Black History Month Flap

Here's a little tidbit that I saw over on Tongue Tied. Seems a student at a Chicago high school has started to wonder why Black History Month is shoved down her throat every year (for an entire month). The student even went so far as to wonder if it is racism against whites? As the school newspaper printed the article as an opinion piece, the journalism teacher is now in hot water. The administration is doing its best to tell everyone who will listen that the author is "misguided" and that "all students need diversity and sensitivity training."

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Remember, the Cat is pretty much color-blind. My roommate for 2 1/2 years at the Naval Academy was black. During my time in the Marine Corps, I served with both "light green" and "dark green" Marines. The emphasis is on GREEN. Two of my roommates on one float were "dark green", and I enjoyed their company temendously. The Best Man at my wedding was black, as was the pastor who married Haydee and myself. (So with my background out in the open, on with my comments.)

My belief is that the racism card is way overused. If a black doesn't like the criticism he is receiving, then he plays the racism card and everyone is supposed to immediately proclaim the criticizer in need of "sensitivity training". In this particular case, a student wrote an OPINION suggesting that Black History Month created a reverse racism - racism against whites - ostensibly because "whites were slave owners and hence must have been cruel masters who took advantage of the hapless black man", therefore, any speech suggesting that whites are getting the short end of the stick is racist. This student's OPINION is counter to the accepted, politically correct norms. Hence, it is decried by the powers that be as being racist and insensitive.

In a nation that guarantees free speech, one can neither ban a person's opinion nor their free expression of that opinion. To allow one group to bully another group with a differing opinion is counter to what this nation stands for. I find it interesting that anyone in this country thinks they have a right NOT to be offended. In a free society - one in which ideas are not penalized, one man's free speech IS GOING TO OFFEND another man. Yet to denounce the first man's right to express his thoughts in a public setting without fear is tantamount to slavery.

So, I conclude with these parting thoughts. First, that in order to be taken seriously, quit playing your racism card, not everyone who criticizes you is a racist. Second, Black History Month is a silly, politically correct institution that only causes other races to resent blacks because it is getting shoved down their throats. Third, you have a right to speak freely, but your right not to be offended is nonexistent. Get over it.

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