Here's what Bryson Nobles, the former program director with the Race Relations Project, had to say about it:
While I've never been all that enthusiastic about Black History Month, I've also never thought it to be something to get all bent out of shape about. I love Morgan Freeman - but I think he's wrong here. I imagine that at his age he is exhausted by being a "black actor," and with the feigned and unconvincing empathy that many white people exhibit during February. But I also think that having a month to celebrate black people is no less silly than having a day to celebrate your birthday - both are spaces of time set aside to give someone who deserves year-around acknowledgment attention for something they played a relatively small role in bringing into the world -- mostly because it is customary.
White people are not relegating our history to a month; most are simply being cordial the same way that our family and friends are cordial on our birthdays so as to avoid the consequences of not acknowledging what most people probably find unimportant (or uninspiring) to acknowledge in the first place. Some of us love birthdays, but probably most of us hate the attention and find birthdays more annoying as we get older.
So indifference is more likely to be the emotion people feel about BHM - let's not displace our disinterest or make white people play the race game that we all know they can never win.
Not talking about race doesn't improve race relations any more than ignoring a cavity helps your tooth or ignoring lust helps your marriage. Race is real and it's okay to talk about and it's only as boring and unproductive as your inability to say anything original about it.
Morgan Freeman had an opportunity to say something constructive, and if he couldn't, the default should not be a disarming attack that only makes white people more unwilling to talk about race. He should have just graciously moved on to another subject.
So what do you think about Bryson's words? How is Freeman playing into the race game? And what do you think he means by calling it a game "that white people can never win"? Hint: What happens if Mike Wallace says, "Well, yes, I think that Black History Month is silly and that we should stop celebrating it?"
Follow-up comments from Bryson Nobles:
Try to imagine the overplayed black guy who grew up in "da hood," plays basketball, wears “do rags” and “tims,” will eat a small mountain of chicken (with hot sauce, of course), wash it all down with "red" kool-aid and top it off with watermelon flavored Now 'n Laters for dessert . . . then throw in one more ridiculous stereotype for fun - that's the Bryson Nobles you've been responding to.
I wanted to thank you for taking the time to watch, read and respond to the Morgan Freeman clip. This is important stuff that many people are afraid to touch it so please keep talking, asking questions and not be put off by those who are too afraid and/or too lazy to talk about it.
If you will permit me, I'd like to round out the Freeman discussion with a few thoughts:
I, like most of you, believe Black History Month should not be "the" means for learning about black people's involvement in American history. But THAT is the unfortunate consequence of being birthed and distributed by an education system that tends to compartmentalize things. The roots of Black History Month actually begin with an educator (a black one in fact, Dr. Carter G. Woodson, circa 1926, based upon his teachings at Howard University) to celebrate the "birthdays" (ironic to my analogy) of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass and their importance to black people. As a side tangent here, this is what's curious about black people who frame Black History Month as though it was created by white people to pacify us or "relegate" our history to one month. With all due respect, this is why talking matters because most people don't seem to know that or fail to talk about it.
But my original criticism is that we should not spend February talking about "we only get February." Morgan Freeman hardly added anything meaningful to the race dialogue. Just because talking about it hasn't worked to this point doesn't mean it can't. Maybe we need to learn how to talk about race. I sharply disagree that talking about our differences has to result in driving us apart. Men are different from women. Sure we have tons in common but we are different and that's awesome. A lot of white people can't dance (save Justin Timberlake - lol). A lot of black people like chicken (I do). A lot of Hispanics come from huge families and play the music God-awful loud (I married into one). A lot of Asian dishes are made of noodles, and yes, a great many Hollywood executives are Jewish. But how do any of those things rank us among each other? They don't, but they do exist all the same whether you share my light-heartedness or not. All those "differences" make for an interesting story - one that we would be remiss for overlooking.
Lastly, I agree that we should learn about all these cultures and races and histories. I earnestly do. But I am afraid that this is not one that we should leave up to the school systems. Mark Twain said, "Don't let schooling get in the way of your education." A school system's poor handling of sharing our histories is EXACTLY why we can't stop talking about it.
193 comments:
I must admit that up until this point in my education I have been informed and taught about black history month. However I have never really stopped to give it any thought or even attempted to do something to celebrate or participate in this holiday. After reflecting on this article and watching the short film clip when Morgan Freeman was being interviewed on 60 minutes, I realized that in some manner I do agree with Freeman. I am Jewish and would not appreciate having a Jewish History month. As Freeman said, black history is a part of American history. I would feel almost insulted if people chose one month out of the entire year to honor and celebrate Jewish history.
On the other hand I do feel as if Morgan Freeman could have chosen a more appropriate way to respond. His choice in language and the way he continued this conversation seemed a bit attacking and defensive. This interview was intended to break down barriers in attempt to find a solution to eliminate racism. Freeman could have used this air time to voice his thoughts in a positive and constructive way rather than the way he went about it. In this case, Freeman is saying he is not going to regard Bryson as a white man, and does not want himself to be regarding as a black man. I do not think by choosing not to acknowledge someone based on their skin color, would effectively solve this complex and deep rooted problem of racism.
I think the quote a game that “white people can never win” means that no matter how courteous or aware white people are of the struggles and hardships black people face on a daily basis, they will never have a true understanding because they are not in their shoes. As Sam taught us in our SOC119 class about affirmative action and nepotism, whites generally have the upper hand when it comes to getting hired for jobs or getting the bigger compensation. In history and even today’s day whites have always been superior to other races and minorities. It is just a matter of the extent or amount it is publically conveyed.
To be honest, I don’t think white people will ever realize the true internal pain that blacks face. The saying you never know someone else’s struggle into your in their shoes completely applies in this case. Even as a Jewish person I have no idea what being a Jew meant during the awful period of the Holocaust. Even if someone studied the Holocaust, read books, interviewed people, they would never be able to have the full grasp and complete understanding of the events that took place during that genocide, or they way it felt to be tortured alive or be stolen from your family. Although black history month may not be the best way to raise awareness and help eliminate racism, it is a considerate step in the right direction.
During the interview, Morgan Freeman acts out in an outlandish, unnecessary way. However, I think he makes a point; he just does it in a way that negates his whole purpose. I have never thought about the topic of black history month before, and I have never thought about how black people would feel about it specifically. Once I saw this clip it forced me to create an opinion and I have to side with Freeman here. I don’t think it’s racist to have a black history month, I just think it’s unnecessary. Why would we dedicate one month out of twelve to one race? It doesn’t make sense. If we’re going to do that, we might as well have every month out of the year dedicated to a different origin: September is Native American history month; April is eastern European history month etc. Yes, I understand that blacks were oppressed and forced into slavery at the time when our country began, but they’re not the only ones. If anyone has a right to be pissed off about black history month it is the Native Americans. Basically what this is saying is that we freed blacks from slavery and they’re important enough to have heroes to celebrate, but we killed endless amounts of Native Americans and never allowed them to have enough significant people to celebrate. I believe that this whole thing was started for an absolutely positive purpose, so I don’t mean to knock the people who began it. In fact, I’m sure the main proponents of the month were black. I always thought it was a good thing until (who better than) the almighty wise Morgan Freeman opened my eyes. Maybe Bryson is right and it is just a celebration and no big deal should be made about it. I agree with that in the sense that it is not as big of a deal as Freeman makes it out to be, but I do think it should be abolished.
On the other hand I do appreciate and agree with Bryson on the point he makes that ignoring racism will never make it go away. I think Freeman is being ignorant here thinking that he should not be referred to as black and Mike Wallace shouldn’t be looked at as white. This whole idea of not seeing color or ignoring racism really pisses me off to a pretty extreme extent. Yes, I want and respect the idea of equality and I hope that a descendent of me gets to see that (I know it will not happen in my lifetime). However, unless we all start intermixing enough until were all the same color, we are always going to look different from those who are a different race. Abolishing racism is not about going colorblind, it is about accepting our differences and facing those head on so we can learn from and appreciate those of us who are a different race.
I was very surprised by Morgan Freeman’s bitterness about Black History Month. I guess always assumed that black people enjoy BHM just because we are acknowledging the role of the race in history. At the same time, I think that Morgan Freeman’s reaction was justified and that he had a good point. If there is a Black History Month, shouldn’t there be a White History Month, an Asian History Month, and maybe a Jewish History Month? Well logically, the answer is yes. But realistically, most people think this proposal sounds silly. Bryson does a great job of explaining why. It is just like a birthday in that, we are celebrating something just for the sake of celebrating it. Blacks can’t help that they are black, just as no one can help that they were born. I understand the basic premise of BHM is to honor a minority group that sometimes does not get the recognition it deserves. Instead, wouldn’t it make more sense to work on improving racial inequalities instead of just pointing them out. As good as its intentions are, BHM does nothing but reinforce existing inequalities. In a sense, it says that black people are different… so different that they need to be celebrated in their own special month. This is absurd. If we celebrated White History Month, many people would think we are on a power quest and are trying to degrade other races. Why is it that people of color want to be recognized as equals to whites, yet they want to be distinguished as their own people? This is what Morgan Freeman is trying to say. Mike Wallace seems absolutely shocked, and he has a good reason to be. I would be just as taken aback if I was talking to a powerful black figure such as Morgan Freeman and was shown such contempt for BHM. Not to be stereotypical, but I picture people like Morgan Freeman, Oprah, Denzel Washington, and P. Diddy all coming together and encouraging people to celebrate BHM. I think it is a good sign that Morgan Freeman recognizes that no good is coming from this. Yes it is a tradition to have this ceremonial event, but those who think it is helping with the race struggle are wrong. I also agree that we should stop talking about race to end the racism. Now a class like Soc 119 is a different story, because we discuss all races in a balanced sort of way. But in daily life, in society, people need to stop referring to color. For instance, instead of saying, “I met a black man today and he was funny,” why don’t we say, “I met a really funny man today.” Why does his color make that statement any more valuable? It doesn’t so haphazardly discussing race is dangerous. This was a very interesting article that got me thinking about how people of color feel about these things. Many whites feel it is our duty to respect BHM, but the black people many not even care.
I am a huge fan of Morgan Freeman, but I must say that his response to the interviewee was disappointing to say the least. I feel that the point that Bryson makes regarding Freeman growing tired of being characterized as a “black” actor is right on. It is highly probable that Freeman has become agitated being penciled into roles or being portrayed in a certain way. That being said, Morgan Freeman’s comments come across to me personally as ignorant. The man is a public icon, and has the ability to influence the decrease of racism in society…and his opinion is to simply stop talking about it? Even in theory I feel that this is a horrible idea. Skin color is a part of us, the differing hues and pigmentations making up who we are. It is naïve to think that people as a whole can simply block out recognizing someone by their skin. In Morgan’s eyes, this is the foundation for equality, but I find that the roots of equality lie in recognizing differing skin colors and subsequently accepting them. Society cannot be made into a gray mass of people.
I am half Spanish and half white. As such I feel that I have a unique perspective on cultural history months. I partake in festivities during Hispanic heritage month, and I can honestly say that I really appreciate what the month has to offer. During this time period there are numerous Hispanic festivals and activities which allow me to connect with my culture. I do not grow tired of it, I would go as far to say that I embrace it. Therefore I see no problem with Black History Month. It is simply a time period of increased recognition of Black culture, and I see no problem in that.
Is race a game that white people can never win? To be honest, I don’t care. I have grown so tired of “race this, race that” that I have grown despondent to defending my position as a white person in the racial dialogue. I am proud of who I am, and dismiss any concept of “white guilt” immediately. As we have discussed in class and in Laurie Mulvey’s book, many white people enter the racial dialogue frightened to an extent, fearful of stepping on toes or offending a person of color. Removing this mentality will be a major step in ending the race game. I do not feel that is a game that is going to be won…or lost for that matter. It is simply a cyclical cycle that may or may not end at some point. The final comment made by Sam is interesting. I would expect a fair amount of anger from the black community should Mr. Wallace have agreed that Black History Month should be removed. Race relations is highly hypocritical, and oftentimes a statement made by a white individual will be misconstrued and interpreted in an entirely different light than it was intended to be.
Black History Month has been something that schools across the country have been teaching for years to kids. As a kid, I was taught about black history month, but I never took celebrated or participated in this holiday because I never felt it applied to me. After watching the 60 minute click with Morgan Freedman and Mike Wallace, I have to say that I cannot choose a side. I feel they both have valid points.
I agree with Morgan Freedman when he talks about black history is American history. I think that is true and why should there be a special month just for black history when it is included in American history. There is not a white history month or a Chinese history month, nor would I want there to be one. I think we celebrate the necessary holidays in American history by dedicating days to them. There are days to celebrate “black history” as well like Martin Luther King Day so why does there need to be a month? I think that Morgan is annoyed with the fact that he feels blacks are treated differently and just wants everyone of every race to blend instead of seen differently.
However, I do think that Morgan was a little snappy and could have been nicer about the whole situation. First of all, it was not Mike who created black history month so, don’t take it out on him and second, if I was Mike I would just stop talking too. Everyone says that white people do not like to talk about race and that is because when they try, they always get accused of not understanding or knowing. Think about this scenario. Whites try to talk about race, but just get shut down, like what Morgan did. So whites get accused of not know what it is like to be Black or Asian or Indian, so they do not talk like to talk about it because they know that they cannot possible put their shoes in other peoples. Then when they don’t talk, they get frowned upon because they just sit at the “race table” silent. This is a perfect example of the phrase “white people can never win” and I agree with Bryson when he says “the default should not be a disarming attack that only makes white people more unwilling to talk about race”. I think we need to talk about race in a sense where we point out where people of different races are not being treated equal in order to eliminate seeing people as races. Pointing fingers won’t solve anything and neither will being hostile.
I never thought of Black History Month as a bad thing because it is celebrating a race and giving attention to a race. After Morgan Freeman’s comments, I started to think about how it may be a bad thing to have Black History Month and can see why he does not think Black History Month is a bad thing. It does seem like we are only celebrating the black race for one month. I have spoken to other people of color and they do like Black History Month, but they have also related Black History Month to the shortest month of the year, “Why is Black History Month the shortest month of the year? 28 days and every four years, it’s only 29.” Some of these comments were said half jokingly, but most of these were serious comments.
I agree, “Not talking about race does not make it better.” If we are ignoring race, people will think we are being ignorant or just ignoring a race. There will always be a race issue regardless of whether or not we talk about race. I think what Morgan Freeman meant when he said we did not need to talk about race is that race should not be the first thing that we see. We should not have to refer to a person who is black man or a white woman. I think Freeman felt that is unnecessary because why should people be referred to as their race instead of their name? I do not think that Morgan Freeman thinks that we should not talk about race, but I think he thinks it should not be the first thing that we see.
Bryson said Freeman should have been constructive or moved onto another subject, but that is so easy to say. Freeman has his opinions on something and maybe he is tired of the race issue. He wanted to vent and express his opinions on Black History Month and race. If you were passionate against an idea, would you really say something constructive or move onto another subject? Just because Freeman is a famous actor, why should he not be able to express the way he feels about things?
If Mike Wallace did agree and say that Black History Month is a silly month, there would have been a big uproar. People would have started calling Wallace a racist man who does not care about the black race because he is a “privileged white man.” White people may not be able to win this race game because anything they do, they will be looked at like they are racist. Some of the things a white person says would be favorable to some blacks, but would be offensive to other blacks. This is a game that will never be won by the “white team.”
In responding to the blog, White People Will Never Win the “Race Game” to me is simply to place censorship on racism. Morgan Freeman was interview by Mike Wallace on 60 Minutes and Freeman said that he wishes that Black History Month was never created. Morgan Freeman said that he just want to be recognized as a person not by his race. How we can ignore racism, because it still exists today in society? How can we eliminate Black History Month because many African Americans should get recognized for all the things that they have done. If it wasn’t for the African Americans such as Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X, then a lot of rights for African Americans wouldn’t be possible today. I just name a few of the many notorious African American people who made things possible for other African Americans. Black History Month in my opinion should be celebrated everyday for all the horrifying events that African Americans back then in the time era had to go through. I agree to Morgan Freeman just on thing that we as humans should address everyone as a person not by the color of the skin of an individual. We as citizens of the United States of America realistically can’t ignore racism because it still exists today. Since Barack Obama gotten elected as the President of the United States of America, the hate groups has increased even more and hate crimes been occurring more frequently. That is why I believe that race should be discussed more to educate people about what is going on in the United States of America, and to get other people views about it. We can’t just put racism underneath the rug, because people should express their opinions and to learn from each other about that. Not only the African Americans and the White people, but this goes for every race out here. Every race groups have some people in those groups discriminate against one another. I'm guessing Morgan Freeman is tired of America focusing on race solely and not the person. Some people just don’t want to talk about race because it is a sensitive subject. Mainly, the White people don’t like to discuss about race around African Americans because a lot of them might feel guilty from slavery and even don’t want to offend African American people by saying the wrong thing. If people want changes then some things such as race should be more discussed. Everybody just about in the United States of America has encountered some discrimination in life. We should talk about and even have more class in colleges and university, and other programs to educated people about racism.
Let me start by saying, I truly love Morgan Freeman as an actor, but his words really surprised me. Bryson’s response almost completely echoed my own thoughts as I was watching the clip. I was thinking that having a Black History Month was more to honor or commemorate their triumph or their struggles, than to jam their history into one month. Just like women have a certain time commemorating their own triumphs and struggles so do people of color. Instead of saying, “Well Jews don’t have a special month dedicated to their history. Then, months after, people don’t discuss their history. No, that’s only for blacks (this is what I believe Freeman was more or less saying).” I would say that Jews don’t have a month to commemorate their history – a month in which people can celebrate our diversity and a specific people’s history in addition to what we learn, remember, teach, and celebrate throughout the year. If Freeman did not like this month and felt as if people of color were being singled out, he should have said so in a more respectable sort of way. He could have said, “Other ethnic groups do not have specific months to commemorate their history. I believe that black, white, brown, etc. history should not have designated months, but should all be remembered equally throughout the year.” I believe this a more mature answer. I cannot believe he would think that this month is just a month to try and jam black history into -as if anyone could learn the whole history of a people in one month! The idea is ridiculous to me. However, I do wonder if other people think like this… would it be better if we didn’t have a Black History Month? Is this seen as another inequality between races? In this case, a month meant to honor black history and equality back fired and made this man angrier over issues of inequality!
There is also a Black Entertainment Television channel. I would like to ask Mr. Freeman - is that wrong too? Are people trying to take all black actors and put them on one channel or make all black people watch that channel? True, there are many more television shows on the channels with white actors, but by no means are people of color limited to acting on the BET channel and by no means do people of color have to watch that channel (just like black history does not have to be/is not jammed into one month called Black History Month). Obviously, Freeman’s words have slightly angered me. I acknowledge inequalities, but not on this subject. A month meant to remember should not be made into a month meant to ignore.
Although I agree that white people will never win the “race game”, I also do not think that black or brown people win the “race game”. In my opinion, the “race game” is one of those games that cannot be won. I think that the conversation between Mike Wallace and Morgan Freeman would have been extraordinarily interesting had Mike Wallace agreed with Morgan Freeman in that Black History Month is silly and should not be celebrated. Morgan Freeman seemed to be attacking Mike Wallace when it is not even clear what Mike Wallace’s actual opinion on the issue was.
I understand that Morgan Freeman has probably been referred to as the black actor for quite some time now and does not appreciate the attention that he gets from other people; however lashing out at Mike Wallace about how racism would not exist if we simply stopped discussing it is absurd. I do not think that racism can be solved that easily. Even if people did stop saying racist comments and thoughts aloud, that would not prevent them from existing and actions being taken from these thoughts and beliefs.
Racism can only be solved by having people understand and trust one another. This may sound petty and unlikely, and perhaps it is impossible for racism to be solved, but I do know that simply by not calling someone “white” or “black” would not eradicate racism. People need to have an understanding about other cultures and the history behind a different “race” of people and learn to respect them before any true progress can be made with regards to racism.
Bryson Noble’s comments about how people do not even enjoy celebrating their own birthdays because it is something trivial and that they had nothing to do with the outcome was rather interesting. I am one of those people that Bryson discusses saying that they do not like the attention that they get on their birthday, however I have never thought of Black History Month in relations to birthdays. Quite honestly, I have never really thought about Black History Month at length. It never crossed my mind that people feel as strongly about it as Morgan Freeman does.
It baffled me that someone could feel so strongly against something that celebrates their history, but then when I tried to imagine it from Morgan Freeman’s side, it somewhat makes sense. I understand his argument that black history is part of American history and I agree. However, I disagree with the respect that throughout my education, black history has always been integrated with American history. This is not to say that I have ever studied black history in depth because I have not, but American Indian history and Japanese American history have never really been touched upon in any of my classes. I feel that black history was not singled out and that the fact that there is a month dedicated to it helps to celebrate and acknowledge the struggles and victories throughout black American history. In fact, I think that there should be other months dedicated to less discussed aspects of American history including the American Indians and Japanese Americans.
While listening to Morgan Freeman’s video, it seems he was upset for black people receiving too much attention. In fact, he states that in order for racism to stop, we should stop talking about how certain ethnic groups have had an impact on our society. I disagree with Morgan Freeman because we must acknowledge people who have shown great contribution to our country. The person whom to which everyone feels has contributed the most is Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Luther King inspired a nation based on his speech that racism should come to an end. He felt that everyone should live their lives in peace and not be hindered by violent actions. Another person that we must also look into is Rosa Parks, who showed courage of refusing to leave her seat. We can look at other African Americans who have taken great contribution. However, if we are too discuss how certain days are to be celebrated by some, then I must say that Columbus Day should be revoked. I mean how can individuals support a person who is responsible for the death of many Native Americans? Sure he might have made history on discovering the new world, but what good is that if he killed innocent lives. People have to look at the other side of an individual such as their personality. While reading this article, Bryson Nobles also feels that Morgan Freeman was pessimistic of Black History Month. I disagree with Nobles that a birthday celebration will become annoying as you get older. As a twenty one year old, I feel that celebrating my birthday is never annoying. It only comes once a year and when you are celebrating it, it’s around your family and friends who have shown you support since your childhood. To be honest, what I feel is most rewarding of these moments is that you are also able to express your love by buying a gift for that individual. If we are to end racism, then we must take into fact that everyone should start treating everyone fair. We have more important issues to deal with now such as finding a secure job or supporting our family. I feel that if we take away “Black History Month” then we disgrace all African Americans, such as Martin Luther King who showed great pride in their work. When Morgan Freeman asked Mike Wallace if there should be a “Jewish Month”, Wallace felt that there shouldn’t even with a diagrammed look on his face. I would assume that he feels that Jews have gone through enough, especially with the results from the Holocaust. The idea of white people will never win the race game, applies that white people have the least knowledge of what racism depicts. Since they are seen as the superior race in our country, some white people feel that it is not necessary to celebrate black history month. We are all part of the race game which should come to an end.
I was surprised to hear Morgan Freedman’s reaction to Black History Month. I thought it was a little over dramatic and he did not necessarily need to be so disgusted by it. I can see his point though when he mentioned there is no white history month or Jewish month so why blacks? I never really thought about any negative sides of celebrating black history month. I never really paid much attention to it all actually. All I associate it with is that this month is when the slavery issues were taught in middle schools and high schools. We learned about it and that was that. When he said he thinks the problem would be solved if we just stop talking about it, I immediately disagreed. Race is not something everyone can ignore especially when people are getting hurt because of it. This Soc class we are in right now would not stand very well in Freedman’s plan to stop talking about it and then a lot of problems would be solved. How can I agree to this when this class has already opened my eyes in so many ways when talking about race. So I agree with how Bryson responded to the clip. I like how he compared the month to someone’s birthday. There are people who love birthdays and people who would rather be without all the balloons and cake and fuss over themselves. So thinking in that way, Morgan Freedman’s reaction is just one opinion. When I think about if Mike Wallace was the one who said black history month was silly and we should stop celebrating, I would think people of color would find that offending. That is why Morgan Freedman’s reaction shocked me so much. Blacks have fought for so much in the past, and recognition was a part of it. We recognize them with a month celebrating their breakthroughs as American citizens and hearing a black person say black history month is “ridiculous” is hard to comprehend. If someone fights so hard for their own equality and then receives it after having no freedom at all, hell yes I would want the world to know it and hopefully feel great about it. When someone turns 21, the world must know and we wear our silly hats and parade around the bars. Without our hats no one will know we can get our own drinks. To me black history month seems like a birthday like 21 where we want to celebrate because our time has come to celebrate life! Don’t get me wrong Morgan Freedman is right questioning the meaning behind the holiday; I was just really taken aback by his reaction. I wonder if more people think Black History Month is unimportant and would be very interested to find out.
Personally I never thought anything about black history month may be it is because I’m only hearing about it through a TV or something thought about it in school but I never did anything for it in that month. However I must say I kind agree with Freeman because we celebrating block history for only a month. I feel like that is a little insulting for black people because we are saying this month is just for your history the rest of the year is for white people. Why just one month? Why can’t just be like everybody else? There isn’t Jewish history month, they went through some problems too so aren’t we celebrating Jewish history month. If there is a Black History Month, shouldn’t there be a White History Month, an Asian History Month, and maybe a Jewish History Month? I understand the basic principle of black history month is to honor a minority group that sometimes does not get the recognition it deserves. Instead, wouldn’t it make more sense to work on improving racial inequalities instead of just pointing them out. As good as its intentions are, black history month does nothing but reinforce existing inequalities. In a sense, it says that black people are different than any other group so that they need to be celebrated in their own special month. I think Freeman was right for saying that he would rather recognize a male person as a man only not as black or white man. I feel the same way about any human I don’t think we should determine people by their outer looks. I don’t think we should say this black man or white man. I don’t think white people will ever realize the true internal pain that blacks face. If we had a white month history I don’t think white people would like it. It seems to me that we have black month history because we considered to be inferior to whites so we are recognized in one month only. I feel this purpose was to make blacks now we recognize you with this month you can feel like you are equal to white people. I agree Not talking about race does not make it better. If we are ignoring race, I think we are being ignorant or just ignoring a race. There will always be a race issue regardless of whether or not we talk about race. I think what Morgan Freeman meant when he said that we did not need to talk about race is that race should not be the first thing that we see. We should not have to refer to a person who is black man or a white woman. I think Freeman felt that is unnecessary because why should people be referred to as their race instead of their name.
I completely agree with Byron’s opinion about the interview with Morgan Freedman. Racism needs to be talked about in order to make a break through in our society. No communication about it will not only not help the situation but also probably make it worse and allow more stereotypes and opinions to be created which would evidentially create more racism. Everyone has their own opinion about things but for Freedman to go on about Black History Month as though it was an insult rather than an important acknowledgment. I think it is wrong that he would say something like that showing the public, specifically the white public that they should not be talking about black people or race in general. That is such a closed-minded statement and does not give the right message to society. We have grown from segregation and severe racism and a comment like that is very negative.
Sam’s question at the end of the blog is interesting. He asks about playing the race game that white people could never win and what would have happened if the interviewer called Black History Month silly and agreed with Morgan Freedman? Maybe Freedman would not have thought that if he agreed with him that would be racist but I am sure many people would. This goes back to the whole theory that it is okay if a black person makes fun of his or her own race but it is not okay if a white person makes fun of the race. Maybe some people agree with this, but if the interviewer would agree with what Morgan Freedman is saying would it be just if he got mad if the interviewer expressed that to him? Chances are Freedman would get angry and offended and it would cause a big problem. If that were to happen, is it right?
Black History month is not an insulting concept. Like Byron explained it is the same as celebrating a birthday. Why wouldn’t African Americans appreciate this acknowledgment? It is meant as a celebration of what we have overcome since slavery. I can see how maybe some African Americans can look at BHM as a way to make them stand out and be different, but I personally have been aware of BHM since elementary school and that is not what it is meant for. The way Morgan Freedman talked about Black History Month can be interpreted, as we should not celebrate any type of event that occurred. What if we did not celebrate Thanksgiving or Fourth of July because we just did not need to talk about it anymore? That itself would cause issues in our country. Important and life-changing events that have happened in the past should be acknowledged now, not only for the piece of mind of those whose ancestors went through those rough times, but also because it is a way of reminding everyone of how lucky we are to have moved on from those times.
