Discussions
Is Black History Month Racist?
Posted by deoangel • 2/01/09 • Subscribe to this Discussion [RSS] • Report This Topic
Topics: black history month, politics, racism, relationships, youtube
I had posted a new blog with this youtube video that I found recently. It had even me questions a lot of things that I have been taught over the years.
www.blogcatalog.com/user/deoangel
Please look at the post and tell me whether or not you think Black History Month is racist. Is Black History Month necessary? Do you agree with the person in the youtube video? What are your thoughts?
User Comments
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Where's Native American History month? We didn't enslave them, we SLAUGHTERED them!-
"Since 1995, President Clinton has issued a proclamation, each year, designating the month of November as "National American Indian Heritage Month". Source: www.nativeamericans.com/NAHistoryMonth.htm
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@Voodoo i beg to differ
you did both -
Well I'll be damned. Why did I never hear of this throughout my years of high school? (I'm a college freshman, so it's not like it was passed after I graduated.)
EDIT:
[@Voodoo i beg to differ
you did both]
Correction, I didn't. Neither did my ancestors.
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fine...
European descended Americans did the above mentioned
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The Youtube guy is spot on. -
I guess if we want true equality with people in all walks of life, then we would need a history month for each, Black, Hispanic, Asian, Native-American, White, Mixed, man, woman, child, senior citizen, teenagers, middle-agers, the list could go on and on.
or history written in such a way that it includes all! -
Oh, god here we go again, another post for people to say, "hey but so and so race doesn't have its own month =O". Its not racist, we all know Americas history. Need I remind everyone that you ain't required to celebrate the darn month as Black history month.-
in that case may i suggest you can celebrate sir almo month also
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Nah, there is only one race that doesn't have it's own history month. And to propose one would probably be considered racist.
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which race would that be??
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Caucasians
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[Need I remind everyone that you ain't required to celebrate the darn month as Black history month.]
Heh. You obviously had a different experience than I did throughout high school. You either did a black history assignment, or you got an F. Obviously, I rebelled against this idea because I don't like being told I have to do anything.
Black Americans have contributed significantly to American culture. I acknowledge this, but I'm more interested in physics, calculus, and philosophy than a curriculum that focuses on a not-so-devastating period of slavery that my ancestors had nothing to do with. (My mom has the genealogical research to prove this.) -
I personally thought the video was very thought provoking. Thus, I felt that I had to share. The post is pretty much opened to all opinions, no matter how controversial.
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hmm...I dont feel like celebrating Siralmo's month unless theres sex involved. But, I actually celebrate the month of september as my month because I can and my b-day is in september. See, you can do whatever and celebrate whatever you want.
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voodoo what do you believe about tesla??
sensico ofcourse there is, this is sir almo month -
I think I might be able to figure out some of Tesla's later, more controversial "mad scientist" inventions. Like the "peace ray."
Of course, I have my own ideas to patent first. -
are you going to go for anything to do with his power generatoin ideas??
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Maybe.
I'll say more on this subject once I convince my senator to sponsor a bill that will reduce the cost for college students to file and receive invention patents. -
if it goes through... tell me cause patents cost shitloads here
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Yeah. $3000 for each. I don't exactly have $50,000 to cough up for all of my ideas.
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don't you guys pay maintainance??
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Yeah, but I wasn't counting that in the cost. I was only counting the cost to file for and subsequently be awarded the patent.
With maintenance fees, I'm looking more at like $100,000. -
yeh i don't like it at all you are probably better off in the long run to produce your ides patent them once and sell them straight away for instant profit, but design special components that you keep the patent for so that there will be a subsequent income, until the find another way around it
and by that time you will have patented your next idea using the logic above
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ok. Now I am lost
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Welcome to the internet.
Anything can be twisted into anything else. -
@angel yeah I have no idea either. They are trying to ruin your thread I think, but I dont wanna be an instigator or anything
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If you do not want to participate in the discussion, you can go participate in a different one. PLEASE NO SPAM!
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"LMAO"
Funny!
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"Is Black History Month Racist?"
NO...-
["Is Black History Month Racist?"
NO...]
Well I'm convinced. -
"Well I'm convinced."
LMAO
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How does a history month make up for the enslavment or slaughtering of people?
I can't think of one good reason that any race or ethnic group is deserving of a history month.
Is it racist?
Depends on the purpose it is meant to serve.-
Some people are coming up with some clear, though out responses. I actually agree rfburnhertz.
