Re: Black National Anthem?? What in the world...
 

And yet again ... that's there ...

It's what has happened here that affects us all ...

That's like telling a mother or child who has suffered domestic or sexual abuse ... that they need to understand it happens in other homes ...

Re: Black National Anthem?? What in the world...
 

I'm not placing the "onus" on blacks for making slavery happen, at least, not in the sense that the slaves themselves orchestrated their own bondage. However, it is equally distorted to say that Africans were not involved in the bondage of their own people. The white man DID essentially free the black man from slavery (in the US) and many black men (and women) fought for their own freedom as well.

Agreed.

It was what it was.

We? Not all states, and not all white men owned slaves, even those who had the means to. I think that is an important point to make, since it seems that the assumption is...that ALL white men (with means) owned slaves, which is not the case at all. A second erroneous assumption is that all slave owners abused their slaves, although of course, slavery in and of itself is an abuse. (By abuse, I mean physically or sexually) The abuse of power is present, no matter how kind the "master."

Let's not extrapolate a thread about inappropriate song choices into a thread meant to inculcate "white guilt." Or minimize the flamboyantly bad etiquette on the part of a singer who knew better.

Then let's turn the page. PLEASE stop substituting black culture for American culture, as if one supercedes the other, or as if American culture excludes black culture, when in fact, it has effectively accepted it.

Please don't trample on sacred American tradition and symbolism in an attempt to make a political and racially charged statement about freedom that has already been achieved.

And please don't minimize the offense I take when someone mangles a song meant to symbolize freedom to EVERYONE, black, white or indifferent.

Re: Black National Anthem?? What in the world...
 

read about indentured servants my family came from scotland in the early 1700s worked 7 years to be free

Re: Black National Anthem?? What in the world...
 

Still happens today ... we have these cases w/ Asian and Latino immigrants today ...

There are horror stories of this in the neighborhood our church was in ...

20-25 people forced to live in a small apt. and forced to work .... in the streets of New York to pay for their trips here.

Re: Black National Anthem?? What in the world...
 

sweetpea-"Yes, white men were slave owners - but it was the black man who originally SOLD other black men to the white man. "



when you said this, I had to look it up, I hadn't heard this before.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slavery..._United_States

In the begining of the 2nd paragraph, it says it.


oh, by the way, great dialoge. We need to discuss some things out in the open. I don't mean to be ugly, but there is alot of problems for African Americans, but at the same time, when I see (the latest) a commercial for a show called "what is is to be black in America", I cringe and roll my eyes. What if we had a programe on tv about "What's it's like to be white in America."? Oh, that would go over real great..yeah.

And cnesttx, I believe that.It is sad. It does still happen today. Are they older women? The older generation still had ideals and patterns ingrained into them. It goes both sides though too.

Re: Black National Anthem?? What in the world...
 

Like its easy to say you would die for your country, even when you've never been in the position to do so? :coffee2

The atrocity, as it were, is not still happening in any form, except secretly or illegally. No one in the states possesses black slaves, no one is allowed to abuse or injure someone due to their race (or for any other reason), schools have been successfully integrated (although some idiotic black leaders are trying to undo that important achievement), and equality has been established, although enforcing it takes time and effort on the part of the government.

So, the ATROCITY that WAS is no more. What IS, is minor, by comparison, and the wounds that "run deep" belong to older, more respected and respectable black men and women, who would NOT use the tactics taken on by some of today's advocates, who are more interested in personal notoriety and political power than they are in seeing to the overall wellbeing and equality of the black people.

To bring the thread back down to earth, Daniel--What was Ms. Rene trying to accomplish (in your opinion), and do you feel she succeeded?

Re: Black National Anthem?? What in the world...
 

Amen!

I just wish we could call everyone that lives in America - AMERICANS! Why the double country names?

Re: Black National Anthem?? What in the world...
 

Call her up and ask her ...

I offer my divergent opinion ... in a setting that for the most part would not offer a varying perspective on this matter ...

Let each of us decide ....

Re: Black National Anthem?? What in the world...
 

I aint mad at this lady. I am however quite sad. I get what she was trying to do. What she was attempting to say. Its a beautiful song full of patriotic hope. But sadly she failed to hit her mark and likely did more harm than good.

Some will be forced to distance from this song and the depth of meaning it holds, while others will rally to this cause and defend what she did. In the first place, she has done harm to the depth of meaning that "Lift Every Voice and Sing" holds. In the second place she has further exacerbated a feeling in the white community that white people have once again been told how they ought to feel.

You don't win friends and influence people that way. What ever her goal was, in the end, she hurt the cause of racial healing. That makes me sad.

Re: Black National Anthem?? What in the world...
 

thats me an american, dt