# Attention white people: ITS BLACK HISTORY MONTH. Think. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [February 3, 2016, 6:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-white-people-its-black-history-month-think/745036 "2016-02-03T06:55:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 13
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2016, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-white-people-its-black-history-month-think/745036/241 "2016-02-05T00:53:08Z")
> [@coremelt](#): > > meh considering the fact the t shirt explicitly says “year of the monkey” on it, and its targeted at people outside the US I rate this about a 2 out of 10 on the outrage scale. If they want to be racist in Asia, they’re just racist, they’re not subtle about it. > > Black Face is still acceptable on TV in Korea: > [Gusts Of Popular Feeling: Three decades of blackface in Korea](http://populargusts.blogspot.com/2012/03/three-decades-of-black-face-in-korea.html) Not to mention the women, in black face, wearing a necklace that featured a Star of David with a swastika in the middle of it. Oh, and this was to protest female genital mutation. (No, I’m not fucking kidding.) :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Fiveyearlurker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@Fiveyearlurker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiveyearlurker)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2016, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-white-people-its-black-history-month-think/745036/242 "2016-02-05T01:12:18Z")
> [@FuriousGeorge](#): > > I’m struggling to understand this as well. It helps to add to the narrative one has concocted when one has decided to pretend to be offended about something. ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2016, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-white-people-its-black-history-month-think/745036/243 "2016-02-05T01:14:30Z")
> [@FuriousGeorge](#): > > SO in this horrible analogy, of Chinese New Year and Black History Month, which is the sports and which is the disaster? Are we saying that because it’s Black History Month all other cultures are to deign before Black History Month? It’s not a one-to-one analogy. The point is, there’s nothing wrong with the President talking about either thing, just as there’s nothing wrong with the Sacramento Kings acknowledging either occasion. But it would at least look bad, if not signal a genuine failure of comprehension, to do both at the same time. Particularly since, the day actually _was_ the first of BHM (and was so recognized by the team), and was _not_ yet Chinese New Year. ---
**Author:** ![andros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e480ec/32.png) [@andros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andros)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2016, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-white-people-its-black-history-month-think/745036/244 "2016-02-05T01:40:01Z")
> [@Fiveyearlurker](#): > > It helps to add to the narrative one has concocted when one has decided to pretend to be offended about something. Cite that DeMarcus Cousins is pretending to be offended? ---
**Author:** ![treis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bc79bd/32.png) [@treis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/treis)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2016, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-white-people-its-black-history-month-think/745036/245 "2016-02-05T02:04:52Z")
> [@Peremensoe](#): > > But it would at least look bad, if not signal a genuine failure of comprehension, to do both at the same time. Again, in all serious, please explain why it’s inappropriate for the Kings to celebrate CNY and BHM on the same day. And to further clarify, my understanding is: (1) Monkey T-shirt + First Day of BHM = racially insensitive (2) CNY T-Shirt (No monkeys) + First Day of BHM = not racially insensitive (3) Monkey T-shirt + Date in Feb excluding Feb 1st = not racially insensitive Is that right? > [@Peremensoe](#): > > Particularly since, the day actually _was_ the first of BHM (and was so recognized by the team), and was _not_ yet Chinese New Year. My understanding is that the time leading up to CNY is a holiday time. Similar to the lead up to X-Mas. So there’s nothing really unusual with honoring it in the weeks before. The Wizards, for example, wore their CNY jerseys last night. ---
**Author:** ![Fiveyearlurker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@Fiveyearlurker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiveyearlurker)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2016, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-white-people-its-black-history-month-think/745036/246 "2016-02-05T02:30:38Z")
> [@andros](#): > > Cite that DeMarcus Cousins is pretending to be offended? There is no other alternative. Actually being offended by a holiday celebrated by over one billion people worldwide, which has been around for quite awhile, which has zero to do with his race, is impossible. ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2016, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-white-people-its-black-history-month-think/745036/247 "2016-02-05T02:31:35Z")
Nobody was offended, nor pretending to be offended, by Chinese New Year. ---
**Author:** ![joyfool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df788c/32.png) [@joyfool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joyfool)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2016, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-white-people-its-black-history-month-think/745036/248 "2016-02-05T02:37:37Z")
> [@Peremensoe](#): > > Nobody was offended, nor pretending to be offended, by Chinese New Year. I think you need to speak slower. ---
