daughters of the american revolution

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[Post New]01/28/2011 14:24
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:How do you qualify to be a member?


Have an ancestor who fought in the Revolutionary War. I hope you chose your parents carefully.


Sounds like we should be ashamed our ancestors fought in the Revolution? They were actually the radical libs of their time.

I have not joined DAR yet but hope to. I have been to the HQ to do research. You don't need to be a member to visit the library.


Don't let it bother you. That PP sounds pretty aggressively bitter. Not sure why! It's just DAR, lady!


I'm not the poster you are replying to but I think s/he makes a good point. That point is you are celebrating something you have no control over. I cannot control my family is descended from turn of the century immigrants any more that you can control that you are descended from some person whose family was here and fought in the American Revolution. The group excludes based on factors out of everyone's control.

Why do you have to join some club to celebrate that your family fought in the revolution? It's not about shame. That is not something shameful.

They may do good things, put on great events, etc. etc. That's a good thing.

But, I find it creepy that any group would require you to prove your bloodline before they let you into the membership. It's elitist and silly. And, as I said, creepy in a democracy where their forefathers' ideals were based on equality (even if they weren't always practiced).
[Post New]01/28/2011 14:38
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:
16:59 here. I don't like to get into arguments but you leave me no choice! My family was from New England, no slaves, just abolitionists and hard working, independent Yankees..

""don't judge me till you've walked a mile in my moccasins.."


You have a lot of different ancestors and I can guarantee you that many of them have done some pretty disgusting things. It seems to me that feeling pride because of something that happened hundreds of years ago is pretty desperate.
[Post New]01/28/2011 14:38
Anonymous
clearly it is not for everyone. but celebrations of a family's heritage is nothing unusual and harmless. I think it is fun to look back on old family trees and see who did what (and certainly the dirt you uncover is not always flattering). but whatever, to each their own. like I said before, my mom's club is a bunch of harmless little old ladies having tea parties who do wonderful things and have preserved threatened spots of local history. if you don't like it, great. debate is fine.
[Post New]01/28/2011 14:51
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:how is it relevant what someone did 300 years ago to today? slavery was common everywhere in history, Egypt, Roman, Greek, Africa and the New World. Don't see the point ...

in any event, DAR is not at all racist and does many worthwhile charitable things. Meet some members if you have any questions, and ignore the silly troll on this thread.


DAR excludes children by adoption from joining. They value only bloodlines. How do you justify that in this day and age?


because adopted children are not descended from people who fought in the revolution (at least not through their adopted parents). that is the whole basis of the organization, and they are free to make up their own rules.


Yes -- and people are free to consider those rules racist, antiquarian, and deluded.
[Post New]01/28/2011 15:11
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:how is it relevant what someone did 300 years ago to today? slavery was common everywhere in history, Egypt, Roman, Greek, Africa and the New World. Don't see the point ...

in any event, DAR is not at all racist and does many worthwhile charitable things. Meet some members if you have any questions, and ignore the silly troll on this thread.


You're really on top of things, aren't you? The Marian Anderson issue happened in the 1940's, not 300 years ago. And slavery ended in the 1860's....again, not 300 years ago. Racism in this country did not end -- wait for it -- 300 years ago. That's why many people feel it's important to look at the history of an institution before one joins. Otherwise, you may be associating with racists. Who are, in fact, the silly trolls -- not the poster who pointed out the history of overt racism in the DAR.


I'm a non-white member of the DAR. There are probably no old organizations (as old as DAR) that have perfectly clean pasts when it comes to race relations. Look at organizations like the Red Cross, Rotary International, any number of U.S. sororities and fraternities that do community service and charity work. They all have periods of shameful racism that they have worked (and are working) to overcome.

It's one thing to be aware of the past. It's another to condemn an organization that is trying to do good now for its past. That's a prejudice just like racism is, and the world would be better off the fewer prejudices we have.
[Post New]01/28/2011 15:12
Anonymous
Uh-oh, looks like my family reunions are racist because it's all a bunch Polish people!
[Post New]01/28/2011 15:15
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:Uh-oh, looks like my family reunions are racist because it's all a bunch Polish people!


If you make potential in-laws provide documentation of their unbroken line of Polish ancestors before being allowed to marry into the family, then yes. Bunch of bigots.
[Post New]01/28/2011 15:31
hedgehog
Member Offline
And this thread proves, once more, DCUM can argue about anything. Even ancestors.
[Post New]01/28/2011 16:22
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:how is it relevant what someone did 300 years ago to today? slavery was common everywhere in history, Egypt, Roman, Greek, Africa and the New World. Don't see the point ...

in any event, DAR is not at all racist and does many worthwhile charitable things. Meet some members if you have any questions, and ignore the silly troll on this thread.


