Is it time to end Black History Month?

[Kurn]

Black History Month is a vital part of Americanization. Take in the big picture. Throw away the personal filters. History gives dead people a voice. Have some respect. Or learn respect. Read.
I have a healthy interest in other ethnic histories and "herstories." People should read history in order to understand and deal with sufferings and celebrate achievements and victories.
If it's not your cup of tea, go do something else! But at least acknowledge the broader role that history plays. And we're way too illiterate as it is in America so stop discouraging it.
BHM highlights something that should be highlighted; it tells us something we need to do during long winter days indoors; it doesn't segregate. It connects to a vital sense of being alive and of being American. That comes from the very quality of the history and literature that it celebrates.

 

[fabulouslyghetto]

Black History Month is a vital part of Americanization.

Vital? It WAS vital years ago when segregation was justified, continuing so separate black culture and history is nowhere near vital, it's archaic.

History gives dead people a voice. Have some respect. Or learn respect. Read.

Did you read the OP? We're not silencing those voices, we're merging them with the white ones that we spent the other 8 months learning about to create one voice.

I have a healthy interest in other ethnic histories and "herstories."

As do I. I also have a severe distaste for the way different cultures are specialized, as if they don't represent the standard. BHM supports the idea that black history is NOT American history which is an outdated, dangerous concept. If America is supposed to be a melting pot of cultures, why does white/euro culture and teachings always float to the top? Aren't we ready to blend?

People should read history in order to understand and deal with sufferings and celebrate achievements and victories.

Do we STILL need a month set aside to do that? Aren't we ready to incorporate it into the curriculum?

But at least acknowledge the broader role that history plays.

Then you acknowledge the segregational aspects of BHM.

 

[PabloZed]

Its ironic that someone who wants to abolish BHM shows a lot of ignorance about the current black community. "[Part of Beyonce's success is her light skin and slim waist, an unrealistic portrayal of black women." There are just so many things wrong with that statement. As a gay man even I know Beyonce's appeal is premised, if on any physical characteristic, is her "bootyliciousness." Remember, there was even a song about it. What is most troubling is the suggestion that lighter-skinned, in-shape women are not really black. Frankly, there are a lot of women a lot fairer than Beyonce who are every bit as representative of the community as darker-skinned women. It would be akin to whites saying, "oh that Angelina Jolie, her pouty lips and curves are the key to her success but not representative of average white women."

The truth is that every community is diverse even within its own ranks. There are asian, black and white latinos and hispanics. I've seen dark-skinned chinese - who aren't mixed. There are european and african jews and aryan Pakistanis.

 

[fabulouslyghetto]

There are just so many things wrong with that statement.

Nope. I'm not the first person to say this, you're very naive if you think a dark-skinned female releasing the same songs and giving the same performances would've been just as successful.

As a gay man even I know Beyonce's appeal is premised, if on any physical characteristic, is her "bootyliciousness."

Bootyliciousness? Beyonce isn't THAT shapely, compared to many of her peers she represents the narrow end of the pool, and she keeps it that way by dieting and a strict lifestyle. She goes out of her way to slim down when she's going to be making public appearances, concerts, music videos, movies, etc... Beyonce is nowhere near indicative of the average black female in terms of body shape and size.

What is most troubling is the suggestion that lighter-skinned, in-shape women are not really black.

You completely misread me. I didn't say "light-skinned women aren't black" at all. What I said was that black women go out of their way to appeal to eurocentric values. Everytime I see Beyonce on a magazine cover her skin gets lighter and lighter. If there's nothing wrong with being black, why is she on the road to becoming a ghost by the end of 09?

It would be akin to whites saying, "oh that Angelina Jolie, her pouty lips and curves are the key to her success but not representative of average white women."

No it wouldn't, they're in different forms of entertainement and they're members of different ethnic groups with different standards and practices.

There are COUNTLESS experts and specialists who agree with me, there are HUNDREDS of articles about blacks trying to erase their heritage. The FACTS and experts are on my side. You say that's all wrong because of Angelina Jolie and Bootylicious?