# Pitting Black History Month **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [February 18, 2004, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-black-history-month/229806 "2004-02-18T16:25:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Jimmy\_Joe\_Meager](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bb73d2/32.png) [@Jimmy\_Joe\_Meager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jimmy_Joe_Meager)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2004, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-black-history-month/229806/61 "2004-02-18T23:42:33Z")
> [@Sinful](#): > > I just wish we could all look at each other and not see the race but the person. **Sinful** , that was actually a valuable and insightful statement. I agree with you fully. In fact, you’re in good company: “I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.” - _Martin Luther King, Jr._ I do not know (nor do I care) what color you skin is, but since you and I and Dr. King are all in agreement, well then… you won’t mind my saying that your character apparently sucks. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2004, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-black-history-month/229806/62 "2004-02-18T23:44:34Z")
> [@Sinful](#): > > What if someone decided to start a white history month, how well do you think that’d go over? Or for that matter a ‘Women’s History Month’. (Oops, there is one… it’s called March.) Or a “Gay History Month” (oops, there is one… October.) You’re right though, it is a total double standard. If, I’m just going out on a limb here, but let’s say Irish people wanted to celebrate THEIR heritage on, I dunno, let’s say St. Patrick’s Day, or if Latinos wanted to take like let’s say the fifth of May and celebrate their heritage or if whites wanted to celebrate the birthday of white heroes, like let’s say Washington and Lincoln, then it’d never be allowed. ---
**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 18, 2004, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-black-history-month/229806/63 "2004-02-18T23:47:54Z")
> [@monstro](#): > > Harriet Tubman says: > > You can kiss my runaway-slave-saving, shotgun-carrying, hankerchief-wearing black ass! > > Nate Turner says: > > You can kiss my slave-rebellion-starting, hallucinating cowboy black ass! > > Booker T Washington says: > > You can kiss my vocational skills-emphasizing, Tuskeegee Institute-founding black ass! > > Madama CJ Walker says: > > You can kiss my self-made-millioniare, hair-products-creating, Harlem socialite black ass! > > Malcolm X says: > > You can kiss my by-any-means-necessary, bean-pie-eating, praise-be-to-Allah black ass! > > **monstro** says: > > Once you screw black history in its “big black ass”, don’t expect to appreciate white history ever again. You know the saying. Once you go black, you never go back! Well it’s true. Now, that’s the kind of Black History lesson that might actually stick in people’s minds! 🙂 What’s the bean-pie-eating reference? Was it in the movie…? ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2004, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-black-history-month/229806/64 "2004-02-19T00:00:35Z")
> [@Jimmy Joe Meager](#): > > **Sinful** , that was actually a valuable and insightful statement. I agree with you fully. In fact, you’re in good company: > > “I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.” - _Martin Luther King, Jr._ > > I do not know (nor do I care) what color you skin is, but since you and I and Dr. King are all in agreement, well then… you won’t mind my saying that your character apparently sucks. There’s a big difference in not being **judged** by the color of your skin (i.e. blacks are shiftless horny melon eaters of limited intellect worth 3/5 of a white person in the original Constitution) and not **NOTICING** the color of somebody’s skin. I’ll be honest: along with gender, age and other obvious demographics it’s the **first** thing I notice about somebody and I don’t think that makes me remotely racist. There is plenty of room to acknowledge who and what you are and still belong to a larger group. I’m very interested in my Irish, Creek Indian, German, Jewish and other ancestry and love to read and watch documentaries about all of these groups- it’s my genetic biography and a vital comonent of who I am and why I’m here. For blacks I would argue it’s even **more** a vital component because of the incredible recentness of the struggle. It would be like telling WW2 veterans to “get over it, Hitler’s dead and so is Yamamoto… we’re fighting in Iraq now”. I have absolutely no personal guilt whatever for the racism of my ancestors but I most definitely acknowledge it and am appalled by their actions. I see Black History Month as something like a unit in an education for people no longer in school so that we will never forget just what has been survived and what has been accomplished. (I won’t quote Santayana but I’m seriously thinking about him.) Besides, it’s not as if Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee are kidnapping white motorists from rest areas and forcing them to watch _ROOTS_ and _NO WAY OUT_ in an underground headquarters where they’re reeducated with urban legends about Bessie Smith and Charles Drew. If you don’t want to participate in Black History Month then watch _Who Wants to Marry a Gay Midget_ or whatever else is on that night or pick up a copy of Ann Coulter’s newest screed or just play with the dog and blow away some Pleidean invaders on SEGA Genesis. ---
**Author:** ![Stuffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f17d59/32.png) [@Stuffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stuffy)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2004, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-black-history-month/229806/65 "2004-02-19T00:08:46Z")
> [@John Mace](#): > > Now, that’s the kind of Black History lesson that might actually stick in people’s minds! 🙂 > > What’s the bean-pie-eating reference? Was it in the movie…? Muslims (more correctly Nation of Islam types) make, sell and eat ean pies. Ask one of those guys in the bowties, the ones who’ll walk around you to sell one of those papers. On second thought maybe not. Speaking of which anyone ever tasted one? ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2004, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-black-history-month/229806/66 "2004-02-19T00:27:39Z")
> [@](#): > > Speaking of which anyone ever tasted one? They are yummy. I don’t care for The Final Call (the rag NOI publishes), but I sure do like those pies! ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Ashtar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ea924/32.png) [@Lord\_Ashtar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Ashtar)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2004, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-black-history-month/229806/67 "2004-02-19T00:29:10Z")
