# Is Kwanzaa a joke? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [May 21, 2016, 9:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-kwanzaa-a-joke/755290 "2016-05-21T09:19:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Budget\_Player\_Cadet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/budget_player_cadet/32/205_2.png) [@Budget\_Player\_Cadet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Budget_Player_Cadet)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2016, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-kwanzaa-a-joke/755290/21 "2016-05-21T12:50:51Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > I think you mean “White history month” Yes, thank you. Half a bottle of Crown Yard will do things to you the next morning. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2016, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-kwanzaa-a-joke/755290/22 "2016-05-21T12:56:01Z")
**Is Kwanzaa a joke?** > [@bomberswarm2](#): > > As above. No, but Festivus is. Glad to be of help. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2016, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-kwanzaa-a-joke/755290/23 "2016-05-21T12:57:33Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > Well, maybe he’ll return once he’s sobered up. Being drunk doesn’t make you racist. It only makes you racist out loud. ---
**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:** [May 21, 2016, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-kwanzaa-a-joke/755290/24 "2016-05-21T13:15:02Z")
Looks like we have a Neo-Nazi with a fetish about murder (judging by all the threads started by the OP). DNFTT. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2016, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-kwanzaa-a-joke/755290/25 "2016-05-21T14:17:57Z")
A Christmas, a Hannukah, and a Kwanzaa walk into a bar… ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2016, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-kwanzaa-a-joke/755290/26 "2016-05-21T14:38:24Z")
> [@bomberswarm2](#): > > Yea, ‘heritage’, a racist holiday. Where’s the White Kwanzaa or the Asian kwanzaa or the Latino Kwanzaa And I suppose Gay Pride Day is a “joke,” because there’s no Straight Pride Day? ---
**Author:** ![you\_with\_the\_face](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/ecccb3/32.png) [@you\_with\_the\_face](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/you_with_the_face)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2016, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-kwanzaa-a-joke/755290/27 "2016-05-21T14:41:21Z")
I guess the perinnial griping about kwanzaa has started early this year. Yawn. ---
**Author:** ![E-DUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/e-dub/32/403_2.png) [@E-DUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-DUB)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2016, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-kwanzaa-a-joke/755290/28 "2016-05-21T15:18:03Z")
Darn, I was going to call Festivus the “white Kwanzaa”. Some people seriously celebrate Festivus, or at least seem to. It does seem fair to ask, as an open question to African-American dopers, do you, or anyone you know take Kwanzaa seriously? Or is it basically the black equivalent of a “Hallmark Holiday”? ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2016, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-kwanzaa-a-joke/755290/29 "2016-05-21T15:57:19Z")
> [@you\_with\_the\_face](#): > > I guess the perinnial griping about kwanzaa has started early this year. Yawn. I was going to guess that you meant [perennial](http://www.dictionary.com/browse/perennial) until I remembered who posted the OP in this thread. The top contender for the correct spelling would then be [perineal](http://www.dictionary.com/browse/perineal). ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2016, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-kwanzaa-a-joke/755290/30 "2016-05-21T16:35:17Z")
I cannot believe the preoccupation with race at this site. (Maybe it’s the whole Internet, but this is the only place I hang out) Let’s discuss the n-word, let’s discuss white African-Americans, let’s discuss white privilege, let’s discuss kwanza. Oh, and Obama sucks because he’s (black). its getting a little depressing. In the real world I don’t run into any white people complaining about how hard it is to be white these days and complaining about racist black people. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2016, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-kwanzaa-a-joke/755290/31 "2016-05-21T16:53:38Z")
It is somewhat manufactured, but there is a bit of it based on some East African\* customs. That makes it less artificial than many US holidays such as Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Labor Day, etc. But not all that different from Thanksgiving as we know it (manufactured in the 1860s). \*One thing that would have helped Kwanzaa’s street cred is if was based on West or Southwest African customs and language. ---
**Author:** ![Ace309](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ace309/32/1050_2.png) [@Ace309](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ace309)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2016, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-kwanzaa-a-joke/755290/32 "2016-05-21T17:36:33Z")
> [@bomberswarm2](#): > > Last time I checked I go to work 5 days a week What the fuck is your problem? ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2016, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-kwanzaa-a-joke/755290/33 "2016-05-21T18:13:18Z")
> [@bomberswarm2](#): > > Last time I checked I go to work 5 days a week Do your coworkers a favor, and stay home more. ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2016, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-kwanzaa-a-joke/755290/34 "2016-05-21T19:10:29Z")
On reviewing the history of threads the OP has started, I’m reminded of Manny Peoples. A criminal, racist, anti-semitic, etc. Manny, that is. ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2016, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-kwanzaa-a-joke/755290/35 "2016-05-21T19:26:13Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > And I suppose Gay Pride Day is a “joke,” because there’s no Straight Pride Day? We’re here, we’re straight and we don’t want anymore hate! ---
**Author:** ![Do\_Not\_Taunt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/do_not_taunt/32/2968_2.png) [@Do\_Not\_Taunt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Do_Not_Taunt)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2016, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-kwanzaa-a-joke/755290/36 "2016-05-21T19:26:25Z")
> [@E-DUB](#): > > It does seem fair to ask, as an open question to African-American dopers, do you, or anyone you know take Kwanzaa seriously? This was basically my interpretation of the thread title, though it seems like there may be some context with the OP (poster) I’m thankfully unfamiliar with. It’s been my experience that no one (African Americans included) takes Kwanzaa particularly seriously, and is therefore a ‘joke’ holiday, but maybe others have different experiences? ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2016, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-kwanzaa-a-joke/755290/37 "2016-05-21T19:33:45Z")
> [@Ace309](#): > > What the fuck is your problem? Please. If we started to list them all we’d be here until Kwanzaa. ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2016, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-kwanzaa-a-joke/755290/38 "2016-05-21T19:55:57Z")
> [@bomberswarm2](#): > > Last time I checked I go to work 5 days a week If it isn’t a grey day [here](http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/construc/calendar/2016.pdf), and it isn’t, I don’t have to worry about it. If you’re complaining about who gets vacation days in December, it’s whoever got their dibs in first. > [@JKellyMap](#): > > A Christmas, a Hannukah, and a Kwanzaa walk into a bar… Now _that’s_ a joke. ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2016, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-kwanzaa-a-joke/755290/39 "2016-05-21T21:24:02Z")
> [@Ranger\_Jeff](#): > > On reviewing the history of threads the OP has started, I’m reminded of Manny Peoples. A criminal, racist, anti-semitic, etc. Manny, that is. Now there’s a blast from the past! I do not celebrate Kwanzaa. I was raised Catholic, why would I? I knew people who did. They also wear dashikis and kufis even though they’re 4th generation AME from Brooklyn. Eh,whatever floats your dhow. ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2016, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-kwanzaa-a-joke/755290/40 "2016-05-21T22:34:44Z")
> [@DrFidelius](#): > > OP, you are an ass. Are the only “legitimate” celebrations those that either address your ethnic group or give you a thin excuse to drink like a sophomore about to flunk out? Hey, there’s nothing stopping any of us from drinking like a sophomore about to flunk out on Kwanzaa, is there? Don’t you tell ME how to celebrate Kwanzaa. And yes, the OP is an ass. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-kwanzaa-a-joke/755290.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-kwanzaa-a-joke/755290.md?page=3)