This message is intended for lurking freeper types.

[cali]

Around this time of year, freeper types start grumbling about Black History Month which takes place in February. They complain that it's racist to have a period of time dedicated to honoring black history and educating people about the accomplishments of black Americans. They inevitably start in with the crap about how if there was a White History month that would be called racist. And yes, yes it would be- because it would be racist.

Let me explain for you, freeptypes. It's simple. It won't make a dent in the thick racist skulls of most of you, but here it is:

Every month is white history month. White history has not been suppressed. Black history most certainly has been. The accomplishments of white Americans have not been ignored or scorned. The opposite has been true for black Americans throughout most of our history. There is no need whatsoever to bring notice to white history. It's everywhere. There is a need to bring notice to black history; to educate people about it.


Simple, huh?

[cali]

1. lol. already unrecced

DU has its own freeper types.

[dipsydoodle]

4. Dunno why they don't have their group here on DU

Wankers might be suitable name.

Rec'd.

[Historic NY]

52. Its like the "NO" party..."Unrec" Party here.

[Fire1]

60. I beg to differ. n/t

[Maraya1969]

88. Differ on the wanker name or their seperate group?

[secondwind]

8. DU may have its own racist or two, althought that would be an oxymoron.

[Enthusiast]

15. But they will not

admit to being Freepers or Teabaggers because they don't want to expose their true identity.

[NYC_SKP]

18. K and R. AND: The unrc feature is full of FAIL. It's made DU more angry, I'm certain of this.

But that would be a different topic.

When I was a teacher, my at-risk kids would ask the question about why a BHM and not a WHM, and it was a learning opportunity to talk about any number of cases of how great deeds by black men and women in history were "erased" or negated.

:toast:

[MineralMan]

19. Yeah, but the good threads still rise to the top, don't they?

There appear to be some folks who unrec as soon as a thread appears. But, the recommendations start coming in and, as in this thread, rise to a level that assures that the post will appear on the Greatest Page.

Reccing this one.

[NYC_SKP]

21. They do, yes.

But unrec is also a tool to easily dismiss other members.

I think of it like this:

Awards are given out to students, in pageants, in contests; best newcomer, best dressed, etc., all are positive.

There are never negative items of recognition: Simply to not get an award is negative.

Similarly, we used to just not rec, that was enough.

But UnRec is like, worst post, worst dressed, etc., and some take it a little personally, and others use it personally.

I know it's just a discussion board, but UnRec isn't better than the old way, whatever purpose it's supposed to serve doesn't outweigh the bad feelings around it.

:donut:

[Stinky The Clown]

27. I wish I could rec your reply

That is so spot on. Add to it, your thought, upthread, about unrec having made DU nastier. Unrecs - particularly the early ones - have a propensity to piss off the poster. That's just human nature, and that causes, in some cases, anger filled posts to follow.

This post of yours sets out why, from the outset, the unrec feature has been a clear example of the law of unintended consequences. There was some more or less logical reason to start it. But the application, while perhaps including that original reason, has spilled over into schoolyardism.

I find it sort of funny that, now, virtually every post on DU gets voted on. Almost no posts simply have a flat zero rec count.

Lots of people have suggested - mostly seriously, sometimes snarkily - fixes for the unrec thing. I think we were far better off without it, when we had a simple choice - rec or not.

An so what if the occasional stupid post makes it to the front page? Wasn't a more civil DU with occasional outbursts of stupidity better than a less civil DU with constant pissing matches, or worse?

Anyway ..... good thoughts. Thanks.

[NYC_SKP]

33. Thanks, Stinky...

Maybe Skinner will figure out that copying and other sites that allow reccing up or down is OK for more anonymous sites like youtube, but it's hurting the sense of community here.

From our lips to his ears...

:thumbsup:

[DFW]

94. Second that!

I'm only here sporadically, but I notice that the first reaction to every thread I post is an unrec, usually
with no comment at all. After the first couple of posts, it was obvious that this is not because all I post
is nonsense (maybe it is, but the unrecs would have come anyway), but because there are people out there who
unrec a post as soon as it appears. In a way, it got reassuring, because when you know that an unrec will come
automatically no matter what you post, then you don't get bothered by it any more.

The unrec has lost any kind of meaning, because now you can't know if it's your neighbor coming over to discuss
a serious issue with you or if it's his three year old kid tossing a rock through your window.

[tavalon]

76. I wholly agree

I fought it valiantly and I never use it now.

[Robb]

20. Crap, I just unrecced when I meant to hit the other.

The no-backsies policy bites me in the butt. :D

[Skittles]

84. SCHEDULING ROBB FOR AN ASS-KICKING

STILL FUBARRING HIS RECCOMENDING AFTER ALL THIS TIME? EGREGIOUS.

