Black History Month?
Hanna Guthrie | Feb 22, 2010 | Comments 174
It is irritating how many people today believe that racism will end as long as every American minority has a special day, week, month, club or organization dedicated to them. One such example of a holiday that supposedly helps to eliminate racism is Black History Month, which takes place every February to celebrate the various accomplishments and contributions of African-Americans throughout American history.
Frankly, I don’t even like the term African-American to begin with. First of all, not all blacks are from Africa, and second, “hyphenating” everyone’s racial category in a country that, today, accepts people from all nationalities and backgrounds is a modern-day form of segregation. I wish we could all just be Americans.
This is not to say that I am ignorant of or naïve about racists within our society, but racism no longer characterizes society as a whole. I would argue that focusing on everyone’s ethnic background — American-born or not — in the form of club organizations and holidays is racist because all it seeks to do is give preferential treatment to self-segregating groups whose main purpose is to cry eternal victimhood.
A recent article on this issue, published by Newsweek and written by Raina Kelley, reminds people such as myself of the importance of Black History Month: “[It] is a measure of how fully or accurately our story is being told and a reminder of the work yet to be done.” Kelley argues that “bemoaning” the existence of the month is wasted time that could be spent “[proselytizing]” for issues that need more national attention, such as “failing inner-city public schools, institutionalized poverty, health-care disparities, and job discrimination.”
Kelley does not give concrete modern examples of these ills, nor does she offer a proposal herself on how to fix them. I, for one, do not chalk these issues up to being the fault of the elusive “white man.” I think much of the problem today in the way of racial relations, is with America’s obsession with political correctness. Perhaps these issues are not being addressed because no one feels comfortable enough to say that they are not necessarily the fault of the “white man,” but are also partially the result of personal responsibility — or in this case, a lack thereof. As it is, you probably think I am a racist for delving into this issue to begin with.
To make my point, we have an “African-American” president; other African-Americans in the spotlight are former Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice, Colin Powell, GOP Chairman Michael Steele, Oprah Winfrey, nationally syndicated talk radio show host Larry Elder and many more. This list doesn’t even begin to encompass the slew of African-American actors, actresses, and singers. What was that about job discrimination? Furthermore, it is a known fact that things like affirmative action give preferential treatment to American minorities. I would go so far to say that universities and companies seek minority candidates for the sake of calling themselves “diverse.”
I agree with Kelley in that there are many issues since slavery still extant in the African-American community, but I do not agree that in today’s world it should all be attributed to the “white man.” While slavery is a scar on American history, its legacy has also opened so many opportunities with an equally powerful political force: The Civil Rights Movement. The statement that we live in a “culture over-reliant on stereotype and slow to explore the complexity of racial issues” just doesn’t hold true anymore in post-Civil Rights America.
Still, when that movement radicalizes, it undermines itself and creates a familiar divisive rhetoric. We are all Americans, and we should all be held to an equal standard and judged based on our merit, as opposed to our skin color or ethnic background. While remnants of institutionalized racism have led to our current obsession with diversity and political correctness, Americans must have the freedom to take personal responsibility and to critique others without having the threat of racism hanging over their heads. It is only when this is a real possibility that people of all ethnic backgrounds can engage in a dialogue about solving issues affecting the totality of the American citizenry.
Hanna Guthrie is a second-year English major. She can be reached at hguthrie@uci.edu.
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Filed Under: Opinion
Hanna – You are terrific, keep up the honesty. Also, will you marry me?
- Mic
Anyone who says racism no longer characterizes our society should look at the far right’s treatment of Arabs and Middle Easterners today.
@Ryan, that was the biggest bunch of big words/run on bullshit sentences I’ve ever seen. You don’t have to prove to anyone that you have a big vocabulary. If you work so hard to write a comment to this article, just go write for the New U. Seriously man, I bet you proofread that shit like 12 times. Come on.
Proud Republican Hanna G. left out some descriptive adjectives: “I wish we could all just be [white European] Americans.”
Guys come on, it’s an opinion!
You guys are preaching about tolerance and making your voice heard, and that’s great, good for you. But when someone else speaks their mind and it’s not in line with what you think, you don’t criticize them or tell them to shut up.
