# 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:** 7
**Author:** ![inscrutable](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/a88e4f/32.png) [@inscrutable](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/inscrutable)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2016, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-white-people-its-black-history-month-think/745036/121 "2016-02-04T01:55:58Z")
> [@lance\_strongarm](#): > > Nobody is saying that they know more than the aggrieved parties. But it takes two to tango. You can’t just have one side dictate what is offensive or not. The intent of the other group matters, and only they can know their intent. If minorities could just say they are offended by absolutely anything regardless of the intent behind it, they would have total control over everything. This. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2016, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-white-people-its-black-history-month-think/745036/122 "2016-02-04T02:40:18Z")
Attention Black History Month Aficionados. NOBODY CARES!! Well, some people care, but you get my drift. ---
**Author:** ![the\_diego](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7bcc69/32.png) [@the\_diego](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/the_diego)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2016, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-white-people-its-black-history-month-think/745036/123 "2016-02-04T03:32:17Z")
“Think” he says. I still think porn actresses are too white while the reverse is becoming true with porn actors. Now, the Oscars, basketball, and Special Warfare are usually matters of talent, skill, strength, and intelligence. But pornography is basically skin. Why the the lack of priority? ---
**Author:** ![NJ22](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/4af34b/32.png) [@NJ22](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NJ22)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2016, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-white-people-its-black-history-month-think/745036/124 "2016-02-04T04:50:14Z")
Seems like the media love race stories:smack: ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2016, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-white-people-its-black-history-month-think/745036/125 "2016-02-04T05:47:39Z")
> [@lance\_strongarm](#): > > In some ways, straight white males etc. know MORE about racism, sexism etc. After all, they are insiders in the group(s) that are doing the racism and sexism. :dubious: It’s OK, black people. **lance** is here to 'splain the racism you experience back to y’all… …because of course, it’s the _racists_’s experience that matters here. Why won’t someone think of Whitey? Nobody _ever_ thinks of Whitey :smack: ---
**Author:** ![outlierrn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/outlierrn/32/3005_2.png) [@outlierrn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/outlierrn)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2016, 6:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-white-people-its-black-history-month-think/745036/126 "2016-02-04T06:28:18Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > For my serious opinion on the meme of “whitesplaining” and “mansplaining”, it’s pretty simple: if you’re white, you probably don’t understand anti-black racism within an order of magnitude as much as any random black person. Necessarily, you will have much less (and likely infinitely less) personal experience with anti-black racism as any random black person – even someone famous or wealthy. So, as a rule, _don’t try to explain something related to anti-black racism to a black person_. Same goes for women and misogyny and related concepts. > > Just my opinion. Fair to say. but that goes both ways. I see plenty of socialjusticewarriorsplaining what white people and straight people and men think and getting it just as wrong and self serving. ---
**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 4, 2016, 6:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-white-people-its-black-history-month-think/745036/127 "2016-02-04T06:55:41Z")
> [@Lorne\_Armstrong](#): > > You’re the one who sees a monkey and thinks of black people. Er, no. The error was pointed out by a black player, not me, sensitive to the fact that racists denigrate black people by comparing them to apes. ---
**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 4, 2016, 7:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-white-people-its-black-history-month-think/745036/128 "2016-02-04T07:02:18Z")
> [@Starving\_Artist](#): > > In this day of hyper-Politically Correct bullying, I’d say it’s more than a little possible that anyone tempted to point out that the monkey on the t-shirt might be offensive was fearful him or herself of being accused of racism simply for having had the idea come to mind. That’s a fair point, but I would hope if I was on the marketing team working on a Year of the Monkey tee-shirt to be given out at the early Feb NBA home game, and then it struck me "WAIT A MINUTE! Thetas Black History Month . . " I could go up to my white boss, close the door and say, "By the way, did you know . . . " without reprisal. The fact the conversation didn’t take place (and don’t give me the “maybe there were black people involved?” argument) shows either ignorance or worse, willful passive-aggressive racism. ---
**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 4, 2016, 7:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-white-people-its-black-history-month-think/745036/129 "2016-02-04T07:06:13Z")
> [@Scylla](#): > > It actually looks like a cool shirt. The monkey on it just seems to be a nice monkey and doesn’t carry any racial subtext to me. Sometimes it’s tough to make something that can’t be misinterpreted. > > I think it’s a shame that we worry about this, or consider it important. It was important enough for a black player to point it out. If its offensive to him, Im sure its offensive to other black people, and thats enough for me. ---
**Author:** ![octopus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/octopus/32/3716_2.png) [@octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/octopus)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2016, 7:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-white-people-its-black-history-month-think/745036/130 "2016-02-04T07:12:50Z")
> [@russian\_heel](#): > > It was important enough for a black player to point it out. If its offensive to him, Im sure its offensive to other black people, and thats enough for me. That’s silly to go thru life so hypersensitive. That shirt doesn’t even look like a black person-monkey caricature. ---