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I've always been told it exists to show that black people contributed just as much to American culture as white people. Facts are facts. What's the mystery?
I suppose it used to serve a purpose in deprogramming kids with racist parents.
[At least some people]
I would advise not using that tone. You'll get a really negative reaction from the community.
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this guy is an idiot and he talks too much.
i don't even know where to begin with this -
I figure Americans are Americans no matter their race.
A history month for any race is, imo of course, neo-segegration.
Is there any race that has not contributed in both positive and negative ways to this nation? -
After listening to the video no my blog, I believe that we should rethink the whole Black History Month, Latino Heritage Month, Native American Month, etc. and focus on celebrating equality or at least encouraging it. And I do agree that Black History Month was originally away to display blacks accomplishments in American history.
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[focus on celebrating equality or at least encouraging it. ]
That's what I do year-round.
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The designation and celebration of that month is a vestige from an earlier day, where it was arguably necessary. Perhaps today, it is not as necessary, but might be pursued voluntarily by those who consider it to be of value. We've go to get beyond the issues of the past. We could probably spend our time more productively talking about where we go from here.-
Dude..
TheSesquipedalian might be a better name.. -
[We've go to get beyond the issues of the past. We could probably spend our time more productively talking about where we go from here.]
QFT.
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If we can't celebrate black history month, why the hell should I acknowledge or celebrate George Washingtons Day, or Abe Lincoln's Day or Ash Wednesday or Passover, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Christmas? JESSSUSSS people, the holidays are there for those who want to celebrate it
and you don't have to if you don't want to. It's as simple as that.-
You Jeunelle, you are right. If you want to celebrate or acknowledge a holiday then you should, if not then don't.
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It's not a holiday... just FYI.
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csiunatc...That is your opinion but some may consider it a holiday and make it so.
Many people take days off from work and remain home to celebrate the day and some banks remain open and some businesses remain open and that is their choice, no one is crying about it. People are living and celebrating their lives the way they want to and they don't need the government to make it an official holiday to do so. -
Alright you do that.. lol
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For what its worth, sometimes I participate in the white man's lying Santa Claus bull_hit
and sometimes I don't. ROFLMAO
Sometimes I just make a whole vat of egg nog and drink it all and to hell with giving
and sharing my nog.
Sometimes I have a black christmas or a indian christmas or no kind of christmas.
Sometimes I stand naked out front my house yelling "You're all gonna die come Jan 1st".
Sometimes I go full blooded indian and use my tomahawk to scalp people, it's my life. -
Celebrating a person is not the same as celebrating a race.
We celebrate Presidents day in recognition of individuals.
The remainder are religious celebrations which are a very different thing I believe.
csiunatc is not expressing opinion, it is not a holiday.
I think the original question presented was a good question worth the asking and discussion.
Why the hostility? -
rfburnhertz...Celebrating a person is not the same as celebrating a race.
We celebrate Presidents day in recognition of individuals.
The remainder are religious celebrations which are a very different thing I believe.
When was Black History month a religious day?
Where do you sense hostility in my words?
I do not celebrate Presidents day or any of the other holidays I listed above even when it is an official holiday. That is my choice and I celebrate what I want to celebrate whether it is
passed into law or not.
The only reason why black history month is not an actual holiday is because those in power
do not want to recognize the contributions of black people and make it official.
We can simply pass a law to make it official but then I suppose that would open up a whole can of worms and you would have to acknowledge native american contributions and everyone else who isn't on the list.
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It's interesting, I've always seen things like this as a form of "special olympics"
It's like saying, there aren't enough valuable contribution from group X to warrant their inclusion in a normal history book, so they'll have their own little farm league event instead.
Important events and people should be discussed in "HISTORY" not in a "special history month."-
@csiunatc
"It's interesting, I've always seen things like this as a form of "special olympics"
First of all unlike the olympic games the "special olympics" is great cause that helps people who need help...
"It's like saying, there aren't enough valuable contribution from group X to warrant their inclusion in a normal history book, so they'll have their own little farm league event instead. "
Ridiculous comments do not change history...The U.S.A. kidnapped, murdered and enslaved Black people up until the time of Abraham Lincoln...The U.S.A. practised apartheid policies against Blacks until the time of Martin Luther King and others...The U.S.A. murdered millions of Native Americans and to this day considers Mexican people who have lived in America for thousands of years to somehow be "Illegal Aliens"...