To be perfectly honest, I liked Morgan Freeman’s response to Black History Month. I thought that although he was very stern and forward with his answer, he posed a good point of view. I agree in saying that it is unnecessary to have a black history month because it is American history. To set it separate, or segregate it, is doing just what the men and women of our past have done. It should be thought of just as white history in America, it needs no special attention for a single month. Does that mean we ignore it every other month? No, of course not. But setting it apart isn’t right. Our goal is equality here, so make things equal. Setting a specific race’s history apart only exemplifies that it is different from all the others. It exemplifies that that race is different from all others. Therefore, people look at it differently. In order to have equality, we do not want to look at a certain race differently. We don’t even want to see race when we talk to someone. I believe that once we are able to speak to some one of another race and not even consider their skin color difference, but look at them as a person, with a name, and a background, and personality, then we will really be free of racism. By making one race stand out, no matter what race it is, we cannot be equal. It only makes us notice the differences even more. I liked Morgan Freemans point when he said he didn’t want to look at that man as a white man but as his name and he didn’t want the interviewer see him as a black man, but as actor, Morgan Freeman. I am not saying that ignoring race issues entirely is the way to go, but that we need to look past race issues. We need to rise above them. Setting one race away, no matter what way, is not rising above race issues. It is only showing them off. It’s like “hey look at this group! We persecuted and ridiculed and segregated them for a hundred years! And this is how were making it up to them!!!!” That is how it seems to me at least. Obviously a month of just a different type of segregation isn’t exactly the way to make up for years and years of ridicule. At first, it might have been the way to go, in order to give African Americans recognition, but it is no longer necessary. That recognition is already there, now what needs to be done is see each other as equal individuals. I mean by seeing each other as people, who all have individual personalities. Not as a group based on race.
Honestly, I have to agree with Morgan Freeman that there should not be a set month of the year, one out of twelve, put aside to acknowledge black history, or women’s history or anything else for that matter. Black history month needs to be every month. However, I don’t think that we will ever get to that place until we move past the race barriers we have so strongly enforced. On this point I have to disagree with Morgan Freeman when he says that we need to stop talking about race. I think this is what Bryson meant about the race game being a game that white people can never win. The people who had the authority to establish BHM were probably white men who were trying to put a Band-Aid on a bullet wound. The only way for us to move past “you’re a black man” or “I’m a white man” is to converse about it, honestly and openly. Obviously this is an extremely difficult thing to do or else the issue of race would have been solved decades ago. It is not easy for anyone to bring all of their fears and perceptions to the ‘race table’, put them out in the open for everyone to judge themselves. This, of course, is even scarier when we have all of these preconceived notions and ideas about how the receiving party feels and how much they know or don’t know. As Sam said in class, much of what is said in race circles is only a portion, if any, of the truth. Our words are tainted by our ideas of what is ‘politically correct’ and fear of offending someone or coming off as ‘the Jerk’ ‘the racist’ or ‘the ignorant asshole’. Of course people are ignorant going into the race circle, we all are. I don’t think that ignorance is something to necessarily be ashamed of, though. To admit that you’re ignorant is to admit that you don’t know everything. How could anyone possible know everything? Admitting to ignorance is to say ‘Please, help me learn, help me grow’, and I think that’s beautiful. But, we can’t get to that place until we are able to be honest with not only others, but with ourselves.
The race game is a messy situation that we all have an equal foot in whether we want to admit it or not. Morgan Freeman is simply playing into the race game by wanting to avoid the topic, like so many others are tempted to do. Like I said, the stigma of confronting race has tremendous power over anyone wanting to put his or her thoughts, emotions and fears out in the open. Of course we want to run and hide. It’s the easy way out. Growth takes work; hard work, that’s why it’s called ‘growth’, you’re pushing the envelope, but you’re not alone.
What do I think Morgan Freeman means by calling the “race game” a game "that white people can never win"? Well, I think Morgan Freeman is trying to get the point across that if most white people were asked what they thought about getting rid of black history month (especially if asked this question in the presence of other black people), it is most likely that a vast majority would say that they were against it. It seems that in Morgan Freeman’s opinion, there should be no black history month because to him, black history is American history. He feels that it is ridiculous that there would be a month celebrating his black history when there is no white history month or Jewish history month. Although most white American’s would probably agree that they do not feel like they need a white history month (probably for the reason that they have never felt significantly discriminated against on account of their skin color), Morgan Freeman would probably argue that he does not want a black history month because it further draws attention to the differences between Americans rather than their similarities. He wants to be seen as an American, not necessarily as a black man.
Although Morgan Freeman does make a good point, I would venture to say that his view on black history month may not be representative of the rest of the black population. In my opinion, black history month is just a good way to reflect on history so that we do not forget its importance in defining who we are as Americans. Also, in contrast to what Bryson Nobles says, I would also argue that although similarities can be seen between an individual’s birthday and black history month, I do not feel that he attributes enough importance to black history month. In my opinion, birthdays and black history month are not on the same level.
In addition, I personally think that the chances are very thin that most white people or even any white person would venture to say, "Well, yes, I think that Black History Month is silly and that we should stop celebrating it." But why do white people not have an objection to there being an entire month dedicated to celebrating black history when there is no month celebrating their color or race. Besides the fact that white people never felt significantly discriminated against as a result of their color (like I mentioned above), white people are probably also playing into their feelings of white guilt. To deny a black person of “their” month would seem selfish on their part, especially since most white Americans are generally indifferent to black history month as a whole.
The race game is the constant arguments of how we should see whites and black and how we should treat race relations. White people can never win the race game meaning they can never be viewed as doing the “right” thing for race relations. They are either labeled as the racist or the one who over exemplifies the fact that blacks and whites are the same, offending a great number of the population. This is because we will always be criticized regardless of what we do. If we don’t acknowledge race then were being racist if we do acknowledge race (as in the case of black history month) we are seen as pitying a race and making a “big deal” of it. I mean we can’t win because so many people have so many different opinions that finding one solution to pacify them all is impossible. For instance if Mike Wallace would have said, "Well, yes, I think that Black History Month is silly and that we should stop celebrating it" He would have been seen as a racist black hater. Even though he would be agreeing with Morgan Freeman, Wallace is white and therefore not allowed to say stuff like that. He isn’t allowed to say things that would make black Americans seem completely equal to us on the race table because that would be viewed as throwing them under the bus and ignoring all the history behind the black struggle for equality. Ultimately they would be viewed as ignorant and naïve to think that way. I think Bryson was correct in saying that Black history month cant simply be removed because it is a time where we should honor all those heroes who have risked their lives in moving the black race forward in America. For it hasn’t been that long ago that blacks weren’t allowed to drink from the same water fountains as whites. America is still young in the race area but with every generation we are getting that much closer to bringing the colors together. But in the case of black history month, just like a birthday some people would prefer the acknowledgement never to happen. Some people see it as an unnecessary acknowledgment that just heightens the fact they are old. However, I understand why Freeman doesn’t want a black history month. He wants to be treated just like the rest of America and the whites. In a way singling out a month for blacks is just magnifying the fact that they are different and not like us. However, I think he overreacted just a bit considering all the black people that actually enjoy black history month. I wish we could just eliminate race but the fact is we still need to work out the kinks because not everyone is like freeman in the fact that not everyone is willing to see both races as equal.
After watching Morgan Freeman’s reaction during this interview, I was a little surprised at how upset he was getting at Mike Wallace for simply asking for his opinion about celebrating his heritage. It seemed as though Freeman felt personally attacked during the interview and from then on, remained very upset. Being such a prestigious actor, he has the opportunity to really enlighten people and give them a window to see where he is coming from and how his experiences have shaped his opinions about black history month.
The instant that Mike Wallace asks him his feelings on black history month, Freeman seems offended and says it’s ridiculous and flips the question to Wallace to see his opinion on why there isn’t a white history month or Jewish history month. He acts very condescendingly and instead of expressing how he feels, he makes Mike Wallace very uncomfortable and probably makes him regret that he even posed the question.
I can agree with Freeman when he says that it is ridiculous to dedicate one month to celebrating a particular heritage. Why don’t we have each of the twelve months dedicated to a different culture? But I immediately disagree with him in saying that racism should not be talked about. How can we advance at all in our views without expressing and embracing our differences? By not talking about them, people become ignorant and don’t learn anything about the differences in others.
I like Bryson’s analogy, comparing black history month to a birthday. The more birthdays that go by, we don’t want people celebrating the fact that we are one year older. Most people, including myself, think they are being cordial by respecting the heritage of another. I would really like to know how other black people feel about black history month. Do they embrace it, or would they rather have people not really make a big deal about it, or talk about it at all for that matter?
Many people who watched the interview, especially non-black people, might feel as though Freeman’s opinion is similar to the opinions of the black population as a whole. I am disappointed in Freeman’s response and I think he really had an opportunity to give a constructive answer that would have opened people’s eyes to the subject.
After taking Soc 119 for over half a semester already, I have come to realize that race needs to be talked about and differences need to be aired in order to make any headway. By hearing the opinions and thoughts of others, whether you agree with them or not, it might open your eyes to a new perspective. I would really love to know the ideas of others about black history month and whether or not they think it's as ridiculous as Freeman thinks it is.
Wow! What a clip. The last time I checked, Mike Wallace was the interviewer and Morgan Freeman was the interviewee. I can understand where Freeman is coming from because the continuation of BHM acknowledges the fact that there is a distinct separation between blacks and whites and all other races in between, and by acknowledging these different races were are acknowledging that racism still exists. The problem is that just as Byron says, we need and should acknowledge that we are all different- even more than just racially. Although I don’t see the significance of celebrating an entire month for THIS particular holiday, I do feel that because there were so many prominent events that occurred in American history with regards to people of color, we should recognize and pay tribute to these events. Again is a month necessary? No, but I think having Martin Luther King Jr. Day is a nice way to encompass the idea behind BHM.
The way I view BHM or MLK Jr. Day is the same way I view other holidays celebrated in America and sometimes even globally. There are days to celebrate being Irish with St. Patrick’s Day. There are days celebrating former Presidents of the United States with President’s Day. There are holidays celebrating religious events with Easter, Christmas, Passover, Ramadan, and Hanukah. There are holidays honoring parents with Mother’s Day and Father’s Day. We even celebrate in America the birth of our country with the Fourth of July, and many places around the world celebrate the birth of family and friends with birthdays. There is nothing wrong with having that one special day that you take out of your time to pay tribute to whatever your heritage or beliefs are. It is one day for people that are similar to you to join forces and celebrate, and sometimes, there are holidays like St. Patrick’s Day where you don’t even have to be Irish anymore to still celebrate it. I think by celebrating these various events, it allows people to become aware of our differences that we are proud of. Let’s face it, we are all different, and these holidays are no exception. Mexico doesn’t celebrate the Fourth of July but it doesn’t mean they are not aware of it. A Jewish person doesn’t celebrate Christmas, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t aware of it and vice versa. Celebrating something is causing no harm to anyone. If you don’t like to celebrate birthdays, then don’t buy gifts or eat cake. No one is putting a gun to your head saying that because you are different from everyone else and was born on this particular date that you have to shove tremendous amounts of cake and ice-cream in your face and throw a party.
If Freeman has an issue with BHM then he should just not celebrate it. Sometimes people need these holidays. It is their way of dealing with things so who are we or really who is he to say they shouldn’t and can’t celebrate? And although I don’t think a month is necessary for BHM, it might be necessary for someone else. I know I celebrate Christmas starting BEFORE Thanksgiving even happens, but to me, I feel that it is necessary for me to do that, and I want to.
I think Freeman is foolish to think we shouldn’t talk about race. I never thought that me of all people would be typing this right now because as I recall from a previous journal entry, I said I “didn’t notice race.” I don’t know who I was trying to convince with that statement, but I do notice race, and I think the rest of the world does too whether we want to admit it or not. Race is a part of our daily lives. I know that when I first meet a person of color, the first thing I will say to identify him or her to someone else would be the fact that they are black or brown. Am I trying to say that in a negative way? No, but the fact is they are black/brown, and I am white. My eyes see a distinct physical characteristic that is different than my features. Likewise, I would say the same thing if I saw someone wearing braces. I would say I met someone today that had braces. You can’t really deny it. Race is something we are faced with until that day (which will never happen) we are copy clones of each other. It is up to us to either accept and embrace the differences in a positive way or view them as a negative thing.
Oh, and to answer Sam’s question though about white people winning the “race game,” I think the answer is a big fat no. I don’t think anyone can win this game. There are too many people with too many different views. If we eliminate BHM, someone will be happy and someone will be pissed. If we add a White History Month, someone will be happy and someone will be pissed. There is no right/wrong answer to race. It is what it is, and the best thing we can do is talk about it.
Growing up I was never really observant of black history month. Aside from there being announcements on school televisions or even a couple of announcements, I was unaware of Black History Month in the confines of my school. Outside of school it became a little more obvious, but only if you watched a lot of TV. I can honestly say I only was ever aware of the ‘special month’ when I was occasionally watching MTV or even VH1. However, I really wished I had turned on BET during this month. I would loved to have seen how they treated the month and how their views on it related to or opposed Morgan Freeman’s views. Other times I could tell it was black history month was when I would switch through channels and stumble upon the history channel where they would occasionally include a piece on black history such as slavery or Martin Luther King Jr.
Morgan Freeman is definitely one of my favorite actors, and what I consider one of the best actors out there, regardless of race. He is a very well respected man in the acting community. I found this interview to be very surprising, and definitely very confrontational. I felt as though he attacked Mike Wallace. Wallace clearly was shocked and did not know what to say. He had to come out and say that he was Jewish, and I feel he had to do that because he feels like that is a minority. I personally think this segment shouldn’t have been aired. It could have sparked some controversy and I think it wasn’t really brought out the correct way. I agree with Freeman’s point that they shouldn’t refer to each other as a white man or a black man. Bryson’s words are also quite interesting. I don’t know how I feel about Black History Month as far as it being cordial to black people. I also don’t know if the month is necessary or not. I feel like the only reason Freeman attacked Wallace is because I’m not sure what the interview was about, but it probably had nothing to do with black history month. That’s why I feel like the portion of the segment isn’t really necessary. He could just have been in a bad mood or really didn’t want to talk about it. Going back to the ‘debate’, I feel like Bryson would have dug his own grave if he said that Black History Month was silly and shouldn’t be celebrated anymore. I don’t really know what to say about this. I don’t think the month will be going away anytime soon, but I also think in a way it is honoring the blacks for their history, as well as how it’s a part of the American history like Freeman described it as.
I have always wondered if days/months set aside to honor specific religions/races are really implicated in the persistence of racism. While I do believe that conversation about race is helpful in understanding the differences and similarities among us, assigning one race an entire month to be honored may single it out, contributing to the distance between us. February as Black History Month silently says that we still feel that black people are inferior in regular day-to-day life from March through January. I agree with Morgan Freeman, though he is quite abrasive about it, that a month devoted to black history separates black people from mainstream society with the façade and intent of fairness among races. He is right that black history IS American history, or at least a portion of it. It almost seems that Black History Month exists to ensure that black history gets at least a mention in schools and in the media. In the case that teachers don’t include black history in their lesson plans, Black History Month ensures that the topic is not entirely overlooked. But in the overt separation of black history and plain history (white history), black people can feel as if their heritage has no right to integration within the larger system.
When Morgan Freeman says that the key to eliminating racism is to stop talking about it, it reminded me of myself a few years ago. When I took part in my first race relations project during my freshman year, I walked into the room with an attitude that I was above the conversation. I was so quickly shot down when I pulled the “I’m not racist AT ALL” card. I was told that we are all racist in some way or another due to the simple fact that race is color, and that color is visual, and that visual cues are what we unarguably notice first about a person. Since then, I have abandoned my neglect to admit to being a little racist and have taken part in the discourse of understanding the other side. I’ve definitely come a long way. But Morgan Freeman’s comments do strike me still. I think that there is an extremely fine line between not talking about it enough and talking about it too much. If we stopped referring to each other as white or black, maybe we’d come up with other identifiers and race would become a bit less important in social interactions. But clearly, Morgan Freeman’s reaction to Black History Month came off as an attack on the institution (the white institution). If Wallace were to have agreed with him about abolishing the month, I bet it would have gotten ugly. Freeman, although possibly right in his conviction, made his point by pointing fingers at the white people. Black History Month is an attempt to instill fairness and equal recognition in our communities. And although it is flawed by its very nature of being a single month, it is a clear attempt by the larger community to bring some integration and fairness. Freeman could have approached the issue with a little more grace and appreciation, instead of anger and indifference that contributes to the disparity among blacks and whites.
After watching this snippet of Morgan Freeman’s interview I am very torn. I understand points Morgan Freeman has made such as “what month is white history month?” because that is the way that some people think. That is a viewpoint regarding Black history month that is out there. I have encountered many African Americans who feel the exact same way and actually dislike Black history month. But at the same time, I also agree with Bryson when he says that it could be comparable to a birthday and in some ways can be meant to be an honor. I do not think that Black history month was declared in a malicious way, but rather as a month to honor Black history and Black Americans who have made a difference. I believe that is a time of reflection. There are also months for Hispanics and Asians, so should they be offended about having a month as well? As a Hispanic woman, I take pride in the month where my heritage is focused on and respected. I do believe that this respect should not be limited to one month in particular, but it is nice when others are attentive to it and when people mention it on TV, in classrooms, and in communities. On another note, we must talk about race. I think Morgan Freeman is very wrong when he makes the comment that the solution is to, “stop talking about race”. I think that only makes the problem of racism and inequality worse. By coming together and talking about race, that is the only way that we are able to recognize and acknowledge not only our differences, but our similarities that should make us come together. When we don’t talk about race, we are not exposing truths and we are encouraging more repression across races. Morgan Freeman is playing the race game by not talking about race. When he says that it is a game that “white people can never win” I believe he means that he has the ability to manipulate the situation to make it seem as if any answer that his white counterpart is saying is wrong. If Mike Wallace said that he thought Black history month was silly and should not be celebrated, Morgan Freeman could have chosen to fire back and say, “Why not?” There is an intimidation there and a wall that is implying that the minority is always right, but this is not always the case in situations like these or in life. With this wall and this intimidation, talking about race becomes difficult and uncomfortable. Ultimately, it is blocking us from finding similarities and finding a common ground where we can come together and make peace as well as understanding.
I feel compelled to start off by saying that Morgan Freeman is “the man”. He is a highly respected actor in Hollywood and seems very well educated. I agree with Freeman’s thoughts and disagree with what is written after the video clip. Freeman is right. Why should we have a black history month? No, it is not like a birthday… Birthdays are only celebrated one day, not twenty-eight days. There is no problem with Martin Luther King Day. That day can be used in the race relations world or even celebrated one day like a birthday. That day something good happened. It opened every one’s eyes to black rights. What is so significant about the month of February?
In my opinion, Freeman speaks wisely when he says that there is no white history month, and there should be no black history month because blacks are part of white history. The topics taught in elementary school classes now should still be taught, but there should be no exact month that it needs to be taught in.
Black History month is “silly” and I would even compare it to the Black Entertainment Awards. If Blacks want to progress in society, why would they try to separate themselves and stand out. I am not saying the subject of them in race relations should be dropped, but when they put themselves aside and in the spotlight, it annoys other people. The point should not be to make others feel sorry for them. That will most definitely not make them more equal, and it may even push them further away from where they want to be. I do not 100% agree that race should not be talked about like Freeman mentions, but it should not be preached. No one likes to be preached or talked down to or made feel bad about. I am aware that I am stereotyping the black population, but I feel it needs to be done in this particular response.
And in response to the question: ‘What happens if Mike Wallace says, "Well, yes, I think that Black History Month is silly and that we should stop celebrating it?"’ I think that Morgan Freeman would laugh, take it light-heartedly and be glad that someone is agreeing with him. However, I am sure the media would be all over the interview. Purely because a white man disagreed with black history month, there would be a humongous uproar. It would be taken as “racist” also solely on the fact that Mike Wallace is white. I am sure if what I wrote here is released to the mass public, they would consider me “racist” as well if they knew I was Caucasian, and I am not trying to be racist at all. I just want to prove my point that Black History Month is unnecessary.
Although I do not like the way Morgan Freeman acted toward Mike Wallace in the interview, I have to agree with him. I don’t think that Black History Month is stupid or silly, but I do think that it is unnecessary. There is no White History Month, so why is there one for black people? I really liked what Freeman said, “Black history is American history.” He is absolutely right. White people don’t want a White History Month because their history is shared and experience every day. So is that of blacks. Although I agree that the plights and hardships of blacks should be made-known and remembered, a whole month dedicated to the subject seems unnecessary.
I hope what I’m saying does not make me a racist because that is in no way what I’m trying to portray, I just happen to agree with Freeman on this subject. I think white people in a way are relegating black history to one month. It is almost as if we are saying, “Here ya go. You can have February to celebrate your culture and history, but we get the other 11 months out of the year.” Why can’t we celebrate every culture, religion, and history every day?
I also really liked when Freeman said the best way to get rid of racism is to “stop talking about it.” This is a thought that I have agreed with throughout the semester during Soc 119. Maybe I’m over simplifying things and sounding hopeful, but why can’t people just stop talking about racism? I truly understand that our society will never overcome racism and that it is seen in everyday life, but I can’t help to think that it is sometimes blown out proportion. Up until this point, I thought that this was just how a white person felt, but it is reassuring to hear that a black man feels the same way. I understand that it is there and it is ok to talk about, I just think the subject can get exhausted at times and does not need to be brought up in every conversation. As I said before, I don’t agree with the attitude that Freeman took toward Wallace just for doing his job, but I think Freeman was right to say the things he said. As a prominent black man in society, I imagine the topic of race can get very old and tiring, especially when he is being interviewed for something else.
I don’t know if all black people would have reacted in the same way, but I think that Freeman would have been angry if Wallace said that Black History Month was silly because he would have thought that he disrespected his culture. It is a no win situation for whites. The race game is just one “that white people can never win.”
I often have seen folks making solid arguments for and against the exercise of setting apart a period of time to celebrate the contributions of an ethnic group to the whole. With that said, I am not on the fence on this one. I would like to see a day in which something like a black history month or a Hispanic heritage month is a thing of the past. A day in which the present and past contributions of non-caucasians are equally recognized in our daily lives.
I've also heard the argument that our current incarnation of black history month only offers us the same cast of characters and the same contributions. Dr. King's "I have a dream" (whose body of work has been reduced unceremoniously to a sound bite) to Carver's peanut butter, Ronald McNair, Harriet Tubman, Paul Robeson, Sidney Poitier, etc. And that the exclusion of other more controversial iconoclasts such as El Hajj Malik El Shabazz, is an attempt to commercialize the month and make it more mainstream.
But this is easier said than done folks, because the reality is that we have been accustomed to an almost homogeneous tale of the troubled history of this nation. It is quite the task to undo decades of outright exclusion from history books, art, cinema, media and other sources that serve as the abstract bards of our traditions.
We can say that we have arrived at a time where we no longer need to dedicate 28 days to recognize the contributions of a once legally segregated part of our populace. But how do we undo all the damage? all of the exclusion? How do we expand on the paragraphs that have been the placeholders for all of the history that has taken place and often ignored?
In my humble opinion, it would take much more than one month per year to restore blacks in the annals of history to declare victory and undo with the tradition of black history month. (Remember, there was a reason why its precursor, black history week, was begun in the first place.) And in a world where non-white faces and names are still by enlarge the sidekicks in the media, both print and audiovisual, this is a task that I have yet to see the public ready for and at times willing to undertake.
So for now, black history month serves its purpose. It pulls folks by their ears and away from the images of past and present white personages and turns their heads to the often bypassed and excluded black faces that helped frame the nation we live in.
Morgan Freeman on Black History Month
I would like to understand where Morgan Freeman is coming from but I have not lived his life nor am I his race, however I have to object to his statements based on what I have learned this semester in class. He seems quite fed up with the topic of race and racism to the point where he feels it should not be discussed. His hostile tone suggest that he is fairly closed minded towards the race topic and feels he knows much more than others when discussing race relations. He goes on to say that he doesn’t believe there should be a black history month, which I find to be a valid point, because black history is a part of world history and should be recognized every day. The article is called “White people will never win the race game,” however I did not here Morgan Freeman make this statement so I am not sure why it is titled this. This statement hurts progression in race relations because we have been taught that not discussing race is not the answer to ending racism. Talking about race openly and comfortably is in fact a very strong move in the right direction to minimize racism. The more people that talk about race the more common the subject will become and taboos will decrease. Avoiding the subject of race creates hostility and would only make people more uncomfortable and segregated when interacting with others of another race. Morgan Freeman says at the end of the interview that he does not see race but rather he sees people for who they are and doesn’t incorporate race into their personality. While on the surface this may seem like a good outlook it is not. Not “seeing” race takes away many qualities that people have and can use to contribute to the world around them. People who ignore race are ignoring a large part of someone’s personality. Race is clearly a factor when meeting someone and should not be ignored. Race should be praised, and used positively to distinguish one person from another for their individual characteristics. If everyone was looked at as the same there would be hardly anything interesting to learn from one another. In order to grow people must be willing to be open minded and willing to listen and understand others. Bryson makes a valid point that “Ignoring race does no better than ignoring a cavity.” When he says this he is saying that looking the other way isn’t always the answer and doesn’t get to the root of the problem. How can we ignore something that is obviously unable to be ignored? I believe race should be talked about often to help those who are uncomfortable with the topic more comfortable. Classes such as race relations are great in bringing debates like this to light. Previous to this class I thought of someone who “didn’t see race,” but now I see that not seeing race is only a setback intellectually. Seeing race for the positive contributions it makes is something everyone could use to better their lives.
I was sort of shocked when I heard Morgan Freeman say Black History month was ridiculous. I assumed he would have wanted that recognition. I believe all different kinds of people want recognition for who they are as individuals or recognition for a group of people they belong to. I think that is what any kind of holiday is for. Hanukah is celebrated by Jewish people and that holiday is a way for Jewish people to celebrate their religion and what they believe in. That is the same for Christmas or any other kind of religious holiday throughout the year. Veteran’s Day, Martin Luther King Day, and even St. Patrick’s Day are holidays many people can identify themselves with and have that recognition for that one day. And I do not believe the length of a holiday should matter. They are given the opportunity to embrace who they are and if they choose not too because it is silly then that holiday should not just be forgotten about.
Black History Month would be no different if it was Black History Week, or Black History Day. Morgan Freeman would still say a week or day out of the year dedicated to the history of black people would be ridiculous. I think the purpose of it being a month may be to get people to think about it beyond that month. There is a lot of black history that should be recognized and aIot time should be dedicated to doing that. Learning history is very important because I believe if you are ignorant to the past then it definitely can repeat. Black History is definitely apart of American History and there is no reason it should not be recognized.
I really liked Noble’s comparison of Black History Month to someone’s birthday because it helped me understand why someone might not like all the attention. When Noble talked about playing the race game that while people will never win, I did not understand it at first until I read the hint at the bottom. If Wallace said Black History Month was silly he would be attacked because he is white. He would be accused of not caring for black people or their history. And because Morgan Freeman is black he can say whatever he wants about Black History Month even if he thinks it is stupid. If any white person does not recognize black people during the month of February or recognize historical people then black people will think they are racist or unwilling to move forward. Then a black person does the same thing a white person does but are not looked down upon or thought of as someone unwilling to move forward.
