Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Politics : Politics for Pros- moderated -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Alan Smithee who wrote (91199)	12/18/2004 12:49:03 AM
From: Ilaine	Respond to of 793843

I don't know why Kwanzaa annoys people. Admittedly, it's a totally made up holiday, but that's what human beings do, they invent things. I sympathize with African Americans who feel sort of lost in America. I grew up around Cajun Americans and Creole Americans who celebrated their French heritage, Italian Americans who celebrated their Italian heritage, Irish Americans who celebrated their Irish heritate, German Americans who celebrated their German heritage, Native Americans who celebrated their Indian heritage, so forth and so on, but many African Americans are descended from people who were brought here hundreds of years ago, subjected to the most horrible degradation, sold away from their families as young children, and basically lost touch with their roots and their culture. And, after slavery ended, they were still hated and rejected as the lowest of the low. The fantasy about going back to Africa proved unworkable. They won't fit back into those cultures, ever again. So, they invented themselves anew. New names, like Shamika and Latoya. New ways of dressing up. And new holidays. Plus, you know what they do to celebrate Kwanzaa? They eat soul food! Fried chicken, okra, catfish, sweet potato pie, sounds like my kind of holiday! What's not to like? I've been spending the evening reading about Chippewas/Ojibwas in the North Dakota/Manitoba region, where some of my roots are. I already know I wouldn't be welcome back, they don't want to add people to the lists because they are afraid that means they will have to share the handouts. Which I don't want. So, it's just idle curiosity on my part. But if I decided to go "back to my roots" and celebrate those ways, I don't think many people would scorn me. Nevertheless, I am about as far from those roots in actuality as it is possible to be. It's gone forever unless we make an effort to relearn it.