Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I'm white and aware of the horrific occupation and killing that white imperialism has inflicted. And it's still going on. Yeah, let's have a white history month and use Howard Zinn's A People's History of the United States to teach our young people the real truth. In my case, it wasn't until I retired that I learned.
Why do you want a white history month? 'cause you're so proud?
I'm white and aware of the horrific occupation and killing that white imperialism has inflicted. And it's still going on. Yeah, let's have a white history month and use Howard Zinn's A People's History of the United States to teach our young people the real truth. In my case, it wasn't until I retired that I learned.
Why do you want a white history month? 'cause you're so proud?
See... that's ridiculous. lala. I refuse to have any 6th generation American guilt on account of my race...
It's not about guilt. It's about the fact that, up until a certain point, the only history that we have been taught in the Americas has been the history that white conquerors, be they English speaking, Spanish speaking, French speaking or Portuguese speaking have written.
In my country, for example, there is a dose of Maya culture taught in the history and sociology classes and the way it has been taught has evolved from an almost apologetic sense in the beginning to more of a norm. This country is doing the same thing except that it's much slower because of all the opposition to it. Had black writers and black people who have been a part of historic events in this country simply been included without anyone having to declare a black history month, then you wouldn't have had as much opposition. But, unfortounately, there are too many places in this country where even giving credit where credit is due is too much for white people to handle.
I couldn't disagree more. At least when it comes to economic philosophy. I am a believer of capitalism, free trade, etc. Zinn's platform could be easily exchanged with that of Eugene Debs, Charles Ruthenberg, or even Vladmir Lenin. If you sympathize with income being redistributed from people who earn it to people who don't, then Zinn was someone to praise.
I know this is going to sound corny but here we go..
One of the things that makes America great is the HUGE cultural diversity that contributes to the whole. My heritage is Irish/Mexican, my wife is Chinese/Czech, so when my 10 year old daughter asks me what she is I tell her AMERICAN. The Melting Pot has become the Mixing Bowl and the only thing that keeps our "differences" in the forefront is us as a country.
As a Country we need to do a better job with 2 things as I see it. Number 1, we need to embrace a National Identity that doesn't revolve around wearing a colored ribbon showing your support for whatever the cause of the month is. For goodness sake our national motto translated means "Out of many, One", how powerful of a statement is that? Talk about a standard to live by. Secondly we as a Country need to do a better job recognizing the contributions of outside cultures and influences. Our history books, media stories, movies, pop culture, etc are about as vanilla as they get.
But with all things, change only comes from the efforts of individuals that have the resolve to say the status quo is not acceptable.
So in the meantime we can wear our flavor of the month heritage t-shirt with our flavor of the month colored ribbon and pretend we're one people. But until we shift the attention to American Heritage, with the stories of the journey being as diverse as our population, United we will never stand.
Getting off my Soapbox now!
Oh yeah by the way in case you missed the point of the commentary, I think it's a bad idea and the aforementioned dissertation is why..
Last edited by JLay36; 02-05-2010 at 11:31 AM..
Reason: adding language to clearly align the post with the thread
I couldn't disagree more. At least when it comes to economic philosophy. I am a believer of capitalism, free trade, etc. Zinn's platform could be easily exchanged with that of Eugene Debs, Charles Ruthenberg, or even Vladmir Lenin. If you sympathize with income being redistributed from people who earn it to people who don't, then Zinn was someone to praise.
H. Zinn was not an economist, but a historian, author and playwright; focusing on civil rights, civil liberties and anti-war movements.
Good, because the title of this thread is "White History Month-good or bad idea for New Mexico "
It's a bad idea in ANY part of this country. Just like it might be a bad idea to have a black history month or a hispanic history month or any other "ethnic history" month. If it's AMERICAN history we're talking about, we need to revise it so that it includes EVERYONE'S contributions and doesn't just highlight those of white people. There are not two or three or whatever amount of American histories; just one told from different points of views. We need to stop teaching only one point of view. History should be about facts instead of propaganda, white or otherwise.
I guess this thread is not going to stay on topic... It is closed.
Last edited by Poncho_NM; 06-05-2016 at 07:47 AM..
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
White History Month-good or bad idea for New Mexico