I was really kind of shocked that Morgan Freeman found Black History Month ridiculous. It was really surprising to watch him verbal attack Mike Wallace. I also think that Morgan Freeman was wrong when he said we just ignore racism. I do not really think it is possible or healthy to just ignore racism. As I read the article after I saw the point that the former race relations director was making that black history month could be viewed as annoying to some blacks. I really like his analogy to that of birthdays. As we get older we don't appreciate celebrating how old we are any more, we rather not have the day that everyone recognizes us and treats us how they should all the time. I started to understand how Morgan Freeman could be tired of being called a black actor after so many years in the business. He is not always classified as a great, good, outstanding actor but I would have to bet that most of the time he is identified as a black actor. Then I see how he can get upset at having a month set aside in honor of blacks, he feels like it is another sort of racism. I see his point but I also think that it is a good thing to do. We set aside the month to honor the many people like Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King, Malcolm X, all the people that helped to make a difference and give us the world that we live in today. We not only honor those in the past we honor the ones that are making a difference today big or small. Morgan Freeman has the opportunity to make a difference but instead he shut down and said just "ignore racism". Ignoring racism will never work it is just as the director said a toothache that won't go away, a cavity that you don't get fixed, etc. We can't just keep letting this go on. We need to keep taking initiatives to change it. I know that is stated that white people will never win the race game and that could be true; but I don't think we will never know if we give up and quit trying. We are taught when we are young to never give up. It is embedded in us that we should not be quitters that if there is a problem we need to keep working because if we keep working we might just reach a solution. Looking at the year, we have had so many changes even in the highest branches of government. If we can make progress like that why can't we try to continue to fight against the racism and win the game? Prove the odds and people who thought it would never happen wrong.
I think that Morgan Freeman made a point that he wanted to make for a while and it was all bottled up and finally he let it out. Although, most black people probably don’t agree with what he said, I am also sure that they don’t disagree. In other words, I think that Bryson is correct in saying that most Black people are indifferent to Black History Month. For the most part I strongly agree with what Bryson said. I think that Black History Month is nothing more than an extended birthday, although for some black people it might be enough already and go from being indifferent to being annoyed. That’s when they play the race card and say what Morgan Freeman said. Now what I find interesting is that if Mike Wallace did say that he thinks Black history Month is silly then Morgan Freeman would have jumped right down his throat and said otherwise. Which is funny because the only way he can play both sides like he most likely would have is because he is black and knows that he can do so. This right here is how Morgan Freeman is playing the race game. He is voicing his opinion on Black History Month saying that it’s not something that should really exist but once someone jumps on him about Black History Month being silly (especially a white man) he can turn around and play the other side of the hand. In other words, he can have two totally different opinions on the same subject just because he is black, and he would get away with it too. This is because the white guy who is getting lectured doesn’t want to be called a racist and because of that the white guy can never ever win in this sense.
My personal view on this is that I hate my birthday and like it at the same time just because I am at that, I am too old for this stuff age. But I think that something like Black History Month is a very good thing to “celebrate”. Although I don’t think we are celebrating anything, I think that we are merely shinning some light into the past of black people to learn from what happened in the past. It’s just like why elementary school teaches history. Personally I would love to have a Jewish History Month for the same exact reason why I think Black History Month should never not be recognized. To learn from the past and see what not only happened but what we have to work on in the future. Although, the one thing I do agree with Morgan Freeman on is that the only way to stop race is to stop seeing it, the funny thing is is that will never happen.
I am actually really shocked to hear how opposed Morgan Freeman is to Black History Month. I have never heard anyone speak negatively about this event and actually, the thought that black people are opposed to Black History Month never even crossed my mind. However now that I think about it, I can definitely understand why Morgan Freeman is annoyed with the whole situation. I think he must be fed up with people constantly categorizing him as a black man and not just as a person or as an actor. Because Morgan Freeman is black, Mike Wallace automatically asks him about how he feels about Black History Month. For one month, Americans should pay tribute to black individuals and learn about their history. Just one month out of the year! The whole thing actually seems quite silly. Upon analysis, I think Black History Month may have been established as a way for white people to try and feel better about slavery. So maybe, Black History Month really has more to do with alleviating white guilt than it does with honoring African Americans. This is probably the issue that really irks Morgan Freeman. At this point in his life, I am sure he does not want to discuss the fact that he is a black man anymore. As he said, he is Morgan Freeman and should not be categorized solely on the color of his skin. Maybe he is right in believing that drawing attention to racial differences between individuals is only going to deepen racial divisions and we should stop seeing color boundaries.
On the other hand, I think black history month was established with the best intentions in mind. Even if it does have a lot to do with white guilt, it is still meant to be a positive event for African Americans. Thinking back to elementary school, I remember my teachers taking a great deal of time to teach about black history and I know that I learned valuable information that I may not have otherwise come across without Black History Month. It may be a silly concept to honor black people for one month, but Morgan Freeman certainly should not be offended by it and attack the interviewer. Of course Mike Wallace did not have anything to do with establishing Black History Month so Morgan Freeman should not take out his frustrations on him. I feel bad for Mike Wallace being put on the spot like that, as if he represents all white people. Also, I find it very interesting that he tries to remove himself from the whole white population by stating that he is Jewish! Before I came to college, I did not realize the being Jewish is almost like being in a separate racial category. Now, one of my best friends is Jewish and I can see that her Jewish culture is a huge part of her life, even though she is not even very religious. Overall, I definitely sympathize with Morgan Freeman and his issues with Black History Month. It is clearly not a perfect solution for all of the racial inequalities that have plagued America through the past and still to this day, but I think it should be viewed as a positive effort to educate the population and pay tribute to those who suffered.
I clearly remember learning about Black History Month throughout my elementary school years and reflecting on the civil rights activists who helped shape what we call the United States of America. I remember the videos my classes watched, the speakers we listened to, and the illustrated books we read and I always had the understanding that the month of February was a time to celebrate, appreciate, and commend black people of our history.
However, I never once thought about what African Americans felt about the month until Morgan Freeman’s interview. I assumed that African Americans were honored by the fact that our country set aside a specific time to honor their people, but never realized how this could totally be misinterpreted as an insincere and unsympathetic feeling towards blacks. Interviewer Mike Wallace was completely caught off guard when Morgan Freeman asked what month was set aside for white history, wondering why blacks have a separate time and are not included in the overall title of “American History”.
In a sense, I agree with Morgan Freeman and the fact that many blacks believe that if our country is in fact trying to overcome racial issues we shouldn’t set aside a month for one specific ethnic group. Like Freeman said, “Black history is American history,” and it seems as though many blacks do not want sympathy from whites. Instead, they’d prefer to be treated as equals and have their history incorporated as American history, because that is what it is and what helped structure and develop the society we live in today. By singling out a certain race, it draws attention to them and makes it seem like whites are just trying to compensate for the wrongs they had done to blacks in the past.
On the other hand, if our country was to suddenly disregard the Black History Month holiday, I believe that an outrage would occur in America. People would think that whites no longer felt remorse towards African Americans who underwent slavery and times of racism, yet blacks are the very people who think Black History Month shouldn’t exist because they do not want to be segregated in such a way. It is a very touchy issue because I don’t believe that all people agree with Black History Month, but at the same time not all people think we should get rid of it. It has become a tradition in our culture, but as time progresses and America undergoes other cultural advances, will different months be set aside for those racial groups? Will May be assigned Mexican American Month, and September as Muslim American month? We must decide if there is a better way to reflect and appreciate all of our country’s history.
In all honesty, my original reaction to this 60 Seconds clip was one of definite surprise at Morgan Freeman’s bitterness and his blatant comments toward Black History Month. As an older black man, I guess I just assumed that he would be one to appreciate the month dedicated to black history. This was not an intelligent or fair assumption. However, I must mention that I also initially agreed with him. Black History Month is not something that I remember being heavily pressed upon my classmates and me back in school, although I faintly remember learning some things about it. Clearly, though, this means that it wasn’t very significant in my education years.
I agree with the idea that as a Catholic, I wouldn’t care for an entire month of Catholic history. A month in itself is not a big enough amount of time to celebrate these kinds of things, although it WOULD be ridiculous to title it any longer. Obviously, then, we should just celebrate these things on a regular basis, all year round, without the title. In my opinion, titles only add to the extensive barriers that are placed on society in regards to issues like racism.
As much as I do agree with Morgan Freeman’s statements, I agree with others’ in their comments that he could have said it in a better way. However, he seems very passionate about his thoughts so I can see his attitude making sense. Yet, the comments that Bryson makes hit home with me as well. I do believe that most people feel indifferent to the month of black history. And while I think a month of black history (or any history of that matter) is slightly unnecessary, I guess it is pretty much the same thing as celebrating a day of someone’s birth. Like Bryson says, no one really cares but it’s nice to acknowledge it for that person’s sake. There is nothing wrong with being considerate. Furthermore, Bryson’s statement that “Not talking about race doesn’t improve race relations…” is something that I can see both sides of relating to the issue. On one hand, it should be okay for people to be comfortable and talk about race so that relations can progress and the comfort level will only get better. On the other hand, however, I do believe that race is pushed too much at times only for attention and words would be better left unsaid.
In regards to race being a game “that white people can never win,” I feel that this is an accurate statement. If Mike Wallace had said that he thought Black History Month was silly and unnecessary, chances are, even if Morgan Freeman didn’t disagree, someone else would have something to say against his words. But when he clearly seems surprised by Freeman’s thoughts about the month, he is seen as foolish for not understanding. Thus, the idea that a white person can never be right in this situation.
The video of Morgan Freeman’s interview on 60 Minutes left me feeling pretty uncomfortable. It seemed to me that Freeman freaked out on Mike Wallace for even bringing up Black History Month, and then further interrogated him about his race and religion. By asking Wallace when his history month is, Freeman was clearly implying that there is white supremacy in the United States. His underlying message was that we celebrate white history every day – we do not need a month devoted to it. Wallace brought the fact that he is Jewish into the conversation. By doing that, Wallace was attempting to relate to Freeman, because Jews have gone through a lot in their history. They also celebrate a Holocaust remembrance day. I would love to ask Freeman what exactly he hoped to accomplish by acting so defensive and basically attacking Wallace. Does he know that there is a Women’s History Month, celebrating women’s suffrage? What would he have to say about that?
Honestly I’m not sure I understand what Bryson means by the “race game”. What I think it is, is the constant obstacles people of all races face when talking (or not talking, for that matter) about the issue. I guess it is that all people merely scoot around race as a topic. So with that in mind, I’m going to say that the race game is only going to be solved, or won, when there is open dialogue between races. If black people like Morgan Freeman are freaking out at white people about race, and white people are freaking out (or not freaking out – maybe a bigger issue) then the game will never be won.
I can not even imagine how things would have gone done had Wallace agreed with Freeman. Freeman probably would have done a complete one-eighty, calling Wallace a racist. Or maybe Freeman would have been less biting with his remarks, and more accepting of what Wallace thought.
This prompt made me question why we do not have a “white history month”. Perhaps it is because the term white is so general. I think it’s because whites in general have not “suffered” in the history of America. Women’s suffrage earned us the right to vote and was a step toward gender equality. Blacks suffered as slaves, when they were freed, and even now with racial equality. But, there is also not a “Chinese history month” or “Native American history month” so we can’t just say that there’s a Black History Month to celebrate race.
To sum things up, I think Freeman certainly could have gone about talking about Black History Month in a different way. However, his response probably created quite a stir, and was really interesting to analyze. This interview did not do much for “the race game”, but at least the two were talking about race rather than ignoring the topic altogether.
Ever since elementary school, I can remember learning about black history month every year. We would have assemblies, related readings and projects, and would participate in a school production. To consider just ignoring race all together with a lifetime of it being an issue seems a little impossible. My whole life I have learned about the struggles the black people have gone through and all of the contributions those who fought have made. The history is both disturbing and inspiring. I am white and because of that one feature I could never fully understand the circumstances of many African Americans. To try and act like I do would be almost offensive, who am I to say I understand hardships. I am a white girl who grew up in a reasonably nice town and who now goes to Penn State. Besides a few things here and there I haven’t had many hardships.
Black History month has done so much in my education on black people. Through it I have honestly earned 80% of my knowledge. When Morgan Freeman said we should just stop talking about race all together I was like, wait what? In soc 119 the most important thing I have learned is to educate yourself and others on the race issue. I have learned that talking with others outside of my group of friends will open your mind to things you may never have known. I enjoy going to my discussion group every week, its pretty early in the morning so for me that really says something.
I like many used to shy away from the issue of race because I thought it to be an uncomfortable subject. I felt like I had no understanding and that if I ever brought it up with people other than my parents I would get verbally beaten down. I am a blonde peppy white girl, what did I know. This class has taught me that I do know the basics but there is so much more to build on, I only have the foundation.
The race game is not something that I feel I would win, it more something that I just want to fully understand. Black History Month was designed to help educate people that didn’t know. When Freeman said that black history is American history I couldn’t agree more. But the thing is it is such an important part of American history that people are not educated on. To end Black History Month would end the hope that future generations will be educated on the subject. Ending the ‘race game’ is not about forgetting that I am white and you are black. Ending racism will only happen when we accept those of other colors and backgrounds as equals to ourselves. When we can learn from those of a different race we can appreciate not only ourselves but how we are all together.
Based on his reactions and success as a movie star in a primarily white environment, I would say that Morgan Freeman is caught in a trap many colored people get into, where their one exception is often misrepresented to indicate their race/situation as a whole. Perhaps, his successes as a great American actor have molded his somewhat self righteous attitude about his ascension to where he is now and race in America. By suggesting the avoidance of the entire race issue, seems to infer that he thinks that race is a trivial or even no longer an issue. Although this is somewhat understandable, it does not make him right. I feel like race is still an issue, as to the purpose of this entire class, and although I used to think that not talking about it, not making it a potentially bigger deal than how I believed it was, would make it better. Ignoring the white elephant in the middle of the room is no way to handle a situation, any situation. Not wanting to offend the other race is no excuse to ignore a growing problem. Personally, I am not a fan of black history month, not because it brings up painful memories, or that it could be potentially not helping the problem, but because there are many other injustices that have happened and are currently occurring in America that deserve just as much attention as African Americans. Although I sound like I am trying to take away from how much African Americans have suffered and are still suffering, Hispanics, Asians, Immigrants, and other minorities have suffered almost just as many wrongs as African Americans have, and unless they all have their own months to raise awareness, I do not truly believe in the integrity and apologies of white people in America. Bryson’s words are agreeable in my opinion, as most of my paper has been in support of his opinion. If Mike Wallace were to say that black history month were a silly holiday and it should be done away with, I think there would have been an uproar in the black community, regardless of his justification, which may have been why Morgan Freeman said that racial relations was a game that white people could not win. If Mike Wallace were to speak his mind, and have true and just intentions, many in the public would still have regarded his comments as ignorant and degrading, primarily because of his white background. I somewhat agree with is statement because I feel as if people speak their minds, either wrong or right, anger somebody, there are very few statements, if at all, where one side of race relations won’t try and take an issue with. It is very hard to appease and find compromises at the race relations table, on one hand, one side is often defensive to the issue, and the other one is often potentially ignorant, making one chaotic situation most of the time.
I have never really taken the time to think about my feelings towards Black History Month. In elementary school and maybe in middle school, the curriculum (I suppose) required teachers to teach us about famous African Americans and what the Black population has experienced in our nation’s history. However, now that I think about it, why is there a Black History Month anyway? There is no “Japanese History Month,” a “Native American History Month” or a “Jewish History Month;” all of these groups and more have been through a great deal of trouble and hardship in the past, so why aren’t they given a month, or a certain part of the year to be focused on?
I totally agree with Morgan Freeman; this “holiday” of sorts is demoting Black history by limiting its teachings to a month, when racial issues should be discussed on a daily basis. Well, Freeman does not agree with the last part of my statement—about discussing race frequently—that is where I do not agree with him. Obviously the history of African Americans is not only taught and discussed in the month of February and that’s it, but BHM is just placing Black people’s influence to a one-month period which is strange, I guess.
To go along with Mike Wallace, I think a “Jewish History Month” (I am Jewish) would be silly. When I went to Hebrew school when I was younger, it was an all-year kind of thing, not just a month-long lesson about Judaism. My main argument is not that I believe Jews or Black people or Native Americans, etc. deserve over a month to be spoken or taught about, but is the United States so behind in proper racial views that it feels the need to devote an entire month to a certain group of people to make sure that people are learning about it? Maybe.
Morgan Freeman was very naïve to say that in order to remove racism, we should stop acknowledging the fact that certain people are white, others are black, etc; ignoring problems will not make them disappear.
When Bryson Nobles said “let's not displace our disinterest or make white people play the race game that we all know they can never win,” I think he meant that white people will never fully understand how black people feel about what their ancestors went through, so they are perhaps ashamed and feel obligated to try to make it up to them by showing all the black people how much white people care. If Wallace was to say, "well, yes, I think that Black History Month is silly and that we should stop celebrating it," I am assuming Freeman would have a conniption and get all pissed about devaluing the importance of black history. So it’s a catch-22. I am probably totally wrong; I don’t really understand what this whole “race game” entails or what it is about. Is there some sort of race contest going on that I haven’t been informed of? We should all focus more on equality than a game.
While I was watching this clip, I must say I felt very uncomfortable and could only imagine how Wallace felt after Freeman’s surprising response. Personally, I would shut down automatically and wish to change the subject if I were in Wallace’s position. Isn’t this exactly what we are trying to remove when we wish to discuss the problems of racism and race relations? I agree with Nobles that what we NEED is to learn to do is how to TALK about race. No problem, no matter what it involves, can be solved by just ignoring it. How many times have you gotten into an argument or disagreement with someone and ignored each other to avoid further conflict? Did it solve anything? Most likely, it just made things worse instead of working out your differences. Many of the disagreements I have had with other people resulted from miscommunication or a misunderstanding. Once discussed, it occurred that the argument could have been completely avoided if it was just talked about in the first place. We can’t ignore race in order to make things better. Because when we ignore race, we are pushing aside the problem and then become accused of “not caring” or being “ignorant” to racism. As Freeman had said in the interview, “White people can never win the race game.” Isn’t that an encouraging statement? I completely disagree with his comment. These types of statements make people give up and lose all hope in solving the divide between races. This type of attitude is why many people won’t talk about race with others from different racial and ethnical backgrounds. In order to solve this barrier between races, we also need to take more time to learn about these various cultures, races, and histories. In order to understand one another and to discover the reason behind some of the practices in history that may come off as “trying to make up for the hurt and suffering of the oppressed,” we must first fully understand the reasoning behind them and how they originated. I’m referring to the Black History Month that Freeman bashed in the interview. Maybe he would not have reacted so defensively if he would look at it reasonably. The holiday was created by a black educator, not a white man dishing out pity to make up for all that the white race has done. Also, as the point is given by Nobles, black history month is similar to the celebration of a person’s birthday. It is a day set aside to recognize a person and their importance in life. I’m not saying I agree with black history month, but what if we didn’t celebrate it? Although many of us hate the attention we receive on our birthdays, wouldn’t we be offended if no one acknowledged it at all? All of these questions and concerns need to be taken into consideration when dealing with the race issue. We, as in people of all colors, need to become more informed and let go of our defenses in order to TALK about race if we ever hope to dissolve the barrier that has been in place for far too long.
I personally am not surprised to hear that Morgan Freeman does not like Black History Month. Who would? Just one month out of the entire year is devoted to the history of an entire race. I can see why black people would see this as offensive. They believe that black history should be taught throughout the entire year, and I agree. However, I also agree with what Bryson Nobles said about white people are not relegating black history to a month; we are just showing that we acknowledge it at a certain time. We do this with so many things including Women’s History which claims the month of March, Asian Pacific American Heritage month which is in May, Gay and Lesbian Pride month which takes place in June, National Hispanic Heritage month in September, and National American Indian Heritage month in November. Yes it happens in an education system that compartmentalizes things, according to Bryson, yet I think this is beginning to change now as well. As an Elementary Education major, I’ve seen so many programs that urge us not to teach things like Black History in only one month and not to leave it all to a Social Studies unit. It is as simple as incorporating different cultures into a literature lesson. I think that if all school systems fulfill this goal, it will be a step in the right direction of educating children about different cultures and races.
I also think Morgan Freeman was wrong when he said we should stop talking about race. Before this class, I wasn’t sure how conversations around a race table work and I didn’t understand how other races felt about whites or vice versa because I was never exposed to any of it. I would have probably assumed that all black people felt the same way Morgan Freeman does about Black History Month. But by talking about race I feel as though I understand a little better how everyone views each other. I am not trying to say we all share the same understanding – because obviously we do not walk in each others’ shoes every day and share the same experiences. But by hearing about them, you begin to feel for each other. I do not think that Black History Month should be the only time we talk about black history but I wish everyone would see it more as a celebration. I remember in elementary school talking about Martin Luther King Jr. many times, not just on MLK day. And with the recent changes in America, I feel as though again, we are hopefully heading in the right direction. MLK DAY 2009 was transformed from a holiday to a day of service for many, thanks to President Obama. A race problem will never be solved by ignoring it and that is why we do need to see Black History as more a part of American History while black people recognize that no one is trying to only classify their history to one month.
The clip with Morgan Freeman surprised me when I first saw it. He just looks agitated and appears to want to fight with Mike Wallace. I understand that you cannot allocate a single month for a whole black history, but the way that he came back at Mike Wallace was uncalled for. There is no white or Asian history month. And although I would not want one, the way he responded was not correct. This is why some white people do have trouble coming to the “race table” and talking about certain things. I definitely think that if Mike Wallace said “I agree there should not be a black history month”, Morgan Freeman would have gotten mad at that statement. In this clip, I felt there was no way to have an understanding between the two because Morgan Freeman would not allow it. This is one of the major reasons why it is so hard to talk about race. No one really knows how anyone is going to respond. That is most likely very intimidating to people. I could not believe it when Morgan Freeman said in order to get rid of racism we need to stop talking about it. How would we ever get rid of ignorance if some people stick to their own ethnocentric ways? People need to talk about things. That is how most issues are resolved. When Bryson said “white people play the race game, but can never win”, I had mixed feelings about this. In reality, Freeman made it seem like this in the clip. He shut down everything that Mike Wallace said and made him feel uncomfortable. If we stop talking and act like this, no one is going to win the race game. I do not feel that any race's history should try to be discussed about in only one particular month. But some people do. To some people, they feel it is a good thing to see how far we've come. I do not agree with Bryson when he made his comments about birthdays. We should be celebrating a person's accomplishments throughout their lives, but each person's birthday can make that special. It is just not possible to celebrate every single person's life everyday. A birthday can make people remember the good things that a person has done just as black history month does. On the other hand, I still do not agree that Morgan Freeman responded in the best way. But I understand why he feels this way. Many people, no matter what race, do not think that they can explain their whole culture in one month. Therefore, I understand what hes saying. I really do not think that is what black history month is all about. I honestly think that it's purpose is a celebration of how far everyone has come.
I find this hilarious because this is not the first time I heard this about Morgan Freeman. My junior year in high school, I was taking History as usual the boring U.S. History standard class that we were required to take. My history teacher told us after hearing on the news during Black History month, the same response that Morgan Freeman said. I remember being like what the HECK are you doing Morgan Freeman! It makes no sense for him to be an African American and to not agree with Black History Month. If anything he should be mad at the fact that we as African Americans get the smallest month of the year, but no worries, we still own a month. I mean my God... how many races can say that their people have a month to celebrate what we have contributed to this place called America and be the minority. It's outrageous; and to tell the truth, I am so surprised that Black History Month ever came to be because of racism and discrimination. I can say that for so long I haven't realized that Black History Month was also one step closer to becoming equal in a way that the world can see our contributions and we as African Americans can be great too.
This has to be like only the second blog that I have agreed with totally. If Morgan Freeman felt that way then, blaming race problems on the way we address each other was not suppose to be his excuse. It was awful. I was upset at the fact that he didn't even respect his own people's month. See now you see why there isn't only racism in the white vs. black community, there is also racism in the black vs. black community. This is the reason why we can't see people as just people and not a color. These preconceived standards and ideas are ingrained in our brains.
I believe that Mike Wallace was right on track when he said that Morgan Freeman was wrong. White people don't play the race game when it comes to Black History Month; just they may not care as much about it because like anyone that is unaware it is not their problem. That is why Black History Month is very important, because it brings to light what others in outside races cannot comprehend. Most of the time in my U.S History class we learned of the dilemmas in the African American community and not the achievements. EXAMPLE=SLAVERY. Or we learned about one great black person (Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.) leaving out the many inventors and historical others. I beg to differ. I am so glad that Black History Month is in existence because without it African Americans could feel more left out knowing that their great accomplishments aren't seen.
So thinking outside the box, if Mike Wallace we're to say what Morgan Freeman said... I would be afraid for him. Not only would he be seen as racist but as someone who is ignorant and narrow-minded. But instead that is what Morgan Freeman sounds like and he gets paid more than me and he doesn't think out-side the box; not even within his RACE!
Although I am very upset about this and it boggles my mind from high school to now, I will try to live my life knowing that not everybody respects what they have but that also means that they can't complain when they don't. He expressed himself and in America it's okay to do so and sometimes it's unfortunate.
When I first saw the Morgan Freeman clip I was angry. We have a black history month to remember how blacks helped turn America into what it is now. I have always seen black history month as something that all people need to celebrate, because without African Americans and other races, America would not be what it is today. So for Morgan to say that its ridiculous is unacceptable. He knows that different races exist; he sees it everyday. He should be proud of Black History Month, not ashamed of it. I also think he was rude to talk to Mike Wallace that way. He was just trying to ask him questions, and Morgan blew up on him. I think that this probably hurt race relations; I know that it made me do a double take. I understand that Morgan is in his 70’s, and he is tired of everyone talking about race, but that is because race exists, and it always will. We need to embrace the different types of race, not try and put everyone in the same boat. God made us all different for a reason, and we need to accept that and accept that other people are different from us. We cannot lump everyone together, this is what makes America great, our diversity.
I looked up some blog responses online. People are saying that “Freedman said something to the effect of: "..we'll never get over the race issue in this country as long as we keep talking about it". Simply brilliant!” THIS IS THE ONLY WAY TO GET OVER THE RACE ISSUE. We need to talk about it to beat it. If we don’t talk about it, then we will never get over it. Sure it will be in the news less, but it will be in our minds more, and that’s a hell of a lot more dangerous. Ask anyone in my group. We have learned so much about races and racism by just listening and talking. I can promise you that I feel more comfortable around all different races now then I did 4 months ago, and it was all because we talk about race, we confront it, and we will beat it.
Another person said that we need to get rid of BET and black colleges and then we can just be men and women. I truly believe that BET is good for race relations, but not when only black people watch BET. I think that we need to keep it, but more white people need to be willing to watch it. I watch it more now then I used too, and some of the programs are very good. We need to stop thinking of it as Black Entertainment Television and start thinking about it as a channel that has predominantly black actors and actresses but is for everyone to enjoy.
After watching the video and forming my own opinions about the clip, I felt that Freeman was right in some of the things that he said. I agree that race wouldn’t be as big of an issue if people didn’t make it be or didn’t talk about it as much. Racism will continue to remain because there will always be that focus on the distinction between the color of our skin. I agree with Freeman in the statement that there won’t officially be an end to racism until people begin to see each other just as people and not as “a white man” or “a black girl.” However, after reading Bryson’s comments I agree with a lot that he says, especially in his comparison of black history month to the celebration of birthdays. I think that like birthdays, black history month is time set aside to recognize people, their achievements and really their existence in this world. I think black history month isn’t so much a month just to let black people know that white people aren’t racist. I think it’s more about recognizing those in the black culture that have experienced a lot as a black person and have achieved a lot in their life. I think it is positive in that for younger children today, it allows them to learn about the people in the past who have allowed for them to live the way they do today. As much as I agree with Freeman’s statement that we have to see each other just as people and not people with a certain color, I think that we still can’t ignore or not talk about the past of our country. By having black history month, it places a much deserved focus on those in the past that have helped mold how our society is today. Just as President’s day and Veterans Day recognizes those that have also had an important impact on our country, black history month does the same. I do believe that there is a need for people to stop seeing the color of other’s skin and there is a need for people to stop letting race determine their perception of another individual. However, completely ignoring race and its impact on society can’t really help either. I guess I can go back or forth on this subject, but I think there needs to be more of a middle between talking about race and not talking or acknowledging it at all. In responding to the idea of the race game, I think Morgan is playing a part in the race game because although he would not like there to be a black history month, if there wasn’t anything of that nature, would he be one to speak up about it or complain? I think that if Mike Wallace responded in agreement with Morgan Freeman, than you could possibly see Freeman taking offense to it. This is how I think the race game works, and like Bryson said, and how the white people can never win. In this scenario Mike Wallace could agree with Freeman, but then still lose because than he is looked at as racist or not sympathetic or understanding enough to the black race. And while the black people have every right to think what they think, but then when white people are in agreement, it sometimes is not accepted by the black people. This whole idea of the race game may seem silly but it is definitely something that occurs all the time in our society. And I agree with Bryson, in that the white race is most likely to never win.
