- Is one month enough? Is it racist?
- Should there ever be a White or Chinese History Month?
- What black history means to you, and how much impact it has on your lives
and more!
Well, as a black male myself, I never celebrated the black history month, and have never seen it as important.
I do see the importance, in recognizing the many strides made for people of my skin color, however, to having freedom in today's society. As a black male, I also think it is important to be well versed in your own ancestral history. To me, though, the same can be said of any race or minority.
I do respect that, but don't understand the need to have a month dedicated to it, when wars that have shaped and molded the world we live in today, get attention for one day, and more specifically, only hour of that day.
I remember coming under fire from some of my black peers, for saying some Asian people (Especially from the middle east), would be equally deserving of a month dedicated to educating people about their race, as opposed to unfairly judging them.
Same can be said for any other racial minorities, as well as other minorities which face the same societal backlash if not far worse, today (I.E Gay and transgendered people).
but the word black itself doesn't have a consensus on what it means... Like for black history month it is assuming only African American history is under this category but what about Africans who recently came over? What about indigenous Australian who also consider themselves 'black'.... What about other races like southeast asians or south asians who are just as 'black'. I mean it feeds a stereotype what black is in stead of showing it's diversity. It's the same way with Asian/pacific islander. You see what's assumed people think of mostly east asian people and forget that Asia as the continent varies..... I am of Irish Indian and native Australian descent... I consider myself black as in color and I consider myself to have mostly Asian/Pacific Islander descent. I get annoyed when people buy into the stereotypes of incorrect racial term usages... It breeds ignorance. I don't appreciate that.
But yeah, some of my Egyptian friends, hate that they aren't considered African, when they in fact--are (in reality, much more than I will ever be). I'm automatically considered African American, if I were to live in the U.S, yet am from the Caribbean. Take it a step further, I'm from French descendants.
I don't think I'll ever get that logic, of labeling black people as "African", regardless of where they originate from. That's just one of the many stereotypes, that are force fed to American black youth.
I've traveled around the world, so have seen black people in all walks of life, from China, to Japan, to just all over, where the cultures differ with regards to the societal norms that surround the black people.
I look forward to the day when people of any colour don't feel the need to celebrate their specific colour. When history starts to ignore colour. When the arbitrary lines drawn between all colours is blurred so much that people will look at your hue and assume NOTHING.
I'm sure there are many reasons, below are 2 theories:
1.) US Government and it's people feel gulty for enslaving African's in the early days. A way of showing sympathy and reconizition to past events.
2.) Used as a Scape Goat to cover up a far great crime aginst humanity (what we did to the still suffering Native American Indians!)
- Completly invaded their entire country
- Completly ruined their heritage and culture
- Forced them to "live by are demands or die"
- Raped their women, slaughtered their families and children
- Ravaged their main source of livelihood (The Buffalo)
- Threw them onto "American concentration camps"
The list goes on......
I doubt our governemnt feels guilty about that and I don't know why the citizens even would. No one alive should be feeling guilty about something they weren't a part of.
Africans had enslaved each other before we did it to them and many other races and nations enslaved africans too along with other peoples.
The Irish were also enslaved pretty harshly, but you never hear shit about that.
Personally, I just think its another way to keep segregation from dieing out.
The Irish were also enslaved pretty harshly, but you never hear shit about that.
Oliver Cromwell was an absolute tosser. He was a republican, puritanical fuckwit who won the civil war. And from what I understand of that part of it- there was distinct religious oppression (thanks to Henry 8, who destroyed many beautiful buildings) Oh, and the Irish weren't enslaved when they tried to blow me up.
Happy Independence day.. How do you yanks feel knowing that you 'won' because of our relationship with France.
So what exactly are you getting at here?
Those Irish children deserved to be enslaved because some completely unrelated people bombed your country hundreds of years later?
The government =/= the people of said government
Have you ever made the following statement in public "I'm proud of my race" (Assuming your White)? Nothing "racist" or offensive about the statemet but observe the resection of the people around you. They will freak out and accuse you of being Racist aginst blacks and all hell on earth! The point is more people than you realize are still bent or otherwise obsessed with the slavery of black people. They refuse to get over it despite all the contributions that have been made.
And your point about the Irish slavery only strengthens my original opinion. We never hear about the Native Americans, the Irish, the inhabitants of Hawaii (before it was a US territory) the ultimatum we put on the Japanese prior to WWI etc. Instead we focus on the slavery of black people. "Fuck all those other nations, fuck all those other cultures we wiped out, who gives a shit!"
So this issue goes well beyond the borders of the US. Many cultures and many peoples around the world have been subject to cruel inhuman acts and yet most of it is locked behind closed doors and retribution has yet to make its mark on the offenders!
You're an idiot for saying that nobody has heard a thing about Irish slavery (I hope you're aware about the potato famine, indentured service and so-on Cromwell fucked Ireland over. Your link says that Cromwell did it).
I was a delayed train away from being a 14 year old victim of a vicious terrorist attack based, roughly, on those things.
The question that is being raised indirectly here is "Why isn't there a celebration of being Irish or celebration of being Chinese because they were slaves once too and should celebrate stuff since then blah blah look how far they came since"
They were both involved in the slave trades of America at some point, so why don't they have their own celebrations just like Black people of America do?
But like, they do. The major difference is nationality vs. skin colour, but in the case of a celebration like this it's kinda the same thing. Maybe if they just called it "Celebration of African descent day" it wouldn't be such a fuelled issue.