Unfortunately making fun of Black History month will not change the reality of the U.S.A.'s disgusting history nor will it help to build a better future... -
@gerryPlanetEarth:
I don't see how having a month set aside for Blacks in history will change or fix the reality of slavery/murder either.
There were white slaves too, my ancestors being a part of them, so using slavery and murder as a reason to set aside days or months every year to fix this disgusting history, and to bring honor to a people group, then shouldn't the white (or any other) people who were used, abused or killed as slaves be included too?
And please understand that I am not trying to make fun of Black History Month. I believe there are a lot of people in all races/cultures in America that have been a part of or a cause of major history events in the United States and should be acknowledged and honored. -
One thing is clear, as long as there is opposition to having a official black history day,
there will never be one but black people will have their own private celebration no matter what.
Same for any other race who is not given their official day that they long for.
Black history month is a day to honor the contributions of black people and really wasn't created to fix the reality of slavery and murder of black people, that is ridiculous.
It is and was a simple celebration of black contributions. -
Black history month is a day to honor the contributions of black people
I've heard that exact phrase before. The argument to have all 12 months instead of just one month to celebrate contributions FAILS when it already has been extended from one day, to a week, into a month .. (e.g. why just one day in February - let's celebrate all 28 days!) - and ye shall.
I don't think it's racist to celebrate and remember. It wouldn't mean as much if we celebrated 365 days a year. It would be too hard, wouldn't it?
I would mention that we do celebrate it in Canada, although I prefer to call February "T4 Season" -
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Of course it won't. But that doesn't break the logic of the Video originally posted.
This isn't BLACK history, this is US history. Why specialize an entire month to it.
Either slavery, segregation, civil rights etc. IS important enough to be included in HISTORY.. Or it isn't important, at which point we can wonder why we need to have a month to discuss it.
If it IS indeed important, then the month isn't neccesary at all.
Your Call -
???????????????????????????
NO COMMENT -
@Arcticulates
You cannot fix History...It is possible however to learn from History...
re:
"There were white slaves too"
All colors of Earthlings have been enslaved by tyrants throughout History including White,Black,Yellow and Red Earthlings...
Many Jews to this present day celebrate/commemorate on annual basis being freed from slavery in Egypt thousands of years ago so it seems quite likely the Black people will not and should not forget about being enslaved in the U.S.A. as well the colonization genocide of Africa.. -
@gerryPlanetEarth:
You said :"so it seems quite likely the Black people will not and should not forget about being enslaved in the U.S.A. as well the colonization genocide of Africa.."
My response:
No where in my post did I suggest that they should forget! Just like I am not about to let anyone forget that my ancestors were also abused and used in slavery.
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Too much emphasis on the words usually got trapped by the words alone -
Jeunelle, I don't believe I said black history month is a religious holiday.
I had seperated it by noting the celebration of a person and a race are different.
Your words seemed hostile, no doubt I could have read into them something that was not there.
I'm also not sure I indicated that a person had to celebrate any official holiday, any person, any non-official celebration...-
rfburnhertz....I am just stating what I and my household does and I sure hope that America
is OK with that. I am stating my views the same way I state them on this bc forum, nothing new. -
I'm sure America is fine is you living your life the way you live it.
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Why thank you because after all I haven't broken any laws yet
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Haven't broken any laws 'yet',
but be sure we are watching and waiting... -
You'll be waiting a long long time.
At least I haven't sold my brothers off into slavery, hidden their history from them, incarcerated most black people in prisons, murdered thousands if not millions of native americans
and stolen their land from under them.
No you'll be waiting a long, long time before you see me break the law or do any of these things.
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Is this a complaint about Black History Month only getting 28 days? Seriously, though, folks, there is no need to overthink this. There used to be a time when school curricula didn't cover black history at all. The same went for a lot of radio and tv programming. The existence of this month fosters a lot of history teaching and programming that we wouldn't otherwise have. I learn something new every year. That's a good thing.
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[There used to be a time when school curricula didn't cover black history at all.]
Yeah.
[The existence of this month fosters a lot of history teaching and programming that we wouldn't otherwise have.]
Fostered. I have met very few racist intellectuals, and none currently in charge of a university history department.
[I learn something new every year.]
In my high school experience, I learned everything the first few years and then it got repetitive. -
If your curriculum was repetitive, it might need changing, but that's no argument for throwing the baby out with the bathwater.
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No, but I'm beginning to think that it has served its purpose and is now obsolete.
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No I don't regard it as racist, like many groups, including women's history month, there continues to be a disparity in educational materials about the heritage, contributions etc of said groups. I wish there was NO NEED for them.
