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And that's why my kids know to seek it. Nobody is going to get the whole story in the 30 minutes assigned in the classroom.
I made sure my kids knew where they came from.
The first thing you do is turn off the TV.
The second thing you do is make the time to explore together with your children. The internet can be a good resource, but hands-on activities are better.
If you are really concerned about the curriculum content, become a Squeaky Wheel yourself--get on the school board, talk to the principal, or at the very least, become a part of the PTA system.
Maybe the month of March could be Irish history month. It always was at my house.
Nobody can deprive your kids of their heritage if you make it your business for them to know it.
Have you seen Paul Greengrass' movie Bloody Sunday?
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People disriminated against blacks for MANY MORE reasons than simply skin color, the same way some STILL DO today.
Agreed. And what a kid learns about this in elementary school will be different from the content he's taught in high school.
Regardless, it happened, and as you say, it's STILL happening, and while ignorance would be blissful, we have to acknowledge it.
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I think we all have our differences with regard to how things should be handled, but I think we all agree in 2006 that all humans are equal.
I think if MLK could see this now he would be proud to live in America.
Don't think so. I was in New Orleans last weekend.
How that disaster happened, and has been handled since, is an illustration of the social problems you are discussing.
I don't know where you went to school, but we did learn about the Chinese and the Irish building the railroads and being treated horribly.
We also learned all about the native Americans, but my kids were taught far more than I ever was.
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The fact that SOMEONE ELSE did something wrong in this country is no different to me than someone enslaving people half a world away
Well, I suppose we'll have to agree to disagree about this. To me, having Black History month is not some grim compensation which must be paid.
America is my country, and I think American kids should know American history. (I also think they should know world history, but that's another thread.)
I agree about Hawaii. Reverse racism can get ugly there, especially in the schoolyard.
I'd like to say that I agree with many of the sentiments of AreYouSerious? . I'm a white southerner, and I grew up in an area that is almost exactly 50/50 black/white. Serveral things come to mind:
-In predominantly black movies, TV, and music, white people are portrayed as complete fools. Bob Marley and 2Pac openly profess their dislike/hatred for white people in their music (I know because I listen). Even on (formerly) popular shows like "Fresh Prince", white people are shown as inferior. Somehow this doesn't seem to be a problem with anyone.. ?
-The amount of black actors on Television/film is surely greater than 13%, which is the % of black people in America. The idea that blacks are under-represented is backwards.
-As a white southerner, everything I do, say, and think about race is considered wrong. I'm only "allowed" to have completely brainwashed and non-descript things to say about any race, regardless of the reality of where I live. This only further pushes me into my little "white group" where we can actually evaluate reality.
-Today's educational system (I finished college this year) is not at all like some people here have described. Every history class that I took in college (A large, public, convervative, southern university) was geared toward civil rights, and the plight of the black man in America. Did I learn about Japan, the Middle East, India, China, Native Americans, Scandanavians, or the Mongols? No. BOTH of my introductory history courses had 150+ people, black professors, and ancillary reading about the Civil Rights movement. Our history survey courses are basically black history masked as World & American history.
-At my place of business, we have a strong "affirmative action" policy. At the request of the US Gov't, by the way. Since I started, 4 white people have been fired, and no blacks. We've hired 7 new people, and only one was white - and he's disabled. My workplace is predominantly black, thanks to US Gov't policies. How is this not racist, can someone explain?
OK my rant is over. On a personal level, I'm friends with plenty of black folks, but on a political/social level, I get P.O'ed very easily.
I'd like to say that I agree with many of the sentiments of AreYouSerious? . I'm a white southerner, and I grew up in an area that is almost exactly 50/50 black/white. Serveral things come to mind:
-In predominantly black movies, TV, and music, white people are portrayed as complete fools. Bob Marley and 2Pac openly profess their dislike/hatred for white people in their music (I know because I listen). Even on (formerly) popular shows like "Fresh Prince", white people are shown as inferior. Somehow this doesn't seem to be a problem with anyone.. ?
-The amount of black actors on Television/film is surely greater than 13%, which is the % of black people in America. The idea that blacks are under-represented is backwards.
-As a white southerner, everything I do, say, and think about race is considered wrong. I'm only "allowed" to have completely brainwashed and non-descript things to say about any race, regardless of the reality of where I live. This only further pushes me into my little "white group" where we can actually evaluate reality.