By telling her to silence herself you’re doing the exact thing that you’re fighting against. Whatever happened to freedom of speech? By lashing out at some poor girl, you are victimizing her and demonizing yourselves.
Anyone who doesn’t agree with her article has that right. It’s an opinion! But do it in a constructive manner and write up a response like a normal person instead of being whiners.
If she got her opinion in the paper, then all of you can do the same. But don’t abuse some poor girl over her thoughts. Be civil, please.
One day we will see a Hannah Guthry in a medium close-up shot on our LCD flatscreens. She will be a champion of the right- articulate, rehearsed, unflinching, and tenacious. She’ll be dressed professionally but still with a sense of being casual enough to have a slice of pizza with. See, that way the young kids like her too. Her new book will be flying off shelves. Some will be praising it, some burning it. Either way the checks will get signed and tickets to the couches of various morning shows will be booked. Just as with this article a big fuss will be made but at the end of the day none of the words will matter because at the end of the day no one’s opinion is changing. We’ll chase ours and each others’ tails until we get caught up in the next Hannah Guthry or at least until another book is released and we all run to our closets to see if the old righteous dress still fits. It’ll work like gangbusters. Crown publishers will be salivating. We’re an extremely marketable demographic like that and no doubt Hannah Guthry 10.0 will pull at all strings until finding that perfect note to prick up our ears. And god bless her. This is what this whole game is about. If anything, lets give the Hannah Guthry credit for living her values. This Hannah Guthry speaks in so many words of achievement based on merit and she proves her dedication to this ideal in her life. Toasts to her for her achievement these last couple of weeks. Here we have a twinkling star of a writer who reminded us to stay on our toes, because whoever you are and whatever you believe in, you are reminded that for every one of you there is another who thinks you’re just plain stupid. They’ll quote you, dissect your beliefs, one-up you on diction, and do numerous other funny things like break your arguments down into cute numbered sections being the trained and efficient test takers that they are.
The Hannah Guthry has helped motivate with her so-so written opinion piece some of the best student held actions I have seen in my four years at this otherwise painfully quiet University. I let my camera run until it’s batteries died as students of BSU, MSU, WSA, and various other allies of our cause stood together IN PART because one of the many Hannah Guthry’s reminded them of the reason these groups exist and why their work work is so important. Kudos be to Hannah Guthry who asked if we really need a Black History month and strangely answered her very own question by demonstrating that obviously we do. So then, the least we can do is give her more attention. We should highlight her achievements. She is an icon and I want to make silk-screen reproduction paintings of her.
So years from now Hannah Guthry 10.0 will be bobbling in our television sets and causing a commotion because damn ‘nab it, she just can’t take that damn preferential treatment of minorities. The books will be published and the checks will be signed, because if she’s anything like Hannah Guthry circa 2010 she wouldn’t have a choice the poor thing but to bask in just how subversive she is, always with the courage to put her name on her opinions. Still, that doesn’t mean I have to spell it right.
^ Hahaha. Everyone is really upping the sarcasm I can see.^ Stay civil people.
peace.
One day we will see a Hannah Guthry in a medium close-up shot on our LCD flatscreens. She will be a champion of the right- articulate, rehearsed, unflinching, and tenacious. She’ll be dressed professionally but still with a sense of being casual enough to have a slice of pizza with. See, that way the young kids like her too. Her new book will be flying off shelves. Some will be praising it, some burning it. Either way the checks will get signed and tickets to the couches of various morning shows will be booked. Just as with this article a big fuss will be made but at the end of the day none of the words will matter because at the end of the day no one’s opinion is changing. We’ll chase ours and each others’ tails until we get caught up in the next Hannah Guthry or at least until another book is released and we all run to our closets to see if the old righteous dress still fits. It’ll work like gangbusters. Crown publishers will be salivating. We’re an extremely marketable demographic like that and no doubt Hannah Guthry 10.0 will pull at all strings until finding that perfect note to prick up our ears. And god bless her. This is what this whole game is about. If anything, lets give the Hannah Guthry credit for living her values. This Hannah Guthry speaks in so many words of achievement based on merit and she proves her dedication to this ideal in her life. Toasts to her for her achievement these last couple of weeks. Here we have a twinkling star of a writer who reminded us to stay on our toes, because whoever you are and whatever you believe in, you are reminded that for every one of you there is another who thinks you’re just plain stupid. They’ll quote you, dissect your beliefs, one-up you on diction, and do numerous other funny things like break your arguments down into cute numbered sections being the trained and efficient test takers that they are.
