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Black History Month
BillieTheBot
Posts: 8,721 Bot
Can someone explain to me the following.
Why is this not racist?
What is 'black'?
Why is this not racist?
What is 'black'?
Beep boop. I'm a bot.
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Comments
I see what you mean though. I think it all boils down to minorities celebrating their heritage and culture. It wouldn't make much sense to celebrate a 'Black History Month' in Africa, just as it wouldn't make sense to mark a 'White History Month' here.
In an ideal world, we wouldn't need the month, as education establishments will fully recognise and appreciate our contribution to History. It is important as well to have the political will in the first place which was around during its inception.
We need a history month, as our opportunity to share with the world at large our incredible contribution to this planet. We need a history month so that we all can be proud of our creativity, respect our intellectual prowess and celebrate our culture whether it be, in the way we walk, shoulders back, head up high, or whether we are purchasing books, pamphlets and magazines from our community. "
Says thier website, but surely they can be proud of their creativity all of the year?
It is the clear seperation of people by colour which I hate about this.
http://observer.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,6903,1583038,00.html
eh?! :crazyeyes
Really don't know what to say on this one, apart from the fact that I don't see the point in distinguishing between people based on their skin colour.
But then the affluent west was built on the backs of slaves.
Whilst I think the website selling point is badly phrased and makes it seem like it is only for black people to take an interest, its no more only for one ethnic group than the recent spate of celebrations over Trafalgar were only for the Navy.
And, what the hell does the term 'black' actually mean?
Then again some people from Asia are darker skinned.
Call it Afro-Carribean History Month if you want, feck call it Black and Minority Ethnic History month if we want it be fully inclusive.
However, the purpose of the month is not to seperate people off, but to show that 'blacks' have been part of British life for generations and many of them, such as Mary Seacombe have made a real contribution, which hasn't been recognised.
Isnt that contradictory? It isnt to seperate people....this is to show 'blacks'.
It is the 'blacks' bit I dont like. We are not different because of the colour of our skin!
And of course I am inclined to ask again, what does 'black' mean?
We're not different in terms of being people but we do have a different heritage, a different history, a different experience. Black people (All shades of black as it were) suffer more prejudice in the West than white people - simple as. More prejudice than gay people, more prejudice than women. When a black person walks into the room the first thing I notice about them is that they are a different colour to me....anyone who says they don't is a liar, it's natural to notice difference, what is more important is how you react to that diference.
It doesn't project a them and us image - black history is markedly different to white history.
However it does tend to mean that many bits of history are ignored and one part of that is the history of black people in Britain. As I said I don't think this leads to seperateness - any more than our recent concentration on Trafalgar seperated out the Royal Navy.
I'd say they are very much interlinked actually.
So we should recognise people are different because of their skin colour?
We should recognise that people have different cultures and histories, yes. Most people's experience of "black history" at school is the slave trade. Maybe there is space for pointing out other things?
yeas some of it is - if you are only prepared to go back as far as slavery! Black history isn't all about slaves and tribes...there's more to it than that!
perhaps you could take part in this black history month and find out more!
no
People have a difference of skin colour, and may have a difference in culture but that difference in culture is not always to do with their skin colour.
A black woman who was born to somali refugees may have a completely different culture to a black woman born to british somalis. Their experience will contribute to their 'differnce' not their colour.
Every person id different, and it's a huge mistake to assume that someones skin colour determines their culture, experience or difference!
Which is exactly why I dont like the term 'black history'.
Like I said, I see the point of the exercise, and of course minorities have had, and do have a bad time of it. But I'd much rather we were moving towards a future where colour wasnt an issue, this to me only seems to perpetuate the myth that we are different.
All people are different. The terms are totally meaningless because no one shares common characteristics with anyone else purely because of their colour.
the only time it won't be an issue is when everyone is white or everyone is black! It will always be an issue - specially if people keep objecting to a pretty standard use of the word 'black'..
What are your objections to 'womens history month' ?
Indeed there is and I would argue that the example that you gave there was as much one of "White" history as "black".
And there's the rub. There is no such thing as Black or White history, just history. It has all affected us in some way of another. To label it is to devalue it. Basically the suggestion is that Black history is not relevant to whites and that is wrong.
Why does "Black History" need a month of it's own then, unless it's because "white" history is autmoatically closed to blacks.
I think what I am trying to say is that why should there be a focus on any "group" in isolation? Surely history is history and what we should be asking is why it isn't part of the mainstream education anyway. It's not like classes are referred to as "White History" is it?
Unless the suggestion is that as part of the overal education, months should be dedicated to a specific viewpoint or section of history. I would argue that this already happens...
Now if the only historical celebration the UK ever made was about ethnic minorities I could understand it. But it has to be seen as part of a long line of celebrations of other historical celebrations, such as Trafalgar, D-Day, Holocaust memorials etc, etc.
Personally I think anything which raises historical awareness is a good thing. and something which shows whites and blacks the positive impact blacks have made on the UK is even more to be supported.
And what is 'white', if it comes to that? I think a loose definition of 'black' would be anyone who would have been subject to racist legislation in America only slightly more than half a century ago. And there are those still living who remember being treated so. Slavery was only part of it.
Exactly, if this month is to make up for failings elsewhere to teach and present the impact 'blacks' have had then fix the failings dont fench off 'black' history to just one month.