[Robb]

95. Yaaaay!!

...I mean, er, NOOOOOO!!!!? :yoiks:

[Stinky The Clown]

23. Really? Unrecs early? Wow. No one really does that, do they?

I bet they never even said they did it. Right?

By the way, I am late to the game, but I will unrec you for whining about unrecs. That seems the KoolKid DU thing these days.

On edit .... nope. I couldn't bring myself to do a nasty unrec .... even to you.

[cali]

24. personal attack in this thread?

that's particularly bizarre and inappropriate. and I thought you said you never post in my threads. You've just posted in two. I gather you've changed your mind.

Now what do you think about the subject matter?

[spiritual_gunfighter]

69. I think people automatically unrec threads

based on who wrote it. Maybe that is what happened with you.

[annabanana]

2. I wonder what the going rate

is for unrecs.. and how they submit their bills to the mothership. (rec)

[Chulanowa]

3. I had to explain this to more than a few cretins in my day

Most recently the argument crossed my path when someone was voicing support for this "All-American League" for basketball, that will only accept "people born of two caucasian parents" - to showcase the basketball skills of whites? Heh, no, because blacks are inferior players only capable of playing a degenerate "street ball" form of the game. That's from the league founder, by the way. I had to explain to this waffleheaded freak supporting the idea, exactly why it's racist. And he still didn't get it.

While on this topic... I'd like to apologize for lumping you with idiots like that a while back.

[cali]

12. thanks. no harm no foul- to continue with the bball theme.

[Bette Noir]

36. My first thought about the "All American League" was that the guy

was admitting that white people couldn't compete on a level playing field.

Seeing the guy on TV confirmed my impression. That's a man who was never much of a specimen.

[Ken Burch]

39. Somebody actuall CREATED an all-white basketball league?

Will the baskets be EIGHT feet high?

[GoCubsGo]

62. Yup. Right across the river from where I live

In Disgusta...errrr...Augusta, Georgia, birthplace of the Southern Baptist Convention. You know those folks. They're the ones who split from the Baptists because the latter criticized slavery. Not surprising that Augusta was targeted. It's one of the most racist places in the country.

About the basketball league: http://chronicle.augusta.com/stories/2010/01/19/nba_563760.shtml

Check out the comments after the article.

[Ken Burch]

70. Augusta....the same place where they STILL won't let women join the country club?

You know...the one where they give out the green jackets?

[tango-tee]

5. Coming from the mother of a biracial son,

Thank you, cali. You do not mince words. I truly appreciate your - albeit sometimes acerbic - posts. You're a treasure.

PS: I haven't figured this out yet... how can one tell if a post has been un-recced?

[caraher]

17. There are a few ways I can think of

If you rec a post and the rec count does not increase, someone else must have unrec'd.
If you reload the page and the rec count decreases, someone must have unrec'd
If it says <0 votes, obviously at least one person unrec'd

[DontTreadOnMe]

6. when I worked for Pepsi in the corporate headquarters

the company annually celebrated Black History month.

It made me proud as a white American that a conservative corporation of that size took diversity very seriously.

[tango-tee]

7. Hell, forgot to rec the first time around.

Corrected. Here's my rec.

[Orsino]

9. (then keep it to one- and two-syllable words) n/t

[cali]

13. I tried. what's a two syllable word for accomplishments?

[Orsino]

14. In Freeper? "Failures." n/t

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

99. Mmmm. "Things done", perhaps?

[Political Heretic]

10. Please keep record. Please reply with links to threads and/or posts that spew this garbage.

I want to know. I want to see it. I want to have this trash burned into my brain and remember the names of every poster that spews this nutcaseness.

[Political Heretic]

11. PS - recced. We don't agree frequently (though sometimes) but we're in total agreement here.

[FBaggins]

16. "Every month is white history month." is the real problem with BHM.

It implies that the rest of the year is for white history.

[lpbk2713]

22. K&R and look for Beck and Limabaugh to air their resentment starting any day now.

... if they haven't already.

The RW Media Hatemongers will be spewing their hate and bigotry on a daily basis in February.

[Name removed]

25. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Name removed]

28. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[ProfessorGAC]

26. Seems Simple Enough To Me

I actually very much like BHM on channels like History and Biography. They do really good stuff we don't usually see.
GAC

[Stinky The Clown]

29. "They do really good stuff we don't usually see."

Heh ..... which bespeaks the need for Black History Month quite well.

[ProfessorGAC]

98. Yeah, I Meant It That Way

I enjoy it, and without it being declared such, they wouldn't show those good programs about good people. Thanks for catching it.
GAC

[EmeraldCityGrl]

30. When Howard Zinn was teaching at a Black Women's college

years ago, he became frustrated when his student's would request books

offering the perspective of a black woman and he had nothing to offer.