The Hannah Guthry has helped motivate with her so-so written opinion piece some of the best student held actions I have seen in my four years at this otherwise painfully quiet University. I let my camera run until it’s batteries died as students of BSU, MSU, WSA, and various other allies of their cause stood together IN PART because one of the many Hannah Guthry’s reminded them of the reason these groups exist. Kudos be to Hannah Guthry who asked if we really need a Black History month and as only a true genius can, answered her very own question by demonstrating that obviously we do. So then, the least we can do is give her more attention. We should highlight her achievements. She is an icon and I want to make silk-screen reproduction paintings of her.
So years from now Hannah Guthry 10.0 will be bobbling in our television sets and causing a commotion because damn ‘nab it, she just can’t take that damn preferential treatment of minorities. The books will be published and the checks will be signed, because if she’s anything like Hannah Guthry circa 2010 she wouldn’t have a choice the poor thing but to bask in just how subversive she is always with the courage to put her name on her opinions. Still, that doesn’t mean I have to spell it right.
And yes, yes I did “rant” about your censorship to our mutual friend, who is also your colleague, and who happens to agree with Hanna and me as he told you. Furthermore, he’s publicly defended the article when it was lambasted by one of your ilk in a classroom, so if, on your high horse, you think you are speaking for your staff (or wait, only as you, or as ombudsman, or…), then you’re mistaken.
I’m taking screen caps of all these comments, mind you, and I will have witnesses. Any funny business and it’s all getting paper trailed so it can be reported to other media outlets.
One more thing: Let’s assume you’re right too–that speaking “as an editor” is mutually exclusive to speaking for the staff.
What of this little gem:
“As editors, there’s only so much we can do to fix the articles that are submitted to us.”
If by not having delivered a “semantically airtight” argument, you mean you danced a sloppy jig as you pirouetted between “Editor,” “Editors,” “Ombudsman,” “Rebecca,” and back to “Editor” to cover yourself, then yeah, yeah I think that’s right. Don’t give me this “let’s talk” garbage. Everything anyone needs to hear is available right here. In fact, you wouldn’t have even had to bother responding if I hadn’t approached your Editor in Chief about the multiple comments you deleted when you lost your ground to stand on. The only reason you have to bother responding is because of that.
And I should add, like I said to David when I got the initial cumbaya offer: if YOU have something to say to me personally, you can call me. I have nothing else to add about this. You have the number, you have my email, and if you need any of it again, talk to Shapan. But if all you want is heat off the paper publicly–not happening; you went there, your problem.
Rebecca, I have nothing to say to you except what I’ve said already, and this to boot: You owe your readers and writers an apology. If you want to sit down and sing cumbaya, do it with someone else.
Hey Patrick, I didn’t censor any comments. Try talking to David again, or better yet, try talking to me. I would prefer meeting in person to discuss your dissatisfaction with my comments than for you to continue to rant about me to our mutual friends and my co-workers.
Speaking in my capacity as an editor is a different thing than speaking from a position of authority as a representative of the paper. I’ll still hold to that. I realize that I was straddling a thin line in my comments a couple weeks ago, and my argument may not have been semantically air-tight — I was really quite upset, which is why I was moved to respond in the first place.
“This is quite honestly the most intellectually defunct amalgamation of talking points and irrational hostility weaved together into one awful article.”
Ryan: I could have sworn at first you were referring to the critical comments, including yours, before I got to the end of that sentence.
Since Rebecca took it upon herself to censor both my comments (and I have evidence of it, including some from the EIC himself), let me start by re-posting this:
“As an editor for this paper, one who is fond of my colleagues and their hard work, I can recognize our weaknesses.”
Of course you’re not speaking from your editorial position, Rebecca. I can recognize these weaknesses as well: This is an unprofessional outfit.
And to T. “Massiel”: Are you afraid you use your own name when criticizing your friend? Oh, and of course we should just forget about little details like “free speech.”
