Black History Month
I'll probably get lambasted for this, but so be it.
I have an issue with Black History Month. It's the same issue I have with Miss Black America, and Black Entertainment Television. What do you think would happen if we had a White History Month or a Miss White America? People would be all over the race card. The KKK would be having a cross burning party on Main Street. Yet, we have no issue with Miss Black America, or if we do, nobody's throwing the race card down on that. Don't give me the "it's because black women don't stand a chance in the Miss America pagent" argument either. If that were true, I couldn't have lusted after Vanessa Williams when her pictures appeared in a certain men's magazine in the 80's. I wouldn't have even known who she was.
It isn't the stuff I learn, or get reminded of in those PSAs for Black History Month that I take issue with. That's good stuff. It's the fact that we have a Black History Month to have those PSAs. I think black Americans who did great things should be recognized, and celebrated, along with every other American of every other race. Have informative PSAs for every noteworthy person in history, and sprinkle them in programming throuout the year. Have them for great black Americans, as well as great asian Americans, and great caucasian Americans, and just great Americans in general. Maybe have them for people who aren't even American. I think it's true we neglected the part black Americans played in our past and many contributions they made, and we might even be doing it now, but that's the part that has to change. That's the part that can push the cause of equality for everyone, regardless of race or anything else. The way I see it, as long as we perpetuate the differences between us, the longer people will make barriers out of those differences. Why can't we just have a History Month, and let all races participate? (Yes, this is the part where someone starts humming Kumbya in the background.) Why can't that month be filled with stories dedicated to the courage, inventiveness, fortitude or whatever of all Americans, if it's Americans we want to celebrate, regardless of race, color, creed, sexual orientation or preference for brocolli? Only when we stop making race matter will race stop mattering.
I have an issue with Black History Month. It's the same issue I have with Miss Black America, and Black Entertainment Television. What do you think would happen if we had a White History Month or a Miss White America? People would be all over the race card. The KKK would be having a cross burning party on Main Street. Yet, we have no issue with Miss Black America, or if we do, nobody's throwing the race card down on that. Don't give me the "it's because black women don't stand a chance in the Miss America pagent" argument either. If that were true, I couldn't have lusted after Vanessa Williams when her pictures appeared in a certain men's magazine in the 80's. I wouldn't have even known who she was.
It isn't the stuff I learn, or get reminded of in those PSAs for Black History Month that I take issue with. That's good stuff. It's the fact that we have a Black History Month to have those PSAs. I think black Americans who did great things should be recognized, and celebrated, along with every other American of every other race. Have informative PSAs for every noteworthy person in history, and sprinkle them in programming throuout the year. Have them for great black Americans, as well as great asian Americans, and great caucasian Americans, and just great Americans in general. Maybe have them for people who aren't even American. I think it's true we neglected the part black Americans played in our past and many contributions they made, and we might even be doing it now, but that's the part that has to change. That's the part that can push the cause of equality for everyone, regardless of race or anything else. The way I see it, as long as we perpetuate the differences between us, the longer people will make barriers out of those differences. Why can't we just have a History Month, and let all races participate? (Yes, this is the part where someone starts humming Kumbya in the background.) Why can't that month be filled with stories dedicated to the courage, inventiveness, fortitude or whatever of all Americans, if it's Americans we want to celebrate, regardless of race, color, creed, sexual orientation or preference for brocolli? Only when we stop making race matter will race stop mattering.
John put this out here at 8:19 AM
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