when is European American Month? - Page 3

[mamameg]

Originally Posted by Missy

I think that discomfort is making people put their own special little twist on what is really being taught.

I agree. Many Anglo Americans just want to shrug their shoulders and say, why do I have to hear about all of this? It wasn't ME! It wasn't MY fault! Okay, so it's not your fault. Why can't you sit and hear about how deeply it wounded people? The pain you feel will never equal the pain inflicted on others by our ancestors. The least we can do is sit down and listen to the facts and lend a compassionate ear to those who are still living with the pain of that history.

[aslyn]

Originally Posted by mamameg

Racism is still alive and well in the USofA. People need to be educated about the contributions of Black Americans, as well as the history surrounding how and why they are here.

I was planning on staying out of this but I would like to interject something here..Racism goes both ways..There is another thread like this on the "learning at school" board that is a poll would you send your caucassion child to an all AA school..Well I DID go to a school that was majority of AA kids..there were VERY few white kids at the school I attended. I distinctly remember a 3 week hospital stay which happened from being pushed down a flight of stairs, jumped by several male and female students..all because I
was white and somehow I was responsible for all the wretched things that happened..The school tried to claim the beating was drug related..because I have had circles under my eyes since I was 2 therefore I must be some sort of addict and causing all these problems (these allegations, we proven to be false..yet the school did NOTHING)
20 yrs later:
I dont harbor any hate for anyone..its not in my nature to blame a whole race for actions by that group..I dont feed into the crap that hate monglers spew at every turn..but racism is still very real towards everyone in this country..The fact that we have X history month is sad, Dr King was an AMAZING civil Rights Leader as was Susan B Anthony..There are MANY unsung heroes in every culture..and until EVERYONE (AA,White,Asian,Hispanic NA etc) can get over the need to acknowledge a skin pigmentation and just accept that such and such was a wonderful human being..it will not change

[mamameg]

Originally Posted by aslyn

I was planning on staying out of this but I would like to interject something here..Racism goes both ways..There is another thread like this on the "learning at school" board that is a poll would you send your caucassion child to an all AA school..Well I DID go to a school that was majority of AA kids..there were VERY few white kids at the school I attended. I distinctly remember a 3 week hospital stay which happened from being pushed down a flight of stairs, jumped by several male and female students..all because I
was white and somehow I was responsible for all the wretched things that happened..The school tried to claim the beating was drug related..because I have had circles under my eyes since I was 2 therefore I must be some sort of addict and causing all these problems (these allegations, we proven to be false..yet the school did NOTHING)
20 yrs later:
I dont harbor any hate for anyone..its not in my nature to blame a whole race for actions by that group..I dont feed into the crap that hate monglers spew at every turn..but racism is still very real towards everyone in this country..The fact that we have X history month is sad, Dr King was an AMAZING civil Rights Leader as was Susan B Anthony..There are MANY unsung heroes in every culture..and until EVERYONE (AA,White,Asian,Hispanic NA etc) can get over the need to acknowledge a skin pigmentation and just accept that such and such was a wonderful human being..it will not change

I'm very sorry that happened to you, and of course all races can be racist. I also went to a mostly black school where I was the minority. I know what it's like to be made fun of for being white. No, I was never the victim of violence, but I do know what it's like to be discriminated against because of my skin color. I also know what it's like to have a lot of friends of color and talking to them over them over the years clued me in to what's really behind the aggression. Pain, suffering, feeling less than, feeling disrespected, seeing their parents and grandparents humiliated, hearing stories of how still living members of their family were not allowed to eat in the same places as white people.

So while I feel your pain, the pain of an entire oppressed race runs deeper than that. And it would be really great if we could get though ONE Black History Month without white people whining about when they are going to get theirs.

[aslyn]

Originally Posted by mamameg

I'm very sorry that happened to you, and of course all races can be racist. I also went to a mostly black school where I was the minority. I know what it's like to be made fun of for being white. No, I was never the victim of violence, but I do know what it's like to be discriminated against because of my skin color. I also know what it's like to have a lot of friends of color and talking to them over them over the years clued me in to what's really behind the aggression. Pain, suffering, feeling less than, feeling disrespected, seeing their parents and grandparents humiliated, hearing stories of how still living members of their family were not allowed to eat in the same places as white people.