This journal is a response to the blog entitled, “White People Never Win the ‘Race Game.’” I really feel like in this clip from 60 Minutes, Morgan Freeman is definitely lashing out at about racism both in this country as well as in Hollywood. I’m sure at his age, he has been through more than most people can imagine (especially myself, who is white) in regards to race and racism. As a Hollywood actor, he is time and time again looked at as a “black actor” instead of simply a male actor. After a long and successful career, I can only imagine how it must feel to have your race still be a factor when being looked at for a role. With this said, I still feel like he probably would have handled the issue better. As I said, I think he lashed out because he is so tired of having the race issue be as big of an issue as it is. However, the way to handle this is not to become angry, and to throw the question back at Mike Wallace’s face. While I think his question that he poses is definitely valid (“Why his people’s history must be delegated to a single month?”), the way he presents it is very argumentative and aggressive. When someone makes a statement in this manner, it does not help to breed open an open conversation and dialogue. Instead, it puts Mike Wallace on the defense by asking, “What month is white history month?” You can tell that he is clearly flustered by this question, and when he finally states that he is Jewish, Freeman then asks which month is Jewish history month. Being argumentative does not further the race discussion at all. I think that most people (especially those taking this class) wish that at some point, race would not be an issue. However, simply ignoring the issue of race will not make that happen.
A point that I definitely agree with that was made by Bryson Nobles was that it is unfortunate that only one month a year is given to the study of Black History, but that is how our education system is set up. I think that it is very important for people of every color to learn about Black History because as Freeman put it, “Black history is American history.” I definitely agree with this statement. African Americans have had a huge impact on American society and to simply ignore that would be very wrong. Unfortunately, the way our education system works right now is to focus on a single issue and cover it all the way through. For this reason, it was decided that Black History should be covered in the month of February. I definitely think that our education system should be reorganized so that Black history is part of American history. I think that Black Americans, as well as Asian, Mexican, European, and every other kind of Americans have had a significant role in shaping our country. For this reason, all of these groups should be given credit and proper respect. I really don’t think that Morgan Freeman would disagree with this, I just see him as someone who is sick of the race discussion. However, just because you are sick of talking about something doesn’t mean that the conversation has ended. People need to continue to recognize that race is an issue, and one that we must overcome through open dialogue in this country.
I was honestly shocked by Morgan Freeman’s apparent disgust at Black History Month. As a white girl, it never really offended me. I remember in elementary and middle school we would do special activities in art class regarding black history month. In history class we would be assigned reports on famous black men and women that we would have to research and then present to the rest of the class. Then high school came and black history month just became another month of the year. No longer were we assigned specific people to study, or make African bracelets in art class, but we just continued learning like we would have done if it were any other month.
And that’s where Morgan Freeman has a point. Black history really is American history. There have been African slaves in this country ever since the first president. Black people were here (along with white people) ever since the Declaration of Independence, which is basically where most high schools begin teaching history classes.
It also struck me when Morgan Freeman asked Mike Wallace i he would like to have a Jewish Awareness Month. Right away he replied that no he wouldn’t. I questioned this. Why wouldn’t he want to have a month dedicated to his religion? His people faced oppression, genocide, and discrimination years ago. Now, it is the stereotype that most Jewish people are self-made rich. Why wouldn’t he want to celebrate his people’s triumph and success? The only conclusion that I could think of was: why would he want to be reminded of a time when his people were suffering? Why should he dedicate himself to an entire month just to think of the lowest point of his people’s history?
This is where I agree with Morgan Freeman. The best way to defeat race relations is to ignore it. Think about it: when you were younger, unless you grew up in a household that was openly racist, you saw no color. For me, my first boyfriend (in preschool, but nonetheless) was black. When you’re five years old, you don’t consider things like race and color. All you see is someone who enjoys swinging on the swings with you or coloring with you, or anything fun that kids like to do. It is not until people grow up and begin to notice segregation or discrimination, or hear racial jokes made in school and in the media. At first, you are blissfully unaware that you are different from anyone else, and that’s what gives you the ability to get along with everyone.
A lot of shit went down in the history of black people. A whole lot more, than what can be recognized in one month. Most of those events culminated for the history of the American people, not just blacks. Yeah blacks may have had the worst of the history, but if you are going to recognize the history of blacks, then recognize the history of whites. They went through some tough times. Actually I really do not think black history month does anything good but allow blacks to come together more as their own individual community. Is this month due to slavery and what they endured during the times of slavery. Then why not Jewish History Month? Are you kidding me? Nazi’s locked them up and commited Genocide against the Jews. Why can’t there be a month to remember the tragedy of those people and times? I really think black history month came into play when the blacks needed a time to realize that all of that is over and black people are proud and part of the community. It is not over and we need to stop separating blacks as another race. It is beyond stupid that we actually do this. Fine, argue that the purpose of the month is to learn about history. Then teach that in history class instead of completely separating the race and celebrating their freedom.
I am not really sure what to say but the fact that blacks have their own month is stupid. The purpose is to learn more about the history. But that is not what happens. Everyone knows the history. We learn about throughout school. We do not need another month to hear about it and give black people bragging rights or reasons to make them standout in anyway.
The truth is that black has become a culture, and if we are going to have a month devoted to blacks, we need a month for Jews, Asians and other culture and hear about their history. Because each group and encountered something just as bad. Think about if you eliminated this special month. How would the black community react. There would be riots and protests. But what is the reason we should have the month in the first place is the question you should ask the black community? We need to eliminate the month or create other special times for other cultures to be appreciated.
Black history month has turn into a Black Pride month where blacks celebrate for some reason and whites learn about the history over and over again. Blacks are the ones who should learn more and more about the true history. I need 450 words so here is 451.
I must admit that I agree with parts of Morgan Freeman’s dialogue on 60 minutes. I agree that black history month should be removed from educational institutions. American history should include all parts of our history in chronological order. I feel that black history should be included into American history during the time period it occurs. Discussing all of black history in one month loses its meaning when not discussed chronologically. There have been many different periods of race movements throughout history, but this fact gets lost when not incorporated into the timeline of history. History classes should talk about slavery and the Underground Railroad leading up to discussing the civil war. Also, incorporate history of the black battalions that fought for the U. S. in all the wars. Talk about Martin Luther King and segregation when you get to the Civil Rights Movement and that period of history. This will go a long way to showing the unrest that went on during these different periods of history. I think that by celebrating black history month, we are feeding the difference of color problem in the U. S. If we are really going to open of the conversation lines between whites and people of color, we must first do everything we can to desegregate ourselves from one another. I feel that society still has its problems with race as most people will agree with. Some have made the statement that the U. S. has made great strides in the last year by electing its first African-American as President. This is truly not the case. If we still feel the need to have a black history month or a black Miss America Pageant, then we have not done enough to erase the color line. Opening up the lines between colors can help us to find common ground and push us in the right direction for our future. Electing a “half-black” President is a good start, but if we allow ourselves to stop there we are only hurting our society. This event should be used as a stepping stone to open up dialogue and help to improve race relations. The further we get into discussions with each other, the closer we will come to incorporating black history into American history. Mr. Nobles is not helping the cause as much as he would like to think. By defining himself by ridiculous stereotypes, he is only helping to further his plight. People of all different races need to start finding their common ground. This, in turn, will make them more likely to listen to each other when their differences are discussed. I think this is needed to truly help set us free as a society.
I want to start off my blog commenting on one of the last things that Bryson Nobles quoted, a Mark Twain quote, “Don’t let schooling get in the way of your education.” I think this is an excellent quote from one of my favorite authors and Americans of all time and this can apply to a lot that we discuss in SOC 119. I have to admit that I do not go out of my way to attend lectures or events pretaining to other cultures- I feel as though I hardly have time to attend extra things that apply to MY culture. And I am not taking any classes right now, excluding SOC 119, having to do with other cultures, so it is my responsibility to go out and to find those things that educate me. And I am admitting, probably with a lot of other people in SOC 119, that I do not do so. I probably should also admit that before SOC 119, I didn’t think about race all that often. So, since our public schools aren’t really educating our children about the thousands and thousands of different cultures in the world, what are other ways to bring these topics up? I suppose the first thing to do is to teach our children strong values- acceptance being one of the most important. Small lessons in acceptance are present in the public schools, but I think and many others think that, the basics- math, reading, science, spelling, etc.- are more important and the value lessons should be taught in the home. Well, I have definitely seen (due to SOC 119) that there are MANY people in America with completely bizarre perspectives of race and values. I have been lucky enough to grow up in a family with very strong values and generally, the right opinions on race, but why I am I not predisposed to go out and find out things about other cultures? Maybe it’s the busy/lazy college student agenda. I don’t know. So, Black History Month. I agree with Bryson Nobles, I don’t think it is something to get bent out of shape about, but is that bad to say because I am white? No, I don’t think so. I am entitled to my opinion and that it is. I am sure people of color all have different opinions about Black History Month and they should. So, yes, indifference is the emotion I feel and I am sure that some black people feel that emotion, too. And the race game that we can never win? Well, in a nutshell, you can’t please everyone. Just like Sam commented on in class, you are going to get one “politically correct” term from one person and a different one from someone else, it just depends on your individual opinion
The most surprising part of this post is Morgan Freeman’s comments. I always thought he was the wise, all-knowing character he usually portrays. I kind of understand where he is coming from though; he is probably tired of talking about race relations. Black History Month is purely for schools to teach young children black history. But there isn’t really a need for a month, because as Freeman pointed out: black history is American history. The only thing I remember studying in my first 9 years of schooling was American History. I don’t think that it’s necessary to review Martin Luther King’s assassination in detail every February from 1st to 8th grade. Personally, I didn’t like it when we spent an entire school day watching a movie about a young black girl being called “nigger” for 2 hours and spent the other half talking about slaves being treated like animals. I personally don’t like to see people go through tough, demeaning situations like that. I would rather watch a film with a happy ending and message. As a young student I felt like it was just making every white student feel guilty. It was like slavery was the capital sin that all white Americans were born with. Just as Adam and Eve passed on the sin to all humans, early America passed on this guilt of slavery. It’s probably the same way German students react when they learn about the Holocaust. As we are growing up and being taught manners and maturity, every February we need to go back and watch the cruelty that people of color went through in the past. I understand it was terrible, but I don’t need to be re-taught how bad it was every year. I never once heard anything about any solutions to racism until I reached high school. All we learned about were hardships of blacks and terrible actions of whites. So now the idea in my young, naïve mind is: white people were terrible and I’m white, so I must be racist too. I didn’t look at any of my fellow students who happened to be non-white differently until I was told there was a problem. I think Black History Month was established because the American government felt guilty. Freeman said “forget about it” when the interviewer brought up the question of racism. Obviously, as a collective race, we can’t just forget. That would be nice if we could, but history tends to repeat itself. Slaves still exist today, and some suffer even worse conditions. I do believe in spreading the awareness of racism and black history. However, I don’t support Black History Month. Rather than educating students about the horrible things of the past every year, I think that educating students on race relations would be more useful. Every freshman in my high school was required to take a class called Tolerance, where we learned about hate and genocide. Not once did we talk about how to stop it. I think Sociology would have do a much better as a requirement for high school freshman.
While I agree with Morgan Freeman in his belief that black history is a part of American history and, as such, should not be placed into a sole month delegated for its’ celebration, I definitely do not agree with the way he handled himself in the interview. The unfortunate truth of the matter is that, yes, for some reason or another a majority of white people in America are scared to confront the issue of race for fear of being deemed a racist at the mere slip of the tongue or misuse of an adjective. While I acknowledge the truth of this issue, I personally think it is altogether absurd and unfair that we feel the need to consciously monitor and change our behavior and speech to such a strong degree simply because of the fact that we are talking to someone of a different race.
Now, I don’t want to go on a rampage here, but as a young white woman I can honestly say that, like many people of color, I too am sick of being stereotyped. Mr. Nobles makes reference here to some of the stereotypes surrounding people of various skin colors and while many of these stereotypes hold some shreds of truth, to what degree must white people tiptoe around referencing these stereotypes while at the same time people of color use stereotypes about white people free of worry that the “R-word” will come into play? Is it okay for black people to joke about how white people can’t dance but not okay for white people to crack a joke about fried chicken? If I mention Kool-Aid am I suddenly a racist while you sit there and tell me I can’t dance? How is that fair?
In my experience I have also found that, while it is not okay for white people to make assumptions about the backgrounds or lifestyles of black people, it seems to be okay for them to assume things about us. I am only 20 years old and already have had people who don’t even know me label me as “just another white girl.” But what do these people actually know about me? Do they know that among my very best friends in high school were an Iranian, two Indians, and a girl of Jamaican and Puerto Rican heritage? Do they know that my father grew up poor and worked his butt off to give my siblings and I a better life? Of course not. Instead they just assume that I’m just another spoiled, sheltered little white girl from the suburbs who wouldn’t have any idea what the lives of people of different races are like. And yet, if I were to publicly voice a stereotypical sentiment about a person of color, knowing as little about them as they do about me, I would be deemed a racist based on the sole fact that I am fair skinned. It’s time to stop pointing fingers and for white people to stop feeling like everything they say or think about racial interactions is so wrong. Unless we start talking openly and politely, no one is ever going to benefit from our interactions and this cycle of anger and frustration is going to continue.
Bryson Nobles brings up some interesting ideas. At the end he says we should not leave it up to the school system to teach us about different racial histories. Truthfully, my first thought when educating people on different cultures and races are to make it a mandatory subject in school. But I can understand why this is not such a good idea. People need to take it upon themselves to learn these histories in order to gain a better understanding of the people surrounding them. Things like the race relations project are here to facilitate this path of understanding and should be taken seriously.
As for Morgan Freeman, I was a little shocked to hear those sentiments come out of him. I am Hispanic so when Hispanic History Month comes around I am proud to indulge in my culture and let others celebrate my culture with me. I have never thought it to be a way to relegate the history of my culture. I can’t so, though, that this is the first time I have heard someone say Black History Month is ridiculous. There are friends of mine who refuse to participate in events surrounding Black History Month for reasons I don’t really know. I never really thought to ask why because it was just the way they felt and I respected that.
But is Morgan Freeman really just tired of hearing the same old thing every February and tired of the racial conversation going nowhere? I guess that’s a question that can only be answered by the man himself so I will not speculate. All I can say is I do believe, like Nobles, that it is important to talk about race. Not talking about race would further the ignorance on other races and cultures and that is not a productive direction. Our discussion groups for my SOC 119 class helps us get issues out in the open and talk about things. Nine times out of ten, someone says something that makes me kind of wonder why they think that way and then I speak up and tell my point of view on things. This starts the flow of conversation and eventually we understand where we are both coming from. We may not necessarily change our point of view but we have more understanding and respect for each other. I believe that is what is needed to help end racism all together.
I think Morgan Freeman just wants racism to be over, honestly. Maybe that’s why he said for everyone to just stop talking about it. When he said that he will not call Mike Wallace the white man and Wallace will not call Freeman the black man, that makes me envision a perfectly racism free environment, which is one that we do not live in. When the day comes that we do not look at each other and see race we will still need to talk about it so that history does not repeat itself.
I found many things in the Morgan Freeman and Mike Wallace interview to be quite peculiar. First of all, I thought it was very unfair and hostile of Morgan Freeman to treat Mike Wallace like he did. I also agree with Bryson that we should not stop talking about race, because like Bryson says, not talking about race gets both sides absolutely nowhere. How can we stop talking about race when different races are seen on a daily basis in the American public, and people are constantly interacting with people outside their race? The interactions between white people and other races keep the issue of race alive and well, regardless of whether these interactions are negative or positive. For example, I personally have had negative experiences with people of some races as much as I’ve had positive experiences with other races. No matter what, people will always THINK about race, so why not talk about it? The second thing I find very peculiar about the interview is that when Mike Wallace noticed Morgan Freeman starting to get hostile when Black History Month was brought up, Mike Wallace immediately mentioned that he was Jewish as some sort of defense. Mike Wallace did not say that he was white. He did not say that he was of European decent. Mike Wallace said that he was Jewish, and I believe he did this in an effort to relate to Morgan Freeman’s feelings about Black History Month and how it’s designed to remember those who made substantial gains in the civil rights movement. In other words, Mike Wallace was trying to tell Morgan that black people aren’t the only people who have been persecuted throughout world history; Jewish people have too! Therefore, I think this is why Mike Wallace told Morgan Freeman he was Jewish. Mike Wallace always brings up another good point with his proclamation of being Jewish: some Jewish people think that being Jewish is, in fact, a race, regardless of skin color. It’s something that I’ve never been quite able to comprehend about the Jewish population who claim that they are not white and that them being Jewish is a race. So, not only could Mike Wallace have been using his being Jewish as a defense to Freeman’s hostility, but Mike Wallace may legitimately identify himself, racially speaking, as a Jew and not a typical white male. I was actually very disappointed with Morgan Freeman because he seemed too combative and seemed to ignore the fear that white people have when talking about race. I think when other white people watch this video, they will see Morgan Freeman’s reaction as the typical reaction a black person will have when trying to talk about race, and thus fewer white people will try to discuss it. Like I previously mentioned, race is something that we should discuss, as Bryson said, and it’s a shame that Freeman behaved in this way and asked Mike Wallace, as a Jew/white person, to stop talking about it.
I would have to agree with Bryson Nobles on this. Although, for years now I have not really agreed with Black History Month, It’s not something to get upset and flustered over. I see Black History Month as a positive attempt and accomplishment for that matter, made by someone, white or black, to provide the American public with African American history that has been neglected and discarded in media and history books. I can still distinctly remember Black History Month in grade school and how we would always talk about Martin Luther King Jr., Fredrick Douglas, or some other famous Blackman and their contributions to America. It’s interesting because I feel like BHM is something from the academic portion of grade school that really stands out in my memory. When the BHM first came about, most of the United States probably didn’t know much about the history of African Americans, and it provided knowledge and history that was most likely lost during the racially segregated American past. Now that famous blacks can easily be found in history books and in the media, there isn’t much need for a Black History Month, but that doesn’t mean we should get rid of it. Black History Month still provides knowledge to Americans, but I feel that in recent years it has moved away from being all about educating, and has just become an American tradition.
Morgan Freeman made the month seem like it was an insult to black people, which I think is total bogus. Its not like Black History Month was made to put black people down. And the way he was talking about it made it sound like America studies black people and their contributions to the world for one month and one month only, which is of course not true. I also think it was unfair and uncalled for that way he caught Mike Wallace totally off guard and put him on the spot. He didn’t even do a good job of stating his claim either. If he was going to make an outlandish and unforeseen statement like the one he did, he should have thought more about what he was going to say and how he was going to say it. He seemed to be coming up with things on the spot and not really thinking thing through, like when he asked, “how are we going to get rid of racism” and he responds by saying, “stop taking about it”. That is clearly, at least in my mind, clearly not the appropriate response. He also speaks regarding this matter with a certain sense of all knowing. Like he indisputably knows the correct answer to how to stop racism. This bothers me, and relates to what Sam Richards said about how white people turn to black people for the answer to race questions.
I really enjoyed the clip with Morgan Freeman and his sixty second views on Black History Month. I liked that this showed a different perspective from a colored person’s point of view. The funny thing is, I have made some of those same arguments in the past to some people, but I guess because I was white, they did not mean as much. When I was younger and would see Black History Month advertised on Nickelodeon and the Disney Channel I can specifically remember instances when I said, where is Latino Month, or just to make a point, White History Month.
I think there may have been a time and a place for Black History Month. When integration was a bran new concept and the equal rights movement a new fad, people needed their attention to be turned to other races and to become informed. However, in this day and age, Morgan Freeman was right in saying that Black History is American History. It should be integrated into the curriculum at all times and not just high lighted in one month. His notion to be referred to as a person and not just by his color is ideal in that every man or woman should be seen a unique individual, that just happen to have certain characteristics, but are still the same in every other aspect. How can equality be achieved if our differences are always what is brought to the forefront?
I also don’t think Morgan Freeman was being destructive to colored people either, as Bryson Nobles suggested. Everyone has a right to his opinion. I think it was interesting to hear another side of the story from someone who is of color. This at least makes some white people feel that maybe what they thought wasn’t completely wrong all along and they may actually find others of different races who could agree with them and together those people can work on making a more equal society. Noble’s final comments on why school systems should not be held responsible or required to teach about cultures and the histories of the races is ridiculous to me. Where then would we learn about it? Furthermore, what should they be teaching then? Just white history? Should questions about blacks or immigrants be ignored or dealt with outside of class? Why do we even have history classes if we aren’t going to teach the truth and actually what has gone on to lead up to the world we know today and how can we better it for the future. I don’t know what kind of school he went to, but I went to a predominantly white high school and would have liked to hear about more than just white man’s history and have been made a more knowledgeable person on all aspects of race before being thrust out into the real world where I would run into a diverse group of people on a daily basis.
After watching Morgan Freeman’s video, I’m really torn as to what to think about the opinions that both blacks and whites have on Black History Month. I’ll admit that although I’ve been taught about famous African-Americans and Black History Month up until college, the thought of doing a celebratory act for the month had never crossed my mind. When I was younger I actually used to wonder why there wasn’t a “White History Month.” I feel as if Morgan Freeman as well as other individuals, both black and white, are taking something that was thought up of in a positive manner and turning it into a negative, unappreciative concern. For one month straight, blacks across the world are recognized for their acts of courage and their accomplishments. To me, this is taking them out of the background of everyone’s minds and making it known that they are an amazing and accomplished race. This month is not meant to stir up feelings of resentment or bitterness, but to notice something important. If you ask me, the white race, as well as all other races, is disadvantaged in the fact that their heritage isn’t celebrated and concentrated on for one month. I think that Morgan Freeman’s response on 60 minutes was a bit too defensive and attacking in a way. The interview was conducted as a way to break down racial barriers and approach a topic in a professional manner. I don’t think that the solution to racism would be for society to stop labeling people as “white” or “black” or any other color, because then the world would have no diversity and everyone would be the “same.” I see no honesty in that perspective. Instead, I think everyone needs to act on racism and inequality, and they themselves have to personally break down barriers and help to provide equal opportunities for all. Yeah, this goal is long-fetch and I do not believe that it will be accomplished in our lifetime. But if everyone works on it then I do not see what harm could be done. As for the quote “white people will never win…” This could be referring to a few different things. For one, white people can learn about all of the hardships and brutality that blacks faced, but they will never truly understand exactly what it was like to go through it. They will also never know the hardships that blacks face now as well. But I also think that the quote could mean that no matter how respectful and understanding whites are, the black race will always find a reason to accuse them of being racist. In order to overcome racism, this society needs to stop using means of race as a constant answer.
I think that Freeman is simply encouraging us to move on. We have spent too much time dwelling on one another’s appearance and it has not pushed us to progress in the least bit. Instead we are creating policies like Affirmative Action, to eventually accomplish what exactly? Maybe apologize for what is now ancient history? In my opinion this is only dragging us further backwards. How long will be paying for our poor actions of the past? Freeman’s response was only so shocking and concerning because of the topic at hand. Perhaps he is correct in his logic. Who is actually benefiting from Black History Month? If people honestly wish to remember, give thanks or show their appreciation for someone or something important to them, they will take the time to do so, with or without a month as a silly reminder. This only reminder this “month” is really creating is the one about our race differences.
I personally feel as though the black man will forever hold a grudge against the average white man. This game that “white people can never win”, is not necessarily because white people do not make the effort, it is also because black people will not let them advance in some aspects. Black people ignore us when we say we understand, they hate us when we apologize, and they grow angry when we give them an advantage. For now, it is a losing battle. The suggestions that people have proposed about ending discussions about race, is, in my opinion, not the answer. I have learned from my discussion groups that it helps to talk about the issues and explore the way others feel about how they are perceived and their reason for judging others. These educational conversations and debates aid us in forming our own proper beliefs, expectantly positive (or at least now warranted) about one another. So hopefully in time, we will stop generalizing, which will help dwindle stereotypes. Because often we find, people do not always confirm the label they were once given.
Why is it that the black man gets so offended when we poke fun at the stereotype that they are “poor”? Whereas, when we make jokes about the frugality of the Jewish family, no one takes it to heart? I feel, as though both parties have experienced “rough” patches in history however, it is undeniably time to move on. We must examine more important issues in the world and stop the unwarranted bitterness we have in regards to one another. Another month to remind us of our differences is not not at all a stepping-stone to abolish racism nor is it necessary by any means. We should really rethink the purpose and benefit of implementing BHM.
I think I watched this clip and read this post after the best possible class of the semester. I sat there today (Tuesday) thinking about how it made sense that the race relations discussion be an open one and one that needs to be discussed more so that we can understand each other because as Sam stated it is often if not always the case that white people don’t understand black people and black people don’t understand white people. I sat there thinking how I might actually like to apply to be a TA because I have learned a lot in the class and even more from the discussion sections which has only showed me how much I don’t know and how much more I can learn by talking to others, especially others of different races and backgrounds than my own. So that being said, this interview with Morgan Freeman was shocking to me. Not the part where he disagrees with Black History Month, because that makes sense, although it is nothing something that I have honestly given much thought to before. But when he went on to say that we should stop discussing race I was simply blown away. Part of me wonders if he will come back and say that he didn’t really mean what he said, that he was heated in that moment and that he realizes that is not the way to solve the problem of race relations. The other part of me realizes that is probably very unlikely to happen. I’m not sure what this says about me and my views so I am a bit hesitant to put it out there but the comment made my Freeman is one that I would expect an ignorant white person to make, not a black man who is fighting for equality like the other minorities in this county. I would think that he would want awareness to be spread on this issue. Am I the one being ignorant here?
I cannot say enough about what the discussion sections have opened my eyes to and how much I have taken from the experience. I was blessed to be put in with a very diverse group of people and I look forward to section each week. And it is not that I look at these other fifteen students as people who are different than me and can offer me insight into a different culture. I look at these people as fellow Penn State students, people that I have grown to truly enjoy being around, and people that I look forward to seeing each week and learning from their life experiences and growing as a person.
The more I think about what Freeman said the more I realize that the emotion it stirs within me is sadness. I feel as though the black community is shutting me, a white person, out, telling me I am not allowed to discuss with other black people about their history and about their culture so that I may simply learn from them and come to respect and appreciate what they have been through and what they go through. I would think that’s what would be most effective- for everyone to open their doors to people of other races, allowing them into their world as much it is possible for that to take place so that they too can learn and come to respect one another.
After today’s class and after reading this blog I kind of feel like the American customer speaking Spanish in one Mexican restaurant and it being appreciated and then having my food spit in at the Mexican restaurant next door for doing the same thing. Why does this have to be so difficult?
I never thought that I would hear someone of color be so appalled when talking about Black History Month. Throughout my educational career, I have been taught that this month is a time for people of color AND white people to show their pride and respect for each other and remember the past and learn from it. I think Morgan Freeman acted a bit rashly when talking about Black History Month. His choice of words were a little too defensive and it seemed as if he was attacking Mike Wallace. I do by all means understand where he is coming from when he says “you cannot relegate my history into a month.” People of color and their ancestors have been through so much strife and grief over the years. I do not think that by calling this month black history month people are trying to relegate the past of people of color. I think it is important to recognize that by naming this month, Black History month, we are making an effort to remember and appreciate the bravery and accomplishments of our country as a whole over time. Like Morgan Freeman said, black history is American history. This is an undeniable truth that I do not believe anyone can disagree with.