With twenty years of teaching behind him Zinn wrote "The Peoples History of the United States."

The book offers the perspective of women, Blacks, Indians, and working people of all types.


Ironically, the book opens on the Island of Hispaniola, which today is home to Haitians.

[Dr.Phool]

50. Probably the most important book I've ever read.

And I've given dozens of copies to other people.

[Angry Dragon]

31. K&R

[newspeak]

32. spot on!!

I took African American history in college. If people actually knew how much the african american community has contributed to American society. In school, they may touch upon Eli Whitney and the cotton gin--but, how many know that it was Buffalo soldier troops that saved Teddy Roosevelt's hide at San Juan Hill? I doubt too many know--and it was the buffalo soldiers that they sent into the Philippines--seeing the mass carnage we were doing, some of them defected. There's Harriet Tubman, Frederick Douglass, Sojouner Truth. Or the story of Ida B. Wells--what a courageous woman, especially in times of lynchings. And, Dubois, White, King who struggled for civil liberties. And Dr. Charles Drew, who saved millions of lives all over the world because of plasma.

So many who have contributed to our society, many who were courageous in the face of such racial adversity.

[Beartracks]

55. I recently had a chance to visit the Carver National Moneument...

... outside of Joplin, Missouri, built on the farm that was the birthplace of George Washington Carver. All I ever really learned about him in school was that he did a lot of peanut research, and that's he's credited with "inventing peanut butter." Since all that happened in Alabama, I had no idea he was actually born in Missouri, not far off of I-44, a stretch of highway I have traveled countless times in my life. I was only able to spend a couple hours, but it was fascinating. The monument was established over 50 years ago, and I didn't even know it was there.

http://www.nps.gov/gwca/index.htm

-------------------------------------------

[Bluerthanblue]

34. K&R Cali-

and thank you.

[Martin Eden]

35. I think you lost them

with the word "educate"

[Ken Burch]

37. K&R

And, of course, a lot of African Americans like to point out that they were given the SHORTEST month of the year.

[onethatcares]

38. may I applaud you for this post?

If not, too bad. You, Cali, have my mega applause.
:hi: :fistbump:

[Name removed]

40. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[winyanstaz]

41. Well I think we need a Native American Indian History month :)

It is long over due.

[cali]

42. I second that.

[euphoria12leo]

43. Same here

:kick: for the thread too.

[Fire1]

64. The Native American history is most interesting. Especially,

the part that includes African Americans.

[Lilyeye]

72. November is Native American heritage month.

They also have a month for Hispanics and Asians too. A lot of people don't know because they don't get as much attention. I just hope that the months for Native Americans, Hispanics and Asians receive more attention though. Because IMO all of these months (along with Black History Month) are very needed. In fact, more Americans need to pay attention to their history. I find many young American people (in my age group esp) don't know squat about their history. And if their parents are freeper types...they know even less. The extinct of their knowledge of history is "white people build America....nuff said."

[Fire1]

73. You mean the "extent" of their knowledge? n/t

[AspenRose]

74. And Women's History Month is in March.

Asian Heritage - May
Hispanic Heritage - September

And you're right. I still remember Pat Buchanan's screed on Rachel Maddow's show: WHITES BUILT THIS COUNTRY!!!! NO ONE ELSE had ANYTHING worthy to contribute to American society!!!!

[AsahinaKimi]

79. May!!

Woot! My opinion of May has suddenly changed for the better!! Hehe.. Thanks for that info!

[Caliman73]

93. Actually Latinos/Hispanics have a heritage period, but not a month.

It falls in the middle of September and October. Odd.

[winyanstaz]

97. Thank you Lilyeye...

I am part Native American but I did not know we had a national Native American History month...but then again I was not raised on the res.
I don't remember ever hearing about it either nor about the other ones either.
I agree...they are all needed.

[kurtzapril4]

81. Yes for native american history month

You got my vote!

[ChadwickHenryWard]

44. Absolutely.

I've said that for years: every month is white history month.

[Kermitt Gribble]

45. Great post, cali. K&R! n/t

[scytherius]

46. they can't hear you, they are out watching white-boy basketball. nt

nt

[mistertrickster]

47. What did the FReeps say about the CON Court giving corp. unlimited power to throw elections?

Anybody cruise the seventh level of hell to find out what they were saying?

[cali]

48. Freepwads love it.

[mistertrickster]

49. That figures. The "useful idiots" for the capitalist class. "Please, sir, may I have another?" nt

[Beartracks]

56. Is that true?

I haven't trolled for a look or anything.