**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 4, 2016, 7:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-white-people-its-black-history-month-think/745036/131 "2016-02-04T07:17:23Z")
> [@lance\_strongarm](#): > > So a white person looks at a monkey and does NOT think of black people. You look at a monkey and you DO think of black people. > > Who is the racist? > > At some point, we will reach a stage where most people don’t know about old racist symbols, and therefore use them without harmful intent. Older people who remember them will freak out, of course, but that’s part of the process. I have such a problem with the “if you think of it you are the racist” saw. I’M not the one who throws bananas on the field or rink when a black player takes the field or the ice. I’M not the one who portrays black people as almost monkey-like in old-timey 1930s cartoons. My crazy redneck uncle, not ME, referred to black people as “apes” as I was growing up. It was these racists, not ME, that connected these ugly symbols with black people, and therefore that is why my racist radar detector goes off when I see a monkey tee-shirt being given out during Black History Month at a basketball game featuring mostly black players: I see the connection other people have made. Good points being made about the fact the monkey is a Chinese symbol, and what about the Chinese fans? No one is saying your cannot commemorate the Chinese New Year. Its just that there are probably 1000 ways to commemorate it other than handing out monkey tee-shirts at an NBA game right at the beginning of a month many black people hold sacred. Like one poster said, bad optics. I haven’t heard one word of protest from one Chinese person about the tee-shirts being pulled. Surely, the Kings will secure this supposed huge fan base of theirs. ---
**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 4, 2016, 7:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-white-people-its-black-history-month-think/745036/132 "2016-02-04T07:18:52Z")
> [@octopus](#): > > Zoos better hide their primates this month. Maybe a trigger warning would suffice? Are you high, bro? ---
**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 4, 2016, 7:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-white-people-its-black-history-month-think/745036/133 "2016-02-04T07:21:24Z")
> [@Peremensoe](#): > > Thankfully in the US we have a lot more black history. Thankfully in the US we don’t have a British 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 4, 2016, 7:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-white-people-its-black-history-month-think/745036/134 "2016-02-04T07:22:32Z")
> [@Omega\_Glory](#): > > How do you know what race the OP is? Or gender? 😃 ---
**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 4, 2016, 7:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-white-people-its-black-history-month-think/745036/135 "2016-02-04T07:25:43Z")
> [@WOOKINPANUB](#): > > :smack: D’oh! I realized I’d conflated **piepie’s** words with that of the OP about 15 minutes later as I was driving home, and for that I stand corrected and apologetic. I still stand by my general train of thought, though. > > To your first point, I don’t know; maybe. I certainly know. Not because I’m some world scholar or anything but because it’s kind of been in the news. Everyone in my office knows (although the nature of our work sort of dictates that we all have to read all manner of shite that’s going on so . . .). I guess I just assume that with the way people around here keep up with stuff I figure they know. Your last sentence kind of makes the point; it \*is \*fine to have an opinion about stuff sometimes and some folks don’t share the opinion put forth by the OP. This is no different from any other thing we all butt heads (ha! I said buttheads) about here except it is because it’s about _ **RACE!!** _. Which now goes back to my (misdirected) comment / question as to why this was put in the pit. The OP isn’t just opining, he is pissed that dumbass whitey has the nerve to display a piece of merchandise with a primate on it because doing so has potential to offend black people. Some people responded that they didn’t see it that way / would never interpret it that way , but that clearly isn’t sufficient. We must all be outraged or else we must be racist. LOL this is the first time Ive been accused of being a black woman! Im a middle aged, lily white man and my outrage is over the stupidity in 2016 that something like this could happen in the first place. I applaud the Kings for puling the tee-shirts when they did; i question the ignorance and agenda behind their creation/timing in the first place. ---
**Author:** ![outlierrn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/outlierrn/32/3005_2.png) [@outlierrn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/outlierrn)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2016, 7:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-white-people-its-black-history-month-think/745036/136 "2016-02-04T07:27:20Z")
> [@russian\_heel](#): > > The fact the conversation didn’t take place (and don’t give me the “maybe there were black people involved?” argument) shows either ignorance or worse, willful passive-aggressive racism. You lose me with this, I’mnot convinced it shows anything. ---
**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 4, 2016, 7:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-white-people-its-black-history-month-think/745036/137 "2016-02-04T07:28:01Z")
> [@octopus](#): > > That’s silly to go thru life so hypersensitive. Those Jews were so hypersensitive at being portrayed as shylocks in all those Nazi propaganda magazines in the 30s, as well. ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2016, 7:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-white-people-its-black-history-month-think/745036/138 "2016-02-04T07:36:40Z")
> [@russian\_heel](#): > > Its just that there are probably 1000 ways to commemorate it other than handing out monkey tee-shirts at an NBA game right at the beginning of a month many black people hold sacred. Really? Do they hold it more or less sacred than Kwanzaa, would you say? ---
**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 4, 2016, 7:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-white-people-its-black-history-month-think/745036/139 "2016-02-04T07:38:31Z")
> [@Rigamarole](#): > > Really? Do they hold it more or less sacred than Kwanzaa, would you say? I know little about Kwanzaa, but surely, handing out tee-shirts at a basketball game is not one the sacred “rituals” of Chinese New Year. ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2016, 7:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-white-people-its-black-history-month-think/745036/140 "2016-02-04T07:43:32Z")
> [@russian\_heel](#): > > I know little about Kwanzaa, but surely, handing out tee-shirts at a basketball game is not one the sacred “rituals” of Chinese New Year. 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. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-white-people-its-black-history-month-think/745036.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/attention-white-people-its-black-history-month-think/745036.md?page=8)