**Author:** ![Fiveyearlurker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@Fiveyearlurker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiveyearlurker)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2016, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-white-people-its-black-history-month-think/745036/249 "2016-02-05T02:39:59Z")
> [@Peremensoe](#): > > Nobody was offended, nor pretending to be offended, by Chinese New Year. No he was pretending to be offended by a representation of Chinese New Year. That’s even stupider, somehow. ---
**Author:** ![FuriousGeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecae2f/32.png) [@FuriousGeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FuriousGeorge)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2016, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-white-people-its-black-history-month-think/745036/250 "2016-02-05T02:45:51Z")
> [@Peremensoe](#): > > It’s not a one-to-one analogy. The point is, there’s nothing wrong with the President talking about either thing, just as there’s nothing wrong with the Sacramento Kings acknowledging either occasion. But it would at least look bad, if not signal a genuine failure of comprehension, to do both at the same time. Particularly since, the day actually _was_ the first of BHM (and was so recognized by the team), and was _not_ yet Chinese New Year. You’re analogy implies that one of these events is more reverent (a disaster) than another (sports) in that talking about one while another is happening at the same time is inappropriate or a lack of comprehension. My question is why is BHM to be treated as the disaster and CNY treated as sports? Why would it be inappropriate to make Chinese New Year the disaster and BHM the sports? Would it be racist, offensive, inappropriate, yada yada for a Chinese person or group of Chinese people to wear their own Year of the Monkey t-shirts to that particular Kings game. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2016, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-white-people-its-black-history-month-think/745036/251 "2016-02-05T03:37:40Z")
> [@Peremensoe](#): > > It’s not a one-to-one analogy. The point is, there’s nothing wrong with the President talking about either thing, just as there’s nothing wrong with the Sacramento Kings acknowledging either occasion. But it would at least look bad, if not signal a genuine failure of comprehension, to do both at the same time. Particularly since, the day actually _was_ the first of BHM (and was so recognized by the team), and was _not_ yet Chinese New Year. Is this your first encounter with an analogy? Because you seem to be struggling with the concept. ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2016, 5:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-white-people-its-black-history-month-think/745036/252 "2016-02-05T05:43:54Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > Is this your first encounter with an analogy? Because you seem to be struggling with the concept. Seriously? ---
**Author:** ![russian\_heel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f05b48/32.png) [@russian\_heel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/russian_heel)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2016, 6:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-white-people-its-black-history-month-think/745036/253 "2016-02-05T06:31:47Z")
> [@Rigamarole](#): > > OK but that’s not what I asked - since you are apparently an expert on what black people hold sacred I wanted to know about the relative sacredness they hold it in by comparison. Were not talking about Kwanzaa, were talking about Black History Month. ---
**Author:** ![russian\_heel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f05b48/32.png) [@russian\_heel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/russian_heel)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2016, 6:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-white-people-its-black-history-month-think/745036/254 "2016-02-05T06:33:10Z")
> [@octopus](#): > > So? Those were attempts to make particular people look bad. It takes a huge stretch by hypersensitive dolts to think that that particular monkey on those particular shirts is directed at black people. The “dat’s racist!!!” Card has to be worn out by now. I’ll tell you what I want you to do, and only if your not black. Walk through Harlem with that tee-shirt. Then let me know how much referring to black people as simians is “worn out” for you. ---
**Author:** ![russian\_heel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f05b48/32.png) [@russian\_heel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/russian_heel)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2016, 6:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-white-people-its-black-history-month-think/745036/255 "2016-02-05T06:37:05Z")
> [@coremelt](#): > > meh considering the fact the t shirt explicitly says “year of the monkey” on it, and its targeted at people outside the US I rate this about a 2 out of 10 on the outrage scale. If they want to be racist in Asia, they’re just racist, they’re not subtle about it. > > Black Face is still acceptable on TV in Korea: > [Gusts Of Popular Feeling: Three decades of blackface in Korea](http://populargusts.blogspot.com/2012/03/three-decades-of-black-face-in-korea.html) > > Or that Chinese people think its acceptable to open a restaurant prohibiting black people IN KENYA: > [Chinese restaurant in Nairobi, Kenya, Africa has a 'no black Africans' policy | Metro News](http://metro.co.uk/2015/03/24/chinese-restaurant-in-africa-has-a-no-black-africans-policy-5118322/) > > And in Japan its common for government signs to portray black people as cartoons with big pale lips, and commonly as criminals. (can’t find the link right now but it was very offensive) Yes there are black people in japan. > > Now thats stuff worth getting outraged about. Agreed. A perhaps higher level of racism against blacks in other cultures doesn’t excuse any level of racism in ours, however. Maybe these examples aren’t above it, Id like to think Americans are by now. ---
