Black History Month: Necessary?

hikky said:
Personal opinion: Imagine the outrage if there were a white history month.

FireReaverX said:
It was definitely necessary when it was first created, yes. Not anymore though. Of course, there's no way in hell it can be done away with at this point. So just learn to enjoy whatever even happens during this month (nothing of significance).

hikky said:
Possibly true, but I think it can at least be phased out. I think black people should feel insulted really, as if we should just bear their history for a month and learn about a dozen key people or so as a sort of expression of pity and not because we're actually interested in them, and then move on with our lives.

Sin said:
Necessary? No. Should it be implemented? Yes.

The country needs some way to remember how they've wronged and enslaved the black people throughout its history. However, I also think there should be a Native American History Month.

hikky said:


So you believe that people inherit the fault of their ancestors? If your father murdered someone, should you be held accountable too, just because you are blood-related? "This country" hasn't enslaved black people. The country changes and the people change, and the America of the 17th-19th century enslaved black people. It might as well be a completely different and unrelated country right now, because in substance it is dissimilar.

And why should we draw the line with black people or Native Americans? There are lots of minorities who have been wronged time and time again throughout history. These things are facts of human existence and they still continue in different ways today. It's not feasible to teach the current generation about all the evils committed in history, because there are far too many, and on top of that, we have modern problems to worry about.

Orbitzz83 said:
I'm just upset that Black history month gets a special curriculum from history classes and English classes, and no one even knows when Latino history month even falls. Even worse, there's no Asian history month or any other minority, so why are we making exceptions? I'm sad that I know more about Black history than my own Latino history, all I've ever learned about in school is how Pancho Villa got duped by Americans into giving up Mexican land dirt cheap and how the Aztecs were bloodthirsty, monstrous type warriors >___> .

Orbitzz83 said:
I'm just upset that Black history month gets a special curriculum from history classes and English classes, and no one even knows when Latino history month even falls. Even worse, there's no Asian history month or any other minority, so why are we making exceptions? I'm sad that I know more about Black history than my own Latino history, all I've ever learned about in school is how Santa Anna got duped by Americans into giving up Mexican land dirt cheap and how the Aztecs were bloodthirsty, monstrous type warriors >___> .

Orbitzz83 said:
yes, in American history classes, Asians don't exist D: . aside from reading the joy luck club, good luck finding ANY references to Asian culture in school.

Sin said:
This honestly doesn't bother me at all, and I'm Asian. Asians haven't been nearly as crucial to the history of this country as the African Americans, it's a fact. Teaching about Asians in American History classes would be like teaching about the significance of Africans in Japan in the 1600s.

Lofoc said:


Didn't Chinese immigrants play an important role in construction of the First Transcontinental Railroad, which connected the American east and west coast for the first time by anything other then horse driven convoys over a dirt trail?

But anyway I don't know any reason for calling February "Black history month". But yeah you should have a "Native American history month" too then. I mean didn't they suffer allot because of the immigration of the US?

Sin said:


So? They were hired, it's not like they were forcefully taken from their country and enslaved to work on the railroad, and THAT'S my point. Sure their wages weren't admittedly good, but they still got paid regardless, and they chose that job. But yes, I agree in terms of the Native American Month, and I've said that multiple times.

Sohei said:


how about Mormon month.
they would have just as much right then.

Sin said:




What??? Clarify, if you actually have a legitimate point.

Sohei said:


Intended as a joke, but theres still enough proof.

Endured hatred from all other religions, and lynching was quite common. Founder of mormonism was linched and their cult was banned in the eastern USA. had to trek long and far before they found a place in Utah.

had to give up certain religious practises before the federal government would even recognize Utah as a state.

don't feel like elaborating, wiki's the solution if you want to know more.

Sohei said:


Endured hatred from all other religions, and lynching was quite common. Founder of mormonism was linched and their cult was banned in the eastern USA. had to trek long and far before they found a place in Utah.

had to give up certain religious practises before the federal government would even recognize Utah as a state.

don't feel like elaborating, wiki's the solution if you want to know more.

Plate said:


I think you picked Mormons out of the bag of examples rather unfortunately, because really, lol Mormons

If anything, try Irish, at least there wasn't a legitimate reason for them to be treated like trash.

Sin said:

Ok so that point isn't legitimate. People from any nationality and any religious sect have gotten lynched. It doesn't mean that there should be a month in remembrance for them, especially since it wasn't U.S. policy to lynch them or to discriminate against them. And yes, religious practices shouldn't be part of a state's government.

In any case, I don't remember any land of the Mormon's being taken from them, and I don't remember Mormon's being forced into slavery, nor do I remember mormons having less rights than others due to governmental decree.

MackDaddyHart said:


so are you saying there's a legit reason to treat humans like trash?

Burek said:
This is just in USA right? I never heard of this holiday(?) occurring before. Is this something new?

Sin said:
We're making exceptions because we didn't steal the Asians' land, nor did we force them out of their country and enslave them in ours. And, the fact that people don't remember the Latino history month is because relatively speaking we honestly didn't screw them over nearly as much as we did to the black people in general (imperialism, slavery, and centuries of discrimination). All we did was take a certain part of their land (much of it through trade...not by force), and though it's not good to downplay that, it's so conspicuous that we've screwed the African Americans over much more.

Orbitzz83 said:


if you honestly think that the US gained land from Mexico through mere land trades, then you haven't heard both sides of the story. From what I've heard from Mexicans and what I've read in books like "Lies My American Teacher Told Me," the US had already conquered the lands they "traded" for with Mexico before any trade talks even took place, monetary compensation was only accepted to cut Mexico's losses. Since Mexico accepted, the US gets to say they made a fair trade - which can be seen as being as fair as a person giving up money to someone who's holding a gun to their head in return for not getting shot.

I get that African Americans did suffer a lot, and I get that it was against their will. However, Mexicans continue to suffer, but no one cares because they figure that no one forced them to come and blah blah blah. Don't even get me started on the whole Native American part of it, because it's even worse. Basically, the moral of the story is that if you don't bitch and moan enough to guilt trip us about how much your people suffered as a result of US involvement, we're not gonna pay attention.

and oh shi... became tl;dr D:

StephanBlackhawk said:

That statement in bold made it sound like blacks don't suffer anymore.

Sick-Bastard said:

Everybody suffers, not just blacks.