So while I feel your pain, the pain of an entire oppressed race runs deeper than that. And it would be really great if we could get though ONE Black History Month without white people whining about when they are going to get theirs.

LOL Thats about as likely as my statement of everyone seeing past skin pigmentation..I dunno I guess I just see things from both sides of the spectrum and Im kinda on the fence on the whole thing..I would LOVE to see a day when we can eliminate the need for any culture to have a need for a history month..but Im sure that wont happen in my lifetime...I just do my part by teaching my children that skin color doesnt matter..what matters is the color of their hearts..there are good people and bad people...I choose to be a good person (ok I try to anyway lol)

[Wolfmeis]

So let's wallow in it, shall we?

http://coreknowledge.org/grace-abounding/index.htm

Too often, in the past, the astonishingly rich legacy of African-American literature has been glossed over in summary treatments in 11th-grade American literature survey courses. Too often, the equally rich legacies of African-American music and art have been ignored altogether by schools or, at best, relegated to special events for Black History Month.


Now, at last, this can all change due to the publication of a definitive text and resource book on the African-American cultural heritage, published by the nonprofit, nonpartisan Core knowledge Foundation. Vetted by leading figures in African-American studies, this new work has lofty goals--to enable African-American students to view, whole, their cultural heritage from its roots in Africa to the present day and to help all students to appreciate and understand the seminal works of the creative geniuses from that heritage.

Let's just....take a journey that we'd likely enjoy instead of ...this.

[Dar]

Originally Posted by aslyn

...I just do my part by teaching my children that skin color doesnt matter..

But... you're white. And because you're white, and because I'm white, we have the privilege of teaching our children that skin color "doesn't matter." That's part of our white privilege.

I believe that as a white person, it's my job to try to help our society become less racist. I try to start with me, and with my child, and to move on out from there. It's not a matter of fault, but of responsibility.

My definition of racism - used by many others as well; I didn't create it - is that racism is prejudice + power. And power means the systematized power of the elite in a society, not the power a group of kids have to hit another kid - which is wrong, and shouldn't have happened to you, but I submit that it happened because of racism against people of color, not in spite of it. We, the white folks here, created this racism mess in this country, and we can't deflect that responsibility by pointing to episodes of violence and prejudice by people of color.

We have collected some resources on the topic of racism here, and if you know of more you can email them to Jacque or I and we'll add them on...

So back to homeschooling... because we can learn what we want, in the ways we choose to learn it, and share this textured richness of viewpoints with our children...

dar

[Missy]

Originally Posted by Dar

But... you're white. And because you're white, and because I'm white, we have the privilege of teaching our children that skin color "doesn't matter." That's part of our white privilege.

dar

Wow, dar. Thank you.

[Missy]

Your husband did not deserve that abuse. However, it was a direct and absolute result of the systemic racism created by European Americans. Want to blame someone? Look at the root cause, and work to repair that. The first step in doing so is acknowledging it. But that hurts. Because then, damn it all, it circles right back to us. Like it or not, the bigotry experienced by your husband is rooted in the system that white Americans created.

[aslyn]

Well..I certainly wont say that I felt any "white privaleges" while laying in the hospital bed with broken ribs and a tube down my throat so I could eat..I feel for anyone who has been a victim of racism..but my post was not to argue only to say it happens on both ends....we are a violent and cruel species to each other...it is EVERY persons responsibility to stop the hate..not just the white people.

[mamameg]

Originally Posted by aslyn

we are a violent and cruel species to each other...it is EVERY persons responsibility to stop the hate..not just the white people.

But white people do have a greater responsibility to call out racism when they see or hear it coming from other white people. And IME, white people will do whatever they can to avoid doing that. It's too uncomfortable. No one wants to see it. I've heard it a million times, "I'm sure he didn't mean it THAT way." Whites make a lot of excuses for the racism of other whites and that really needs to stop.

[aslyn]

Originally Posted by Missy

Your husband did not deserve that abuse. However, it was a direct and absolute result of the systemic racism created by European Americans. Want to blame someone? Look at the root cause, and work to repair that. The first step in doing so is acknowledging it. But that hurts. Because then, damn it all, it circles right back to us. Like it or not, the bigotry experienced by your husband is rooted in the system that white Americans created.

