Anyone actually celebrate Kwanzaa?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:"I think the way this family organized Kwanzaa celebrations accomplished this as well. "

How much did this family know about the guy who made it up?

Does this really matter? Really? Does it negate the value of the principles?

I don't know. On the one hand, it's hard to argue with those values. On the other hand, sounds like the guy is a schemer who doesn't really apply these values to his own actions. It happens often enough with ministers of religion. But this guy is the FOUNDER of the practice. It's just weird.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sure it does. Why legitimize something started by a creep?

Hahahahaha! How many slave-owners signed the Declaration of Independence?!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hey, there was a big Festivus celebration in Adams Morgan this weekend. You can still write your gripes about people and post them. I stupidly once wished an AA colleague a Happy Kwanzaa, and she death stared me and informed me she was Episcopalian and celebrated Christmas. I now exclusively wish everyone a "happy holiday."

I'm bummed that I didn't know about the Festivus celebration. I would love to participate in the feats of strength.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sure it does. Why legitimize something started by a creep?

Hahahahaha! How many slave-owners signed the Declaration of Independence?!

Good Response.

[Anonymous]

If you are AA and have had genetic testing to find your roots, do you celebrate the traditions of the people of your home country?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sure it does. Why legitimize something started by a creep?

If everyone followed this, we would be left with very little to celebrate around the world. And definitely no religions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am Black and do not celebrate Kwanzaa and have only known one family who did. Yes, it is a loser holiday. I wouldn't get angry if someone asked me about it but I would be a little annoyed. I mean, come on, Blackness and pseudo-African principles are not the center of my life. The community tolerates and encourages the treatment of women as second-class citizens, IMHO, so I am not tempted to get delve deeper into communal values.

Dude! I LOVE you!!!!

I was raised in the west, so much of this racial stupidness attitude (from both sides) is rather foreign to me. Out here we take people for who they are and what they make of themselves. We don't particularly care about a persons heritage. I can always tell when I meet an implant, because they start judging right away based on what a person looks like.

Come on, can't we all just be Americans? Can't we look back at our heritage as "that is where I came from" and firmly embrace the present of who we are? I can trace my heritage back, but today I am an American as patriotic as they come. I'm not going to run out and start celebrating some made-up holiday...nor am I going to even dig up a REAL holiday out of my past ancestory to make me "feel" more connected or whatever BS the next person want's to call it.

Me, I want to move FORWARD. Make this nation a better place. Learn the lessons of past mistakes so that we can avoid them in the future! Be Americans....proud not of everything in our history but proud of what we have achived and what we will achieve.

If you came to (or were dragged to) this country, embrace it. Otherwise go back to wherever it is you came from. Because making whatever you "were" the center of your life only destroys this nation. Living where you "were" only gets you stuck there. And God knows we have been stuck in stupid attitudes for long enough.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am Black and do not celebrate Kwanzaa and have only known one family who did. Yes, it is a loser holiday. I wouldn't get angry if someone asked me about it but I would be a little annoyed. I mean, come on, Blackness and pseudo-African principles are not the center of my life. The community tolerates and encourages the treatment of women as second-class citizens, IMHO, so I am not tempted to get delve deeper into communal values.

This is really interesting. It seems to me that many black families are actually very...woman-centered (I'm sure there's a better term for that but it's escaping me). And that the grandmother and/or mother is the leader and center of the family unit. And I've heard a lot about the whole issue of young black women feeling like the pool of young black men is very limited, at least in terms of men who are educated, have a solid income, etc. So it surprises me hearing an opinion that the black community tolerates and encourages the treatment of women as second-class citizens.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am Black and do not celebrate Kwanzaa and have only known one family who did. Yes, it is a loser holiday. I wouldn't get angry if someone asked me about it but I would be a little annoyed. I mean, come on, Blackness and pseudo-African principles are not the center of my life. The community tolerates and encourages the treatment of women as second-class citizens, IMHO, so I am not tempted to get delve deeper into communal values.

Dude! I LOVE you!!!!

I was raised in the west, so much of this racial stupidness attitude (from both sides) is rather foreign to me. Out here we take people for who they are and what they make of themselves. We don't particularly care about a persons heritage. I can always tell when I meet an implant, because they start judging right away based on what a person looks like.

Come on, can't we all just be Americans? Can't we look back at our heritage as "that is where I came from" and firmly embrace the present of who we are? I can trace my heritage back, but today I am an American as patriotic as they come. I'm not going to run out and start celebrating some made-up holiday...nor am I going to even dig up a REAL holiday out of my past ancestory to make me "feel" more connected or whatever BS the next person want's to call it.