I also disagree with Freeman when he says that the only way to overcome racism is to NOT talk about race. We are not color blind, we all see color no matter what we want to tell ourselves. It is more about looking past the color that we do see, and to accept people for who they are- may they be a black man, Chinese woman, Latino girl, white boy. In order to overcome racism we all just need to look past these labels and see the inner beauty in each other. It is also important to talk about race and make people feel more comfortable talking about this apparent issue in our world today.
“White people can never win.” I think that this statement means that no matter what white people say, they will never truly understand the hardships that Black people in our country once had to face. Both black and white people need to accept this fact. Additionally, I think it means that if a white person in response to Morgan Freeman’s words said “Okay, let’s take away Black History month, it’s stupid anyway,” they would be considered a racist individual. I do not believe that most Black people would react this way if they originally feel that Black history month was unnecessary and they did not want to relegate their history to one month anyway. Although, some people of color may immediately point fingers and call you a racist if you openly say that Black History Month is not needed.
I must say first that as long as I can remember, I have always known about black history month. I have heard about it in school, on tv, in newspapers and all other types of media, however I never really gave it any thought. I just always took it as a month to celebrate the struggles that blacks have faced over the many years and continue to face every day. A month to celebrate those great black men and women that stood up to these struggles and tried to do something about them.
Now that I have said that, let me also say that I have heard many people – usually young white men and women – who have seemed upset about the fact that blacks receive their own month to celebrate their history. Why don’t white people get their own month to celebrate? I have heard them say. After reading many comments and watching the video, I have finally realized, white history month seems to be every other month of the year, all eleven of them.
After hearing Morgan Freedman state that he does not want a black history month, along with others in class stating the same thing, as well as Mike Wallace state that he would not want a Jewish history month, and giving it some deep thought, I do not think that I would want a white history month. That is not to say that I believe that whites deserve a special month to celebrate their history, because as Morgan Freedman said, “Black history is American History.” I feel the same way about white history as he does about black history. We are all Americans and every month is about history. Every race throughout American history has had their heroes, and I feel that they should all be celebrated year round, not simply in one given month. It just seems unfair.
I agree strongly with Brian Nobles when he says, “Not talking about race does not help race relations.” Clearly there is still racism in the world and some races do struggle more than others as Sam Richards stated in class that white people are often given the upper hand and many advantages for being white, which I have realized through the many videos about receiving housing and being less likely to be pulled over for being white than blacks are for being black. But again, ignoring these problems and not talking about them will simply make the matter worse and make it easier for people to get away with these awful things. I think that everyone needs to take a moment, understand that these things are happening on a daily basis, and think about why they are happening, and what each one of us can do to help solve these problems. The first step is talking.
I feel that Morgan Freeman’s response in the video clip is exactly why many white people are afraid to discuss race and participate in race relations. It may be his feeling that there should not be a black history month, but it was created with a good intention to recognize people that made steps towards equality in our country and to honor them and making comments and acting in the manner that he did makes an uncomfortable situation. I actually think it’s beneficial, because looking back to my elementary years we did learn about BHM and we learned about important blacks who have contributed to the equality of our country thus far. Maybe the way in which educational institutions go about it now is outdated, but never the less it was created for a good purpose. It is difficult to talk about race, which most people would freely admit. Even in our race relations groups, I sometimes find myself wondering something then stop before asking because I do not want to offend anyone in the room if my question is stated with some ignorance unbeknownst to me. As the weeks have progressed, everyone in the room has become more open and has begun to ask more questions. I agree that race relations cannot happen if people do not talk about it and I think ignoring it is a mistake, because everyone knows it’s there. It’s a sticky situation when education is geared towards BHM because it’s almost as if it’s calling it to our attention that black and white people are different, which we aren’t, we’re all people just with different skin. I do think that Freeman was playing into the race game because had Wallace said, “"Well, yes, I think that Black History Month is silly and that we should stop celebrating it?" he most likely would have been offended and the conversation would have escalated into something negative. It’s hard when you’re in that situation to say the right thing because you don’t want to offend anyone, but I feel that Freeman made Wallace feel uncomfortable because of how he handled the situation. In order for everyone to understand one another I think both ends need to work on being polite and yes, you should always say what you’re thinking and how you feel, but also you don’t want the other person to clam up and not want to speak about race ever again. People need to be made aware of race relations and learn about different cultures and religions and people, it’s such a fundamental part of life, especially in the times we’re coming into with a black president and just the world growing as a whole. We may offend people along the way, but that’s the only way to learn.
Despite my opinion that Morgan Freeman always sounds wise, he makes a claim in this video that paints him as a cynical and out-of-touch curmudgeon. It’s so easy to look at Black History Month and be somewhat jaded about it, but like Bryson says in his follow-up, we can’t lose sight of the original goal of this month – to place even more emphasis on the accomplishments and struggles of African Americans in this country. Certainly, these are issues that should be studied year-round in public schools, but I don’t believe allowing this minority group a little extra time in the spotlight is doing any harm to race relations in this country.
Also, I’m quite curious how Morgan Freeman suggests we “stop talking about race.” In our continual attempt to study and explain human behavior, how could we ever expect to just stop exploring this dynamic concept? This very issue is something that has caused so much pain and anguish in this country that I don’t see how we could just expect the problem to go away by ceasing our conversations about it. I feel as though one of the only ways to improve race relations in this country is to have mature discussions about some of the issues that bother us. For instance, some of the topics that have been raised as a result of Barack Obama’s election must have allowed for some small advances to be made in this country’s ongoing racial dialogue. As I’ve said before, race relations in this country don’t seem to move in leaps and bounds but seem to be the result of a series of small achievements that allow everyone to feel more comfortable in this racial discussion.
I’m beginning to think that race and sex seem to have suffered similar fates in this country in terms of people being uncomfortable talking about them. I find this to be especially true when looking at this country’s public school system. Some schools in this country still find it appropriate to teach abstinence to students, quite possibly because many people feel uncomfortable discussing sex with young people and it’s a lot easier to simply ignore the issue than to actually have a mature discussion about it. Without a doubt there’s also a religious component to this style of education, just like religion is sometimes intertwined with race. And there are numerous studies that show that abstinence education is failing miserably in this country. Frankly, I’d also say that race relations education in our public school system is failing as well. Most of my education in how to interact with different races occurred as a result of actually interacting with them on a daily basis. However, if I had a class (much like Soc 119) in middle or high school, I might be much more aware of the state of race relations in this country.
When Morgan Freeman went off on a short rant about the concept of Black History Month I am sure he caught many people off guard. However that is not necessarily a bad thing. His issue was that selecting a month in which to celebrate black history creates a division between black history and American history. Why is it necessary to allocate a month at all. Shouldn’t black history be included in all discussions of American history. The truth is that a great deal of this country was built on the backs of slaves. Shouldn’t that warrant them a place in American history? And what about the other cultures that have played an important role in this countries development. Why is there no Native American month, or no Hispanic history month? While these are hardly original points they are still worth considering. Instead of giving a race one month to celebrate its past, wouldn’t it be more valuable to simply make a greater effort to expand our focus to include more diversity when studying American history. True progress will be achieved when white people see Hispanic and Black history as integral to the American story as their own. This is what Morgan Freeman was striving for. He wants us to reach a place where race and ethnicity do not even need to be a part of the conversation. When he said he no longer wanted to be referred to as a black man it wasn’t because he was embarrassed about his heritage. Rather it was because he did not consider it relevant in the context of any situation. While I am not sure if completely avoiding discussions about race is the way to go about achieving this goal I disagree with the criticism lofted at Freeman. I believe that when given a question on which he had a strong opinion he had every right to verbalize it and if it intimidated or irritated White Americans than so be it. People always say that no resolution can be achieved without complete honesty. Well here is someone who is trying to be completely honest, and in his opinion racism would disappear quicker if the topic were simply no longer discussed. Whether you disagree or not it is essential that his opinion is valued because it is likely held by many other people of every race. In fact there are probably as many people who want to avoid the discussion of race as who want to engage in it. However, now it is evident that for many people this avoidance does not stem from fear but rather from the belief that it is this very conversation that is encouraging the pervasiveness of racist beliefs.
I had to watch this clip a few times before I was able to respond to it. After thinking it over and over, I decided it was complete hypocrisy because it is SUCH a double edged sword. I agree with what Morgan Freeman said about not wanting just a month because Black history is American history and there should be more. That being said however, wouldn’t it be oh so interesting to take away Black history month. Let’s all forget it was ever even around. Let’s not relive the great stories, struggles and people of our time. And then let’s watch the black community come out in an uproar. Like Sam said in class today, the white community can’t win if other races play the race card. No, this is not a woe-is-me card. I think Black history should be celebrated, for sure. At the same time though, black people cannot stress how much their people did for them in the past and then come up with a response like Freeman’s. Sure, I think he had the right idea in that getting passed racism would be great, and every day could be Black history day but that isn’t possible.
Strangely enough, I had a conversation with a friend of mine today questioning that if we stopped talking about race, would there be less of an issue? If we weren’t taught that we should feel strangely toward other races, or walk on egg shells, would the world be a better place? I understand that we need to honor history but maybe, just maybe, all this oppression is stemming from the subliminal feelings that children are instilled with all throughout elementary school. Even if it was many years ago, there was still a time where blacks were subordinate to white. Maybe every time a child picks up a history book, there beliefs are affirmed when they see the former treatment of blacks in our society. So like I said, it is a double edged sword. Where I want to honor history, I feel like the more we “dwell” on it, the longer it stays around. If one day, every child stopped learning about slavery for example (and YES I know this is completely unrealistic and probably a horrible idea but go with me…) maybe they would never make any connection that any race was better than another. Maybe they would grow up assuming whites and blacks have always lived together without the boundaries. Maybe they would assume that things have always been the way they are now. Maybe not though… but it’s just some food for thought.
I feel race is a very had issue to discuss at times. I do find myself worrying if I am going to offend someone or am I going to have my words misunderstood. I am trying to be more open and worry less about what I say. I have been in the position before where things I have said were ok with one black person but not with another. I know this goes both ways. Things black people say to one white person can be ok but not to another. In my opinion I do find more black people becoming offended than white people. I feel white people have empathy with race. I personally do not get offend very often when it comes to my race. I am white. Call it what you want as long as it describes me in some why I don’t care. White, European American, Russian, whatever. When I first started college I dated a black guy. We ended up breaking up due to race. Both our friends and families did not agree with it and made it very complicated for us. We are still friends. But there are many things I felt comfortable saying in front of him that I would never say in front of other black people, because I feel it would be taken out of context. We would joke about how I can’t play basketball because I’m white or how he can’t swim because he’s black (which I would still like someone to explain to me why that is a stereotype). I think win the “race game” we have to be comfortable around one another and let our defenses down. We all have to not get offended as much or take things out of context, which is easy to say, but hard to do.
In regards to the video with Morgan Freeman I do not agree with him saying to end racism we should stop talking about it. That will not solve anything. I agree though I would not want a white history month or a jewish history month etc. I agree with Morgan Freeman though that black history is American history. I think it is ridiculous to say black history is separate and needs its own month. I do know many people will disagree with me. People who are white and people who are black will. Which goes back to the point not all white people like the same things and neither do all black people. By thinking this we are lead into stereotypes. I also found it funny how the reporter from sixty minutes had no idea how to respond to what Morgan Freeman was saying. He looked completely shocked about it.
Personally I never really gave much thought about Black History Month before this interview. I mean I knew that it was celebrated in the month of February but I never gave it much thought as to if it bothered black people or not. I am white and when I do put myself in Morgan Freeman’s shoes or any other black person’s position, I really do not think that it would bother me, but that’s just my opinion and I could never really know how it feels to be in that position because I am not. But as far as I knew, the month was created so that we would reflect on the importance and certain events that occurred in our history regarding black ancestry, which I wouldn’t think would be a bad thing. Although this is all my opinion, the point I am trying to make is regardless if it offends black people or not I do not think the Morgan Freeman spoke appropriately on 60 minutes. If he feels negatively about Black History Month he could have said it in a much more appropriate manner where Mike Wallace didn’t need to defend himself because he has nothing to do with the creation of this celebration nor does any white person considering a black historian is the father of Black History Month. As far as is race a game that white people can never win, I think it’s correct because no matter what a white person says or does it still doesn’t mean that we can put those shoes on that a black person is wearing and live a day in them to actually experience what it is like, but that doesn’t mean white people can’t or shouldn’t talk and discuss race. As far as Freeman saying that we should just stop talking about race is ridiculous. A situation ignored does not make it go away, if anything it usually gets worse. People just need to be more open minded about talking about race and realize that it is hard to open up about this topic but when more people lose this fear of offending another race then this will open up more gates for discussion. The point that Bryson makes where he states, “the default should not be a disarming attack that only makes white people more unwilling to talk about race. He should have just graciously moved on to another subject.” This point exactly explains why white people do not like to talk about race. When white people do have a chance to speak about race they usually get accused of still not understanding or knowing what it is like. Well this clearly is not going to make a white person want to keep talking about race, so this is why I think that everyone needs to work on being more open to people’s opinions and understanding both sides of the situations. Obviously if you are a white person you will not understand to the same extent what a black person went through but at the same rate the same should go for the reverse situation.
Quite honestly, I can't really disagree with Morgan Freeman on his case. I know that trying to ignore the talk of race as a whole is a bad way of trying to get people to understand race, and furthermore get rid of racism, but at the same time I still empathize with Morgan Freeman. Granted, he didn't have to be incredibly blunt about his view, but he did say something important to the end. "You stop referring to me as a black man, and I'll stop referring to you as a white man. I'll call you Mike Wallace, and you can call me Morgan Freeman." It stretches back to the last two lectures about how some people say they don't see color and mean nothing offensive by it, it's just that race doesn't cross their mind everyday or with every person. Also, on the subject of Black History Month as a whole, I feel it's one of those random tie-ins so that people aren't considered racist. More of a defensive and preventative measure rather than one of great importance. I know that growing up in a primarily white suburban town, teachers would half-assedly say, "Oh yeah, by the way, it's Black History Month." and talk about George Washington Carver for like, six minutes and just move on to whatever the lesson was meant to be. I found it funny how during the interview when Freeman asked if Mike Wallace wanted a Jewish History Month, and Mr. Wallace just went "Oh no!" like someone had just murdered his kid. Perhaps underneath it all, those who are "celebrated" (or more likely targeted) for Black History Month have the some form of a similar view? I know that someone like Al Sharpton who plays the race card constantly is like a boss from a videogame that you just can't beat when it comes to racial talks.
After watching this video, it actually made me relate back to yesterday’s lecture, Tuesday March 24th. When Morgan Freeman answers the question on stopping race by saying to simply “stop talking about it” I think we need to be able to START talking about it first. This video is a perfect example when Mike Wallace seems to be targeted by Morgan Freeman’s answer on Black History Month. Right there, white people are given the impression that the topic should not be mentioned. Thus, leading to the issue that race will continue to exist as long as we fear to talk about it. Given, yes we have come a long way in talking about race but I feel as though this amplifies yesterdays lecture in more ways than one.
It really disturbed me the way Morgan Freeman did not want to be identified as a “black man” yet he was so proud of his black history. I get the fact that he does not want a month devoted to his history but the idea that he thinks race will be eliminated by not talking about it boggles my mind. I feel race will be eliminated when we can comfortably talk about the issue without leaving anything out no matter if we are in a room with black people, brown people, black people, Asian people, Jewish people, red people etc. In contrast I must consider the fact that we all have different perspectives on the issue of race. Nonetheless, I’m not sure I quite agree with the connection he makes with Black History Month and Birthdays. I do not feel that they are alike in any form. I can see what Bryson Nobles is saying, but I do not necessarily agree with it. I think that black people being exhausted with BHM holds true but I do not think it is the same feeling as a Birthday. Maybe it is because I love my Birthday. However, if a black person was asked as if they think that their birthdays are much like black history month I personally would feel that in large most black people would disagree. Now if we are making a comparison in black people and BHM to the feeling white people get on their Birthdays well I disagree and agree at the same time.
I think if Morgan Freeman would have answered more constructively, the conversation would have taken a whole different turn. I feel he is playing in the race game by making Mike Wallace fear bringing up words of race; thus leading to the race game. If Mike Wallace would have responded with thinking black history month is silly and we should stop celebrating it, then we may have seen Morgan Freeman taken back with relief or taken back with disgust because it was said by a “white man”. I also want to consider the fact of generations. I know that it may not be very relevant but I do think that we are going to see more change in the race game in younger generations than in older ones. I’m not saying it is not possible or that people should stop trying, I’m just saying that it may be a little more difficult to get through to elders. But in the end, even if we cannot add another lens to someone else’s, the conversation is at the least practice for ourselves.
I think what Morgan Freeman was saying relates to Tuesday’s lecture when Sam was talking about black people intentionally making whites uncomfortable because they know that white people are afraid of them. Sam said that blacks tend to set whites up for failure. He also talked about how whites look to people of color for answers about political correctness. He used the example of how some people like to be called African Americans while some hate it. The older generations are okay with being called colored but today that term is offensive. I don’t think that this is blacks trying to set whites up at all. I feel as if it is based on preference. Just because one black person doesn’t like to be called a person of color doesn’t mean that all black people take offense. It’s the same for whites. Italians don’t want to be called white, they’re Italian. Morgan Freeman doesn’t like black history month, that’s his opinion, his preference. I know many black people who love black history month and are very involved on campus and elsewhere.
With that said, I agree with Freeman 100%. (I’m not saying that I think we should get rid of black history month, I’m just saying I agree with Freeman.) If you think about American history, you think about slavery, the Underground Railroad, the depression, and technological advances. Black history is part of American history, period. Why should there be a month to celebrate that history? And if we have a month singled out to celebrate that piece of history, why can’t every month be assigned a piece of history to celebrate. Do we ever celebrate the fact that we got out of the depression. No. In fact, we just took advantage of everything and put us back into a depression. (I don’t care what the news calls it, we’re in a depression.) Also, singling out black history makes it seem that whites are trying to correct what we’ve done in the past. Which is good, I’m glad we’re correcting our wrong doings, however, I don’t feel responsible for what happened back then. I wasn’t alive, therefore I had no control over what happened. I do think that I, as well as all Americans, do have something to do with the slavery going on today, but that is a different topic. What I’m trying to say is that singling out a month, 30 days (not even because February has 28 or 29), to celebrate history is kind of overrated. Shouldn’t we be celebrating our history every day? Shouldn’t we be thankful that we moved past the Underground Railroad and blacks can live as free Americans? We should be celebrating it every day, not for 30 days once a month.
I also agree on some level with Freeman when he says that we need to stop talking race to get rid of racism. Words only have meaning when you assign them power. Cuss words are only bad because we assign them power. Racist terms are only racist because we say they are. Why does everything have to relate to race anyway? Why can’t we all just be humans? Race is just an adjective we decide to put in front of a noun. A black man. A white woman. Why? Why is that necessary? Why can’t we just say a man and a woman? Does it really matter if the person who cut in front of you in line is Black, White, Asian, or Mexican? No, because it was either a woman or a man. The race of that person only matters because you say it matters, but in reality it doesn’t. Black people want to call White people racist, but the only reason they’re racist is because the black people put the meaning behind the word. Get rid of race and you get rid of racism.
It is difficult not to become discouraged by the current state of race relations and the rut the issue seems to be stuck in as a result of everyone tip-toeing around it. Likewise, it is difficult not to view the topic as a lose-lose situation for all parties involved, including individuals from every racial background.
Two individuals, both of African American origin, may be asked their opinion in regard to Black History Month. While one may take pride in the concept and praise it as benefitting American society by educating others of the African American journey, the other may condemn the idea, and become even offended or angered by it. So what is a white person to do? Should they act as though they support the commemoration? Should they reject it? Should they act, as Bryson Nobles suggests, and address it with indifference? No matter what line of action we adopt, it is sure to insult someone. This is what Nobles meant when he stated that white people are never winners when playing the race game. If a white person was to agree with Morgan Freeman and rebuffed Black History Month, or openly admitted to wishing to eliminate the concept altogether, it is fair to assume that some African Americans would take serious offense to this and immediately deem that particular individual as racist. Yet the same is true when the situation is reversed. Many ‘white’ people feel affronted when ‘people of color’ accuse them of ignoring or denying the subject of race. Yet we as members of the human race, do not grow or progress by offending others; nor do we enhance and further the condition of race relations by feeling as though others have committed transgressions against us. Some individuals—most likely those whom feel threatened by people of a different race or experience guilt as a result of the actions and remarks aimed at them by a person of a different race—claim to be upset and offended merely to excuse them from participating in conversations regarding the shaky and extremely sensitive topic of race. Offending others and becoming offended, however, will simply immobilize the world of race relations, and eradicate any hope for honest and sincere dialogue and interaction amongst people of varying backgrounds. Offensive behavior results only in intimidation, frustration, and finally, a termination of effort. As Nobles stated, ignoring the present reality of racial diversification and the relations individuals entertain with one another will not improve the situation.
Furthermore, I would just like to say that I found it to be quite curious and interesting that upon being asked how America is to end racism, Freeman replied, “stop talking about it.” Silence will not cure the problem. In fact, silence may even increase and intensify the tension that has been building among individuals of various races, resulting only in the existence of greater misunderstandings and misconceptions between them, false assumptions, more fierce hostility, and a divided gap growing ever wider.
Morgan Freeman asked Mike Wallace to stop calling him a black man, but this idea seems ridiculous to me. It’s like the concept of racial identity that Sam was talking about in class. To deny the color of your skin is to deny part of your identity. It is possible that you may not feel a strong connection to the color of your skin: like a black child who is adopted by a white family and grows up in an affluent white neighborhood. They might not feel a connection to the history and the struggle behind their black skin because the environment they grew up in did not connect to that aspect of their life. In fact like Morgan suggested, you may even not want to be identified by skin color because you prefer to be seen first as a human/man/student/for your accomplishments/etc. I’m not quite sure if Morgan Freeman is ignoring his identity as a black man or if he is just moving past his color onto his other characteristics. But is it really possible to move past something so obvious. I can understand his annoyance at being the “token black actor” as if somehow his accomplishments are only recognized because he is black.
So I see this whole black history month thing in two ways.
1. Isn’t one month of black history month better than no month at all? Not only is the month’s intended purpose to expose non-black people to the struggles endured by black people but it also serves as a reminder for black people of all the sacrifices that previous generations made so they can live in the world they live in today. Children are not going to stop being born neither are they going to stop being exposed to black people sometime in their life. However, I believe that their needs to be an exposure to more than just Rosa Parks and MLK.
2. The whole idea of the struggle of black/brown people gets old. And yes, I’m brown. We’re quick to talk about injustices as soon as something seems unfair and blame it on this racist country. I just think that especially with young people the purpose of Black History gets lost. And while being black is something to take pride in, it doesn’t mean black is best. Native Americans could have a month, as could Latinos as could Asian-Americans.
And this is completely random but why is it that white people who are Jewish always bring up their Jewishmenss as did Mike Wallace when Morgan said something about white people. It seems to me like a defense or something that somehow their Jewishness makes them somehow that much different from just regular white people. But of course maybe they do have something in common in that they both have a history of struggle and injustice.
This “race game,” something we talked about in lecture this week, is something that is very confusing and touchy with white people. And I am not trying to say “woe is me” as one girl of color suggested in class. It is just that race is still a touchy issue and many white people are afraid of being called racists. But the “race game” exists because not all people of color agree on every situation. Just like not all white people agree on every situation. You are going to get the same varying response when asking black people what they feel is appropriate and what they feel is inappropriate as when you ask white people what food they like, and what food they dislike. It is natural for this to occur. It seems almost impossible to overcome it. However, overcoming this so called “race game” is something I feel is necessary for race relations. Maybe more leniency is required on behalf of people of color. An interesting example of this is a story about the sometimes derogatory, sometimes not derogatory word referring to hair- nappy. At home, I have a friend of color who on numerous occasions has called my hair nappy. Me, being a white girl, with indeed, coarse hair, always just took it in, never even thought to feel offended by it. I am sure it was somewhat of a joke, but it was still said by a person of color to me. However, after arriving at school my freshman year, I remember making a comment about my “nappy” hair in my dorm room while my black roommate was in the room. Nothing was said, but I felt somewhat awkward. I believe I felt awkward due to this “race game.” My roommate and I talked about this situation later in the year along with many other race relation and race issues. As it turned out, she didn’t even remember this occasion and said she felt no offense by what I had said. However, she also mentioned that she did not like when people used the “n-word.” I asked about the music that she listens to regularly, which also repeatedly uses this historically derogatory statement. She said that she doesn’t like when they say it either. It is clear that the artists, sharing her skin color, say this word are completely comfortable using that word. It just isn’t the same across the board. And wanting it to be the same across the board is asking a lot. I understand t his. But accepting that not all people of one skin color share the same process of deciding what is appropriate, and not accusing white people of being rude or arrogant, when in fact they are just ignorant, I believe is a huge step in race relations.
I think that Black History Month, to an extent, has evolved into something other than what was intended. The article mentions that it was created by a black professor to acknowledge some important birthdays, (Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglas). Now it does seem a little bit like it exists to appease black people and show that they matter too. I think that it should be like anything else, Columbus Day, Martin Luther King Day… Frederick Douglas Day? Maybe specifying a month to black history is pretty pointless. There really is no reason to set aside a month to honor the important history of certain black people; it should be occurring every day. And maybe especially on the person’s specific birthday, (for example, we learn about Columbus on Columbus Day, etc.). That being said, I agree with Morgan Freeman about the stupidity of a single month to represent all of black history. “Black history is American history,” he says. He’s right. There is no white history month. In my opinion it just serves as another way to distinguish between the races. There is no difference; we both have pioneers of our rights, inventors, and all sorts of other protagonists. But why do the black ones have to get singled out. Perhaps the months should be organized by profession or cause. I think that Morgan Freeman does a good job of illustrating this point in very few, (but well articulated), words. However, I think that his brief solution is not really the way to go about it. He says that we should stop talking about it. I think that it is quite the opposite. Not that I have ever really considered myself to be a racist person, but I definitely feel that I am much more in tune to the race of others after taking this class and being forced to bring such issues to the forefront. I think that if we simply stop talking about it, then these issues will be swept under the rug, rather than put into the open and accepted. Race is so taboo these days, especially among white people, and I think that this is the reason that it continues to be an issue. If people from other races interacted more openly and really asked each other questions, then we better understand what has become such a complex concept. Morgan Freeman says that he wants us to stop seeing him as a black man, but coming from a white perspective, I have no problem with someone referring to me as a white man. It is no different than saying I am Italian, have blue eyes, live in Philly, or enjoy eating ice cream. But that is obviously something that differs between the cultures of a white and black man. If we were to just to stop talking about it, we would never be able to really relate to each others beliefs, attitudes, and perspectives on something as little as self identification. I loved you in Shawshank, Morgan, but you gotta wise up.
I was really surprised by the interview with Morgan Freeman. I did not expect him to come to the conversation with some much frustration, anger and sarcasm. Its hard for me to believe that someone with so much voice and influence as Freeman could say such angry and disappointing things. His views are so discouraging especially to those white people who are trying to step up to the race table and make an attempt to start talking. Freeman has basically made a call out to those people for them to be silenced. That really sucks. But what about those blacks and people of color who are frustrated by the silence. I’m talking about the people who get angry at white people for not talking about race. They get angry at the people who act like or just do not notice other people’s race. Are they actually listening to the advice of Morgan Freeman and other people of color with similar opinions, or are they being intentionally ignorant or do they really not know. If you are a person of color what are you going to assume that white person to be inside of their head? Its so frustrating. As a white person what am I supposed to do? Am I supposed to say silent and keep going letting some people of color think I’m ignorant or simply racist. Or do I talk about race and not talk safely and speak the learned language of race discussion that I’ve been learning for so long? If I do that do I really want to risk the backlash from those people who think I’m worsening the situation by recognizing race’s existence. Because I recognize that I am white and that you are black?