This is quite honestly the most intellectually defunct amalgamation of talking points and irrational hostility weaved together into one awful article. Although you’re certainly afforded the freedom to express whatever opinions you may have, this piece is resoundingly uninformed and composed entirely of nearly absurd or quite blatant fallacies. In the future I would suggest extensive fact checking before you write about policies such as affirmative action or advocating the demise of identity politics when you clearly demonstrate a tremendous lack of knowledge on all the subjects you touch upon in your free-wheeling marathon through the contemporary American racial landscape. I think what irritates me personally is your entitled attitude of superiority, and belief that your discourse is somehow elevating and coherent. Such banal and trivial ramblings should not be published unless one is open to the notion that they might be aggressively lampooned.
@S: Asian Americans benefit from affirmative action. First and foremost, racial diversity yields crucial educational and social benefits for everyone. Educational and social institutions must reflect our diverse society. Furthermore, underrepresented Asian American populations rightly deserve affirmative action consideration. For example, many University of California campuses included Southeast Asians in their affirmative action plans until Proposition 209 outlawed their efforts. This enabled many qualified Southeast Asians to gain access to some of the most elite University of California campuses.
Source: http://aaldef.org/programs/affirmative-action/affirmative-action.html
Actually, we are not talking in generalities. We’re talking about the nuances of different cultural diversities among minority groups. I believe what you mean to say is that because you never benefited from affirmative action, neither should your peers who might themselves be Southeast Asian because you don’t think that anyone deserves special treatment. It’s not a matter of Asian Americans being hurt by affirmative action. It’s a matter of your racial paranoia.
Please at least skim over the following:
SOURCE: http://www.understandingprejudice.org/readroom/articles/affirm.htm
Myth 1: The only way to create a color-blind society is to adopt color-blind policies.
Although this statement sounds intuitively plausible, the reality is that color-blind policies often put racial minorities at a disadvantage. For instance, all else being equal, color-blind seniority systems tend to protect White workers against job layoffs, because senior employees are usually White (Ezorsky, 1991). Likewise, color-blind college admissions favor White students because of their earlier educational advantages. Unless preexisting inequities are corrected or otherwise taken into account, color-blind policies do not correct racial injustice — they reinforce it.
Myth 3: Affirmative action may have been necessary 30 years ago, but the playing field is fairly level today.
Despite the progress that has been made, the playing field is far from level. Women continue to earn 76 cents for every male dollar (Bowler, 1999). Black people continue to have twice the unemployment rate of White people, twice the rate of infant mortality, and just over half the proportion of people who attend four years or more of college (see Figure 1). In fact, without affirmative action the percentage of Black students at many selective schools would drop to only 2% of the student body (Bowen & Bok, 1998). This would effectively choke off Black access to top universities and severely restrict progress toward racial equality.
Myth 6: If Jewish people and Asian Americans can rapidly advance economically, African Americans should be able to do the same.
This comparison ignores the unique history of discrimination against Black people in America. As historian Roger Wilkins has pointed out, Blacks have a 375-year history on this continent: 245 involving slavery, 100 involving legalized discrimination, and only 30 involving anything else (Wilkins, 1995). Jews and Asians, on the other hand, are populations that immigrated to North America and included doctors, lawyers, professors, and entrepreneurs among their ranks. Moreover, European Jews are able to function as part of the White majority. To expect Blacks to show the same upward mobility as Jews and Asians is to deny the historical and social reality that Black people face.
Myth 7: You can’t cure discrimination with discrimination.
The problem with this myth is that it uses the same word — discrimination — to describe two very different things. Job discrimination is grounded in prejudice and exclusion, whereas affirmative action is an effort to overcome prejudicial treatment through inclusion. The most effective way to cure society of exclusionary practices is to make special efforts at inclusion, which is exactly what affirmative action does. The logic of affirmative action is no different than the logic of treating a nutritional deficiency with vitamin supplements. For a healthy person, high doses of vitamin supplements may be unnecessary or even harmful, but for a person whose system is out of balance, supplements are an efficient way to restore the body’s balance.
@ Marissa,
What the hell are you talking about? People in Kenya are not African? So what the f’uck are they…European? Get the f’uck out of here with your uneducated self. In addition. I don’t mean to personally attack you…but claiming to be a minority does not legitimize your argument, it just makes you sound more stupid and ignorant. Just a thought you should really consider next time.