Until the full history of america is shared there is this unfortunate need to have months dedicated to specific groups. Women's contributions to math, sciences, the arts for example continue to be seriously underrepresented and Americans continue to be unaware of this because they think they are reading US history. This same scenario applies to African Americans.-
[I wish there was NO NEED for them.]
I don't think there is, because I have never had any need for them.
But, I could be wrong. Maybe I'm just not exposed to the racism that persists in America. -
@voodooKobra: Generalizing a whole country's needs from your own personal needs is a bit of a logical reach, don't you think?
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Well, yes. While I can only speak from my own experience, it would be a bit fallacious to do so.
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Pick up any history of western art book, high school and college and one would have thought there were no women artists (african american or white), let alone women who were pioneers in their field. Pick up any history of warfare book and one would have thought there were no women warriors who led armies and conquered nations, fought battles, or died in the roman arenas. It isn't about racism or sexism but a status quo and a belief that these groups didn't make any contributions, hence a self fulfilling prophesy. Jeunelle is right, most schools, education materials don't cover the full spectrum of history, they continue to write what is known and continue to feed the belief that there were no contributions by said groups.
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markstoneman, in comment to your reply to Voodoo, "Generalizing a whole country's needs from your own personal needs"...
You'll excuse me if I have missed your point, how does black history month or any other "insert group here" history month meet this nations 'needs'? -
How does Santa Claus meet this nations needs, a holiday based on a character that isn't real?
At least black history month is based on facts and actual contributions of real people,
not a make believe character. Personally I would rather see Christmas/Santa Claus
go first before black history month. What's funny to me is some of us can celebrate a lie
for a holiday.
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Most High Schools failed to cover any contributions made by black people
and many still carry around this false idea that black people are lazy,
living on welfare and did nothing for our country and some still do.
That is why it is necessary to teach it as a historical view, as Us history and world history.
If we removed these historical facts, this country would slump back into the dark ages
and the same racist views of lazy good for nothing black people will arise again.-
[Most High Schools]
I hope that's a false assertion. -
Nope it was not taught in many high schools for a while, neither in Massachusetts and other states that is fact.
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Damn. Okay, fine. If and only if people are still being ignorant crapbags about this, I'll let it slide. Black history month stays until people stop sucking.
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I am like you Voodoo in as I too would love to see a day when it is not necessary to have it
and hopefully that day will come soon. -
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???????????????????????
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Maybe a White History Month would make this less racist.
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Hmmmmm and we already have many of those don't we?
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I thought Black History Month was an attempt to negate the ignorant assumption that all past achievements were done by white men? And to enlighten black children, thus giving them a sense of pride of their race's accomplishments...
Yes, other races were left out of the loop and that's too bad. Hindsight is 20/20.-
If a person is ignorant enough to think that only white people are responsible for all past achievements in this nation or any other nation, then they have traveled so far into that ignorance that a 'history month' will not return them from there.
There will be no day that racism does not exist, America has long ago come to the place where the racist is now the minority of the population. If we want to defeat the racist and "convert" (so to speak) the racists we come across in life, the way to do that is to not put up with it when we see it, hear it, come across it in our lives. -
I teach art history & appreciation to elementary school kids. You'd be surprised how many white children, living in mostly white communities, assume every artist from the past was a white man...
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that would be a very interesting study
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I have met adults who think that busylizzy. I have met adults who know "some" women fought in wars, but have no idea that they were not just participants at the behest of men, but were the actual battle leaders.
It isn't that people choose to be ignorant, they just haven't been exposed to evidence (via educational material/history books) that women, and people of colour actually had significant roles in history. -
busylizzy & jafabrit....how true, some people still to this day aren't aware of the contributions made, some don't even know that the traffic lights that we use today while driving was invented by a black slave and aren't aware of any black contributions at all, and some are still arguing over this one little day that gives black people some pride and vision for what they can accomplish in this world. I mean come on, what is the argument about?
Speaking of ignorance, I was taught in School that black people can't even have green,
blue eyes or blonde hair. I wrote a recent blog post on that and it is true that black people can have blue, green eyes and blonde hair. The children are being lied to in school and it is quiet disturbing that these truthful facts are being hidden from white and black children.
See and read for yourselves www.JeunelleFoster.com
www.blogcatalog.com/discuss/entry/diversity-in-black-people-any-idea-how-di...