**Author:** ![russian\_heel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f05b48/32.png) [@russian\_heel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/russian_heel)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2016, 6:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-white-people-its-black-history-month-think/745036/256 "2016-02-05T06:38:07Z")
> [@Zyanthia](#): > > I find his reactions to the Chinese holiday very offensive. No, you don’t. ---
**Author:** ![russian\_heel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f05b48/32.png) [@russian\_heel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/russian_heel)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2016, 6:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-white-people-its-black-history-month-think/745036/257 "2016-02-05T06:40:30Z")
> [@Morgenstern](#): > > Shame on those Chinese for not realizing that the year of the monkey might offend someone, somewhere. Shame on anyone for celebrating it. Thank you Mr. White knight for pointing this out. Wait, is white knight racist? We’re going to have to change all the fairy tales now. You see what you’ve done. This isn’t about the Chinese New Year, and your the second person thats tried this argument and its stupid, Ive already refuted it by pointing out that somehow, printing tee-shirts is not one of the ancient traditions of this celebration. I’m not “white knight” and no, I don’t suffer from “white guilt” which Im sure is where you are going next with this. Im just asking why cant we do a little better? ---
**Author:** ![russian\_heel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f05b48/32.png) [@russian\_heel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/russian_heel)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2016, 6:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-white-people-its-black-history-month-think/745036/258 "2016-02-05T06:46:00Z")
> [@Clothahump](#): > > Sooo…is the player going to be in a snit all year long? Because that was the whole thing about the shirts - they were celebrating the Year of the Monkey in the Chinese zodiac calendar. . . on the first day of Black History Month. You conveniently left that out. Im sure no black person objects to this being the Year of the Monkey, and certainly Chinese will be permitted to celebrate this a million other ways than printing tee shirts at a basketball game. As a matter of fact, the last I recall, there wasn’t an outcry by the Chinese community for the Kings to do this in the first place. > [@](#): > > It has been my experience, reconfirmed every day, that the first person who makes an issue of skin color is usually quite bigoted. Skin color is meaningless unless you are giving a physical description of someone. DeMarcus Cousins as well as other black players on the Kings are the ones who had to point out the shirt might be taken the wrong way. Please present proof that Mr. Cousins is a bigot, or a racist. ---
**Author:** ![russian\_heel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f05b48/32.png) [@russian\_heel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/russian_heel)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2016, 6:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-white-people-its-black-history-month-think/745036/259 "2016-02-05T06:54:31Z")
> [@bucketybuck](#): > > Thats because when you see a monkey you think of black people. I’ve more than refuted this nonsense already. But continue to put words in my mouth and thoughts in my head. > [@](#): > > If I saw that t-shirt I would have thought of monkeys. Goody gumdrops for you. > [@](#): > > But maybe I am racist and just don’t know it. No, you are ignorant and uninformed as to why its inappropriate to use simian imagery when it relates to a business that feature black players. Do some research, and get back to me, kid. > [@](#): > > Another question, if the marketing people used “I’m a believer” as a theme song during BHM, is that racist? Seriously, bro? > [@](#): > > Also, who remembers the old 70’s crappy tv show “Monkey magic”? I just watched a [clip](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JNIXkMgPFjE) and I’m very confused about who its supposed to be racist against? Yes, lets go through every single questionable example of all time to disprove the players outrage over this. Just as idiotic as the earlier suggestion zoos lock up and hide gorillas and monkeys during Black History Month as to not offend black people. Typical angry white racist arguments. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2016, 7:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-white-people-its-black-history-month-think/745036/260 "2016-02-05T07:08:29Z")
Are you fucking retarded? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-white-people-its-black-history-month-think/745036.md?page=12) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-white-people-its-black-history-month-think/745036.md?page=14)