@Mike,
The reason why there is no ‘white history month’ is because the other 11 months is white history. When I was in grade school…even high school all we were taught was white history…then they would sprinkle a little bit of black history in there just so they didn’t seem racist. I could give an hour long lecture on white history, but I surely couldn’t do the same for black history…there is a reason for that. It was NEVER taught.
Could you imagine being in a school and all they taught was black history all year…and then randomly they will bring up Benjamin Franklin just so you don’t feel left out? I don’t think so.
What are you taking about? Of course affirmative action hurts Asian Americans. We’re talking in generalities here.
Asian households have a higher average income than other minorities because they’re more successful academically and, therefore, they have better jobs. Their culture puts more emphasis on academic and financial success than others. Sorry you can’t deal with this obvious truth.
@ Junsu
Next time, please read the entire post. The point I made, and what Hannah’s point is, why do we even have ANY month that celebrates a particular race.. let alone “Asian Awareness Month.” During May, I’m sure the media wont cover the “Asian History” much, and I’m sure it wont be anywhere near the scope it has on Black History month. That’s the issue here.. it’s not the same.
So like you said, you are ok for Affirmative Action to give a school a semblance of diversity… tell that to the other minorities that qualify by their grades/merit of hard work, but can’t get into their dream school because their policy is to “diversify” the student body, instead of giving the best students the chance for the best education. Please do more research on this matter… as of right now, an overwhelming amount of Asians are rejected at top tier schools because of this “Diversity” you obviously accept. Why are you so complacent on this? I feel bad for ALL minorities that a school would limit a particular race, just so they can be “diversified.”
Once again you didn’t read the message I mentioned about Social Security. It’s a program that worked well in the past, it’s barely working ok now, and in 2040 or earlier, the program is finished… most of us college grads will not get anything out of this program. It’s a program that helped in the PAST, and it will be a major problem in the future. Just like Affirmative Action. It worked great to give minorities the chance to move up, because there were no opportunities for people. But now, there are more chances for minorities to succeed. It’s not the same situation it is in the past… now Affirmative Action is hurting some minorities from chances, while giving others a benefit.
Instead of doing your homework, how about just read before you start writing your opinion on things. Next time you wont jump into a discussion looking so foolish without reading the gist of the message, instead of just the words. Did you even read the entire Hannah’s Opinion piece? Most people didn’t.. they assumed that by reading.. “No more Black history month” that it MUST be racist. Read the content, not the single words in the message.
Just to clarify: AFFIRMATIVE ACTION DOES NOT HURT ASIAN AMERICANS! THIS IS A MYTH!
Some people argue that Asian Americans do not need affirmative action, and are actually hurt by it. They view Asian Americans as a “model minority” which has successfully integrated into all walks of society. The truth is that Asian Americans are not a “model minority.” Reports that Asian Americans have the highest household income and are generally academically successful hide a larger reality. For example, while Asian Americans may have household incomes equal to or greater than whites, they also have, on average, more individuals contributing to a family’s household income. This helps explain the higher household (but not per capita) income level.
This myth is actually detrimental to the Asian American community at large because while it showcases a favorable stereotype of the smart, docile, hardworking Asian American (who usually happen to be from developed countries Taiwan, Japan, or Korea, and whose parents usually immigrated to America with a strong educational background and skill set needed for easy assimilation into white society).
But what most people don’t realize is that while some Asian ethnic groups have low poverty rates, other segments – particularly Southeast Asians (Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, the Philippines to name a few) and recent immigrants – have poverty levels far exceeding the national average. Asian Americans in the workplace also face a “glass ceiling,” which limits their advancement into management and executive positions, and earn less than white counterparts with comparable education.
Similarly, Asian Americans are often portrayed as “whiz kids” who are overrepresented in the nation’s top educational institutions. While a segment of our student population is highly visible on many university campuses, this has masked the hidden educational needs of other Asian Americans.
Source: http://aaldef.org/programs/affirmative-action/affirmative-action.html
IN OTHER WORDS: Asian Americans who are arguing in favor of Hanna’s article, HOW LONG ARE YOU GOING TO KEEP BEING THE WHITE MAN’S LAP DOG? You’re just trying to align yourself with the white majority because you somehow have the delusion that they will accept you in their society. Therefore you distance yourself from other minority groups and nod along with whatever repressive bullshit the conservative media feeds you.