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Are you serious?? I do not blame this child, I blame his parents. They should've had an idea that this would not go over well and they just let their child go to school like that. Don't tell me that their excuse is that he wanted to do an authentic representation of MLK when he has nearly shoulder length hair that he didn't alter. And the 'killing the molester' comparison makes you look simple.
That's your rebuttal? "That makes you look simple"?
Obviously, the boy was only aiming to make his face look like MLK's. People stop at that all the time (Read: mask). And honestly, I'm 30 and I had never heard of "blackface" or that white people used to paint their faces black in the past for entertainment (which was, admittedly, racist or at very best insensitive).
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Originally Posted by guestJ23
I'm going to assume that you are a non-Black?? My statement still stands-you cannot dictate with is offensive and inoffensive to Black people. You can't just go with the 'people who find it offensive and people who don't' route because most of the people who do have a problem with this are Black. And the people who don't are non-Black, so that makes it a Black vs non-Black issue.
Nonsense. The only way this is a Black vs non-Black issue is if we're assuming ALL Blacks think alike and all non-Blacks think alike. Yes, I'm non-Black. White, even. But my skin color doesn't change the legitimacy of the words on the screen before you. I'll kindly ask you to focus on them and not my ethnicity (Once again, ironic that MLK himself wanted us all to be judged by the content of our character and not our skin tone. And here you are, proposing we do just the opposite).
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Originally Posted by guestJ23
The point has been reiterated throughout this thread and to those that don't get it, I'm starting to think that there are some comprehension problems that need to be worked out. But as simply as I can- being grossly insensitive to the history of 'blackface' is what these parents are guilty of. You simply can't do that no matter how innocent your intentions are or how naive you are.
Maybe the parent was like me and didn't know anything about the history of it. And surely you realize, most (if not all) of the kids at this boy's school probably didn't either. That's because the old meaning of it is becoming obsolete. Which begs the question, Why do you insist on taking the current and future America for a ride to not only teach them how something was once used for bad, but to insist that it can never be used for good?
You know what? Like it or not, the future of America is rather openminded. Fewer and fewer people with every generation share your prejudice for the act of someone putting paint on their face. Sooner or later, this and many other things considered wrong by people trying to connect one thing to another are going to be deemed "okay". That's when we'll start moving forward, and when MLK will R.I.P.
That's your rebuttal? "That makes you look simple"?
Obviously, the boy was only aiming to make his face look like MLK's. People stop at that all the time (Read: mask). And honestly, I'm 30 and I had never heard of "blackface" or that white people used to paint their faces black in the past for entertainment (which was, admittedly, racist or at very best insensitive).
Nonsense. The only way this is a Black vs non-Black issue is if we're assuming ALL Blacks think alike and all non-Blacks think alike. Yes, I'm non-Black. White, even. But my skin color doesn't change the legitimacy of the words on the screen before you. I'll kindly ask you to focus on them and not my ethnicity (Once again, ironic that MLK himself wanted us all to be judged by the content of our character and not our skin tone. And here you are, proposing we do just the opposite).
Maybe the parent was like me and didn't know anything about the history of it. And surely you realize, most (if not all) of the kids at this boy's school probably didn't either. That's because the old meaning of it is becoming obsolete. Which begs the question, Why do you insist on taking the current and future America for a ride to not only teach them how something was once used for bad, but to insist that it can never be used for good?
You know what? Like it or not, the future of America is rather openminded. Fewer and fewer people with every generation share your prejudice for the act of someone putting paint on their face. Sooner or later, this and many other things considered wrong by people trying to connect one thing to another are going to be deemed "okay". That's when we'll start moving forward, and when MLK will R.I.P.
For one, I'm not a debater.. I say what I mean and I try not to leave room for arguments about what I have stated. What you have stated just backs up everything that I have and others have said on here. You say that you are 30, White and had no idea about the history of 'blackface'. And that's the thing that I was talking about, you don't know the history, have no vested interest in it and yet you can say how Black people should feel about it?? I never said that all Blacks think the same, I only pointed out that most of the people on here who didn't have a problem with this are non-Black. The reason for that is because of their(and yours) life experience. You're 30, I'm 31.....the reason that you don't know about how insensitive 'blackface' is mostly attributed to your ethnicity.You have no clue about how this affects people who don't look like you.
And if you're 30 and you don't know about this issue, then shame on the narrow vision of education that you have received. And if the parents didn't know, then shame on their education as well.
Also,thinking that it's a good idea for your son to put on cover girl's deep henna with a dash of shoe polish is a nice indicator of 'character'
For one, I'm not a debater.. I say what I mean and I try not to leave room for arguments about what I have stated.
That's all fine and good. But in general, anytime one person proceeds to tell another what they should or should not do (which is what saying "That's offensive" is all about), they should expect to have to explain themselves.
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Originally Posted by guestJ23
What you have stated just backs up everything that I have and others have said on here. You say that you are 30, White and had no idea about the history of 'blackface'.