It would certainly make more sense to me that way.
And as for me being proud of my race, I don't believe segregating myself and drawing an arbitrary line around my identity based on my skin colour has any positive points at all. So I don't do it.
You call me whatever you like, mind. Light white, dark white, tanned, red, CHRIST it might even change depending on which country I move to. Race, heritage, history of my genes - not particularly important really.
And living in England, having Irish friends, I hear enough (generally in jest) about the English all being bastards and "the craic we had the day we died for Ireland"
But most people haven't heard of Irish slavery, atleast in the states where we weren't bombed by their army. The notion is almost non-existant over hear.
And I know damn well Cromwell fucked Ireland over. You don't have to inform me about the link I gave you.
And don't be such a baby. Ooo you were almost involved in something that literally only killed one single person. So what? Any and all of us could die at any moment. Death is nothing to get buttmad about.
And your link says nothing about Cromwell or slavery.
But most people haven't heard of Irish slavery, atleast in the states where we weren't bombed by their army
Militia- and you yanks funded it... but then again, you have no idea of history and I am deliberately calling you, a Texan, a yank.
And don't be such a baby. Ooo you were almost involved in something that literally only killed one single person. So what? Any and all of us could die at any moment. Death is nothing to get buttmad about.
Pay attention. I dodged a bullet during "The Troubles". Yes, the centuries long fight between Ireland, England, Catholicism, Protestantism.. the last bit was called The Troubles.
Who do you think "votes" in the government? ...."The People!" We the people chose out government officials and system of order! If we the people oppose the government or what they do then we would relief them - we have that much power. As a result we the people can be directly linked to the crimes committed by out governments!
Bullshit.
Even if democracy did exist(which it doesn't), you'd still be saying "51% of the population wanted this to happen and the other 49% didn't. Lets punish all 100% of the populatiuon!"
That just dumb.
And most people don't even vote, because the people put in front of us aren't even worth voting for.
And please stop holding the people of a country accountable for what their governemnts do. Thats not how shit works.
Learn your history- and your current affairs. If you wish to talk about horror and Irish Slavery then you have to talk to my 14 year old self who wanted to go to Games Workshop, but couldn't because someone blamed him for Oliver Cromwell's actions.
Fact: We the people know what happened
Fact: We did nothing to stop it or punnish the offenders
Fact: Same government is still in control
Fact: Our fault
Fact: time to take responsibility for our actions as a whole nation and world!
Please tell me how I can overthrow the entire U.S. Army, FBI, CIA and not to mention the secret organizations and brainwashed citizens and I'll get right fucking to it.
I don't think you realize how fucking impractical you're being. Peaceful protesting in my country is now considered terrorism(among other trivial things) and its legal for the government to lock up 'terrorists' indefintiely and torture/kill them without a due trial.
I'm honestly doing the best I can, but sorry I'm not rushing to my demise or to start a bloody massacre for things out of my control.
Corpsie, you're no different from the guy doing the bombing by blaming me for what my government did.
And sorry you couldn't play your precious video games, because something far more interesting was actually happening.
Your refering to a "Coup 'd'état, but I'm sure you already knew that. If enough people unit and oppose the government legally has no choice but to surrender to the people. A president is the commander and chief of the armed forces of the entire nation, yet if enough people demonstrate their opposition to him, his ass would be forced to resign! The same goes for military and any other politicians - do some research on the US government and democracy. Loop holes exist, but not enough of us stand up and ask questions or challenge the mainstream!
Yeah, but heres the thing: governments do not abide by their own laws and you're a fool for expecting them to.
You pretty much answered yourself with that last sentence and they make damn sure no body is asking those questions or standing up when the time is right.
Remember after 9/11 happened and you'd get the FBI on your ass for saying the teensiest-tiniest thing against the government? They don't want their plans or power to be spoiled and they'll do whatever it fucking takes to keep the people in their shitty little place.
You sound alittle too paranoid. The real fool is anyone who is brainwashed into believing they are powerless to change how their nation is ruled or by who! You are not a major in history are you? Below are afew interesting examples where US citizens directly influenced important events:
World War II:
- Towards the end of the war in the Pacific with the Japanese, Americans armed forces generals knew that afew more months of war would cause the US citizens back on the mainland to demand and immediate withdrawal of all US armed forces from the Pacific, the generals were already making preparations for the invasion of the Japanese homeland - BUT DUE TO THE INFLUENCE OF US CITIZENS BACK HOME, the armed forces decided to drop 2 atomic bombs instead thus ending the war almost immediately! It worked!
- Shortly after the first announcement was made to the American people about the successful invention of the atomic bomb, the government ordered a large scale survey to be issued to the American people: "those in favor of dropping an atomic bomb on Japan and those not in favor of dropping the atomic bomb on Japan. More than 60% "VOTED" for dropping the atomic bombs! Thus the first large scale genocide by super weapons made its way into the annals of American history!
Vietnam War:
One of the primary reason why the US "FAILED" to defeat the Vietnamese and claim victory, is because the American people's opposition to the war increased so much and enough pressure was put on the government that they had to withdrawal! Hints the hippie movement and "peace out"! Had it not been for the people, the US armed forces would have certainly continued the war and god forbid do a lot more damage then they already did with the bio weapons (agent orange).
People have the power, they just lack the motivation and strength to rise up and say "NO!". If you actually believe your powerless then the government has already beaten you!