No..Sorry..The white Americans today DID NOT do this, European American ancestors did this..and not every white American in this country today has roots to THOSE people..Some of us (my DH & I and our entire families) came from other countries well after the civil war..Neither of our families were involved in that tragedy at all..Id venture to say that her husbands probably did not either because the imagrants during the 20s-40s came here for work and settled in places like Cleveland (where Im from) and Detroit (where my husband is from) because they were industrial areas. So assuming that his family didnt have anything to do with that either who do we blame? The whole race because of what a group of individuals did? OR lay blame where it actualy belongs on the people that did it and the administrators for looking the other way?

The hate needs to stop..on all ends or more power will go to those racisist hate groups out there on all sides...and I dont think anyone really wants to see that happen (except maybe them)

[Cenote]

Violence is something that is indiscriminate. It happens. It happens all the time. Is it right? Is it fair? No, absolutely not. I don't think we even need to debate why violence is a terrible thing.

But that is a very different discussion than recognizing the systemized violence and prejudice directed towards one group of people merely based upon their skin color.

I would really really suggest that all of you moms who are bothered that there is an African American History Month educate yourselves about AA history and the history of institutionalized racism in this country. I would also strongly encourage you to look at the privileges you enjoy just because of your skin color.

I would direct you to this article:

http://seamonkey.ed.asu.edu/~mcisaac...Unpacking.html

Particularly as a homeschooling mom, I feel it is my responsibility to continue my own education in all areas. What a great opportunity to use the resources available during African American History Month to learn with my child.

[Mongoose]

After reading further since last posting I feel the need to clarify.

I have no problems AT all with African American History Month...I think it is a really great thing. I was only trying to point out how in my experience as a child in PS it was used as a neg thing...I was also living in a pred. AA area and was by far the minority in that school. Someone said that they have reviewed history texts and see a positive though biased look at history through euro American eyes. Problem is our school was too poor for texts for each student so history was taught by the teacher...and was making the all the neg points about our ancestors, so no I felt no pride in being white, only shame.

My suggestion was that we should all have times to celebrate our heritage, not to feel better for past wrongs and dwell on them, but for each child to be proud of something about who they are. I am sorry if that sounds offensive because it I am saying during AA month. I dont mean it as a whine, but as a we should celebrate with everyone not feel ashamed. And as Aslyn said...Most of my family came after the civil war. They are from Denmark and I know nothing about being Danish. That is sad! Aslyn I pretty much agree with your post.

[rootzdawta]

Seems these threads always take this direction . . .

I went to an all-girls parochial high school in the South Bronx. It was mostly Black and Latina. I was an excellent student and took all advanced courses--like A.P. European History (aka all you ever could imagine you could know about Europe and Europeans) and A.P. American history (aka all you ever could imagine you could know about their descendants here in America). Would anyone even think to offer an A.P. African History class? They still don't offer one--all these eons later. I graduated from high school with a pretty in-depth knowledge of the two. I couldn't, however, give you one good sentence about Africa except from the perspective of the Berlin Conference of 1884. I didn't begin to learn any African history until I made a concerted effort in college to learn. Up until college, my history didn't exist--even with AA history month which often played out as Martin Luther King, Jr. and Rosa Parks month with a clip about Harriet Tubman and *maybe* Madame CJ Walker thrown in there. Then, to add insult to injury, you can often read in these textbooks that the reason why there is no telling of African history is because African societies were not literate then they go on to describe the glorious colonization. I knew more about Ellis Island than about how Africans got here; more about how European immigrants struggled to become a part of American society than about how Black people did. And now, generations later, while the great-grandchildren of European immigrants are no longer regarded as "the other" (for the most part), Black people are still fighting the same battle.

Yes, special efforts need to be made to teach Black history. European history is already very well covered.

[aslyn]

Ya know this is an interesting topic..and I inheritanly have no problem with black history month, african american culture, or any culture for that matter..I didnt grow up in private schools..i grew up in the inner city in public schools..so I couldnt even speak about advanced anything..

To play devils advocate and go back on topic a bit..What about Jewish history, the jews have a bloody terrifying history as well..but rarely do we hear about that..should jews hold every person of german descent responsible for the holocaust? I dont remember hearing much at all about the halocaust until schindlers list came out, Why no Jewish history month?.. and the Witch trials..we hear about the middle ages and the catholic church pursecuting men,women and children..more torture, more murder, more pain in a chapter maybe 2 of history text books?..should Pagans hold every catholic responsible for that? I vote for a Pagan History month! And drawing from ancestory when will there be any gypsy (russian/slovak) history taught other then we stole babies? Forget the fact that Gypsies were persecuted, burned at the stake, tortured murdered raped, beaten, forced into slavery (in some areas of the world this still goes on for people of my descent) Should "my people" have a History month? This list could go on and on about world history and the endless battles we have had.

