In a CBS 60 Minutes interview, actor Morgan Freeman says that a Black History Month promotes racism and separates blacks from simply being American citizens and a part of American history.




Link: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/12/14/...in1127684.shtml


Do you agree?


Catherine

Yes. This nation was built upon the backs of Black slaves...they cleared the land, planted the crops, built the roads and much of the urban structure that is today extant from the pre-bellum (and post-bellum) days of America. They were fed, clothed, beaten, raped, maimed, sold and seperated from family and enjoyed a mercilessly short lifespan generally. From the day a slave entered the cane fields of Louisiana to his death was a span, on average, of about seven years. Angola prison, in Louisiana, was once a cane and cotton plantation, noted for its brutality. Now it is a publicly funded plantation, still noted for its brutality. Black soldiers and cowboys opened the American West. White cowboys were in the minority, greatly outnumbered by Black and Mexican and Native American cowboys. Washington, DC, was designed and built by a Black architect and Black labor. The bas reliefs on many of the buildings, depicting scenes of Black laborers, have been altered or obliterated over the years to support the myth that the White folks did it all by themselves. Black history is American history, and should be taught and known as such. To recognize Black participation in the building of the US one month a year, as though it were an anomaly, lies at the core of American racism.

Yes, it does promote racism.

As I have said, if you are aware of a persons race, your are a racist!
By that one simple act, in your mind, they are different, and distinct.

In my opinion, it's OK to be racist. It's OK to celebrate your heritage, or to celebrate their heritage.

I Personally Celebrate the Diversity of America!

Being a racist does not equate to being an ass hole. Just because a person is different from you does not mean you should enjoy greater advantage in any way! Not being the same does not make one human being better than the other.

Words. Some of us say things like fuck and shit, because we are communicators, and sometimes we need what I call, a power word! If I slam my finger with the hammer, screaming "Oh Darn" just isn't gonna work for me! When I see Bush try to explain that he knew the intel was wrong, but still says the war was right, I must scream at my TV and "I doubt the voracity of your credibility" just isn't enough! These words work because society gave them power. Just as society has given the word "nigger" it's power! I mean look, if you don't care, then to you the word has no power. In my neck of the woods, maybe your too, no one dares to speak that word. It's worse than a power swear word! We don't fear that in using it we might offend a black person. Hell, we don't dare use it even if there are NO black people around to be offended by it! It, the word, has become the issue. WHY that word is an issue has been completely forgotten!

We have forgotten that it's not the racism that is the issue.
The issue is a persistent self righteousness that lies with in every one of us.
A feeling that puts each of us at the center of the universe.
People who are different from us will receive our scorn.

Women, Blacks, Native Americans, Irish, Anyone not a Fundi Christian. Someone in a wheel chair. People with jewelry in their face.

It's tribal! People not of our tribe, or people who are not like us, deserve to be attacked and relegated to the fringes!


Racism is not the issue.
How we as individuals emotionally accept people different than us,
That's the true issue!



I have a joke I sometimes tell.
Though I am careful to only tell it to white people.


I never judge a person by the color of their skin,
instead, I judge them by the size of their nostrils.


The reason I don't tell it to blacks is that I fear it will be understood as being racist.
If they did, they miss the point.
And when I tell it to white people, I always also explain,
that the joke is a prime example of the absurdity of racism.

The joke pokes fun at the stupidity of what we call, racism.



By the way, that joke was from Bill Murray of Saturday Night Live.

AARGH... as a person who studied history for 4 years in university, we always faced the "selective history" arguments and "no history is 100% accurate" so to combat this people create things like Black History Month which is intended to celebrate things we may otherwise not celebrate.

It NOT racism to have a black history month, anymore than it is sexist to have a woman's history month.

Hey Morgan, we don't have white history month, because EVERY other month is white history month.

He shouldn't have slept through his high school history lessons.

I say it again.

It IS sexist to have a women's history month!
If you separate or recognize them as different because they are women,
that by definition is sexist!

And again, that's not the issue!
Being an ass hole is the issue!

Women them selves will tell you that they like a gentleman.
But that requires men to be openly, aggressively sexist!

What they (generally) don't want, is to be controlled!



Similarly, there is nothing wrong with noticing that a person is black.
The wrong comes from the action that noticing illicit from some people.


I'm saying we need to stop with the nice neat easy word handles,
and call this thing what it really is.

New word!.........Assholism......Stupidism.......Selfishism...............Pick one.



Racism, sexism, ageism, all these things are a fact of being human.
What is most important and also human,
are the choices you make, and are personally responsible for!

Excellent points, Sky! Well-said!

Catherine

You are not using the words in the context of our society. While what you say is technically correct, I know I would be offended if somebody told me I was a racist and a sexist, simply because I see different races and sexes.

That's exactly the point Scorp!
The words are being used uncorrectly because the single one word answer is easier!
Easier does not mean correct, and in this mistake of understanding,
the entire issue gets lost!

