Only Three Hundred Thirty Seven More Shopping Days
I was at the library the other day and they were taking down the Black History Month bulletin board display. Packing away black history in a box until next year like it was Christmas lights or a manger scene.
Can’t you just imagine a neighborhood some place where a housewife is looking out the window, shaking her head and saying to her husband, “George, just look at that. The Winslows still have their light-up Harriet Tubman on the front lawn. Don’t they know it’s March, for goodness sake?”
Because we all know that black people don’t exist (other than music and sports) outside of February. They don’t seem to be given much consideration any other time of the year, anyway. Black people, if you want to make a mark, do it in February. Look at how black people are finally winning Academy Awards since the Oscar ceremony moved from March to February.
Of course, as soon as the Academy figures out that it’s the time of year that people have black on the brain, the Oscars will get a new date. They won’t want the voting happening in January because of Martin Luther King Day (aka Black History Eve). No, no. They will move it to something like December…a nice, white, snowy month. With the war on Christmas, there will be room for something else in December soon, anyway.
A couple of weeks ago at the Post Office I noticed a new stamp had been issued with Ella Fitzgerald on it. I thought “how cool.” Because I like Ella Fitzgerald. But in hindsight, I realize her stamp probably would not have come out in June or October. The government has set aside 28 specific days for us to admit that black people also did some things. (In leap years, does the 29th day go to Mixed Race History?)
Since we have been given a definite time to celebrate black history, why don’t we celebrate the way we do everything else in this country. The commercial way!
Bosses are ringing up florists for something as minor as Secretary’s Day (no offense to secretaries, but Jane Hathaway ain’t quite Rosa parks). So why isn’t something being done for Black History Month. Where are the milk chocolate George Washington Carvers (with peanuts, of course) to hand out to the kiddies? Where’s the Black History Month White Sale?
But then again, if we keep giving black people their own month to celebrate their history, the next thing you know they’re going to want their own water fountains and restrooms.
Yes, I know it’s important that Americans be made aware of the struggles and contributions made by blacks to our society and to celebrate their achievements. But if we have learned to integrate our schools, isn’t it time that we integrate the history that’s taught there?
What good is sitting at the front of a bus, if that bus is not going anywhere?
March 5th, 2007 at 12:24 am
I support your integration of ‘Black History’ into ‘History’. Alternatively we could limit ‘White History’ to one month too. We could keep going with different groups until we relalize we are all one people and our history is human history. All of us with equal importance in all months.
March 5th, 2007 at 1:06 am
Tony, that is one of your best, most brilliant posts…ever. Thank you.
March 5th, 2007 at 7:46 am
well said…
March 5th, 2007 at 12:52 pm
Little did I realize that when I became my family’s genealogist I’d get an eye opening view of American history. As decendants of slaveowners and slaves, we occupy a unique place in the continuing national dialogue on race.When DNA use becomes more prevalent we’ll begin to see many mixed race family reunions. Look at Thomas Jeferson and Jesse Helms.Think they were unique? Are southerners prepared to face these realities?
There is only one race, it’s called the human race.
March 5th, 2007 at 1:24 pm
Actually, what Brian said is scientifically sound. Skin color is merely the concentration of melanin found in the cells. The more melanin, the darker the skin tone. The idea of different races is artificial and based on perception of the outside rather than exploration of the inside of a person. For me, it just always returns to the same old question. “Why are we here?” I believe the answer to that is to learn honest and straightforward communication with each other, tolerance of our shortcomings, acceptance of where we are in our own particular journey, appreciation of diversity, forgiveness, and love without condition. We are all connected as one and we cannot achieve these things by being closed to communication or having false divisions based on perceived differences.
March 5th, 2007 at 5:57 pm
I’m all for Black History Month! See, I could get into how integration did more damage than good over segregation (specifically speaking about how blacks had some level of dignity back then and then started trying to be like whites when integration occurred – my mother was telling me how she wanted segregation but equality, and there are arguments for and against it, but I see what they’re getting at in terms of the decline of the black community in so many ways), but I won’t – or did I just do it?
Anyway, this is one of your best posts ever. It had me laughing, paying attention, and agreeing. One thing I loved about my WHITE Middle School ULTRA-CONSERVATIVE history teacher was that during February, we had some black history EVERY DAY. And even got quizzed and tested on it and even had some of it show up on the final exam in June. I really appreciated her doing that. Yeah, it should be integrated in some form along with others’ historical contributions, but for what it’s worth for the blacks who pay attention, I like that it’s separate for now in that it gives us a chance to shine and make ourselves pay attention to ourselves for what we’ve done and been through.
Thanks for the post.
March 6th, 2007 at 3:28 am
I have to agree with most of what you have said. I can appreciate the need to recall our roots, whether Italian, Jewish, Black, Hispanic, Indian. But we do need to start focusing more on this nation as it stands now, and integration of many people who make it the great nation it is. a thought-provoking post LT. I just saw your special member site in it’s gray state…lordy, lordy, lordy.
March 7th, 2007 at 6:27 pm
Heh. It’s funny how people who come here looking for sexy cock stories and booty pictures are completely baffled when you open up and start being brutally honest. What’s wrong, people? Are you afraid to speak your real opinions, or are you afraid of being branded “racist” or even worse, a Republican? Why do gay people have such a hard time being honest, and why are they so afraid of having a different opinion than “official” or “accepted” or “politically correct” gay stances on [fill in the blank]?
Again, Mr. Large Tony, thank you for being honest here. Even if people haven’t been commenting too much on this, rest assured you made a lot of people think about their own internalized racism and why they’re probably terrified to confront it or discuss it with anybody.
I think I just might make a blog entry about that.
March 7th, 2007 at 8:31 pm
I agree with Chad. I’m rereading this now. We’ll get along great. You’re very real about race. I love it.
March 7th, 2007 at 9:30 pm
BRAVO!!!!!!!!! As a Native American, I continually search for information on my heritage…..what we would with a whole month….oh, wait, we have a day…Thanksgiving….hhmmmmmmmmm……really, what would we do with a whole month? What would PURE Caucasians do with a month to celebrate their diversity, contributions, their existence?
March 23rd, 2007 at 1:07 pm
Loved this blog entry Tony.
I really wish race, gender, age, sexual orientation, blah, blah, blah didn’t matter so much.
Then I read your blog and I feel much better.
Thanks again and ALOHA!