DAR excludes children by adoption from joining. They value only bloodlines. How do you justify that in this day and age?


because adopted children are not descended from people who fought in the revolution (at least not through their adopted parents). that is the whole basis of the organization, and they are free to make up their own rules.


But then how do you define family? Should the adopted kid be able to say, "My great-great-great, etc., grandfather fought in the American Revolution"? According to the DAR, this sort of statement is not legitimate right?

Also, just because and organization is able to make up its own rules doesn't mean it's not racist.
[Post New]01/28/2011 16:23
Anonymous
Also, I can't imagine having a family with two daughters one adopted and one not with DAR membership being extended to one but not the other.

Disgusting, really.
[Post New]01/28/2011 16:30
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:Also, I can't imagine having a family with two daughters one adopted and one not with DAR membership being extended to one but not the other.

Disgusting, really.


reminds of Zsa Zsa's husband, who is "royalty" because he paid someone to adopt him. I don't think there are enough adopted prospective members to make a big deal about this one loophole.
[Post New]01/28/2011 16:46
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:how is it relevant what someone did 300 years ago to today? slavery was common everywhere in history, Egypt, Roman, Greek, Africa and the New World. Don't see the point ...

in any event, DAR is not at all racist and does many worthwhile charitable things. Meet some members if you have any questions, and ignore the silly troll on this thread.


You're really on top of things, aren't you? The Marian Anderson issue happened in the 1940's, not 300 years ago. And slavery ended in the 1860's....again, not 300 years ago. Racism in this country did not end -- wait for it -- 300 years ago. That's why many people feel it's important to look at the history of an institution before one joins. Otherwise, you may be associating with racists. Who are, in fact, the silly trolls -- not the poster who pointed out the history of overt racism in the DAR.


I'm a non-white member of the DAR. There are probably no old organizations (as old as DAR) that have perfectly clean pasts when it comes to race relations. Look at organizations like the Red Cross, Rotary International, any number of U.S. sororities and fraternities that do community service and charity work. They all have periods of shameful racism that they have worked (and are working) to overcome.

It's one thing to be aware of the past. It's another to condemn an organization that is trying to do good now for its past. That's a prejudice just like racism is, and the world would be better off the fewer prejudices we have.


Thank you, this sums up exactly how I feel.

I think some of the PPs who are vocally against DAR are those who are interested in it but not qualified to join. I'm very sorry, I wish it were open to all. But a lot of clubs aren't (women only, retired people only, etc), so I understand the hard feelings but think some of you are going pretty far off the deep end!
[Post New]01/28/2011 16:47
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Uh-oh, looks like my family reunions are racist because it's all a bunch Polish people!


If you make potential in-laws provide documentation of their unbroken line of Polish ancestors before being allowed to marry into the family, then yes. Bunch of bigots.


Well, they kind of have to provide this information in order to go to the reunions (be in our family tree), which is a better comparison anyway.
[Post New]01/28/2011 17:01
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:Also, I can't imagine having a family with two daughters one adopted and one not with DAR membership being extended to one but not the other.

Disgusting, really.


I am the original poster who said i was qualified to join but wouldn't want to because of their antisemitic and racist associations. I also said I was not sure if they had done anything to address those associations. If they have, then that's great. I don't think there is anything wrong with people celebrating their heritage, whatever it may be. I am proud of the fact that my ancestors came here before the American Revolution because, well, they are my ancestors. If I had a different heritage, I would be proud of that heritage. But to me racism and antisemitism are deal breakers; so if they have not been addressed, then thanks but no thanks.

However, I do have one adopted child and one biological child and I TOTALLY REJECT the idea that one of my kids is more a part of my family than the other. I understand the bloodline thing and all, but COME ON!!!! My adopted child is MY CHILD just like my biological child is. The idea that one would not be welcome is just really hurtful to me.
[Post New]01/28/2011 17:25
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Also, I can't imagine having a family with two daughters one adopted and one not with DAR membership being extended to one but not the other.

Disgusting, really.


I am the original poster who said i was qualified to join but wouldn't want to because of their antisemitic and racist associations. I also said I was not sure if they had done anything to address those associations. If they have, then that's great. I don't think there is anything wrong with people celebrating their heritage, whatever it may be. I am proud of the fact that my ancestors came here before the American Revolution because, well, they are my ancestors. If I had a different heritage, I would be proud of that heritage. But to me racism and antisemitism are deal breakers; so if they have not been addressed, then thanks but no thanks.

However, I do have one adopted child and one biological child and I TOTALLY REJECT the idea that one of my kids is more a part of my family than the other. I understand the bloodline thing and all, but COME ON!!!! My adopted child is MY CHILD just like my biological child is. The idea that one would not be welcome is just really hurtful to me.


Wow, it's such a coincidence that everyone hatin' on the DAR has an adopted kid!
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