Do you think Black History Month is a tad racist?

[Halibut]

History isnt relevant to today.

 

Of course it is and to claim otherwise is the height of stupidity.

[Suffragette1]

History isnt relevant to today.

Its in the past.

Unchangeable

Done with.

Get over it.

 

Then you obviously do not understand history. History and historiography are totally relevant. It may be irrelevant to you but that does not mean that it's irrelevant per se. What is there to get over? Of course history itself is unchangeable (unless you have a time machine), however our interpretation and knowledge of it aren't. We will never reach a state of stasis as new facts about the past are constantly emerging, for example, the recent discovery of feathers preserved within amber which have given paleontologists a different understanding of dinosaurs.

 

History has shaped the world in which we live: politics, culture, literature, religion, art, theatre, etc, like it or not. We cannot understand that world if we perceive it to be a vacuum.

[Rupert_Baehr]

It's never stopped you in the past Rupert

 

 

I agree with most of what you say here, but I think Audra's post is the more compelling, because black history isn't necessarily about championing the black race-it's an academic exercise, highlighting the facts of a culture's history that have been unknown, misunderstood or mis-represented.

 

I don't believe after such an examination, black people will be rejoicing from the rooftops, because to put it simply there is much in black history that blacks have no reason to be proud of, just as whites don't in white history. Having said all that I don't see anything wrong in studying the history of blacks or whites.

 

To be honest I would have preferred and supported a 'Muslim history month', because I know even less about them and I'm convinced it would help our mutual understanding.

 

I've no idea what black history month intends to highlight, it isn't something I will be taking much regard of..but is it racist? No.

 

Does it offer a potential learning experience for people who who might have not seized the opportunity otherwise? Yes.

 

'Black History Month' is (IMO) a waste of time, BF.

 

I've seen young black males walking around wearing T-shirts with a picture of 'Malcolm X' and underneathn the words: "It's a black thing, you wouldn't understand."

 

Perfectly acceptable (????)

 

Were white youths to walk around wearing T-shirts with a picture of William Shakespeares and a slogan which said: "It's a white thing, you wouldn't understand' would that be acceptable?

´

Would it buggery! There'd be hell to pay! RACISM!

 

I suggest that (and this would work better locally than on a national scale) instead of 'Black History Month' it might be a good idea to have a 'Get to know your neighbours' month.'

 

When I first met Jim (my neighbour across the road) he didn't say: "Hi, I'm Jim I'm a black man" He said: "Hi, I'm Jim, I'm an engineer."

 

He'd been in the Corps, my wife had been in the Corps (a while ago) and we started from there. Relationships aren't built through group contacts - they're built face-to-face.

 

I don't give a stuff about 'black history' (Or white, pink, green or yellow history, for that matter. - Well, they may be important but my neighbours' recent history is probably of more importance to them and to me.

 

Get to know your neighbours. Make them your friends. Then you live in a happy and settled community.

 

Skin colour is totally irrelevant.

[boyfriday]

I asked for them. Infact i gave you a bit of time to trawl the internet to find something to back up your argument.

What argument? I'm saying black history should be taught, you're saying it shouldn't, what's there to argue about?

[MrFloppy]

What argument? I'm saying black history should be taught, you're saying it shouldn't, what's there to argue about?

 

Thats not entirely true now is it?

[MrFloppy]

Then you obviously do not understand history. History and historiography are totally relevant. It may be irrelevant to you but that does not mean that it's irrelevant per se. What is there to get over? Of course history itself is unchangeable (unless you have a time machine), however our interpretation and knowledge of it aren't. We will never reach a state of stasis as new facts about the past are constantly emerging, for example, the recent discovery of feathers preserved within amber which have given paleontologists a different understanding of dinosaurs.

 

History has shaped the world in which we live: politics, culture, literature, religion, art, theatre, etc, like it or not. We cannot understand that world if we perceive it to be a vacuum.

 

Yes i do.

Its a place in the past that no matter how you try you can never change.

Of course you can spend years and years whinging about it but you can never, ever change it.

End of.

[Suffragette1]

'Black History Month' is (IMO) a waste of time, BF.

 

I've seen young black males walking around wearing T-shirts with a picture of 'Malcolm X' and underneathn the words: "It's a black thing, you wouldn't understand."

 

Perfectly acceptable (????)

 

Were white youths to walk around wearing T-shirts with a picture of William Shakespeares and a slogan which said: "It's a white thing, you wouldn't understand' would that be acceptable?

´

Would it buggery! There'd be hell to pay! RACISM!

 

I suggest that (and this would work better locally than on a national scale) instead of 'Black History Month' it might be a good idea to have a 'Get to know your neighbours' month.'

 

When I first met Jim (my neighbour across the road) he didn't say: "Hi, I'm Jim I'm a black man" He said: "Hi, I'm Jim, I'm an engineer."

 

He'd been in the Corps, my wife had been in the Corps (a while ago) and we started from there. Relationships aren't built through group contacts - they're built face-to-face.

 

I don't give a stuff about 'black history' (Or white, pink, green or yellow history, for that matter. - Well, they may be important but my neighbours' recent history is probably of more importance to them and to me.

 

Get to know your neighbours. Make them your friends. Then you live in a happy and settled community.

 

Skin colour is totally irrelevant.

 

Skin colour is indeed irrelevant (or should be), however, it was not in the past (and still isn't now to many here and all over the world) which is why I see Black History Month as a positive awareness raising project which could also possibly serve as aspirational to young disaffected black kids. If it were a 'Black' month per se where all things black were celebrated for the sake of it without any context or rationale, then I would be more inclined to agree with you, however, it is within a historical context and gives kids in schools to learn more about the treatment and achievement of blacks outside the regular history curriculum.

[MrFloppy]

Of course it is and to claim otherwise is the height of stupidity.

 

Another sterling contrubution there.

[MrFloppy]

Skin colour is indeed irrelevant (or should be), however, it was not in the past (and still isn't now to many here and all over the world) which is why I see Black History Month as a positive awareness raising project which could also possibly serve as aspirational to young disaffected black kids. If it were a 'Black' month per se where all things black were celebrated for the sake of it without any context or rationale, then I would be more inclined to agree with you, however, it is within a historical context and gives kids in schools to learn more about the treatment and achievement of blacks outside the regular history curriculum.

 

Wheres me violin?

[Conrod]

Of course it is and to claim otherwise is the height of stupidity.

 

You just can't help yourself, can you?

 

Remember:

I believe in the expression "Attack the post, not the poster".

 

You'd do well to give that some thought - I note you added a racist accusation above. Well done.