> [@jarbabyj](#): > > And because of this, we say “fuck it in your big black ass?” There IS a Hispanic Heritage Month or Week I believe ( I can’t remember when it is, Chicago celebrates it heavily) and as for White Heritage, you can’t honestly tell me we never celebrate the accomplishments of white folk. I don’t believe I said “fuck it in your big black ass.” I also never said we don’t celebrate white accomplishments. I’ll thank you kindly to not put words in my mouth. ---
**Author:** ![MsRobyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90ced4/32.png) [@MsRobyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsRobyn)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2004, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-black-history-month/229806/68 "2004-02-19T00:48:31Z")
> [@Sinful](#): > > What if someone decided to start a white history month, how well do you think that’d go over? > > Another thing I hate is the way blacks continue to act like whites owe them something more than the freedom and equality we’ve given them. We can’t help what our ancestors did to their ancestors. It’s history and we’ve been working very hard to make blacks and other minoritys equal with whites. I just wish we could all look at each other and not see the race but the person. Oh, boy. Where do I begin? We _have_ White History Month. It’s called “World History I”. At my uni, we’ve covered 30,000+ years of human civilization and are just now getting to Africa. In the context of the slave trade. (To be completely fair, we have gotten a fair amount of Asian history, however.) There has been this HUGE hole in the map that hasn’t been addressed until now. It’s quite interesting to finally find out that black history isn’t all about civil rights and slavery. As to your second point, well, others have covered this, but I’m going to reiterate. We didn’t “give” them anything. They fought for their freedom. Black equality in this country came at a pretty high price. Cities burned; innocent people were brutally murdered at the hands of the white establishment, including _children_; court battles were fought; need I say more? Considering how much these people have been shit all over by white America, I’d say they are entitled to feel proud of their heritage and their accomplishments. So, shut the fuck up and listen. You might learn something, God forbid. Robin ---
**Author:** ![Giraffe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giraffe/32/129_2.png) [@Giraffe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giraffe)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2004, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-black-history-month/229806/69 "2004-02-19T00:51:36Z")
> [@JuanitaTech](#): > > Amen. I make it a point to thank at least one white person a day for my freedom and equality. On behalf of white people, thank you. We were getting pretty sick of working to make you equal to us without any acknowledgement. What we need is some sort of White History Month to celebrate the unsung heroes of the “Making Blacks As Good As Whites” struggle. **Sinful** will be featured prominently, I’m sure. ---
**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 19, 2004, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-black-history-month/229806/70 "2004-02-19T01:01:55Z")
> [@Lord Ashtar](#): > > I don’t believe I said “fuck it in your big black ass.” I also never said we don’t celebrate white accomplishments. > > I’ll thank you kindly to not put words in my mouth. She’s talking about the OP, genius. > [@Sinful](#): > > Screw black history month. Screw it right in its big black ass. As for Black History Month, this cracker doesn’t much care one way or another. But, if some black people feel it makes up in some small measure for all the shit that’s been heaped on them throughout the history of this country, I say go for it. It doesn’t cost me a damn thing. Well, actually, it does serve one useful purpose, at least from my POV. It’s a great stalking horse to draw assholes like **Sinful** out of the woodwork. If it weren’t for Black History Month, he would never have posted this OP, and I might have mistaken him for someone intelligent or insightful. Thank you, Black America, for helping me to identify and thereby avoid one more time-wasting idiot. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2004, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-black-history-month/229806/71 "2004-02-19T01:07:24Z")
> [@yojimbo](#): > > Would somebody be so kind as to explain what exactly happens during this Month for the non-Americans like myself. Bloomie’s has a white sale. ---
**Author:** ![Ryle\_Dup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Ryle\_Dup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ryle_Dup)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2004, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-black-history-month/229806/72 "2004-02-19T01:26:35Z")
> [@MsRobyn](#): > > You basically have it right. Unfortunately, some get carried away and try to exploit it for commercial advantage, and that’s just sad. > > IMO, months devoted to the histories of particular groups, especially under-represented groups like blacks, women (March is Women’s History Month), and Hispanics (they’ve got October) aren’t bad ideas. It’s interesting to reflect on contributions by these groups, especially since they aren’t often taught in American history classes. > > Robin This is kinda what bugs me about the whole ‘celibration’ of heritage. I don’t feel glad for the accomplishments of any of my ‘fellow’ white people. I don’t really care, if I do feel glad, I feel glad for the accomplishments of **humans**. Why should we reflect on the contributions of a group based on their skin color? Can’t we have Jamaican history month, European history month? If we’re being proud of something, why not the actual country of our origin, or heritage? Why group people together just because they look black, white, yellow, or whatever? This is why I have a slight problem with “celebrating heritage”. I don’t celebrate having white skin, I don’t really celebrate much at all, but were I to, I would celebrate my german roots. ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2004, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-black-history-month/229806/73 "2004-02-19T01:49:00Z")