I understand as a race as a whole you nor I or anyone else can be expected to unanimously agree. That’s completely ridiculous. But what do I do? For the time being I’m going to continue to keep quiet but I really don’t want to. Its not that I have anything angry to say or something that I really need to get off my chest about a certain group of people Its nothing like that. I just want racism to be over. I live in the United States where you supposed to be able to be free from social injustices and all that but obviously that is no where true. The biggest road block I feel in the road to real freedom in the U.S. is racism. I want to keep talking and maybe those angry people who don’t wish to acknowledge it anymore will stop being angry and listen in as well. And maybe at some point they’ll decide that maybe that have something to say at the race table and bring something else to the table.
I have never thought about black history month the way Morgan Freeman discussed it. I’m not sure whether I agree with it or not. But he makes a good argument. The idea of black history month always seemed interesting to me. I agree with the celebration of a culture, race, and ethnicity. I agree that awareness should be raised about other cultures, race, and ethnicities. The problem I have with black history month is not that this race has a month of celebration and awareness. Especially concerning what many blacks in America have been through, specifically those who are descendents of slaves, I think they deserve a whole month devoted to their race for awareness, celebration, appreciation, and communication. I just wonder why other races do not have their own month in America. To my knowledge there is not Hispanic, Latino, Native American, Asian, or Indian history month. There certainly is no “white history month.” I wonder how the different racial groups would react to a “white history month.” Or for that matter how they would react to a “yellow” or “brown history month.” I was rather intrigued by what Morgan Freeman said abut racism. His solution to end racism is to stop talking about it. If we lived by this standard it would go against everything race relations is about. There would certainly be no race relation classes or discussion groups. I do not agree with Freeman that we should stop talking about race completely. I believe that would result in a lot more harm than good. But I do agree with his point that racism could end when we stop referring and identifying with one another by race. The question then is, is this possible? If it was possible, how? And- would this really end racism? Or would it be detrimental to individual’s racial, ethnic, and cultural identity? What would happen to the world if we just simply stopped identifying people by their ethnic identities? I’m not sure anyone has an answer to all these questions. But to some respect I do not think identifying someone as white, black, or Asian, etc. is the biggest factor. The biggest factor behind racism in the thoughts and sterotypes we associate with race. But that is an entirely different issue. Returning to the topic of black history month, I wonder if black history month is not in some way racist in itself. I’m just throwing it out there- that if you look at it in certain way- it’s like we declared an entire month “black history month” because whites feel bad about slavery so we’re trying to make up for it. Did someone think “well we put the blacks through so much suffering with slavery- here’s an entire month devoted to your race’s history to make up for it?” It’s some food for thought. I do agree with one thing Freeman said. He said black history part of American history. We are all in this together in this country. My point is- if there is a black history month- every other different race and culture in America deserves their own time of appreciation just as much.
As a child I remember having to participate in activities in school for Black History Month. It was not something that ever came to mind unless someone brought it up to me. Eventually as I got older Black History Month was mentioned less and less in my upper grades. I also noticed that after I had switched schools to a predominantly white area where there were one or two black people in my school Black History Month was not brought up at all. After watching what Morgan Freeman, a black man himself, had to say about Black History Month I was intrigued and I found myself slightly agreeing with him. I am Irish and having St. Patrick’s Day to celebrate my culture yet fun is slightly odd, because why was I designated only one day? Being Irish and celebrating that has to do with American History. I can understand where Morgan Freeman was saying that Black History is also American History and it shouldn’t be designated to just one month. However, on the flip side I found it interesting that we do have things called Birthdays. These are day’s set aside to celebrate the birth of an individual human being. It is something to show that person how much they are appreciated and how celebrate them being alive. Black History Month could also be considered the same thing. It is a month to really appreciate and understand the struggle and background of Black History.
I do believe however that Morgan Freeman did not choose his tone or his words wisely. It almost seemed like he was attacked the interviewer and was very hostile about the whole subject. I think there are a lot of Black Americans that would not agree with Morgan Freeman’s opinion because they believe that their history is important and needs to be taught to people because it doesn’t get enough attention. I also believe there are white people who think that because Morgan Freeman wants people to stop talking about race it makes them more scared to bring it up and to ask questions about things they do not understand. This would ultimately hurt race relations and how it is brought up in conversation. I think that Morgan Freeman could of went about his answer in a better way rather than seeming really angered about the whole situation because I think that it could stir bad emotions in the viewers.
Morgan Freeman’s aggressive behavior towards Mike Wallace demonstrates why white people are so afraid to talk about race. They don’t want someone to be offended. You can see Mike Wallace get nervous by his physical actions. I just don’t think that it is right for someone to intimidate someone of the opposite race just because they can. How are we as individuals supposed to learn if we don’t ask the ‘tough’ questions? Because everyone is so different, just because one black person like black history month doesn’t mean every African American person, obviously by Freeman’s behavior. I personally find myself getting nervous in race relations circles. Not as much in Sociology because we have gotten to know each individual in our sections on a more personal basis. When I had to do the race relations project before, I found myself in many uncomfortable situations because there was this one girl of color in my group. I felt like everything I said about race this girl jumped on the chance to argue. I wasn’t trying to argue with her. I was simply trying to put my thoughts into the mix as well as my questions I had, but as being jumped by this girl more than a couple times I just began to sit back and listen to what she had to say. I learned a little from her, but I think if she would have listened to what I had to say she could have learned from me as well. Therefore, I think Morgan Freeman should rethink his idea about not discussing race.
I can see Morgan Freeman’s point about black history month. He is right there is no white history month so why have a black history month. Instead of picking a specific month to recognize what black people have gone through to get to where they are today, we should just keep it within our history classes or even just all throughout the year recognize our histories together. One should not be held above another they should both be stressed upon equally because black and white histories are both important to the history of the world.
I don’t think that you can get rid of racism by not talking about it. If we don’t talk about it we won’t learn from one another, hence we will not become equals. I enjoy talking about race in our sections. It is a very relaxed atmosphere and no one gets offended by what anyone says. It is just important to keep an open mind because everyone is different. Before Soc119 I really didn’t think about race and now in thinking about it I think there are so many cool ideas about it. It really opens up your mind and allows you to think outside the box.
On this issue of having one month of the twelve devoted to Black history in America, I must agree with Morgan Freeman; Black history is American history, it cannot be separated into its own “month-worthy” category because it is so closely interwoven with the history in the rest of America and it should be celebrated equally. Yes, the people of past generations who were black did suffer more than people of white color, but today we are all treated with more equality and fairness and I think we should honor these ancestors throughout the year and make noteworthy their contributions at all time, not just during “Black History Month”. When Mike Wallace said he did not want a Jewish history month, I can understand why he does not want that history with its many sad stories and circumstances celebrated. No other groups who have gone through persecution and discrimination in America have a month to celebrate their history. There is no Chinese-American History Month, or Irish Catholic Immigrant Month or any other so why are we specifically celebrating Black History Month?
In the blog Nobles mentions “having a month to celebrate black people is no less silly than having a day to celebrate your birthday”. I think a birthday is something that most people appreciate within but they do not like to publicize it and do not like the attention that it draws. I know I personally do not like having any extra attention or special treatment on my birthday, and I’m sure many black people, just like Morgan Freeman do not like having “their” history singled out any more than they like having their history celebrated for a month. I would not like it if my Scotch-Irish or my German history were celebrated every year for a month in America. I think people like to learn about their history on their own, and obviously history is taught in schools throughout the country, but this is required teaching. School children need to learn American history and they need to learn about black struggles and slavery and the civil rights movement and everything that is touted during black history month but it should just be worked in the curriculum with all the other history lessons and not singled out to February only.
Just like Morgan Freeman states, black history is American history and it should be taught and celebrated just like the rest of American history and it should not have a specific month to celebrate it. This makes it seem like black history is less important than the rest of American history the other 11 months of the year and this is not fair, all history of this country and its people should be celebrated equally and evenly throughout the year.
This is a very complicated topic. I can see where Morgan Freeman is coming from, but I also disagree with his general message. In middle school, I feel like I was very well immersed in a variety of cultures different from my own. My school was very diverse: there were significant populations of Whites, Blacks, Latinos, Asians, and Middle-Easterners (ordered in my approximation of most to fewest). White culture definitely had a plurality, but not a majority. Therefore, I felt like Black History month was somewhat silly since we learned about significant events in black culture every once in a while throughout the year. However, looking back on my high school experience, I would be a proponent for Black History month. My parents made the decision to send me to a private Catholic high school, and in this environment (which is in the same geographic area as my middle school) whites by and large had a majority. I would estimate my high school to be 80%+ white, whereas my middle school was more like 40%. In high school I met people who had been in a private school for their entire education. These students didn’t have the cultural experiences that I had growing up, and had less experience with different cultures. In this case, I feel like acknowledging Black History month was necessary to get students to think, even if just for 1 month, about different cultures. The fact was, in our high school you didn’t have to interact with different races if you didn’t want to. The school was that homogenous. So students would never have to deal with race issues unless it was (somewhat) forced upon them. When contrasted to my middle school, where multiracial interactions were the daily norm, students here learned much about different types of people.
So is Black History month necessary? Unfortunately, I think it is. In a perfect world, Morgan Freeman’s ideas would hold up. We would not need to set aside a month to specifically call out the black community and “celebrate” their history. Black history would be integrated into American history as would the history of all races who have played a part in this country’s development. However, as long as it is possible for people to live their lives free of interaction with other races, something like Black History month is necessary. How else would people who live in the deep rural communities of America, who have no regular interaction with anyone other than their white neighbors, learn about the cultures of Blacks, Latinos, Asians, etc? They wouldn’t. They would live their lives in complete ignorance of other cultures, and more likely than not, develop racist or white supremacist outlooks on life.
I really have enjoyed Morgan Freeman on the screen every time I heard a documentary or watched him, but after watching the 55 second blurb on the show 60 Minutes I have to say I was taken back from him. The way he handled himself was so… I don’t know, childish? I just feel like it was uncalled for and out of the blue. I guess he had really strong opinion on this subject, which is totally fine, but to attack the closest person to you, in this case Mike Wallace, was just wrong. Morgan Freeman said that the way to get rid of racism was to stop talking about it. Really? I think that’s the total opposite way. That’s how things get worse. You don’t talk about an issue, you sweep it under the rug, it still will always be there…just out of sight or pushed back in your mind. As a white person I have to say that it really is a lose-lose situation. White people will never win. For instance, Morgan Freeman was so opposed to having a black history month. Saying that in no way he wants one- that it’s in our “American history” (I agree to this, but at the same point it is one PART of our American history-not all of it). To say that it’s in the past, and not related to now means that it’s over. But what if a white person was to say they understand what a black person has gone through. All of a sudden, white people don’t know what they’re talking about. Are we stupid? How can we understand the history of what black people have gone through? To me white people are chasing their tails in circles trying to get direction from black people on how to approach the situation. Do they want to drop black history month or not? Are we allowed to say that we understand what they have gone through, or no?
Another point that I’m going to take literally is when Morgan Freeman said that he wants to stop talking about race and see Mike Wallace not as the white man, and Morgan Freeman not as the black man. To be honest, that’s stupid too. No matter what, people are always going to see color. Its color! It’s not a bad thing at all, only if you mean ill by it. If you talk to someone who is black for 60 minutes and then get out of the seat later and be like “oh, I really didn’t even notice he was black. He looked like just a body to me because I don’t see color.” You know that a lie. It’s not bad to notice if someone is black, white, Asian, or Indian. It’s just who we are. Morgan Freedman had a chance to explain to people what he felt on the subject of race and he did a bad job at making it better. By turning the question around, attacking and beating down Mike Wallace for having the audacity to even ask him if he thinks that we should have a Black History month, was just…wrong.
I found Morgan Freeman’s comments about black history month interesting, as well as the response from Bryson Nobles, because they relate to a lot of the subjects we have been learning about recently. I had never done much thought about BHM or if black people (or people in general) like it or not. One thing I remember reading was an interview with a black historian specializing in African American studies talk about it, and he pointed out the irony in its being in February – the darkest, shortest month. However, I had no idea until reading this blog that a black person had established it and his reasons for doing it (Abe Lincoln’s birthday, etc.) sound logical to me.
One of the arguments I often heard is that we should appreciate black people throughout the year and not just relegate it to one month. But this can be countered by Bryson’s “birthday” argument. I think the whole point of BHM is to remind people to remember the past – both the struggle and the accomplishments. As a woman, I’m not mad that March is considered women’s history month. I think it’s good there is an extra push to reflect over the past. If anything, these months offer an opportunity to have more open dialogues. It’s true that black history is also American history, but if you look at history textbooks from grade school, there is often a “Women in the War” or “The Effects on African Americans” section. I’m glad February and March are used as teaching tools for children to learn about great individuals from the past. Though I can see the opposite side of the spectrum, I still think black history month serves more good than harm.
One thing this class has taught me is that we aren’t meant to be color blind. Differences exist, and the point is not to make fun of each other’s differences but to understand them. I totally get what Morgan Freeman was saying, and I’m sure he is tired of being a “black actor” and not just an actor. And he is certainly entitled to his opinion, but I think he could have used the opportunity to at least elucidate his point and explain it more fully instead of coming off as defensive. Then again, that reminds me about how people (particularly white people) expect all people of color to be sort of ambassadors of their race and always to have an opinion on the matter. Maybe he really didn’t want to talk about it. However, it Mike Wallace really seemed to have hit a nerve when he brought up the subject, and I think this happens when people are passionate or have strong opinions about certain things. All in all, I don’t necessarily blame Freeman for his reaction; the press can be too assertive and subjects can tire easily. But I do hope people are more open-minded about discussing race than he came off in that interview.
I though the beginning of this interview when the journalist was scrambling for why there was not a white history month and he responded with well I’m Jewish was somewhat odd. I felt as though he was trying to say well look my culture has also had bad points so don’t get mad at me. While, also not trying to say well because Jewish history is more well known than black history, because when it all comes down to American history and furthermore black history all most people know is slavery. Then, Morgan Freeman said that he thinks that if we all stop talking about racism it will go away, I personally think that that is wrong. The only way we are going to break down stereotypes and the irrational fear that exists between groups of people is if there is discussion; lots and lots of discussion. This is true of racism, sexism, xenophobia, and homophobia. If someone creates the stereotype that all blonde women are stupid that is never going to change if they avoid speaking to blonde women, they will never change until they have met several intelligent and well-rounded blonde women. Then they will begin to re-evaluate the stereotypes they were taught based on their own personal experience and knowledge. If people simply stop discussing racial and gender inequality we will stop progressing. On the point where Freeman said I’m going to stop calling you a white man and you can stop calling me a black man I think he had a point in relation to how when in daily conversation and especially in the presidential election coverage people feel some need to address the color of a person’s skin as if it matters. And granted to some people skin color matters a lot. However, I can imagine that whenever a black person turned on the television and heard Obama continuously preceded by black that had to get annoying. At a certain point in time I believe many people, those of color and those who are white, yelled at their televisions “I know get over it.”
In addition to the points raised by Rryson Nobles I think that if a white journalist would have agreed with Freeman about there not being a need for black history month, people would have been outraged. I also think that black history month presents the chance for an extremely streamlined public school system to focus on aspects of African –American history, besides slavery. I would also hope that on the high school level it would inspire a race discussion between students as well as faculty and staff. Furthermore, BHM could open up discussion on inequality in the work place, not only with regard to race, but also with regard to gender and sexuality. I’m also curious to know how far our country will have to progress until we feel that we need a Muslim history month or a gay right’s history month? When focusing on inequality in America it is easy to simiply forcus on the past and present injustices toward people of African ancestry, without realizing how many injustices are still occurring due to sexual orientation, gender or religion.
Having grown up in Prince George’s County, Maryland, a predominantly black county, I knew Black History Month existed. There were probably posters in the library during the month of February reminded the students of that fact. But I can’t for the life of me remember actually learning anything different during that month. Not once can I recall having a special assembly on famous Black people, or having the curriculum organized in such a way that we focused on influential black people in history. Maybe that is because I grew up in a school district that was mostly black. We learned about people of all races during the year, not just one group at a designated time. And why should we? If we just learn about the material as we go throughout the course, the most influential people will come up as needed, whether they are black, white, Hispanic, Asian, whatever. I’m going to learn about black inventors just like I will learn about white and other racial inventors if what they did was indeed special, not just because they are black.
And although I think I already had an inclination in my head, it was interesting to learn that Black History Month was originated by a black man. I think everyone just assumes that it was a group of middle aged white people who made this decision to placate or pacify the black people of America. This is also supported by the millions of black comedians out there who have ever made the joke that we (as a white society) “gave them the shortest month of the year”. We are learning in class that white people often are intimidated by race, and like to pretend it doesn’t exist so they don’t have to talk about it. It would somewhat make sense then that it wasn’t white people who “created” black history month, because then they would have to acknowledge how these people are different from them. It would be interesting to see how many people- who feel that Black history month is patronizing toward black people- actually know a black man started the whole thing. It is probably not many.
As for the Morgan Freeman interview, I agree that he came across very defensive, almost to the point of hostility. And I completely agree that his response could in fact make white people less likely to become involved in the “race circle,” if they get the same response when asking a similar question. In the same way however, people probably would have something negative to say if Morgan Freeman hadn’t addressed the question in any form. Society seems to look up to celebrities, and a few people probably look to Morgan Freeman to represent black people and black culture. Anything he said, people may take to mean that’s what all black people think. We all know racism won’t end just by ignoring it. And attacking someone for actually bringing it up is definitely not the way to go about it.
At first I was surprised and a bit taken back by Morgan Freeman’s reaction to Black History month, but the second time I watched the video clip I understood what he was saying. Why set aside a month to remember black history when it is simply just a part of American history? I think Morgan Freeman makes a great point saying that black history IS American history. It would out of line to say it was not. I’m sure people of color have mixed opinions about what Morgan Freeman is saying and also mixed feelings about what Bryson Nobles comments about. After watching the video clip I started thinking about what Sam said in class about the opinions of white people and people of color on the topic of Penn State having a Black or Latino Homecoming Court, aside from the “regular” court. Now just writing that last sentence I thought about how according to lecture white people consider themselves normal, regular, or just nothing. I don’t think that the regular court is referring to just white students. I think what backs that up is that there are students of different races, ethnicities, and religions on the court each year. In my opinion, this goes along with whether we should celebrate Black History month mostly because I think that by having a Black or Latino Homecoming Court separates people of any race or ethnicity and then it becomes homecoming courts based on race. Also, how does it seem fair that black people and Latinos can be included in the original homecoming court but then white people would not be a part of the Black homecoming court or the Latin homecoming court? I’m not sure of what the rules are of homecoming in general but that is just a thought. Back to the video clip, I don’t agree with Morgan Freeman when he says we should not talk about race or not talk about Black History month because then we will continue to play the race game and we will never really, truly be able to sit at the race table and talk about our true opinions. I understand that we should stop thinking about it as ‘you as the white man’ and ‘me as the black guy’ but in reality, like I said before, then we will be ignoring what we see and possibly feel and then be taught to ignore what we believe is really in front of us. I am curious to see how the majority of black people feel about Black History month because honestly, I didn’t give it much thought before watching this video clip. I guess I kind of assumed that was what black people wanted. I don’t think white people should be put in this awkward and uncomfortable situation (like the interview was put in by Freeman) and they shouldn’t be blamed for the creation of Black History month because in a quick Google search I learned that Carter G. Woodson created this month for remembrance of the history and contributions of blacks, not some white person who felt that they needed to separate Black history from American history.
I asked my roommate what she thinks about Black History Month and her response was “I think it’s stupid, how come there is no white history month?” Was she serious? After this response I was infuriated. I had to leave the room.
I believe that Black History Month was initially created to celebrate the great achievements that blacks have made over time. I believe that when they first designated this month in February it was intended to make blacks feel proud for their accomplishments. However, the idea of BHM has actually offended people from the black race, instead of making them feel praised. Designating just one month out of the twelve months of the year, to a lifetime of achievements by blacks seems ridiculous. That just leaves one to question, are the rest of the eleven months white history months? This doesn’t seem fair. Everyday in class we talk about how important it is as a society that we work together to make this world equal and fair. However, it seems that things like BHM, a month that used to be celebrated by blacks, is now being looked down upon. Why is that? Has it always been that way? Or is it only a select few that believe the same thing that Morgan Freeman believes?
In my opinion, Black History Month should not exist. I believe that we should celebrate the great achievements of black individuals as they occurred. Why limit it to one month if those achievements didn’t even happen in that month? In the Morgan Freeman clip, he asks Mike Wallace if he would want a Jewish History Month. His response was of course, no. If nobody really wants a month dedicated to them, then why do we have one dedicated to blacks?
Morgan Freeman also mentions that to make racism disappear we must just simply stop talking about it. I would have to disagree with this statement, for I believe that the more we talk about it the more we understand about different races. Not talking about it won’t make racism go away. Instead it will just leave more questions unanswered about race. It is important that we educate our younger generations at a young age so they are more racially aware when they are older. Racism is never going to go away, as much as we might like to believe it will. Racism will always exist. In a world that is seen as black and white, if racism goes away we become a world of gray, but there will always be different shades of gray. Therefore, I believe that educating our children and our society about all aspects of race is the most important thing we can do in order to subdue racism.
Black history month was always something that was acknowledged in my school by our teacher informing us about the great black men and women that had an effect on our society. However, it was nothing that I ever celebrated like my birthday. I am a white woman and never felt that this was something that I was supposed to celebrate. However, the point that Morgan Freedman was trying to address was very important but he did in a very inappropriate way by becoming angry and snappy at Mike Wallace. He was trying to say that black history should not just be confined to just one month but should be talked and taught throughout the whole year. He was trying to make the comparison with Wallace that there is not just one month to celebrate white history month or Jewish history month so there should not be just a black history month. In a way by having black history month it is like we created this to just please the black man so that he will feel that his history was being taught and not just the history of other races and cultures. Black history month seems like something that we gave to the blacks out of guilt or pity in the fact that the white man felt guilty of what occurred in their past that we needed to give them something that would make them feel important. I think that Freedman threw Wallace a fast one in their interview and Wallace did not know what to saw because of Freedman’s temper, but by Wallace saying that he was Jewish he was trying to say that you should feel honored that you have this month dedicated to your history because there is nothing special for Jewish history and hardly even taught in schools.
However, I do not understand why Freedman would say that the best way to eliminate racism would be to not talk about. Even just getting into a fight with a significant other the best way to solve the issue is to talk through it so you could see the other person’s opinions and feelings about the matter. It is never good to pretend that something never happened because there will be tension and fear that you may do something else wrong that will make the other person upset. This idea is like talking about racism if we do not talk about it we will not know how the other person might feel. So by this interview Freedman is really illustrating through his words and emotions that there is no point in talking about race because it is just going to make racism worse. Then whoever saw this interview will be even more afraid about talking about race and then it will be very hard for racism to be eliminated. I feel this way because racism will not disappear until race is an issue that people can talk openly about and not be a topic that people tip toe around not trying to hurt someone else’s feelings.
When watching the video clip, I can’t help but think that in some respects, Morgan Freeman is right when he says that we should not relegate our Black History to a single month and the shortest month at that…ha But in the same sense I feel like white people can not win the race game, because as a people as a whole we will never be satisfied. We are mad because we have a month and feel as though White America is pushing our history to the side and only focusing on it for a month. Then on the other hand you have those who would be angry if we didn’t have a month. I agree with Morgan Freeman to an extent but I do not agree with the way he went about making his point. Not talking about racism will get us nowhere in my opinion.
When Freeman said, “Stop talking about it”, when asked about racism, I was thinking, that is the only way we will ever solve the problem. In rehab, the therapist always says, “The first step to recovery is admittance.” We must shed light on the situation, which is racism, and once everyone comes to the realization that it still exists can we begin to make a solution to the problem. Just sweeping the problem under the rug will do nothing, it will continue to be a problem and would only be addressed when it goes to far and there is no choice but to address it and then by that time will be too late. Morgan Freeman’s approach on the issue was definitely wrong in my eyes. I do not think that he should have attacked Mike Wallace.
When watching this, I could only think about how Mike Wallace felt being attacked by Morgan Freeman for a seemingly harmless question. This is the reason white people are afraid to the address this issue of race. After being attacked in the same manor Mike Wallace did, I don’t think I would want to bring up the issue again. Morgan Freeman could have generously moved on to another question or topic or explained how he felt about Black History Month without being defensive and going on the attack. Wallace was taken back by the response of Freeman. He tried to smother the fire a bit by saying, “ I’m Jewish”, which didn’t do much. He was almost saying, don’t attack me, my people were victims too, “I’m Jewish”. Wallace was definitely uncomfortable and had no idea how to respond to Freeman.
I feel as though White America will never win the “race game”. You cannot satisfy everyone, so just keep it moving. If we didn’t have the month or got rid of it, African Americans would be furious. And on the other hand you have people like Morgan Freeman who do not like the idea of the month, because it “relegates our history into one month.” As a whole we should just agree to disagree and life goes on.
I have encountered many African Americans who really enjoy and support black history month and I have met African Americans who think it is a slap in the face. Morgan Freeman had a good point in asking when is Jewish month and I agree that American history is black history. I was just taken aback by Morgan’s uneasiness towards the 60 minutes host. Morgan Freeman seemed like he was attacking the host and I feel like he expected the host to know why he didn’t like black history month. Sam brought up a great point in class that I have never really taken the time to think about. I have found myself in conversations about race and have felt like anything I say to someone of the opposite color is wrong and after I try to explain myself I become shut out because I can’t say the right thing. This is why most people are afraid to talk about race; they don’t want to be misunderstood. There have been many times in discussions where I have wanted to say something but I did not want to seem like I was taking sides or I didn’t want to have to defend myself. There are also points in race conversations where I just truthfully do not want to be that person that gets attacked for being brought up to believe something. I never realized that I have just as little knowledge about race as the people of color in my group. I think that people today are way to overly sensitive, even Morgan Freeman seemed to be. Why can we not just sit down say how we feel and ask questions? Truthful I have very strong opinions and talk a lot but I also can listen. Maybe if we all started to listen to the actual words that came out of people’s mouths we might actual learn something about one another. To touch on the topic of getting rid of racism I completely disagree with Morgan Freeman. Before I took this class I would have agreed with him when he said “to get rid of racism we need to stop talking about it” but now my views are completely different. We need to get people comfortable talking about race and then the topic will truly be let loose. If someone can sit and be comfortable enough in their own skin and can sit and have an open dialogue about their feelings and race with people from other places I believe we have finally broken barriers. I think that black history month is cool and I actually have learned a few things over the years because of it. I am not saying that it is not unfair that “black people only get one month out of the whole year” but I like the idea of giving credit to a group of people and celebrating accomplishments.
I was almost shocked after hearing what Morgan Freeman had to say about Black History Month. Although I am sure Morgan Freeman is sick of playing many stereotypical black roles and being the example for his race, I would also think that he would be proud of the history of the black race and would appreciate any extra attention given to the accomplishments of black people throughout history. Although I think Black History Month is a little silly because black history should certainly be included into all other months, as well, I think denouncing this month in such a way as Morgan Freeman did is childish. Although he is entitled to his opinion, instead of sounding like he made an intelligent argument, it came off as though he was attacking Mike Wallace.
One response of Morgan Freeman as to why he dislikes Black History Month was that white people do not have a White History Month because all year is for white history. Instead of looking at Black History Month so negatively, it would do the entire black race a service to embrace this month.
I think Black History Month is definitely a good example of part of the race game that white people can never win. If Mike Wallace had in fact said that he agreed Black History Month was stupid, the backlash from the black community would have been substantial. Regardless of the fact that this is probably the opinion of many people of all colors, it is not politically correct to denounce anything that was created to make black and brown people more equal to white people. This also ties in to what Sam was discussing in class with political correctness. Just because one black person (for example, Morgan Freeman) disagrees with the celebration of Black History Month, does not mean that all members of this racial group have that same opinion. This can confuse white people, however, because they just want to agree with whatever the members of the minority say is acceptable. So after watching this interview, a white person may have adopted Morgan Freeman’s opinion about Black History Month because he is a black man who says it is stupid. However, I’m sure there are many black people who do not think it is stupid. This causes confusion among white people who just want to do and say the right thing when it comes to minority relations.