But it seems that they might think they "love it" only because liberals and progressives find it abhorrent, NOT because it actually makes any sense.

[cali]

61. absolutely true. they're trumpeting what a great day it was for freedom

of speech.

their stupidity is boundless.

[Beartracks]

96. Clearly 2 brain cells rubbing together is insufficient. n/t

[RedCloud]

51. And we are all Africans three times over!

Thanks to supervolcanoes and limited survivors only in Africa.

[Hugabear]

53. Kind of like how almost EVERY network is White Entertainment Network

Those freeper types are such fucking idiots.

[Autonomy]

54. I like Black History Month, but I don't buy the reasoning in the OP

A 'White History Month' would be the history of white people, and people do not know it. I would bet that 95% of people on this website don't know it. What we know is the relatively recent history of political, social, and technological innovations that led us to our current culture, which happen to inordinately dominated by white people. Even Black History Month misses the mark, because it attempts to outline black history in the same terms, instead of in its own terms; that is, as the history of black people.

What passes as 'history' today is merely self-obsession with our own self-indulgence. Most people don't know any history previous to the 1700's. That's a damn shame.

[Kitty Herder]

57. Great post.

Unfortunately, the freeper types will never get it, racist dumbasses that they are.

[Number23]

58. Until the day that black, Asian, Hispanic etc. history is suitably incorporated into

the ENTIRE history of this country, there will always be a need for Black History Month. Shoot, in reality, there needs to be a People of Color/Women's History Decade.

Thanks for this post.

[AspenRose]

75. +1

I'm not going to hold my breath waiting for inclusiveness (and I mean more than a chapter or a page) incorporated into American History anytime soon. It's ALL American History and I think that is what bothers me the most.

[KingFlorez]

59. Their incessant whining is so tiresome

They know the truth, but they continue to nag because they desperately want to be wronged all the time.

[Fire1]

63. Good post, cali. I totally agree. n/t

[nevergiveup]

65. Great Post!

Thank you

[LynneSin]

66. Not to be Captain Obvious here but you might as well explain to freepers how to split the atom

because they won't get that either

[MellowDem]

67. Perhaps the biggest problem...

is that so few Americans know much about history of any sort. Whether white, black, Asian, or Hispanic American history, you name it, most Americans know next to nothing. And if you don't know your history, you probably won't understand why there is a Black History Month, because, well, it's a part of history.

It is interesting that Asian or Hispanic history month don't get nearly as much attention, if at all. At least, they didn't when I was in public school. But it might just be location. And I certainly don't see as much about them in the media either. But maybe it's because those minorities have done better in general, so there is no "need". Especially with Asian/Pacific Islander History Month. I've at least heard of Hispanic history, but I just looked up Asian history month since I'd never even actually heard of it. I guess we'll know when blacks live in a more equitable society as the need for focusing solely on their history becomes less needed and more a part of the mainstream.

[democrank]

68. K & R

[Lilyeye]

71. Great thread Cali K&R

[blockhead]

77. very simple

:thumbsup:

[DissedByBush]

78. I still think it's the wrong solution

It's bad because it's divisive. It's always bad when we single out hyphenated Americans instead of just Americans. So much for the melting pot.

The best solution is to change the teaching of American history in this country so that it is all-inclusive.

It would only take sixteen years of this policy to erase the need for the hyphenated history months.

I also have a problem with our world history. I learned nothing of Africa in high school except where it is. I had to wait for college to take African history courses, and they were only electives.

[Patchuli]

80. I only learned about 'Juneteenth'

several years ago. I think it is abhorent that the history behind the freedom declaration of black Americans was suppressed and not taught to me in school. Because it took so long for the news to reach across America, the black Americans out west here didn't learn that they were free until 'Juneteenth.'

[groundloop]

82. Rec. But I still wanna' know when there'll be a fat bald white guy history month

:evilgrin:

[Skittles]

83. WELL SAID, CALI

:thumbsup:

[Douglas Carpenter]

85. couldn't agree more!! kick and recommend!!

[alp227]

86. K&R. Not to mention that two prominent WHITE American heroes are celebrated in Feb

Those holidays? George Washington's and Abraham Lincoln's birthdays. They're the reason we got the week off grade school in February.

Let this pie chart explain the logic of those "lurking freeper types"...

[Forkboy]

87. Late to the party, but K&R!

:thumbsup:

[Union Yes]

89. Yup, like portraying the slaveowning George Washington as a hero sickens me. knr nt

[democracy1st]

90. K & R

[Name removed]

91. Deleted sub-thread

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[pundaint]

92. This sounds a lot like the Christians are under attack by the media

Could we at least wait for the offense before we take it?

[blondeatlast]

100. Too late to rec, but k for what ought to be obvious, but isn't. nt