Slavery & the Civil War

Unknown Soldier · 02-29-2012, 01:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blastingas10

Obviously, African-Americans aren't the only people who have had it rough. Maybe it's just because I live in America, but it seems like African-Americans have such a spotlight on their past, and everyone is supposed to sympathize with them so much. What about Jews? I don't see as much attention given to their peoples tragic past.

Their tragic historic plight is probably the most chronicled in the history of mankind. From biblical times, to the pogroms of Eastern Europe and finally to the Holocaust, where the ultimate aim was the annihilation of their race. So yes they've had a lot of attention.

If you want to pick a more modern race whose plight hasn't really been highlighted, races such as the Armenians and Kurds are much better examples.

**Janszoon** · 02-29-2012, 01:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sparky

There is no Jewish History month, I will say that.

Yes there is: May.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Unknown Soldier

If you want to pick a more modern race whose plight hasn't really been highlighted, races such as the Armenians and Kurds are much better examples.

My thoughts exactly.

Unknown Soldier · 02-29-2012, 01:45 PM

A holocaust that went unnoticed by the world and has only recently been much more publicized.

Armenian Genocide - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

......and has for the Kurds no oil there and no really influential Kurds in the world, so nobody really cares about their plight.

midnight rain · 02-29-2012, 01:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Janszoon

Yes there is: May.

My thoughts exactly.

I, and a lot of other people I'm willing to bet, had never even heard of that history month before.

At my high school, I remember each February our English class would read something like Uncle Tom's Cabin or another book like that and the halls would be adorned with posters of inspirational blacks and our teachers would always dedicate a good portion of our class to discussing it.

We need to stop acting like we're indebted to black people for something we're as responsible for as the other blacks of this generation. I really don't see it as solving anything.

Learning the history is the extent of it IMO.

**Janszoon** · 02-29-2012, 02:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tuna

I, and a lot of other people I'm willing to bet, had never even heard of that history month before.

At my high school, I remember each February our English class would read something like Uncle Tom's Cabin or another book like that and the halls would be adorned with posters of inspirational blacks and our teachers would always dedicate a good portion of our class to discussing it.

Is it really surprising that the month dedicated to 12.6% of the population would receive more attention in this country than the month dedicated to 1.7% of the population?

midnight rain · 02-29-2012, 02:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Janszoon

Is it really surprising that the month dedicated to 12.6% of the population would receive more attention in this country than the month dedicated to 1.7% of the population?

Is that all you got out of my post? That I'm outraged that Jews don't get as much appreciation as blacks? There's still 6.5 million of them in our country. I don't think it has anything to do with population figures, it's just the lingering bitterness/cloud of guilt that exists between blacks and whites.

If anything, I'd think the smaller the minority, the more attention that would need be brought to their plight (that is, if I thought these [insert race] History Months were necessary in the first place) since they'd be lacking as much of a voice.

**Janszoon** · 02-29-2012, 02:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tuna

Is that all you got out of my post? That I'm outraged that Jews don't get as much appreciation as blacks? There's still 6.5 million of them in our country. I don't think it has anything to do with population figures, it's just the lingering bitterness/cloud of guilt that exists between blacks and whites.

So it has nothing to do with the fact that African-Americans' struggles for civil rights are a major aspect of this country's history? It's just about "lingering bitterness".

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tuna

If anything, I'd think the smaller the minority, the more attention that would need be brought to their plight (that is, if I thought these [insert race] History Months were necessary in the first place) since they'd be lacking as much of a voice.

That could be true in many cases, but that is certainly not true with regards to the comparison you are discussing here.

midnight rain · 02-29-2012, 02:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Janszoon

So it has nothing to do with the fact that African-Americans' struggles for civil rights are a major aspect of this country's history? It's just about "lingering bitterness".

And what about Native Americans loss of civil rights at the hands of European settlers? Why does the history of a certain race in America have to be singled out when it still makes up the history of America as a whole (and considering we spent a ton of time on slavery and the Civil War already). White history was a major aspect of our country, and yet the only reason we don't have a white history month is because there's nothing to feel sorry about for whites. White history is American history. Black history is American history. Why are we trying to separate the history of blacks in this country from every other part of this country's history?

To me, black history month is about politicians throwing the likes of Al Sharpton a bone.

02-29-2012, 01:45 PM	#3 (permalink)
Unknown Soldier Horribly Creative Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: London, The Big Smoke Posts: 8,265	A holocaust that went unnoticed by the world and has only recently been much more publicized. Armenian Genocide - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia ......and has for the Kurds no oil there and no really influential Kurds in the world, so nobody really cares about their plight.