easier to be racist than not.
Mochi,
First a few answers for you:
I think I made it understood that I discount "Black History" MY history as irrelevant. Mochi, I put my pants on the same way you do in the morning, have the same number of chromosomes, and other than the color of my skin am little different from yourself. To indicate that I am anything other than American is foolish--do you identify yourself as a "European American"? I believe Lincoln's statement that all men are created equal, and I am no different than you, Smorg, CH, or Shea.
I agree whole-heartedly with your last statement, but point out that racism is no franchise of the white American. There is more racism in the black community more often than the white, and it is stoked DAILY--not occasionally.
Mochi, when it comes to the race issue I grew up in it, I saw things that you never knew existed. I drank from the other water fountain, I was hit by the rocks from the white kids, I never sat at the back of the bus, because I was never allowed to ride in it--I remember as a kid when hearing about Rosa Parks thinking that she must be some African princess or something because she was ALLOWED to ride on a bus! Having been there, and done that, I still look at it as the past--an era dead, not very relevant to who I am today or what I choose to accomplish.
I have little confusion when it comes to matters of race and racism. But, in an effort to compensate, the white folk, black folk, the nation has crossed the line to overcompensation, and its time this was pointed out. I would never disparage well-meaning folk--I have been talked "jive" to by white people and it never offended me--but its time for an awakening of white and blacks with the essential message of "lets drop it" -- we're people, no more no less.
CH,
(I am making a generalization here) I find that those who advocate things like affirmative action and welfare suffer from "superiority complexes". They essentially say, "You can't make it without white people giving you a leg up". Now I realize, CH, that this isn't particularly the conscious thought process, but I do believe it is underlying. I agree with you also, that there are so many people out there thinking they know what is best for people and forcing it on them one way or the other. I was selected for promotion once as a result of affirmative action, and, as much as I wanted to tell myself it was because I was so much more qualified than the white man I knew it wasn't true. Few times in my life have I felt more embarrassed and ashamed when I refused the promotion.
CH, the "hardship" that we often talk about is also often times over rated. The black man is not the only one in history who has endured hardship, although we act like we are. I could say that I have worked harder than any white man to get where I am, but to say so would be untrue--I have many white friends who have worked just as hard and have endured hardships aplenty.
In all seriousness we need to drop the victim mentality--it mires us in the past. We need to ignore the obstacles like affirmative action and welfare--they keep us hobbled in the present. We need to focus on goals and the dedication to do better--it is the only way we will secure the future.
Thanks to both you and Mochi for your comments and interest.
-Jack
P.S. I don't usually bring race up as an issue when commenting. I don't like to. I would rather it never be an issue...
You are right, Mochi, paragraphs ARE my friend. I should never turn my back on 5-7 sentences needing to be separated from the next idea. It does the written word(s) injustice. I am just going to add this sentence to fill out a paragraph. Ok, here is sentence number five now, and we can now move forward.
When I read Freeman's quote, I thought of you Jack, and how you do not ever bring up race when commenting. Yes, you have mentioned that you are a black man here and there, but not to prove your point- I found it interesting that I did not even know this until MONTHS after I started blogging. In other words, it does not make a difference one way or the other and does not need to be a tool to make a point or an argument. I have always had respect because you do not ever make race an issue- and we need more of that. I really admire that you have never put blame on historical events or other people, even though that has been prevalent in our society- you choose the path less taken, if I may be so Robert Frost for a moment.
Race can be a such a sensitive subject, but I find it isnt here since we dont need it to be to understand one another or to make a point. There is an understanding that just because we are all from different backgrounds does not mean that certain arguments we make will bear more weight. Hurricane Katrina serves as a reminder to me- it became a discussion of race, racism, the government's ineffective response, blame being issued all over the place, but the one man who did not blame or make excuses, but instead went to the scene of disaster to help his fellow citizens in need was Jack. It wasn't Black or White, it was people in need and you took action instead of doing what we did- complain and blame.
Anyway, I appreciate the insight both of you have provided, hopefully more will add to it. I really wish Freeman's quotes got more attention, because they are dead on. We are one nation with one history that does not need to be separated by race and color and no one's history need be relegated to one month of the year.
I thought of this post and found it funny that we would be discussing how race does not need to be discussed, and the only way to eliminate racism was to "stop talking about it," but that, regardless, we were talkin about race. Kind of a strange little cyclical ironic thing going on there. But I really wanted to bring Freeman's thoughts into the mix here because it made so much sense to me, and it was something no one has ever really brought up before.
It seems groups of people will find things to hate about each other no matter how similar they appear. Maybe it's some old primal defense mechanism to be intimidated by anything that appears different? In any event, you could say that there's only one race and one gender on the internet. I mean, none of you really know what my genetic heritage is, and my name is too weird to be assigned exclusively to male or female. "In cyberspace, no one can see what color you are..."
Shea, I'm guessing you are a 19 year old ex-Swedish female supermodel who spends your days blogging and sipping pina coladas on a beach in Brazil while you improve your tan. If I'm wrong please keep it to yourself.
I'm sure Jack would never guess my background either. I thought about outing myself earlier but after some thought decided to keep it to myself (and everyone else who knows me that reads this thing).
Clarification please. Is Shea an ex-female supermodel or an ex-Swede? Because I choose not to associate with Swedes. Their Olympic hockey uniforms are repulsive.
Uh, Smorg, that is impossible, ALL eskimos have legs.
You mean you don't want anyone to know you're a legless, developmentally disabled, transgender Eskimo living under a bridge in rural Oklahoma? Okay. I won't tell, Mochi my friend.
Ex-female? How does one do that?
Ok, I have a real confession to make. I am really a multicolored hamster who thinks he's really cool.
-Jack
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