You ARE racist!
But I believe you make the choice to NOT be an ass hole!
You are personally responsible for your actions,
and have to live in your own skin!


Being racist is not bad. In fact, it can sometimes be very good!
Being an ass hole, considering yourself more deserving because you are NOT black,
that is the true issue!

To say, "I respect black people and all they have accomplished",
is a good thing to say about black people,
but the statement is also absolutely racist!
The statement singles out the black race as being a seperate group.
That's racism

Black people should be proud of their ancestry, and the fact they are black.
That too is racism!

The sooner we understand what the true issues are,
the sooner we can get past them!

If you want to use a word to throw at someone who is hassling black people because they are black,
Don't call him racist!

Call him an ignorant insecure dick head instead!

Here's what dictionary.com says:

rac·ism ( P ) Pronunciation Key (rszm)
n.
The belief that race accounts for differences in human character or ability and that a particular race is superior to others.
Discrimination or prejudice based on race.

See Sky? You are not using the word properly.

Beinr a racist IN EFFECT also means you are an asshole / bigot / idiot.

Again, MY point is that the word has been missused. Even defined incorrectly.

By the way, check other dictionaries, get a different intrepretation of the word(s).


BTW.
The most recognised name in dictionaries, Websters, leans distinctively right in their interpretations.

I think it's good to honestly discuss race even if it offends people. I'm sure Sky offended some but if everyone is afraid to talk, how will anything ever be solved?

My view is that racism (benign or malignant) is a manifestation of inherent human instincts that divide "us" from "them." I view it (usually) as ignorance to be corrected rather than evil to be destroyed.

Its our tribal/herd instincts that seperate "us" from "them" mentality.

Why do you suppose during WWII
we put Japanese Americans into concentration camps,
and did not do the same to German Americans?

Why do you suppose today Muslim Americans feel at risk?




It is OK to recognise and honor their uniqueness.
It is NOT OK to treat them different because of thier uniqueness!

You are a Canadian, living in Japan. "Our" society means something to me, a citizen of the United States, that it cannot possibly mean to someone from another country. And the heart of racism in the US is that it is invisible to the majority of US citizens because they (I) are white, and have not known its oppression, only its privileges.

I agree with you. I liked your whole asswhole thing you said before. Though I think a natural desire of sectionialism is different then rascism, same sport yes, just different degree of intensity.



What about a white kid like me? I grew up in the projects and I was called white boy so much I thought it was my name for awhile.

An amazing thing happens when conditions force perspective on a human.

I lived and worked a year and a half on Oahu.
I drove beer delivery truck. I was an average worker bee.

This means I had to live and work in a whole new cultural society.
As a white man I was in fact, the 3rd or 4th minority down!

Because of my job, and because of my personality, I didn't congregate in the white area's of Oahu.
I have always valued the path less traveled.



MM You grew up in a place not as common for whites as others.
You have a unique perspective because of your experiences too.

But, look at the white places in America.
How well do you suppose they could possibly understand what you do?


During WWII, how many whites had any way of identifying with Japanese Americans,
yet at the same time, had little problem identifying with German Americans?


One can expand of this idea.
Rich people, how well do you suppose Bush has any clue
what it's like, or the reality of life for Poor people?

Bush's ism's are as alive and active as anyones possibly could be!
Even though he himself would absolutely deny, and not be lying!
(you can't tell the truth, if you don't know the truth)

Im starting to believe truth to be a myth.

You misunderstood me.

I think that in Canada, as well as the US, telling somebody that they were a "racist" simply because they thought that Black people existed, would get you into some fights.

I absolutely agree, because the word, like so many, is being misused.

My tendencies too, rcorporon, are more towards the 'celebrating' part than analyzing if its 'PC' or not. One time I was all excited before going to a Codepink rally , and a guy at work said "Pink is sexist". Boy, he missed the boat by taking the wind out of my sails!

He's correct, it IS sexist.
And there is nothing wrong with that, in this circumstance!

Yanks description of the celebratory aspect is right on target!



Is it racist? Maybe.
Is this a bad thing? Maybe not!



As to the PC attitude!
It's nothing more than socialized enabling!
Instead of addressing the root of the issue,
lets make it so you can't talk about it at all!

Black History Month is a racist institution. A new one, meant to appease. It may, however, also be a foot in the door. A step toward the rightful place of Black history as an integral and large part of American history. White history in the US has certainly been a large and integral part of Black history here.

Wait, the color Pink is sexist? I am sorry, but I am going to have to ask you to explain that claim. I do not see how a color is sexist.

If we are going to do "Black" History month, at least do it right. The way it is done now does not even come close to the expance of learning towards all the "tribes" of white people.

The color pink is not sexist. It;s just a color.
But the context with which it's being used is CLEARLY sexist!
Pink = Female = Sexist!

And again, no one said this is a bad thing!

Ah, I see what you are saying Sky. Yeah the way people use pink can be sexist but the way I pee is sexist too.