So when is it okay to throw political correctness out the window and when should we take others’ feelings into consideration? The only way to grow in the race relations dialogue is to talk about what is going on in the world and inside our heads, regardless of how “correct” that opinion is. Sometimes being uncomfortable with the race dialogue is the only way to grow and learn.
You know…after reading this blog entry…it’s finally hit me on how complicating and how difficult race relations can be. When one tries to help, he/she gets boiled. When one doesn’t help, he or she also gets boiled. I see why whites would rather not get involved with race at all, and when they do ignore race, they get blamed for being ignorant. When they do get involved with race, they can only talk about some things and are almost restricted to put everything they want to say on the floor. In fact, I think it’s the whites that need to have the most confidence to jump into race discussions because it’s extremely easy for them to say something that’ll upset anyone of color. It’s like that because of the whole notion of people of color being looked down upon, which in many cases is true. But many people that are white don’t think that way at all, but are mixed with the whites that do look down upon people of race (to be honest, I’ve mixed them up too before). As people of color, we can’t just sit back and let white people figure out this problem. For example, Black History Month. Obviously, the white guys on top agreed with having a Black History Month to commemorate the black people who made a difference in American culture. Some blacks like it, but some don’t. As Morgan Freeman said, he doesn’t want black history month to be reduced to a month and then it won’t be talked about until February comes along again. Now I agree that him saying that doesn’t move race relations to the right direction, but at the same time, he does make a point. He wants blacks to be part of American History rather than just having a month for blacks. When he asked the interviewer if he wanted a month to commemorate the Jews, he said no. I mean, that says something. I believe over 6 million Jews were massacred in the era of World War II, and the interviewer said he didn’t want a month to honor the Jews. This is why race relations is so tough. Know you can’t rub out what Morgan Freeman said because in many ways, it’s true. However, if the whites took away Black History Month, they’ll be many blacks that won’t be happy with it. Again, the whites are put between a rock and a hard place.
Personally, I don’t entirely agree with Morgan on this one, because race will always be out there and ignoring it will actually make matters worse. As blacks, we do want to be seen equally as everyone else, but the bottom line is that we’re different. We’re all different. It’s how we embrace the differences rather than just looking at similarities between different types of cultures and races. On the issue of Black History Month, I’m for it because it makes us talk about race in America, rather than ignoring it. But it should make you wonder why Native Americans don’t have a month. I mean it’s they’re land that we’re living on, is it not?
I find myself endlessly frustrated by the “Race Game” and things such as Morgan Freeman’s interview and people’s reaction to it. I completely agree with his stance on black history month. This may sound racist coming from me because I am white, which is just another example of how white people always lose in this race game. I also feel that black history month limits the history of this culture and sets it apart from the rest of the country’s history. Furthermore, it segregates blacks and whites unnecessarily. I feel that having one special day to remember all those who suffered under slavery and fought to end it (besides just Martin Luther King Jr.) would be more fitting. For example, Harrier Tubman and her work with the Underground Railroad could be celebrated on this day. I feel that this would be more American, being that we have a veteran’s day and a memorial day rather than a whole veteran’s or memorial month. The rest of black history should be, as Morgan Freeman said, incorporated with the history of the whole United States. Despite my thoughts on this matter, I realize that making the change from a month long to a daylong celebration would probably cause uproar. While Morgan Freeman might be a supporter of giving black history month the boot, I believe that he, along with almost all other black people would see it as an attack on their race to compress their month to a day. Again, the race game cannot be won.
When asked what to do about racism, Freeman said to ignore it. Earlier this semester I remember saying the same thing. I felt that the best thing to do for racism was to back away from it and let it fade out on its own. I went as far as to say that this class was detrimental to the act of ending racism. The fact is, either way racism will still be here. But by turning our backs on it, it will surely take steps back from the progress we have made thus far. I have begun to realize that the fact that this class makes me think about race more on a daily basis does not mean it has to make me more paranoid about it. Being constantly aware of race and the different people around me can be a very positive thing for me and everyone else that is taking or has taken this class. The more we are exposed to something, the more comfortable we are with it. So while taking this class clearly is not stopping racism completely by any means, it is helping, person by person. One final thought—I do not think that we should refer to it as white people never being able to “win” at the race game. We’re not trying to win anything. We just want to be on the same level.
As a huge fan of Morgan Freeman, I was absolutely blown away by his defensive reaction to the dialogue Mike Wallace was trying to begin about Black History Month. It was shocking to me that Freeman suggested that the solution for getting rid of racism was to stop talking about it. Before taking this course, that statement may not have struck me so hard. But after learning as much as I’ve learned in just ten weeks and expanding my perspective to a depth that I am now proud of, I am unable to comprehend how putting an end to the race conversation seems to be a practical and logical solution. After all, this course aims to encourage open conversation at the race table, also known as the peace table, and suggests that honest conversing is best way to attempt to handle the ongoing issues of racism that still exist in our world today. I can remember devoting much attention to Black History Month every year in elementary school. Yes, maybe it can be looked down upon that this month is really the only time that issues of slavery and black suppression are discussed and acknowledged, but it cannot be overlooked that actions are being taken to bring these issues to the surface and that time is being set aside to reflect upon a group of people that deserve much honor. How can you say you don’t want that? Black History Month is a progressive period for all of us: black, white, asian, latino, jewish, etc. It is a time for learning, reflection, honor and appreciation. I understand that devoting a month to black history comes nowhere close to making up for what occurred in the past and will in no way alleviate any of the suffering that took place, but such an acknowledgement and celebration should not face a proverbial “slap in the wrist” for being a period devoted to paying respect to all black individuals for their constant struggle for freedom and equality. “Not talking about race doesn’t improve race relations any more than ignoring a cavity helps your tooth or ignoring lust helps your marriage.” How true? I absolutely agree with Bryson Nobles’ statement and his acknowledgement of the race game that white people will never win. It’s true; it seems no matter what white people do or say, or how they go about thinking of a situation or developing their attitudes…they’re wrong. So yes, what if Wallace would have agreed with Freeman and said that Black History Month was silly and we should stop celebrating? Though I can’t say for certain, I’m almost sure he would have been viewed has a racist, coldhearted white asshole. Very often black and white people both share similar views, but deem the other to be wrong and lack understanding about whatever the issue may be. This very occurrence is exactly the reason that we DO need to talk about racism and we DO need to engage in race conversations.
If Mike Wallace agreed with Morgan Freeman and said that black history month is silly and unnecessary than that “R” word we all know quite well would be thrown around, and public apologies would be issued for his inconsiderate words. But, in my opinion, as a white person, I don’t think there is anything wrong with black history month. To me every month is American history month where we learn, understand, and discuss the past present and future of our county’s history. So what if one month out of twelve we increase our awareness about black culture? It is not meant to be an insult to the African American population, but to give recognition to the importance of the history. We do the same thing for women’s history month, and there is also gay pride week.
Here’s what really caught my attention: After Morgan Freeman says that he doesn’t like black history month and then asks Mr. Wallace how he would feel if there was a white history month, I think it’s very interesting that Mr. Wallace stalls and says that he is Jewish as if that makes him different from a white person. Judaism is not a race it’s a religion and a culture. I’m not Jewish and I have nothing against other religions than my own, however what is funny about that comment about being Jewish is that that Mr. Wallace is implying a correlation between the African American culture and the Jewish culture. That because the Jewish religion has been subjected to their own forms of prejudice and discrimination that they should not be considered on the same level as other white people who enslaved the African American man many years ago.
It is almost as if Mr. Wallace is ashamed to be white to be called white by a black man because he feels guilty and doesn’t want to discuss race and is trying to rationalize that he doesn’t “see” color because he knows what it feels like to be discriminated. This may be a surprise to Mr. Wallace but his being Jewish is nowhere near as much of a hindrance to his socioeconomic pursuits in life as being a black or brown person.
This reminds me of a Daniel Tosh stand up act where he is making fun of how black people act. During his jokes he talks about a woman in his audience that got offended and asked him why he thought he could say jokes like that. To this Tosh replies “my best friend, my best friend is Cuban and that’s close enough”. I feel if people keep covering up their thoughts and opinions about race to avoid feeling guilty about being white then we are never going to make any progress in race relations.
This video was very interesting. I have never seen anyone respond in such a way about Black History Month. This month has always been a time for me that comes and goes. When I was in elementary school and middle school black history month was a month that we celebrated. My school was predominantly African America. Thinking back now I can see it as a time that has helped me learn about America’s history. It is something that I believe we need to have. Although some might not appreciate the month I still believe that it helps bring up the conversation of race. I have never had so many conversations about race in such a short amount of time until this class. Even during Black History Month the conversation of race does not come up. When I say this I mean that it is typically a one-way conversation about the accomplishments of African American’s, rather than a comparative conversation. I believe that comparing race or just discussing how are differences does not make one race better is what we need to help eliminate racism. Bryson Nobles made a very good point in response to this clip. He stated that having Black History Month is no sillier then having a birthday. So many enjoy having birthday and so many people rather avoid them, I believe that the same is said about Black History Month. We cannot just assume that just because one African America likes Black History Month that all will. No two people can share the same views about everything. The world just cannot be perfect. Not everyone can get along, so we have disagreements from time to time. Being African America and Indian, I may share different views then those that are just African American. Personally I would have never thought that Morgan Freeman would feel that way. He is from a different time then I am. He was born in 1937. I could only assume that someone born during that time and raised in the forties and fifties would feel that Black History Month is well deserved. I would think that he would believe that it is well deserved and agree that it helps spread awareness of the Africa/African American culture. I think that at some point he may have agreed with me but time has changed that; just as times have changed and segregation and racism is not as prominent as it once was. Although it is not around like it once was or as obvious as it once was we still need to have Black History Month to keep informing future generations about the struggles and triumphs of the African America culture. Maybe we need to create a month for every culture; well I guess we don’t have enough months. There still needs to something that helps to keep everyone informed about the difference of culture, something that helps people to appreciate cultures… oh that’s right we have Soc 119. Maybe it needs to be taught in every university around the world!
I agree with Morgan Freeman about his views on Black History month, but if we took it out of the calendar now, some black people might freak out and call our country racist. I think that we segregate race in the school system from the very beginning. Teachers teach that black people are different than white people because they came from different backgrounds. When they talk about slavery from my memory, they talk about all of the hardships the blacks had and then I remember the Underground Railroad as well. Then it moves into the Civil Rights movement with Martin Luther King Jr. and all of that history. I think it’s extremely important for everybody to understand their history, but I think instead of trying to make white kids empathize for black slaves, teachers should find a way to make white children to see blacks of the same generation being the same. I think talking about race at an early age is very important – it just needs to be done in the right way. I also believe talking about different social classes (lower, middle, upper) is just as important if not more important. A black child in 1st grade at a nice high school in a predominantly white area might not understand “white privilege” yet because his family has money. Basically, what I’m trying to say is that everybody should treat everyone else with the same respect that they would want to be treated by. It’s that simple. I think every culture should be talked about, but blacks are talked about the most in early school since they had a lot of crazy historical events in the 60s and during slavery with America. However, there are so many other races that live in America that experience the same hardships because they are a different race. I think students need to be educated on all of these races and different cultures around the world and have the teachers relate their culture with the students’ culture. Everybody is different, yet everybody is the same. I think race is very important to talk about when you are young since color is the first thing people see. When you look at somebody, you see their appearance first. You can’t see their resume or personality just by looking at them. Even if everybody is white in the room, you will still look at their appearance by what they are wearing or how they style their hair. It’s just human nature. Race will hopefully be viewed as a “style” one day if there are no racial issues. That is saying a lot, but I think America is making a lot of growth with this topic. If my generation teaches the next generation all about it, then that generation teaches the next, knowledge will grow and racial issues will deteriorate.
After reading this article I found myself referencing double standards, and, in particular, the “female” double standard. What I mean by this is the idea that a girl who sleeps around of “hooks up” with a lot of men is considered a slut (among other names) while one who does not is considered a prude, both with negative connotations. There is no way that women, in this case, can “win” in the sexual game. Similarly, white people are caught in a double standard in the race game. If a white person thinks black history month is a good thing, they are seen as racist because they believe that black people need the recognition and that white people do not need this. On the contrary, if a white person says that black history month is silly, they are seen as racist also because they are saying that there is no reason to honor black people. I think that Morgan Freeman may have let a lot of people down by saying that he does not feel that black history month is a good thing. Morgan Freeman, to me, has always been an inspirational and influential person and I am sure he is even more so to black people. To hear him speak so negatively about black history month was not only shocking but upsetting. When I think of Morgan Freeman, I think of someone who aims to empower black people, someone who played God in a movie as a black man and someone who would use his influence to make changes. I was surprised to hear his feelings on black history month.
Another point that struck me was the relationship and correlation Nobles drew between birthdays and black history month. I feel that they are completely different because everyone celebrates, or at least has a birthday, but black history month is geared towards only a specific part of the population. Though I understand the comparison he is making, I feel that Nobles does not take into account the huge difference between the two and that is the singling out of one specific race. This, to me, raises the question of whether or not every prevalent race in the United States deserves a month dedicated to their ethnicity. I think that the fact that there is only a black history month would upset me if I was a member of another minority race in America. Finally I just wanted to say that I disagree with Morgan Freeman when he says the best way to get over race would be to not talk about it and act as though it does not exist. I think that the only way to conquer race is to discuss it and understand it much like we do in our class and especially our discussion groups.
I think that black history month is nothing to be ashamed about or something to ignore. I can definitely see where Morgan Freeman is coming from, but at the same time I believe this, like everything else is about balance. Yes it can be shameful or even ignorant to say this is black history month and leave it at that. Leave this one specific month of the year as the only time to talk about or reflect up on this such subject. However, I believe it to be an extremely more potent and powerful tool if people use this month just as a reminder of the subject. It should be considered as a refresher to the subject instead of the only time a year it is given consideration. Once a year people can be reminded of black history and this is what black history month is. It should be remembered and reflected upon but at the end of the month it should not be shut again into the darkness. It should not be swept back into the very endings of our brains and kept there for the remainder of the year. Rather it should be constant throughout the year and if this was to happen, black history month would serve its purpose. Now this is not say that everyone should always constantly only think about black history, but rather people should just think about, learn, and reflect upon this subject just as much as they would any other subject. At the same time, even if this was what the month was doing, I could very easily see how people would get offended the way Morgan Freeman did. It is just as was stated about birthdays. Not everyone likes the attention a birthday brings and the more birthdays one has, the more they may grow to dislike that attention even more. You can take the exact same concept and apply it directly to black history month. How can you do this? It may not make total sense, but imagine black history month as the birthday to the whole concept of black history. Obviously everyone who is black has in some part, whether they like it or not and even if they are willing to participate or not, has some stake and part in the month. This month is like the birthday and can bring completely unwanted and unwarranted attention to something that many people may just want to be left alone about. Or even if people don’t want to be left alone about the attention it brings, it is still justifiable to say that they may not the attention on such a wide scale. When you look at it in comparison to this idea, it is hardly peculiar to see how someone could be very offended by this concept.
I would say that my opinion towards black history month is indifferent. I have to definitely agree with Bryson Nobles, in comparing black history month to people’s birthdays. We celebrate the person’s birthday in a cordial manner as we do with black history month. Black history is just a month to celebrate the history of black people. I don’t think we should slice and dice it into a negative connotation.
But, I do have to see this issue on the other hand. I do not really see why there is a black history month. I agree with Morgan Freeman in this stance. He asks Mike Wallace if he wanted a “Jewish Month,” and Wallace responded by saying no, and Freeman reacted by saying “ I don’t want one either.” From Morgan’s standpoint, I would not want a black history month either. It does raise a lot of questions. If black history month is February, what is the other months then, white history month? Black history should go hand and hand into American history, as Morgan Freeman said. When Morgan Freeman said, “I’ll stop calling you a white man, and you will stop calling me a black man,” he also continues by saying “it will stop when we stop talking about it. ”I do not think this is how to avoid race. I agree with Bryson Nobles when he compared this to a nagging toothache that you just ignore. I believe we should be able to talk about race in the open. This should be something we should be able to discuss without any problems. In order to solve racial inequality and everything associated with that, we should be able to spit it out there on the table with one another. We should be able to talk about our differences and highlight our similarities.
Morgan Freeman also goes on to say,” You’re going to relegate our history to one month?” I disagree with this statement in that fact that it is just a month to celebrate black history! Black history month is what it is. It is the same when there is a birthday, or father’s day or any other holiday. Just take it as it is! I do not see the day when someone is going to totally terminate calling it black history month as a whole. Look, Black History is a month in which we celebrate the great contributions Black people have made to this country. Take it as it is!
I truly do not understand the statement, “White people can never win.” Win? What is it talking about. I do not think all white people should be labeled by this statement. It just does not make sense. Why can’t I win if I deserved to win?
I had never before imagined that a black person would not like the idea of Black History Month, so I have to admit that I was surprised at Morgan Freeman’s reaction in this video. However, as soon as he gave his short and blunt explanation, I understood why he resents it so much. From what I gather, for Freeman this is just another way to single out the black race and recognize that they are separate from white people and people of other races. Furthermore, it is as if white people are trying to make up for a guilt that they feel, when black people are really just trying to move on. So by appointing one month to celebrate only black people, it is a reminder of how they are different, they have struggled, and how white people are now trying to ease some of that guilt. A lot of black people may enjoy having a month to celebrate their race, and they may be proud of their differences and accomplishments to the point that they want other races to recognize their plight. Yet, I have to agree that, although not intended, to some it may seem somewhat demeaning that everyone feels the need to give them a pat on the back for their accomplishments just because they are black.
I feel like Morgan Freeman is, like Nobles said, tired of his race being pointed out. You can see this by the way Freeman asks the interviewer the question if he wants a month to celebrate Jews. Obviously, Freeman does not want pity or praise from other races because he’s black. In a way, he seems offended that no other racial group has their own month. The fact that black people have their own month celebrating their accomplishments makes it seem like it is surprising that black these black people have been so successful, talented, or influential that they deserve special praise. Maybe Freeman feels like white people accomplishing the same things do not get as much praise because it is expected of them, but for black people it is a bigger deal because of their struggle. Maybe Black History Month is just a reminder of the struggle of his race, and as an extremely successful and well off black person he doesn’t want to be reminded of that every day for an entire month.
Regardless, the struggle for black people did occur and the reason the black people have a month devoted to them and not to white, Asians, or Latinos is because slavery and the plight of black people in this country is a huge part of American history. So, although I understand where Freeman may be coming from, I do agree with Nobles in that it is not ridiculous that we have Black History Month and even though some black people may not like this, it is fair to celebrate the lives of those who accomplished great things for themselves and our country at a time when it was not easy to do so.
I agree with Nobel’s statement that ignoring the issue of race isn’t good. He compared the benefits to ignoring race to ignoring a cavity in ones tooth. If you don’t discuss the issue of race, it’s never going to go away. Race relations will never improve. Just as we talked about in class this week, I believe Morgan Freeman made the interviewer feel uncomfortable on purpose. No white person wants to be called racist, or be called out for acknowledging race. He turned the question around and purposely made the interviewer feel uncomfortable when he was just trying to discuss a topic that had to do with race. Maybe the interviewer has dealt with black people who think the idea of black history month is a great thing. So he was very taken aback once Morgan Freeman started to get defensive. These contradictions in whether something is okay to say or not to a person of a different race only make it harder to discuss race. The interviewer ultimately was trying to relate to Morgan Freeman. He was open to talk about racial issues and wanted to hear Morgan Freeman’s opinion. Its okay for Morgan Freeman to say he disliked the month, however it’s not okay to go onto asking the interviewer where is race’s month was. Morgan Freeman’s statement only made the interviewer personally feel like he had done something wrong.
I believe the month is just a nice idea to honor the black men and women who contributed to our world and our country. If it wasn’t for them, there would still be segregation. The world we live in today would be completely different. Black history month influences many people to learn about the different black men and women of history. I know that since third grade we’ve always watched a video, read an article, read a book, or had a discussion on the topic every February. I think the month really helps Americans understand the history better since they’re exposed to it more.
It does seem a little silly to have a month long celebration for anything. And I can see how some African Americans can think the creation of the month is just to ease white Americans guilt for years of oppression. I don’t think Black history months one big “I’m sorry”. I think it’s a useful tool in educating Americans and applauding those African Americans who worked so hard to accomplish so much. Morgan Freeman’s dislike in the month is fine because we are all entitled to our own opinion. But I think he needs to rethink why he doesn’t like he month, and try to see that the celebration of black history month really has good intentions.
Although Mr. Freeman seemed relatively confident in his answer I think that if given asked again he would answer differently. I really think it’s very situational; meaning the way he answered that question really has to do with what his last encounter was with race. As a black man I somewhat do feel Mr. Freeman’s plight on occasion. Think about it this way, this may situation may seem kind of exaggerated, but bare with me. Put yourself in the shoes of teenage African American male who just so happens to be dating another white teenage female. You’ve been dating this girl for a while and one day she decides she wants you to come home and meet your parents. So the day of this visit comes and your kind of nervous because you really don’t know what to expect from her parents. They opened the door and are completely surprised to see your African American ( and by the looks on their faces you can obviously tell), as a person of color what would you rather have your girlfriends parents do. Sit down at the dinner table an acknowledge yes you are black and yes they really weren’t expecting this (completely honest point of view), or would you rather have them sit down on the table throw on their fake ass smiles and act like their having the best time their lives. As a person of color myself I would much rather choose for the discussion to never take place and walk out feeling good about myself and how it went, not skeptical of whether her parent’s accept my race a lot. Sometimes and in certain situations race is something that is uncomfortable and really has no place to be discussed ; whether it be just to be hospitable to certain people or to make the person of color feel at ease. As the black man in the situation above I don’t want to be known as “my daughters black boyfriend” why can’t I be known as “JC” my daughters boyfriend. That right there is a big reason of why I feel Mr. Freemans plight. If you think about it, the industry he is in judges you soley how you fit into the story. ; it determines whether or not hes right for the job, does he even look right in the screen play, and if he may be “Black enough” to play a certain role. The directors have to play to stereotypes of America , why can’t their be a black president, why can’t their be any black rock and rollers, why can’t their be any black rocket scientist. It doesn’t matter how good of an actor you are, but do you fit the stereotype of the a certain character and once question is answered your acting skills come into play. I’m sure Mr. Freeman has been denied many roles he was qualified for just because he didn’t fit the American stereotype for that role, so in end the end; his argument really doesn’t seem to outlandish for me.
White people may never win the race game so it might be interesting to apply some political economy to the situation. To the extent that there is an expansion in trade, due to a greater demand in particular resources, the price of those resources will rise. States that depend on the export of these resources will generate greater revenues, allowing more money for the state to both co-opt, through patronage, those who could potentially maintain the power of the state (winning coalition), and repress the opponents of the regime (others within the selectorate). In a democracy, there is a much larger winning coalition within the selectorate, providing public goods in which nearly everyone benefits. In an autocracy, there is a smaller winning coalition, providing only private goods, creating greater antagonism between this winning coalition and the masses because only the elite are benefiting. Potentially, this could mean that lower resource prices would raise the likelihood of conflict and higher resource prices would lessen the likelihood of conflict. When prices decrease, there is less money for the state to co-opt members of the winning coalition, making them more susceptible to support the political challenger because they would not be receiving as many private goods. There will also be less money to repress the opponents of the regime, allowing them to more easily rise up and rebel.
An example of this relationship can be seen in the rational peasant argument where there is a dyadic tie between patron (ruling elite) and the client (peasant) in corporate villages. The patron often prevents the spread of literacy and peasants’ involvement in expanding markets, reducing the potential decrease in peasant dependence. Although the patron may be accruing greater rents due to price increases, to lessen the bargaining power of the peasant, the subsistence floor price (that which the peasant receives) will remain the same, giving the peasant a greater incentive to rebel. Maybe this could be applied to the modern United States. Maybe another more philosophical argument could be used. Happiness is simply a matter of desires. It is a matter of continuously pursuing, throughout our lives, what we think will make us happy but, in fact, it is only the pursuance (the build up of unreadiness) that embodies the happiness. So what ruins our happiness is actually getting what we desire. Even after all of this it may be impossible to ever overcome the race issue. It is amazing that people can come up with a thousand different arguments to somehow erase the race variable in all of our lives but it does not seem to be possible. Clearly race is a very important aspect to our decision making so we must figure out a way to work with it not against it.
If white people decided not to have a black history month anymore, for reasons along the lines of Morgan Freeman’s, there would unquestionably be an uproar against the white people with the “r” word being thrown around quite a bit. My impression of Black History Month was always a good one. I felt it was in good respects to a group of people whose ancestors did the physical labor required for building of our country. I agree with Freeman in that Black History is American History, but it is definitely different than “White History” in America. But if we did have a “White History Month”, all the people of color would have another reason laugh at how stupid white people are, because, let’s face it, all the history books in American schools depict white history. They do not suitably depict the serious suffering that went on by an entire class of people who were actually the builders of our country. They do not inform us that the music we listen to originated from blacks in the south. Those dudes and dudettes rocked out, and they were super cool. Ex-slaves had to find new energy and pick themselves up from the hot, sweaty underbelly of America, and they did. The white authors of our textbooks and our white parents do not inform us of the quiet white noise of race barriers that begin to show themselves as we grow older. They don’t tell us that when our white ancestors “freed” slaves (they also tell us slavery is all over and done with), the ex-slaves were not provided with the basic necessities or recognition from the government needed to live independently. They didn’t tell us that they developed institutionalized racism as a way to keep the blacks from gaining wealth and large population numbers. On top of all that, they didn’t tell us that because we have white skin, we are forced to reap the consequences and confront the race barriers that have been instilled in us, not by choice, but through living, growing and learning in this white supremacist society. But we can do it, and black history month isn’t such a bad way to start it out, in my opinion. I still remember being in 8th grade when we had a special black history lesson during February, and thinking that Rosa Parks was a really awesome lady with balls of steel. And I promised myself that I would never be a part of those people who tried to get her out of her seat. So it felt good for me, cause I knew about slavery and felt like shit about it. So we get a month to celebrate and have a chance to say something on the subject. That doesn’t sound too bad to me. Come to think of it, I also feel like shit about the Native Americans. What are we doing about them again?
Black History month is something that I’ve never truly understood. While I admit that I did not know the real reason for black History month, previously having believed that it was set up by white people to “appease” the black community, as the article stated, I think that it is interesting that Black history month was started by Dr. Carter G. Woodson, a black man, in 1926. He began Black History Month to “celebrate the ‘birthdays’ of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass and their importance to black people.” While this makes much more sense to me, I still do not fully understand setting aside a month for a specific group of people. Firstly, I think that unless people are willing to take great pride in the month and truly explore what it means to be black and to educate others about it that it is pointless. So Oprah will mention it once on her show, and my town library will put up posters of famous and influential Black people…but what is this doing? Nothing, it is not accomplishing anything, because people (well at least the people-black and white and everything in between- that I know) not only don’t take the time to delve into the true meaning behind the month that Dr. Woodson set up, but most of the time we don’t even realize that it is black history month. So the month comes and goes and nothing was done to truly benefit or educate the community. This just sounds silly especially since the month has lost its true meaning and people do not know the true roots of its origination and therefore what is the point. In addition, doesn’t it seem odd then that there isn’t an Asian history month or an American Indian month or a Jewish History month ( the list can go on and on)? We have a Women’s History Month and while I even think this is a bit silly, I feel that it is more widely recognized than Black History Month (and yes maybe this is because I am a white female and maybe in a more predominately black school district Black History month is more widely acknowledged.) We should not have a month for people that should receive recognition every day…we do not have a White History Month (thank God…because that would be really stupid). After watching the video of Morgan Freeman I can say that I agree and disagree with him. I agree that we can not possibly fit the history of a group of people into a month. However, I highly disagree with his belief that we need to STOP talking about racism. He is WRONG. We need to continue talking about racism and STOP BEING racist. Stopping the communication will just hide the words and feelings that people have, it needs to be talked about it needs to be understood. I think that if we stop discussing Racism all hopes of eliminating it will be lost!
