How to shut people up when they bitch about black history month. I don't know if any of you have to deal with this problem but in these parts, every February brings out the “I don't know why we have to have a black history month” folks screaming in agony. When confronted with it, here's what I say.
Ancestry dot com has a 14-day free trial. Sign up for it. Spend the first 7 days seeing how far back you can trace your own family tree. Then pick a descendant of slaves, maybe someone famous or someone you know personally. Do the same thing. See how far back you can go. Then you'll understand why we have black history month. It generally keeps them from bringing up the topic again...at least in my presence.
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I just did a net search to refresh my memory of Chris Rock's rant about Black History Month and it led me to an SNL sketch with Tom Hanks called Black Jepordy (the game show). I hadn't ever watched this, but it was not only crazy funny, but made a great point that in many ways rednecks and poor blacks have more in common than differences. How ironic....In the end, poverty shapes culture more than race.....
TomMcGiverin
Level 8
Feb 4, 2019
0
Sometimes I tell them I have biracial grandchildren 
They aren't biracial but it shuts people up fast. Sometimes I'm just mean like that 
freeofgod
Level 8
Feb 4, 2019
4
nieces here
Well done!
And my cousin Jeanette's kids.
I’m honestly 1% African according to my DNA and 50% Irish so 
48thRonin
Level 8
Feb 4, 2019
0
@Kattywampus69 No it’s a mix of English, French, German, and Scandinavian.
@Kattywampus69 Well there might be a little shit and alcohol in there as well but yeah that’s me.
@Kattywampus69 Nah we all can’t be that fortunate but I am close to being that hairy though. 
@Kattywampus69 No I remember you the picture you showed me yesterday 🥺
tell them every month is white history month and surely they can spare ONE for black history.
g
genessa
Level 8
Feb 4, 2019
4
@ProudMerrie then they're too stupid to teach and you should pat them on the head with a pitying smile and leave them be.
g
@genessa A very wise man once told me in college " Confuse not the ignorant. They'll only hate you for it". And as I've gotten older, I've come to see that truer words were never spoken....
Correct...i wish we did not need a black history month...but we do. We don't need any white history...the rest are white history months including Feb because of white slave owner Presidents day. Ughhhhh. When will we evolve?
Dandewine
Level 7
Feb 4, 2019
1
THAT is a great question!
I love that so many white supremacists are finding African ancestors in their
bloodlines.
As far as being "given" the shortest month of the year for Black History Month,
I can totally understand why many would feel short-changed.
Too many white people still don't get it.
Case in point, the asshole governor of Virginia, who STILL won't resign.
KKGator
Level 9
Feb 4, 2019
2
@ProudMerrie Yes, I knew. As it turns out, the same conservative "source" that outed Northam, is reporting that the Lt. Gov. was accused of an inappropriate sexual encounter back in 2004. However, no one has been able to find the woman who made the accusation, and there has been no corroboration of the allegation. He publicly said, this morning, that the encounter was "consensual".
Someone's "dirty tricks" outfit is working overtime in Virginia, it would seem.
I really don't care, but I am flummoxed why there isn't the same celebration of Asian/Pacific Heritage Month, or Native American Heritage History Month; these groups have contributed just as much to this country.
I will say that as long as we continue to separate and confine the celebration of any race history to one month, instead of presenting REAL world and US history in an integrated perspective....we will continue to fight racism in the US
jondspen
Level 7
Feb 4, 2019
0
@jlynn37 Reminds me of watching how the railroads were built in Blazing Saddles (a great film and one of my most non-PC pleasures).
@jlynn37 Really?!? Scottish immigrants were treated horribly, worse than black slaves, since slaves had monetary value. And Asian immigrants were instrumental in building a rail road system that connected east to west coast, increasing the economy many folds, probably the most important and influential feat of the 1800's. It was this same rail road system that helped the North win the Civil War. Asians were also considered disposable, since one didn't want their slave (who were worth the equivalent of a nice car, or even a small house in today's dollars) to be blown up or mangled in an explosion. Native Americans had settled every inch of soil in North America, and were instrumental in the success of the Lewis/Clark expedition - which again, opened up vast swaths of the American wilderness to settlement, farming, ranching, and raw materials (gold, silver, timber, etc). No - I think these groups had a very real and significant role in creating the USA of today.
Ignorant is as ignorant does.....
TomMcGiverin
Level 8
Feb 4, 2019
1
@ProudMerrie I wish I were willing and able to relocate like you, because even tho I'm not surrounded by idiots and bigots to the degree you are, there's nobody from this site to date in my area. I wish you the best in getting out of Hooterville.
@ProudMerrie I suspect you’re bound to experience this to some degree no matter where you end up. ?
@ProudMerrie I know that you know, I just needed to voice it. Or whatever this is. Plus I added an emoji.
@ProudMerrie , Ky is isolating enough but you get in the outer areas and it's crazy. Before they consolidated the middle school the kids only had white classmates, in five out of seven elementary schools, until they got to high school.
@ProudMerrie I was born and raised outside Chicago so I was exposed to multi cultures and races through early life. It was a shock when we moved down here.
@ProudMerrie , Whiting, East Chicago, and one place in I can't remember the name of. Long time ago now.
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