-Today's educational system (I finished college this year) is not at all like some people here have described. Every history class that I took in college (A large, public, convervative, southern university) was geared toward civil rights, and the plight of the black man in America. Did I learn about Japan, the Middle East, India, China, Native Americans, Scandanavians, or the Mongols? No. BOTH of my introductory history courses had 150+ people, black professors, and ancillary reading about the Civil Rights movement. Our history survey courses are basically black history masked as World & American history.
-At my place of business, we have a strong "affirmative action" policy. At the request of the US Gov't, by the way. Since I started, 4 white people have been fired, and no blacks. We've hired 7 new people, and only one was white - and he's disabled. My workplace is predominantly black, thanks to US Gov't policies. How is this not racist, can someone explain?
OK my rant is over. On a personal level, I'm friends with plenty of black folks, but on a political/social level, I get P.O'ed very easily.
Your ideas on race aren't wrong because you're a white southerner -- they're wrong because they're irrational and illogical.
--Bob Marley did not hate white people, or anyone for that matter. He himself had European ancestry. Could it be that he hated colonialism instead?
--Affirmative Action is not a racial quota. You're assuming that the people that were hired aren't qualified. If they aren't, then prove it. White women benefit from Affirmative Action far more than other minorities.
--It's funny how a white guy would have a problem with black entertainers. What changed over the past few decades? Maybe you could show us where white Americans have invented something on the level of Jazz, Rock N' Roll, Rap, Doo ***, etc? Maybe we need more Polka music?
I'm not sure what your problem is with civil rights and making sure that the 14th Amendment is upheld. It's some of the most important legislation ever passed. Was there some legal argument you were trying to make there?
Well, Bob Marley had good reason to dislike the imperialist Brits who controlled what happened in Jamaica. Have you ever been in Kingston?
And 2pac's hiphop homicide is sort of a fable for what's wrong with our country.
I don't really understand the obssession with portrayals on TV. To me, the glossy,edited images on TV bear little or no resemblance to real life. (I have to admit, I always did like Fresh Prince though.) I rarely look at TV sitcoms as a true reflection of modern times. Now South Park is another story.
In terms of higher education, I am researching five or six Florida universities with my younger son, and while the most basic introductory courses are American history (from 1492 on) we are also seeing first year history courses such as Asian, South Asian, Homer to Gothic, Western Civilization, Latin-American Civilization, Central Asia in the 20th Century. Seems okay to me, but then he's not in college yet, so I don't know if these are taught in a slanted way, though I suspect they are not.
I do not know your situation firsthand, anonymous, but I do agree that affirmative action can have its drawbacks.
I have indeed seen situations in which the color "system" was abused, and the resentment this fuels does not help our country.
As a white woman, I make 59 cents to every man's dollar, but I chose flexibility and quality of life over bigger bucks.
-The amount of black actors on Television/film is surely greater than 13%, which is the % of black people in America. The idea that blacks are under-represented is backwards.
Just in case you did not know the term minority does not just include Blacks.The combined minority pouplation of this country is close to half and guess what half of all of the actors on television\film are not minorities.
-Today's educational system (I finished college this year) is not at all like some people here have described. Every history class that I took in college (A large, public, convervative, southern university) was geared toward civil rights, and the plight of the black man in America. Did I learn about Japan, the Middle East, India, China, Native Americans, Scandanavians, or the Mongols? No. BOTH of my introductory history courses had 150+ people, black professors, and ancillary reading about the Civil Rights movement. Our history survey courses are basically black history masked as World & American history.
I'm not sure how you college worked,but at my college we chose the classes that we took ,and I sure you new prior to enrolling you knew what the class was going to be about.I also had the opportunity to take history cllasses on Europe,Mexico,as well as Asia.I did not take those classes because I CHOSE to take American History classes in which the civil rights movement was two chapter in our textbook.Please let's not confuse elected college courses with the required classes that our high school students and elementary schools student have to take.
It's so weird when you get to know a person, regardless of color, find yourself liking so much about him or her, have a high respect for his or her opinion, maybe even be coming to admire this person... then he or she makes a racist comment in a "nudge-nudge" way or just openly out of the blue. There's a difference between racism and prejudice, though most people don't make that distinction. I do. Neither is good, but racism is infinitely worse and for me it's like finding out that that person is a Scientologist...I immediately want to get away from him or her and my previous good thoughts and respect for him or her is instantly evaporated.