> [@Ryle Dup](#): > > This is kinda what bugs me about the whole ‘celibration’ of heritage. I don’t feel glad for the accomplishments of any of my ‘fellow’ white people. I don’t really care, if I do feel glad, I feel glad for the accomplishments of **humans**. Why should we reflect on the contributions of a group based on their skin color? Can’t we have Jamaican history month, European history month? If we’re being proud of something, why not the actual country of our origin, or heritage? Why group people together just because they look black, white, yellow, or whatever? > > This is why I have a slight problem with “celebrating heritage”. I don’t celebrate having white skin, I don’t really celebrate much at all, but were I to, I would celebrate my german roots. Black Americans have a heritage that can be distinguished from mainstream culture. “Black History Month” isn’t a celebration of people with dark skin. It’s a celebration of the heritage created by the descendants of African slaves. You have German roots. Great. But if you’re the descendant of African slaves and you want to celebrate that, what else could you celebrate but “black history”? You’re fortunate that you can pinpoint a nation of origin. For black folk–African Americans–we do not have that. If it makes you feel better, call the month African American history. Or better yet, just understand what “Black” means and move on. ---
**Author:** ![Greyson3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/258eb7/32.png) [@Greyson3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Greyson3)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2004, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-black-history-month/229806/74 "2004-02-19T02:02:32Z")
There are already people campaigning for a [white history month](http://www.webspawner.com/users/whitehistorymonth/) and the ZOG hasn’t assassinated them yet. You can join them if you want. Nobody’s stopping you. ---
**Author:** ![Stuffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f17d59/32.png) [@Stuffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stuffy)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2004, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-black-history-month/229806/75 "2004-02-19T02:05:11Z")
> [@monstro](#): > > They are yummy. I don’t care for The Final Call (the rag NOI publishes), but I sure do like those pies! Thanks **monstro** I was just wondering. I could go down the street and buy one but I refuse to support NOI in any fashion. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Ashtar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ea924/32.png) [@Lord\_Ashtar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Ashtar)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2004, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-black-history-month/229806/76 "2004-02-19T02:16:41Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > She’s talking about the OP, genius. She was quoting me when she said that. Thanks anyway, Sparky. ---
**Author:** ![Ryle\_Dup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Ryle\_Dup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ryle_Dup)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2004, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-black-history-month/229806/77 "2004-02-19T02:32:47Z")
> [@monstro](#): > > Black Americans have a heritage that can be distinguished from mainstream culture. “Black History Month” isn’t a celebration of people with dark skin. It’s a celebration of the heritage created by the descendants of African slaves. > > You have German roots. Great. But if you’re the descendant of African slaves and you want to celebrate that, what else could you celebrate but “black history”? You’re fortunate that you can pinpoint a nation of origin. For black folk–African Americans–we do not have that. > > If it makes you feel better, call the month African American history. Or better yet, just understand what “Black” means and move on. Celebrate “African History”, or “African American History”. All ‘blacks’ in America are NOT African. Why the term “black”? Black is a description of skin color, so is white, its ridiculous to say these represent an actual group of people who identify with certain customs and other cultural things. Yes, they may share some things because they have similar origins, but they don’t all. My SO is black, or Jamaican rather. She doesn’t come from Africa, yet is still represented as black. ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2004, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-black-history-month/229806/78 "2004-02-19T02:33:17Z")
**Stuffy** , find a soul food restaurant. I’m talking about one on the sketchy side of town, with walls so saturated with grease that you could eat them. You can find them there and not have to support NOI. The Pathmark down the street from me used to sell bean pies. The bakery that made them also made sweet potato pie and banana nut bread. But sadly, that Pathmark doesn’t sell them anymore. Now I have a hankering for bean pies. Thanks a lot! (Bean pies do not taste like beans, in case you’re wondering. If they did, I would not let a slice touch my lips.) ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2004, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-black-history-month/229806/79 "2004-02-19T02:45:27Z")
> [@](#): > > Celebrate “African History”, or “African American History”. All ‘blacks’ in America are NOT African. Say this with me: Black history = black American history = African American history Black history = black American history = African American history Black history = black American history = African American history Repeat about a million times, if need be. Sheesh. If it was called “African American history”, then people would be complaining that “true” Africans are being neglected in the celebration. Or that black Americans are trying to dilute their Americanness by claiming something they are not. And it’s not _African_ history since it’s clearly _American_. ---
**Author:** ![Nocturne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/9fc348/32.png) [@Nocturne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nocturne)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2004, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-black-history-month/229806/80 "2004-02-19T02:46:18Z")
“My SO is black, or Jamaican rather. She doesn’t come from Africa, yet is still represented as black.” Her ancestors were from Africa…I thought that was what Black History Month was all about. Celebrating one’s heritage… Some of my ancestors are black, some are Irish. I celebrate the achievements of blacks with as much relish as I drink lots of Guinness in mid-March. 😉 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-black-history-month/229806.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-black-history-month/229806.md?page=5)