Black History Month

Government can not make distinctions on the basis on race, religion, or ethniticity if it wants to avoid being discriminatory.

I am open to anyone wanting to disagree with that statement, I am confident in it.

I was reading through the comments here about how everybody feels like they deserve their month to respect their own heritage.

I support people’s freedom to celebrate or respect what they want as long as it doesn’t hinder or affect the lives of anyone who doesn’t want to participate in said activities.

For example. Ask me about gay marriage. I support people having the right to gay marriage, even though I am a little grossed out by the concept itself. I am fine with parades and all forms of support that don’t stop me from going about my daily business.

This goes for most civil liberties in the first place. I truly wish everyone can have equal freedoms and live life how they are most comfortable.

But I draw the line when supporting civilian liberties becomes the only socially acceptable option, and my own personal freedoms are being hindered on by society. An example of this would be a black man telling me if I didn’t openly support black history month that I am a racist, and already labeling me based on the fact I am not as passionate as they are.

The same logic applies to bathroom situations with genders now being on a “spectrum” idea. I don’t really mind if you want to identify as an Apache Helicopter, but if you start demanding everybody start to accommodate you by putting a helipad on their roof - then we’ll have issues. There is a difference between asking to be accepted and treated fairly, and trying to be pampered to. This also applies to the amazing fallacy that if something doesn’t pander to you, it shouldn’t be a thing. Just because you’re an Apache Helicopter doesn’t mean that my strictly male and female restrooms are discriminating against you, if I already have a non gender restroom that anyone may use. And I think that any transgender person should respect others around them and use a gender neutral/free restroom instead of a strictly male or female restroom if one is provided without extrenuous circumstances.

The logic I use for my opinion on the bathrooms is the same logic I use with this debate. If you want to celebrate your German-American heritage, go for it! You do you, support what you support. Do not demand that the government provides you with a national holiday and forces or promotes others into sharing your views. Under the Constitution, we are allowed to exercise religion and beliefs as we choose. For you to demand a month for your heritage is promoting your specific heritage, and that opens the floodgates to every heritage needing its own month. When it comes down to it, I think the main issue with having these varying heritage months are that we don’t have enough months in the year! With only 12 months, how would we choose whose heritage gets their own month? (Joke)

The second you start demanding anything other than freedom or equality, and it turns into asking for some advantage or pandering to, I start to disagree.

 

I agree with the majority of what you said. But at this point is there any government action that specifically supports white people anymore? I get there may be societal factors that an individual may prefer a white person, but I don’t believe there are any distinctions made by the government that gives white people any advantage over anyone else.

In fact, with affirmative action programs being legal, the exact opposite may be happening. White people made be institutionally discriminated against with legal affirmative action (which is why affirmative action isn’t allowed to be a “deciding factor” in any decisions anymore. But pulling the race card can give you an advantage in many scenarios with affirmative action)

 

looking back, you felt attacked, but before you said this I never outright insulted nor did I call you dumb? I clearly am that bothersome to you in which you thought I was attacking you,

i can assure you I’m not the one who needs to “grow up”, because if you couldn’t handle the simplicity of what I said, debates can get worse than that, you frequently get laughed at, let it be in person. I’m definitely not the one who would need growing in that case

edit: I’ll let you explain that before I leave, lmao

 

This. I tried mentioning this but I didn’t really mention it well.

I absolutely despise the mob effect and having socially accepted views be the only ones allowed in a debate with some people.

I have had numerous discussions with class mates where I disagreed with some people who weren’t supporting their argument as well, and instead of debating they would just get a group of people on their side to act like I was Satan for disagreeing with them. It’s unbelievable the amount of influence people have when in person, and this is why I love the anonymity of the Internet. You cannot scream overtop somebody over text, you can’t use a mob effect to the same extent. It’s automatically a guaranteed more fair discussion than is possible in person.

A little unrelated, but I want to bring it up just because I love that it happened. The longest filibuster straight by one Congressmen was made by Storm Thurmond and reached 24 hours. The filibuster was attempting to prevent the passage of the Civil Rights Act, and despite numerous people calling him the biggest racist ever, I consider Strom to have been one of the bravest speakers ever.

The amount of hatred he got was immense, and made him out to be a hypocrite. But in the sake of being a delegate and not a trustee in the legislature, he filibustered despite risk of his job, personal views, and his reputation.

Call him what you want, but the filibuster showed someone speaking against the socially acceptable standard, and I have to respect him for filibustering, and especially with his circumstances. (I’ll save you the time. He had a child with a black women, and was known to reflect the views of his state and oppose all civil rights legislation)

 

Ole Strom Thurmond, much respect for him. I didn’t agree with him much but as you said, respect for standing up for his views, even if we don’t agree with them.

I may have worded my original statement wrong. I’m not saying people shouldn’t voice their opinion, I’m a huge advocate for free speech for all Americans (and for people in every country), however, the start of black history “month” & I say that loosely because originally it was a week, started almost 100 years ago. In the 1920’s (not sure of the original date). That being said; I support the originality of black history & I also say that loosely. I support remembering people like Rosa Parks & MLK jr & anyone else who was part of the community & movement. I think it’s starting to turn into something it shouldn’t be, but that’s neither here nor there.

 

Umm....

You are both aware Ol Thurmond was a virulent racist right? If you are standing up for what you believe in, and that belief is unadultered racism you deserve to be hated.

Let's find some other choice words from Thurmond right?

I wanna tell you, ladies and gentlemen, that there's not enough troops in the army to force the Southern people to break down segregation and admit the nigra race into our theaters, into our swimming pools, into our homes, and into our churches.