Now this all absurd poke fun at the topic really, but I am hoping my point is clear..humans are cruel to other humans..it doesnt matter what the difference is if there is a difference we as human will pick it out and eat it alive..human history is BLOODY..and by picking out those differences we are alienating the idea of unity that some of us TRY to maintain..I dont feel "responsible" to teach non hate because Im white..I feel responsible to teach non hate because Im human and I want my children to live in a world where every human being comes out of womb the same way (well almost) and has the right to be respected as what we are; "human"

[Rach]

to those of you who were the minority in your school and abused for it. Nobody deserves to be treated that way.

I think it's great to have months where we learn about others. I think it's sad when it is misused. If it divides us further instead of bringing understanding and unity, then it is missing the point.

I was very lucky and went to schools where we learned that Columbus discovered America, and the Pilgrims and Indians had a delicious feast every year, and that Abraham Lincoln freed the slaves.
I had one teacher in the 4th grade who only briefly taught us what happened behind these wonderful feel good stories. And it wasn't until high school and went to a predominantly AA school did I learn about slavery, the Civil Rights Movement, and the Japanese concentration camps of WW2. It wasn't until I was an adult that I learned the real reason my grandmother dropped out of school wasn't because she "didn't like it" but was because of the way Hispanic students were treated in school (which later sparked the Chicano Rights Movement of 1968).


Since this is homeschooling board, I suggest you teach your children whatever truth you want them to know. Whatever truth they need you to teach them. If there's a specific culture or nation's history you want to know about, teach them! The sky is the limit.

[MommyHawk]

Originally Posted by lakesuperiormom

i clicked on the thread thinking there actually was a european american month! silly me! i was a little shocked! it does feel like our society has to "point out" the other cultures and it just doesn't all flow together and we celebrate the unique diversity that makes america so unique and diverse. with that being said, it does feel like you should be ashamed if you are european american in our present society. i, will admit, i grew up homeschooled so wasn't exposed to public schools and their agenda and "chopped up" textbooks. i understand..or at least i think i do....what you're getting at...why can't we just celebrate "ALL" the cultures year round instead of breaking it up....well the beauty of homeschool is....WE CAN!

thank you. I was not being sarcastic or mean by asking. I think it's horrendous that the schools are set up this way. I see now that there is an agenda with doing cultures in months. I went to school overseas and maybe some unschooling (didn't have a word for it then) so I just learned whatever whenever.

[MommyHawk]

Originally Posted by Bad Mama Jama

Black History Month is the shortest month of the year. Coincidence? I think not, but there are different months to celebrate some of the cultures, but it is by no means exhaustive. I do, however, think it is a step in heaqling a country founded on racism.

yes, why IS it the shortest month??? I see it as a slap in the face. The gov't sets up these 'months', right?

[Rach]

Originally Posted by MommyHawk

yes, why IS it the shortest month??? I see it as a slap in the face. The gov't sets up these 'months', right?

Read Missy's comment right under the post you quote. It explains why.

[anarchamama]

Just to reaffirm what Dar said, the reason that racism in NA is pretty much the exclusive terrain of white people is that to be racist is not just to have negative feeling towards another race but also to have the power to enforce hardship (as a group not an individual). There may be plenty of black people who resent/dislike whatever white people but as a group they have no power to prevent white people from getting the things we need.

And it doesen't matter that YOUR ancestors weren't the ones who were ibvolved in slavery, you and every white person since then benefits from white privilidge and that is how you are impicated. As well as the fact that as a country (again not as individuals) you have a fiduciary responsisbility to those groups.

Claiming to not see race is not enough, and neither is teaching your children not to see race. There is a pretty valid argument that race in fact doesen't really exist, BUT it exists completely so long as everyone consents to see it. And really I have no desire to live in a world where no one sees difference, or tries to hide it or minimize it. I know claiming not to see it is the "right" liberal thing to do right now, but honestly how do you think that makes people feel. Forever they are oppressed becuase of race, and then the best we can do instead of recognizing and celebrating difference is to "not see it" anymore.