Me, I want to move FORWARD. Make this nation a better place. Learn the lessons of past mistakes so that we can avoid them in the future! Be Americans....proud not of everything in our history but proud of what we have achived and what we will achieve.

If you came to (or were dragged to) this country, embrace it. Otherwise go back to wherever it is you came from. Because making whatever you "were" the center of your life only destroys this nation. Living where you "were" only gets you stuck there. And God knows we have been stuck in stupid attitudes for long enough.

What a lovely sentiment.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am Black and do not celebrate Kwanzaa and have only known one family who did. Yes, it is a loser holiday. I wouldn't get angry if someone asked me about it but I would be a little annoyed. I mean, come on, Blackness and pseudo-African principles are not the center of my life. The community tolerates and encourages the treatment of women as second-class citizens, IMHO, so I am not tempted to get delve deeper into communal values.

This is really interesting. It seems to me that many black families are actually very...woman-centered (I'm sure there's a better term for that but it's escaping me). And that the grandmother and/or mother is the leader and center of the family unit. And I've heard a lot about the whole issue of young black women feeling like the pool of young black men is very limited, at least in terms of men who are educated, have a solid income, etc. So it surprises me hearing an opinion that the black community tolerates and encourages the treatment of women as second-class citizens.

Both can co-exist. It seems like you're genuinely interested in it, so I do hope you take the time to learn more. I would elaborate but DCUM is not where I like to discuss racial/ethnic/cultural issues because it turns into a long course of "get over it!" or other insults.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am Black and do not celebrate Kwanzaa and have only known one family who did. Yes, it is a loser holiday. I wouldn't get angry if someone asked me about it but I would be a little annoyed. I mean, come on, Blackness and pseudo-African principles are not the center of my life. The community tolerates and encourages the treatment of women as second-class citizens, IMHO, so I am not tempted to get delve deeper into communal values.

Dude! I LOVE you!!!!

I was raised in the west, so much of this racial stupidness attitude (from both sides) is rather foreign to me. Out here we take people for who they are and what they make of themselves. We don't particularly care about a persons heritage. I can always tell when I meet an implant, because they start judging right away based on what a person looks like.

Come on, can't we all just be Americans? Can't we look back at our heritage as "that is where I came from" and firmly embrace the present of who we are? I can trace my heritage back, but today I am an American as patriotic as they come. I'm not going to run out and start celebrating some made-up holiday...nor am I going to even dig up a REAL holiday out of my past ancestory to make me "feel" more connected or whatever BS the next person want's to call it.

Me, I want to move FORWARD. Make this nation a better place. Learn the lessons of past mistakes so that we can avoid them in the future! Be Americans....proud not of everything in our history but proud of what we have achived and what we will achieve.

If you came to (or were dragged to) this country, embrace it. Otherwise go back to wherever it is you came from. Because making whatever you "were" the center of your life only destroys this nation. Living where you "were" only gets you stuck there. And God knows we have been stuck in stupid attitudes for long enough.

Your views will change when you become older and experience the limitless hate yourself.

[Anonymous]

OP, to answer your question-

Yes, there are people who celebrate Kwanzaa. I do not and do not personally know anyone who does, but this topic was started on another forum I read and several people responded that they do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Kwanzaa was started by Ron Karenga, a member of a black nationalist group. He was sentenced to prison for torturing a female member of the group. The religion celebrates the Seven Principles of Blackness, so it would be really pretty hilarious if a white person were to celebrate it.

He was convicted of torturing a woman in his group and then people celebrate he invented? That is pretty sick.

Not too far off from the Mormons.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Kwanzaa was started by Ron Karenga, a member of a black nationalist group. He was sentenced to prison for torturing a female member of the group. The religion celebrates the Seven Principles of Blackness, so it would be really pretty hilarious if a white person were to celebrate it.

He was convicted of torturing a woman in his group and then people celebrate he invented? That is pretty sick.

Not too far off from the Mormons.

Think most if not all religions make women second class citizens.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Kwanzaa was started by Ron Karenga, a member of a black nationalist group. He was sentenced to prison for torturing a female member of the group. The religion celebrates the Seven Principles of Blackness, so it would be really pretty hilarious if a white person were to celebrate it.

He was convicted of torturing a woman in his group and then people celebrate he invented? That is pretty sick.

Not too far off from the Mormons.

Really!? The Mormons imprison and torture female followers with electric cords, batons, hot soldering irons and squeeze their toes in vises? Because that's what Karenga did.