An American should be able choose to work in a place where he is with his kind of people and not find that at the counters, desk or benches they will be forced to work, side by side, with all types of people of all races; that in the lunchrooms, rest rooms, recreation rooms, they will be compelled by law to mingle with persons and races which all their lives they have by free choice, avoided in social and business intercourse.

All the bayonets of the Army cannot force the Negro into our homes, into our schools, our churches and our places of recreation and amusement,

Martin Luther King demeans his race and retards the advancement of his people.

The white people of the South are the greatest minority in this nation. They deserve consideration and understanding instead of the persecution of twisted propaganda.

It is a matter of common knowledge that the government of South Carolina is under domination of a small ring of cunning, conniving men.

I have done more for black people than any other person in the nation, North or South,

She walks well, she looks good. Let's see how she kisses.



-- The only reason I can find you are both defending a pure through and through racist is you're an ignorant person.

Are either of you ignorant?

--- Double Post Merged, Apr 6, 2018, Original Post Date: Apr 6, 2018 ---

He was speaking for the socially accepted standard of those times, which was unadulterated segregation.

 

Not how I meant that. I learned a lot about Thurmond in my US history & again in my US government class in college, I respect his abilities to speak his mind no matter who’s around. I do believe I said I disagreed with him, I just respect that he was able to stand up & never give up. But I’m happy he lost & his beliefs didn’t become a reality.

 

No, I see where they're going. It's a bit like calling hitler a great leader. His ideals were bad, but his execution (of agenda not of Jews) was pretty good all in all. I would never support Hitler's anti semetism but I really believe his speeches conveyed a powerful message.

TLDR; don't confuse bad ideals with bad speaking. (As they said, what he did was brave, why he did it was the disagreeable bit)

 

But if speaking your mind is just you being a **** then you shouldn't be respected. You should be called a ****

 

I don’t have respect for Thurmond as a person. I have respect for his willingness to speak his mind & do whatever he has to for what he believes in.

Just like I respect Hillary Clinton for her strive to never give up, even though I don’t support her agenda.

Just like I respect Obama for being the first African-American to ever become President of the United States, even though I do not support his agenda.

Just like I respect Nancy Pelosi for her willingness to continue on and stand up for what she believes in, even though I think she is a complete idiot.

What I’m getting at, is you can respect someone not for what they believe in, but for what they do to achieve what they believe in.

 

If they believe in racism and unadulterated segregation. I think it's safe to say you can take a position of not respecting them for standing up for hatred.

Do you respect Hitler because he acted on his beliefs?

 

I think you’re missing what we’re saying. None of us are saying we respect him for his beliefs. I think Strom & Hitler we’re terrible people. I would never respect their views & political agendas. However, I do respect their willingness to stand up for what they believe in. I’ll say it again, I’m happy Strom didn’t succeed but I respect the fact that he filibustered for almost an entire day. Not many people can stay awake that long let alone fight for what you believe in for that long.

--- Double Post Merged, Apr 6, 2018, Original Post Date: Apr 6, 2018 ---

No, Hitler was a disgusting human being. But look how he managed to do what he did. That’s all we’re saying.

 

He was speaking for his constituents’ accepted standard, and acting as a delegate of who he represented. The movement of the whole time period was moving towards civil liberties, and he opposed that. If you support the opinion that is being deemed socially unacceptable at the risk of your reputation (and I mentioned how supporting this opinion specifically would make him a hypocrite), then I respect you voicing your opinion. I don’t agree with the views he supported, but I respect that he voiced them.

 

i’ll take the failure of response as waving the white flag, or you just listening to someone who has a point and you don’t know how to respond,,,, contradictory from what I said early but I find it funny how you actually shut up because I said so, once again, laughable and definitely a good thing to bring in an actual debate room

regardless,,,,,, my ending point is none of you should give the slightest damn on on what one race has, this generation wants to feel offended by everything. like literally, everything.

 

> responds
> "reeeee shut up ****!"
> doesn't respond
> "I told u so!!"

None of us feel offended. Those of us arguing against find it hypocritical and pointless to glorifiy a race over another (since racism stems from treating races differently) at all.

I stopped responding because i was asleep, then in school. I can't refresh a page constantly to keep a meaningless argument going, sorry /shrug

 

let’s call the argument meaningless now bc I get offended by someone else merely saying theyre an honors student

go into an actual debate setting before you respond to anyone on this forum

as much as some of you are on these forums nowadays I wouldn’t be surprised

yea I’m tired of this, I’m actually gonna take a nap,

like comment subscribE

 

I understand why some are opposed to black history month & I’ll be honest, I wasn’t a fan of it until recently. I went back into history & seen the marks they left on our country, forcefully. If people want to celebrate being black, go for it, you should be proud of your heritage & to me, black history month is a thank you to all the blacks who helped form this country & grant everyone freedom. As I said before, it’s turning into something it shouldn’t be, but I’m in support of it.

--- Double Post Merged, Apr 6, 2018, Original Post Date: Apr 6, 2018 ---

Have a good nap!

 

But the blacks alive today are not the ones who helped build the nation. I could say "we need a Christian month for all the guys who died in AD0-300" but it would still be foolish to celebrate the living descendants of dead people. (It would be equally foolish to dishonor descendants of a hated man, but I'm sure Hitler's extended family has changed their name)

read your own posts

 

This is why it’s called ‘black history month’ & not ‘black present or future month’. It’s to celebrate the HISTORY of blacks & their impact on the country.

If it foolish to celebrate things in the past (dead people) then why celebrate Independence Day? Christmas?

 

Events not people. We're celebrating their acts. Additionally, we aren't celebrating these men's descendants, just them.

Harriet Tubman for example. I think she did pretty cool stuff. But I don't go up to black girls and say "Harriet Tubman was just like you you're a hero!!" Because that would be weird and more than a little racist