Actually, my saying that was showing how you could be wrong, this time regarding your accusation that the parent was being "insensitive to the history". If a person is unaware of something, how can they be sensitive about it?
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Originally Posted by guestJ23
And that's the thing that I was talking about, you don't know the history, have no vested interest in it and yet you can say how Black people should feel about it?? I never said that all Blacks think the same, I only pointed out that most of the people on here who didn't have a problem with this are non-Black. The reason for that is because of their(and yours) life experience. You're 30, I'm 31.....the reason that you don't know about how insensitive 'blackface' is mostly attributed to your ethnicity.You have no clue about how this affects people who don't look like you.
That's because you haven't told any of us (despite numerous requests) how what this boy did (remember, that's the subject) affects you. And I'll be so bold as to say it's because it doesn't.
The only thing adversely affecting you right now is your own trying to draw a connection between a bunch of morons making fun of black people and a kid wanting to look like Martin Luther King, Jr. When you fail to take things in their proper context, yeah, it's gonna cause problems.
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Originally Posted by guestJ23
And if you're 30 and you don't know about this issue, then shame on the narrow vision of education that you have received. And if the parents didn't know, then shame on their education as well.
I'm sure that much of it does have to do with shame. White people are ashamed of the behavior of their ancestors in general. However, I for one am very proud of what this boy did. It took courage, and there was absolutely nothing wrong with it. He and his mom are just a little ahead of their time.
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Originally Posted by guestJ23
Also,thinking that it's a good idea for your son to put on cover girl's deep henna with a dash of shoe polish is a nice indicator of 'character'
I'd rather do that with a child than teach him that temporarily coloring your face is wrong, knowing I couldn't possibly explain why.
Sad...Too many wear their prejudice on their sleeves. The child was asked to portray himself as Dr. Martin Luther King, not to color a picture of MLK. Big difference in portraying someone and coloring a picture. I wonder if a black child had been asked to portray a white historical hero...Would folks be upset??? I don't think so.
I think it promotes racism to be upset at this little child's attempt to portray someone who for many of US represents an end to racism as we knew it in our childhood.
To honor a historical person by dressing and trying to portray them exactly should have been applauded. Certainly shouldn't have been nixed by one racist teacher. Pathetic....
We let little kids paint devil faces, green hulk faces, but paint a black face is too be racist?? The only lesson these little kids learned because of the way this situation was mishandled...is that it is bad to be black. Which is exactly the opposite of what folks, like the honorable Dr. Martin Luther King did do and others have tried to convey for years in our country, equality, to end racism...Sad for the little boy...
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Originally Posted by doctrain
Controversy erupted at a Colorado elementary school after a student arrived in blackface as part of a Martin Luther King Jr. costume for a class project.
Second-grader Sean King was asked to remove the makeup by officials at Meridian Ranch Elementary chool in Colorado Springs Wednesday, reported KRDO-TV.
"Each student in the class had been assigned a historical figure to dress up as for “wax museum day” at the school, the station reported."
"Sean's mother, Michelle King-Roca, told Denver’s 7News her son was really excited about the project."
"He said, 'Mom, I want to wear a black suit because that's what he wore, a black tie, a white shirt, and also I want to do my face black and wear a mustache,'" said King-Roca."
"After complaints from a faculty member that took issue with the blackface, the principal asked Sean to remove the face paint orleave the school."
Now, this baffles me. This child was asked to dress up as Martin Luther King, a black person, so when he carefully puts together a detailed costume including facial make up and mustache, he gets in trouble and told to wash it off or go home? What is going on? When my child was in kindergarten, they were given special light to dark "skintone" crayons and were required to color the skin of all people, which I thought was interesting. Now, when these kids are asked to dress up as a person of a different race, they are supposed to ignore the skintone? Poor kids today. We are passing on our own neurosis. I hope the parents don't send this little boy who was shamed for putting forth his best effort with absolutely no malice, back to the public schools. Too crazy.
What do others think? Anybody agree with the school's decision?
Bleaching creams: are we supposed to find these offensive too?
If you are looking to lighten your dark skin to a lighter skin tone you might find that black skin bleaching cream can solve your problem. It is very fashionable today to acquire the smooth light skin with the use of bleaching cream instead of trying makeups and other methods that may not be as effective. Many very dark skinned women have achieved a great deal of success with the use of these creams and you can too if you use a little caution and follow some good skin care regimens.
THE P.C. CRAP IN THIS COUNTRY IS WAAAAAAAAAAAAAY OUT OF CONTROL!!
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What is going on? When my child was in kindergarten, they were given special light to dark "skintone" crayons and were required to color the skin of all people, which I thought was interesting. Now, when these kids are asked to dress up as a person of a different race, they are supposed to ignore the skintone? Poor kids today. We are passing on our own neurosis. I hope the parents don't send this little boy who was shamed for putting forth his best effort with absolutely no malice, back to the public schools. Too crazy. 