--Affirmative Action is not a racial quota. You're assuming that the people that were hired aren't qualified. If they aren't, then prove it. White women benefit from Affirmative Action far more than other minorities.
That's a nice story. Now here's how it really works: Gov't contractors get a signifigant bonus for having minority employees. "Race" is not very subjective; these rules cannot be bent very far. However, the idea of "qualified" is completely subjective. The contractor decides who is "qualified" and who isn't. The contractor also happens to have an interest in seeing more minorities.
If anyone is assuming things, it would be you. I work there, you don't. Part of my job is quality control, so I know who is up to par and who isn't. And I can see perfectly well, that in my place of business, minorities/women and white makes are held to different standards. Does it affect me personally? No. I'm good at my job. But I feel sorry for the mediocre white guys who got fired because they don't pad the "racial stats", while mediocre black guys got to keep their jobs. The bottom line: it's more important for them to meet the racial numbers than it is to meet production numbers.
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Originally Posted by Anon
--It's funny how a white guy would have a problem with black entertainers. What changed over the past few decades? Maybe you could show us where white Americans have invented something on the level of Jazz, Rock N' Roll, Rap, Doo ***, etc? Maybe we need more Polka music?
Thanks for putting words in my mouth. Nowhere did I say that I have a problem with black entertainers. I love black music, I grew up on blues and jazz. I like reggae music as well. That's irrelevant, though - the point is that popular black culture often depicts white people in consistently negative ways, not too unlike the white racist anti-black propaganda of the early 20th century.
As far as Bob Marley goes - it doesn't matter that he's half white. In most of his music, he preaches "love" and "unity", etc. But, in other songs, you simply have to read between the lines to see his animosity towards white people. Peter Tosh had serious problems with people of the white race, and rastafarianism was started as a black supremacist movement. It's naive to think that Bob Marley was only about "love".
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Originally Posted by Anon
I'm not sure what your problem is with civil rights and making sure that the 14th Amendment is upheld. It's some of the most important legislation ever passed. Was there some legal argument you were trying to make there?
There's some rhetoric if I've ever heard it. Yes, the 14th amendment is important legislation. But you know as well as I do that Affirmative action is very controversial, and saying that it "Upholds the 14th amendment" is your opinion, and not a fact. It also happens to be an opinion that I don't share.
Last edited by anonymous; 11-03-2006 at 02:17 PM..
Just in case you did not know the term minority does not just include Blacks.The combined minority pouplation of this country is close to half and guess what half of all of the actors on television\film are not minorities.
Sure, I'll give you that. Hispanics are probably under-represented in TV and movies. Yet, that's not what AreYouSerious was talking about. He said "black people" not "minorities". So thanks for being condescending and letting me know that blacks aren't the only minority.
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Originally Posted by WINNIEK
I'm not sure how you college worked,but at my college we chose the classes that we took ,and I sure you new prior to enrolling you knew what the class was going to be about.I also had the opportunity to take history cllasses on Europe,Mexico,as well as Asia.I did not take those classes because I CHOSE to take American History classes in which the civil rights movement was two chapter in our textbook.Please let's not confuse elected college courses with the required classes that our high school students and elementary schools student have to take.
Again, please don't be so condescending. At my college we were required to take introductory level history classes. These were not electives. They were labeled "History 112: American History" and "History 1??: World History". Neither description indicated anything other than standard-issue classes.
Did I learn a lot? Yes. Was it educational? Yes. Am I upset or angry about this? No.
But the point is, people are claiming that black history isn't taught, and I'm saying that this simply isn't the case.
I am the one who originally states that MINORITES are under-representated in the media.AREYOUSERIOUS took it upon him\herself to specify blacks.
I find it hard to believe that the your college did not provide a course description better put in a complaint about that .However once again you are missing the major point THIS WAS IN COLLEGE.In college you have choices about what classes you take.In high school you don't.Are you really attempting to tell me that high school level history courses are nothing but Black History classes?Are you actually attempting to tell me that Black History is even 1\3 of what is taught in a high school lever history class?
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