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Black people and their place in world history
www.computerhealth.org/ebook/1865post.htm
Black inventors
socialismandliberation.org/mag/index.php?aid=555
The Queen Nanny
www.itzcaribbean.com/history_jamaica_queen_nanny.php
A hidden history
www.uphere.ca/node/321
www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/this-britain/revealed-our-hidden-history-5876...
Obviously black people were busy carving out paths that we walk on today, starting from early pre-historic time to present, so black people weren't lazy good for nothings, I don't think there is one piece of land that the black foot didn't already step on. -
Traffic lights inventor Garrett Augustus Morgan (1877–1963)and other black inventors
www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0883926.html
inventors.about.com/od/blackinventors/Famous_Black_Inventors.htm
Yup I would say that black people were pretty busy and it's amazing to me that under such harsh conditions such as slavery, that they were still able to contribute something. -
The fact that most people probably couldn't tell me who spoke "What to the Slave is the Fourth of July?" or give the name of the man who helped survey D.C. and challenged Thomas Jefferson, or tell me who David Walker, Lucy Terry Prince, Pauline Hopkins, Paul Lawrence Dunbar, and Mary Church Terrell are--and what they wrote--WITHOUT GOOGLE shows that Black History Month has been made a farce by commercialism, and that is resented so much by people that they don't even care to look beyond MLK or Rosa Parks, nor do they even SEE the use in recognizing and honoring those black Americans who spoke out against injustices of all kinds (not just for black people!) and became successful in a time where 90% of their peers were considered chattel, on par with apes and other various animals, and even to today are considered BIOLOGICALLY INFERIOR. You can't take pride in that? Even if you aren't black? You can't look into these people as AMERICANS who helped to create the America we live in today, who allow EVERYONE to be free? -
That was an interesting take on the subject. I believe at the time of it's creation, black history acknowledgment that is, it was needed. There was no recognition given to blacks for their contributions to society.
With time, needs change. Do I personally think we need Black history month, of course not. Do I believe it's racists, of course not.
It's sort of like how the electoral colleges were needed once upon a time, but are they needed now, of course not.
This kid is pretty enlightened, but unfortunately I don't believe Black History month is a promoter of hatred or segregation, but is instead used as mechanism to help unify and strengthen a once beaten race.
With that, let's look at true racism: thinking.today.com
Tell me what you think about that. -
It certainly seems racist..when you consider that it IS about one particular Race. In fact any institution, organization or effort focused on a particular race is by definition racist. Racism is likely not the best term regarding this particular effort to divide Blacks from the American Pack...it is about Tokenism which truly is a disservice to Black Americans. I personally think that the term "American" History serves us well as a title for a course of study ...or a month of observance which should inclusive for all historical observances regardless of race. Arent we really supposed to be working toward acceptance and tolernance as a integrated nation of peoples of the world. If so why the need for specialization...we only have twelve months in the year but many more races within our society to observe..at some point this line of logic would have to be broken down to Black History hour or something to give everyone equal time....seems pretty damn silly to me in that we are dividing ourselves with such nonsense. -
Oh yeah....Jeunelle...your a pacifist panderer...just stop it.
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TimRex...Sod off
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Wow! I have been gone about two weeks and I had no idea that this was still a hot subject. When I was in elementary school, we were taught World History. It was only until I enter high school that we studies African American history. I think that Black History Month is very relevant, even if it is just a reminder about black contributions.
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True integration will be achieved when we stop needing to remind ourselves of percieved differences..integration occurs naturally when minds begin working together as one and cease to have a desire for specialness.
Skin color or culture become petty issues..when one truly rises spiritually. -
We could solve a lot of problems if we just had a "True" History month.-
I agree Centric!
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i wish there was a lets be happy together month. -
Did the world end....happy is a relative term...your picture makes me happy.....so, happy now?
TRex-
@TimRex
Skin color or culture become petty issues ... when one truly rises spiritually.
Well, I guess get over it isn't on your happy list because you seem to have resurrected this thread from 2/28/09 just to cat call at those who disagreed with your point of view.
lol ... how's the spiritual atmosphere in rise above it land? ... lol
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Timethief...good name...Sorry...but your statement makes no sense and indicates a dilusional charcteristic....must have struck a nerve....you should steal some more time and think longer..or harder before transmitting. Hint...no one disagreed or agreed...no intent to resurrect anything...sarcastic humor....lol..yuck yuck...lol
Spiritually or earthly...lovesome1's photo would make any self respecting male happy...my only point...and doing fine.
TRex
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