I fully understand what Morgan Freeman is trying to say. I always never understood why blacks only had on month to celebrate their history, while white people could choose to celebrate their history 365 out of the year. What he was saying about black history is American history is true as well all of these great African Americans were born in this country we call America so why do we have to separate the history from white or black. None of the people that are supposed to be “celebrated” during this month were not direct immigrants from Africa they were descendents of African immigrants they were born, raised, and taught the American culture so the history that they created as black people should be included in the American culture. When the commentator asked Morgan Freeman if there is no black history month then how do we get rid of race problems. I thought the response that he gave was a great response “just don’t talk about it”; this is true because if we are not making these separations between the races there shouldn’t be any problems. Making these separations such Black History Month, Hispanic Heritage History Month, and even Women History Month, just gives us a reason to make these separations and have discussions about these small groups and about how different their history is from the rest of the countries history. I personally feel that while there shouldn’t be a separation of races and sex, that if there wasn’t it would be hard for people to understand how different race/ethnicities or genders influence what is now American history or culture. It is hard to have a appreciation for what people have done in history to clearly understand what struggles and triumphs those people went through to get into American history. People always say that “you have to know where you come from before you know where you going”, that applies to all aspects of life including understanding your history. I believe this quote especially for minorities because many of them don’t know their history as African Americans, they only know what they learn in school and in my opinion that is a watered down version of minority history. It is their responsibility to learn their history. Overall I totally agreed with Morgan Freeman and why he had such anger, no race/ethnicities culture or history should be limited to just 30 days out of the year just to avoid the race table. Everyone’s history should be learned throughout the year no matter what color they are, or what time of impact they have had no the world. History should just be taught as history the good, bad, and ugly. So basically the only way we can solve this problem is to just consider everyone’s history as American history.
I feel like this is a prime example of what Doctor Richards was talking about in class. When a white person tries to reach out and discuss race and get an opinion from a person of color they (not always but sometimes) are attacked in a manner like this, making them feel uncomfortable and avoid similar situations. Mike Wallace shouldn’t have assumed Freeman’s opinion on the month, but is he really wrong for asking his opinion? This is exactly what Bryson is referring to when he says it’s a “game that white people can never win.” I’m sure some black people would feel cheated if we got rid of black history month and question why white people no longer want to learn about black history at all. As the blog points out black history was not created by white people, but by a black man. This is not the only time white people, or Americans, learn about black history, but it is a special time set aside for us all to focus on the past and learn something new about black history. I guess I do not see it in the same way as Morgan Freeman, and maybe being a “black actor” for so many has played a role in his dislike of this month, but the way I look at it, it seems like an honor or a privilege. If this is the general opinion of black people though, why don’t we get rid of it. If it does bother or offend black people it is certainly not made to do so. It is not made to “regulate the history” of black people “to one month.” Maybe we should run some surveys and get a general idea of where the majority of black people stand on the issue. I would be very interested to see Freeman’s reaction if Wallace had agreed with Freeman. To see if Freeman was using his race to intimidate Wallace and make him feel uneasy as a sort of revenge for assuming Freeman’s stance in the first place. As for race in general, Freeman’s stance on not talking about it seems ridiculous to me. Since taking this class my whole idea of the subject has changed as my eyes have been opened to so many new things I never otherwise would have had the chance to see or learn about. Ignoring a subject like race doesn’t change the subject at all. We could stop referring to each other by what we see first, the color of our skin, but you can’t not discuss your feelings if you ever want to progress. Discovering the other sides view of a subject is learning, and that is exactly what we need to do.
I agree with Morgan Freeman's statements, not because I myself am African American, but just because I know what he is talking about. Asians and Hispanics have “their own” month too but it is certainly not as prominently paraded around as black history month is. I personally do not believe that there should not be a whole month dedicated to a specific culture. Like Morgan Freeman said, we are all American so aren't we part of regular history anyway? Why does there have to be a specific month than honors being black or Hispanic or Asian? In my opinion, it seems as if there is some discrimination by all of the minorities having their own month. It is saying that we, as minorities, are not to be looked upon the same as caucasian Americans are. Yes, our ancestors did have much different lives before coming to America, but if you are going to honor that for some reason honor it in a world history text book. I do not understand why some people complain so much about having their own month and everyone being involved to honor your race's people from the hardships of the past. Honestly, I think that black history is used to fuel any African-American's hatred for white people and causes them to become self-centered around their own race. Events like this bring out colored people from whatever stage they are in and put them into the immersion stage. I do not find this to be a good thing because these people start feeling superior and feel that everyone should feel some kind of sympathy for what happened in their past. I am aware that what happened in African-American's past was terrible, but terrible things have happened to people of all cultures in their own culture and today. Dedicating a whole month to honor these people for what happened so long ago today seems like an unnecessary celebration as it is making it seem like these accomplishments pass down to the minorities of today's generation, when it is not necessarily true. I think that dedicating a month to a minority group sets them apart from the rest of caucasian Americans, which do not have their own month. Caucasian Americans do not have their own month because they are supposedly the epitome of American. They are the face of America so they do not deserve any special treatment to right any wrongs that may have occurred in the past because if any wrongs were to occur it would be between a caucasian American and a minority. Regardless of these statements, I do not think that minorities should have their own month, not because they do not deserve one, but because all it does is set them apart from being an American and fuels racism.
After watching the Morgan Freeman, I had many mixed feelings about the remarks he made. While I agree with his comment that blacks should not only be given a single month of the year, I think his further argument is completely absurd. Not acknowledging racism is a means to solve it? For a short moment I was ready to embrace what Morgan Freeman, the ultimate father-figure black actor had to say about solving racism. Then he lost me with his answer. When he said “I know you as Mike Wallace and you know me as Morgan Freeman”, I had to applaud his desire to know an individual for what makes them who they are. However this point is quickly lost with his ending remarks. It seemed more like a movie script than an actual discussion on the issue at hand.
I was also disappointed that he was very quick to attack Mike Wallace. This is precisely the behavior that further intimidates white people to engage in conversation on the issue of race. We as white people are scared of quickly being shot down for trying to sympathize with black people specifically during the special month of Black History. True, many white people feign empathy during BHM for the sake of being a cultured, and very tolerant person, but a lot of people genuinely are trying to learn more about Blacks and appreciate the steps that our country has made in the last few centuries.
Morgan Freeman and others who similarly respond to these actions of the white people have somewhat purposeful intentions, but do not help bring our country and society towards those goals. The majority of people of all color clearly do not want a land full of racism and discrimination, but there are differing perspectives on both sides as to how quickly racism will be solved and in what ways it will be solved. I perceive Morgan Freeman is wishing all white people would one day wake up and no longer acknowledge race and be magically cured of racism. He seems to have grown sick of the half-hearted attempts by many whites to engage in a new dialogue on race and prefers ignorance and indifference to solve the problem. But this is not how racism will be conquered. It’s going to be a long and painful journey for people of all different colors, cultures and races. What Morgan Freeman does not often see is that there is a new movement in open and honest conversation on the issue of race and similarly divisive issues related to race. Our Sociology class is part of the solution and depicts the growing movement of determined individuals to combat racism in many forms.
White people will never win the “race game”. The title itself puts me in the state of confusion where I stand behind the crowd, especially behind those, who feel this is a “game”. Well, not really, and when it comes to white people – who are they? Like for real, are the people who look white but are mixed racially, for example a lot of the Americans are mixed racially. I mean, Greeks in America still call themselves Greek, Armenians still specify as Armenians, Dutch, Russians, English etc… the list could go on. Perfect example was in class today how the girl says that she looks white but is pure polish and is fresh of the boat from Poland – Professor Richards states that she needs to categorize herself in the “people of color” group. Now that’s messing with my brain – which in real could lead me to fall behind in the “race game” too, right?
The video amazed me yet makes sense too – makes sense because why have a “black history month” or why call it that if it really has a different meaning to it. What amazes me is how Morgan Freeman thought so narrowly and was being ignorant about the fact that no one “stops talking about it”. Regardless a law being passed about not talking about it or even having severe torturing and capital punishment – people will still talk – and people will talk about it with their “own” people. I am not assuming things or generalizing, but this is a fact – a psychological/social fact which makes sense. Bryon Nobles states that he imagines “he is exhausted by being a black actor” – that’s nonsense. Black History Month may have its traditions or customs and a real story behind it but like I said why call it that unless “black” in itself is a culture now. Why I agree with Morgan Freeman on that is because Jews, Asians, Europeans don’t have a month where they celebrate their racial victory or whatsoever, then why Black History Month?
“Not talking about race doesn't improve race relations any more than ignoring a cavity helps your tooth or ignoring lust helps your marriage.” – Bryon Nobles perfectly asserts my view on Morgan Freeman’s “stop talking about it”. And what would be funny in a very sociological way is if Mike Wallace said "Well, yes, I think that Black History Month is silly and that we should stop celebrating it?" I feel, because we are talking about this in class, that Mike would be in the Commitment stage (following the people of color category) or the Autonomy stage (following the white category) depending.
To sum up, there is no such thing as a race game – especially I don’t believe there is and plus there is the development of racial identity, which coalesces perfectly with race relations.
That was definitely not the answer I expected, and especially in the tone that Morgan Freeman used. I doubt that Mike Wallace was trying to offend, he was just attempting to pull up a chair to the proverbial race relations table . Yes, I think to a certain degree BHM was created in order to alleviate white guilt, but I also disagree that by having a Black History Month we are “relegating [black] history to a month,” but rather we are especially emphasizing it for that period of time.
As for the statement that this is a game that “white people never can win,” I agree. It’s almost like minorities are all sitting around a poker table, and each of them has a hand of cards based on their experiences with color, and when a white person tries to join, they are rebuked for not having “suffered.”
I do not think it was appropriate for freeman to attack Wallace like he did, A) because it deters whites from honest discussion, and B) because Wallace is a journalist and was asking thoughtful questions. He didn’t say anything along the lines of “What? That’s silly, you should love BMH,” he merely expressed surprise at the vehemence with which Freeman articulated his distain. It was interesting to note Wallace’s reaction to the situation too, at first, instead of just backing down, he defended himself by saying “well, I’m Jewish.” And then when this, instead of placating Freeman, just gave him extra ammunition, he backed away. It raises the question that repetitively comes up in class: how many times does a white person have to be pushed away before they stop engaging?
The idea that we stop discussing race is ridiculous. Just because you do not talk about it does not mean that it does not exist, or that we cannot all see it engrained in our skins. And not all the distinctions that come along with race are bad; hence ideas like black pride, and culture appreciation. In life there is a duality in everything, and with the good things like embracing your culture and its traditions, come the bad things like racism and supremacy movements.
In the end it comes down to the basic fact that a cultural/racial group is not one fluid entity, it is composed of many independent people who don’t always communicate with each other, and many times disagree. And the fact that that is Morgan Freeman’s opinion is his own business, but that does not give him a right to be rude. The only thing that made me at all upset by this was that Freeman was being downright rude, and was even bullying Wallace, when he was just trying to do his job as a reporter.
I have mixed feelings about what Morgan Freeman, one of my favorite actors, said in his interview with Mike Wallace. I somewhat agree with his belief that making a separate black history month causes somewhat of a divide between blacks and whites; however, I feel the positives that come from educating the population about black history outweighs the negatives of pointing out the differences between blacks and whites. Pointing out the differences between blacks and whites might be seen as nonconstructive now, but in the long run it will actually play a key role in the positive progression of race relations. I think Morgan Freeman is flat out wrong in suggesting that not talking about race is the solution to race relations. If people didn't talk about race, it wouldn't mean that they don't think about it and allow it to affect their decisions and actions. You can't eliminate racism by having everyone live in ignorant bliss. In a utopian society you could, but things aren't that easy in the world we live in. Hopefully there will be a day where we don't refer to people as black or white, but blacks and whites have to work together to achieve that goal. I would be interested to find out if Morgan Freeman knew that black history month was an idea founded by a black man. I believe that black history month serves a purpose in educating people of and raising awareness of the history of blacks in our country. It is important to make sure that everyone learns of this history because it allows everyone to understand some of the reasons why there is a divide between the races. This month is necessary because we can't just assume that all our school systems are teaching black history the right way. Like Bryson said, “A school system's poor handling of sharing our histories is EXACTLY why we can't stop talking about it.” What Morgan Freeman doesn't realize is that black people don't “only get February.” Black history should and can be taught all year long, this month just ensures that it is for at least some period of time. It's a special tribute in addition to the teachings of black history across the country. Going back to the idea that Bryson brought up of comparing black history month to a birthday, someone's birthday isn't the only time we treat a person special or treat them nicely throughout the year. It's just a day where we go the extra mile to do so. That's what black history month is: a time of year when we go the extra mile to emphasize the education and remembrance of black history. A birthday is essentially the remembrance and celebration of someone's birth. Black history month is pretty much the remembrance and celebration of black history. Nothing more and nothing less.
I believe that there is a bit of validity in what Morgan Freeman was trying to say in 60 minutes. For as much of a celebrity that Morgan Freeman is, I imagine this is not the first time, nor will it be the last that he is asked for some type of opinion on this month-long event. That way, I can imagine he has had the opportunity to think long and hard about the implications of Black History Month and has been able to come up with the response that he gave during the show. I can definitely understand that people talking about Black History in the way that the interviewer did on the show can make people like Morgan Freeman feel like they are still singled out for their skin color, or at the very least, that people are acknowledging him as being different.
Yes, Black history is definitely American history, and it could certainly be argued that this month of remembrance is outdated at this point, as it started over 80 years ago. In 1926, it began as “Negro History Week” in February on the week of the birthdays of two Americans who greatly influenced the social conditions for blacks in America: Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass. “Negro History Week” was founded time when blacks were not well represented in any of the history books of the time. Instead, most of the references were towards “the low social position they held as slaves and their descendants, with infrequent exceptions”.
Nowadays, some certain people and groups are criticizing the usefulness of the month, given its background and underlying message that people might need to be reminded of a minority’s contribution to society. On the other hand, there are many other types of months and days that are celebrated that may give the same type of message. Yes, February is Black History Month, but here are some others:
-March is Women’s History Month.
-May is Asian Pacific American Heritage Month.
-September 15th to October 15th is National Hispanic Heritage Month
-October is Filipino American History Month
-November is National Homeless Youth Awareness Month.
All of these history, heritage and awareness months above can very easily offend someone of that select category, if they are approached from an inappropriate direction. As a woman, I can see where Morgan Freeman is coming from by knowing that there is a Women’s History Month in March. If I had men interviewing me on television and asking me if I thought it was a great idea to have this type of commemoration, I would have a reaction similar to Morgan Freeman’s and wonder why women’s accomplishments can’t just be recognized all the time. While it is true that the majority of achievements that are talked about are accomplished by white men, I don’t think that women or blacks need an extra push to get their achievements known at a specific time during the year.
I agree and disagree with Morgan Freeman on the topic of having a Black History Month. I do understand why some people are in favor of a month to celebrate the history of black or brown people. Yes, I agree that history is important, but dedicating a month to Black history is not any way to make it more prominent to thinking about it all year round. Shouldn’t schools be covering all aspects of history throughout the school year, and not just discussing one topic when February comes around. Black history should be taught alongside White history, Native American history, etc. You should not have to underline this topic any more than any other, especially just during one month of the year. Students should be provided with equal education about all different types of culture and ethnicities. I believe this is one of the many things that can be done to fight racism from a very young age.
I do, however, disagree with Morgan Freeman when it comes to his views on dealing with racism. He stated in his interview that not talking about racism would help to alleviate the problem. I believe that dialogue is one of the crucial aspects to sorting out and eventually exterminating racism in the world. If you just ignore a problem, it will not only grow to something worse, but it will add an element of uncomfortable interaction. Although, as we were discussing in class, there is no happy medium to the race game. People vary greatly in personalities and opinions, some may want to be outspoken about the topic and hash it out through conversation; however, there are many others that would rather not talk about it because they think racism will just disappear. It is inevitable that you are going to have disagreements about how to solve any problem. For example, look at the current economic crisis and the argument over a solution. There has been constant bickering about how best to solve the issue, which is only natural when we have such a varying group of citizens in the United States. You will never be able to solve something with everyone agreeing on it. With so many people with different opinions, that becomes almost an impossible task.
I believe, however, that a great difference can be made to put an end to racism, by educating all American citizens about all of the numerous cultures that are practiced in the United States and all across the globe. If people were to know a little bit about each ethnic group, they might tend to be more accepting overall. I think educating the general public would lead to less ignorance, which would lead to less judgment and racism.
I have to say that I agree with Bryson Nobles. I also like Morgan Freeman as an actor, but I believe that he is in the wrong. If I were in Mike Wallace’s position, I would have been offended. I think that by stop talking about race and racism would not solve these issues and it would only make the line between race thicker or longer. Race is a real issue, and it is okay to talk about it, it’s only as unproductive as you make it. Although I disagree with Morgan Freeman, I think that “relegating” black history to a month does not seem fair, because black history is a part of American history. Morgan Freeman had the chance to say something constructive, something that would help race relations, but instead he made it worse. The way he reacted makes some white people afraid to talk about race and race relations. I think that Morgan Freeman feels this way because white people are not relegating their history to a month, so why should blacks only get a month to celebrate their history. But in fact, it was a black man who came up with the idea for black history month, but it was to celebrate Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass and their achievements with black people (i.e. abolishing slavery). I do agree with Nobles analogy that BHM is no less silly than someone’s birthday. Some people like the attention they receive, and some do not. Probably more people do like the attention because it is a day to celebrate you or a whole month to celebrate your history. When Nobles says that white people will never win the race game, I think that he means that white people will always have to look to people of color on what to say at the race table and never say what they truly feel because they want to be politically correct. If Mike Wallace said that we should get rid of black history month altogether, I know that black people everywhere would be outraged. Just like with someone’s birthday, anyone would be more upset not getting attention then getting little attention or too much attention. Lastly, I agree with Nobles that we should try and learn all of these different cultures, races and histories, if we do that I believe that race will become less of an issue. Ignorance towards race is partially due to the school education systems. The schools are not teaching all of America’s history. They only cover black history for about a month which seems to make sense to them. If the schools would change the way that they teach American history, that would significantly change the way people view race.
Black History Month.
What do I think about the video clip? Well, as much as I love Morgan Freeman and his work, I can’t help but be put off and a little upset with him after watching this video.
First, I feel that whenever having a conversation with someone, anyone, you have the responsibility to make them not feel like a target because when a person feels attacked, they’ll shut off and will censor their thoughts-which to me defeats the purpose of having a good conversation with someone. If they censor their thoughts, they’ll try to please you and the conversation will be fake and will only serve to reinforce your ideas, which the other person might have had a few good points to discuss or debate you on.
What’s the problem there? Is Morgan Freeman afraid to have a debate with his views? To me, you can’t have a view unless you’ve been debated and can really deep down discuss why you believe what you do and why you don’t agree with other views, and hey-if you’re debated maybe you will even learn something else or see a different side of things? FANCY THAT-learning and becoming aware, what a cool idea.
Secondly, while I can see that Morgan Freeman is passionate about his views, enough so to dominate the conversation, he did so in a way that made him look a little foolish. He attacked and didn’t care who or what the interviewer had to say- he cut him off and who’s to say he wasn’t just being a devil’s advocate. Personally, he may have had some cool thoughts or ideas to express to Morgan, but wasn’t permitted the chance to talk.
Finally, it seems a little hypocritical of Mr. Freeman to say how Black History Month is unneeded-that in order to help things along we shouldn’t be talking about “black” history month or that he shouldn’t be seen as a black man and the interviewer a white man-but at the same time he is saying that he is pointing out “what do you do with yours”? Well-what do you mean by “yours” Mr. Freeman? Are you talking about being white-right when you’re saying that we shouldn’t be talking about “white” or black”?
And I haven’t even gotten into what I want to say about WHAT was said. Not talking about race and not calling someone black or white or Hispanic or asian or etc. is like not talking about the football game and the BCS standings on Monday after a Penn State Game here in Happy Valley-it’s impossible. Whether we like it or not race comes up in conversations-and that doesn’t mean it’s a bad thing. Talking about race, discussing your views, seeing how others think is actually a good thing- Since when was a debate or a discussion bad? You learn more, see others views, find similarities and differences, gain insights you wouldn’t have, and develop an understanding of other races and nationalities-hell you might even gain a few friends in the process. Sure, there will be times that you argue or get angry at things said but instead of walking away, you’re given the option to express why you’re upset or why you’re angry to show others.
I seem to be dragging on about this, so I’ll try to sum up what I’m saying: conversations about race, while it pinpoints race, gives one the ability to learn, discuss, debate, change, and grow in their views and when has that ever been a bad thing?
Who knew that all this could be written on a 55 second video clip?
I would like to start out by simply saying that I like what Morgan Freeman had to say. I think that what he was trying to do is make a point. The truth is, what does black history month even do anymore? At a time, I think it had its purpose; however, now it seems to me as just a fossil. It is something that stays in place because nobody wants to remove it. Am I saying that black history is not important enough for even one month? No, that is not what I am saying at all. When most people hear the term “black history,” they hear it as “black history.” This, to me, says that nobody is really learning anything. If they were actually getting past racism, the term would be heard as “black history” because black history is simply history. It is the same as if we were to be learning about Mexican history, or Asian history, or yes even white history. But white history is the only history we learn about. That’s the biggest load of bull I’ve ever heard. I have grown up being taught all history. If the problem is the fact of American history, then I still don’t see the problem. America was settled by the Europeans, who happen to be white. Why is that automatically white history though instead of European history? Moving on, I was taught about the developing settlements, all that stuff, and slaves. Yes, slave history is black history. Is it the only history of black people? Absolutely not, but everyone has learned about the rising of slaves to freedom and thus equal human beings. All of this is a part of history. However, I hear people complain about how this is apparently not the entirety of black history. Apparently we have to learn about African history to understand black history. I would call that African history however. The irony is that most black people are so far gone from any African culture that it’s hard to even call them “African Americans.” I think any more, they are black Americans. If not, wouldn’t I be an Irish American? Or possibly I should go by Italian American. The problem is that I’m not actually from those places and I’ve never even been there. They are my ancestry, but it’s all clumped together and I’m just a little white boy. I’m sure some people would call me racist for saying things of this nature, but really I’m the complete opposite. I don’t look down or have problems with anyone of another race, but I speak the truth. That is why I’m not afraid at all to say that black history month is ridiculous and unnecessary. A white history month would be discriminating against people of color. All I’m really trying to say is that black people should not be separated from any other people. We are all people and I like how Morgan Freeman is not a fan of black history month. It’s not needed and really hardly serves a purpose anymore. I would love to see how many black people actually do something special or take the time to learn some black history during black history month. I know none of my black friends do, and no one I have ever met has either. As of now, black history month serves no other purpose but to keep black history separated and somehow different—some would say special—from anyone else’s history. I think we are all entitled to learn about our history and where we came from, with no emphasis on any given group.
After watching the clip of Morgan Freeman in his interview with Sixty-Minutes, I couldn’t help but completely agree with him. Although it is a great gesture to have a month where we honor and celebrate the African American heritage and history, can we and should we just narrow it down to one month? It was pretty obvious that Morgan Freeman was pretty irate about something and it seemed like he was carrying a hefty load of anger with him into the interview. I remember in elementary school having our cork boards filled with important black figures that we discussed during February. To me now, it does seem pretty fucked up that we do that for just one month, and it also coincidentally happens to be the shortest month of the year. Not that that has anything to do with the case, but just to point out. I feel that it is important that we celebrate the history of African Americans, but to relegate it to a single month just doesn’t seem right. Either we don’t have a specific date, or we just make more of an effort to not single the time period out, but take a time during the year or the entire year where you can reflect on the struggles and the relationship that whites and blacks have had in the past. As well as the people today who stand out and honor the black American tradition.
As far as Bryson Nobles, I could not disagree any more. For some reason, I find a lot of what Sam has to say in class to be complete bullshit, and it irritates me to even listen to him. For instance, he said that the end of the world would probably start in Israel and a student followed that statement up with a question why. He was unable to answer and pretty much came out with the truth that he was making shit up. I like to hear things that he brings up about truth, and facts, because I like facts. The class is so subjective, and we’re tested on what this guy thinks about things and its crap because usually there isn’t any truth to what he says. When Morgan Freeman said he wished people would stop talking about race, I relate to him on that point. I take the similar stance that I am tired of hearing about it. I like to take things as they come to me and I never would apply any of these encounter stages to what I’m saying to a person. When I talk to a person, I talk to them as if they were anyone else. To think beforehand about, ‘ok this person is black, let me restructure what I was going to say to them’, is complete garbage to me. To single out our differences only reiterates the point that we are different. To sign off, I would like to mention how birthdays and BHM have absolutely no thing in common, and this guy needs a new analogy for that one. A birthday is celebrated; because that’s the day you were brought to this earth. BHM has nothing to do with the actual month of the year. This class is tiring.
I completely disagree with Morgan Freeman! In the clip he said “The only way to get rid of racism is to stop talking about it.” I think that is wrong attitude and to wrong way to approach racism. If you ignore a problem it will continue to grow, expand, and possibly worsen. You can not pretend that racism does not exist. It does exist and is everywhere we look. People always see colors --- white, black, brown, tan or any other color. Of course, people try not to see color but it does exist. If it isn’t talked about then it can not be resolved. People need to talk about racism, that is the only way to begin solve this problem.
Racism doesn’t just exist because people are talking about it. I think racism occurs because people don’t understand people of other cultures who are different from them. In order for people to learn and stop being ignorant is to ask questions and talk to others. If you don’t ask you can’t learn and if you can’t learn then racism will continue and stereotypical views of others will persist.
Freeman went on to say, “I’ll stop calling you a white man and you can stop calling me a black man.” While I agree people need to stop identifying others with the color of their skin I don’t think that people will stop this behavior. It is a bad habit that people have. And let’s face it bad habits are difficult to break.
Freeman isn’t a fan of Black History Month. He says he doesn’t like the holiday or think that it should exist. Could people really get rid of the holiday? For as long as I can remember in school my classmates and I have celebrated Black History Month. We made projects celebrating famous African Americans and had speakers come to school to talk to us. I think even one year we made a skit to celebrate Black History Month. Imagine young children in school one year doing projects and the next year not participating or doing anything for the month. How would they react? Could it give them the wrong perception of African Americans? How would it affect future generations of children who never celebrated Black History Month?
The reason people talk about event of the past is so that present and future generation do not make the same mistakes. If we stopped talking about race would it really make a difference? Would racist people stop being racist? Would people stop seeing color? I don’t think so. It wouldn’t make a difference. If people can’t talk about things then there’s no way for them to learn and change their opinions. If people stopped talking about the Civil War, WWI, WW2, the Cold War, or the Vietnam War would that mean they never happened or don’t exist? You can’t just ignore problems and expect them to go away.
I think Morgan Freeman has a good person opinion but he fails to do an affective job of portraying it into something meaningful. I agree with where he is coming from that it might seem like white people are just trying to be polite by relegating one month for black people but not actually changing their attitudes and treatments of black people. However this does not account for all white people and just as it is not fair to stereotype black people, it is also not fair to stereotype white people to say that they all mistreat black people. I see what he might be trying to point out that a whole black race and culture should not be squeezed into one month just so we as a people can say “look we are equal because we acknowledge a black history month”. Freeman’s remarks seem along the lines of the same people who point out that black history month is in February, which is the shortest month. They are looking at the negatives of situation that was meant to bring good. No one is forced to honor black history month, but it is a good way to bring recognition to a culture. It is a good way to honor back people and in particular, influential black people who had a positive affect on society today.
I also think that in order to really honor black history, white people need to change some of the negative attitudes that exist toward black people. At the same time black people need to change some of the negative attitudes that exist toward white people. Dismissing black history month is not a good way to start and refusing to talk about race is not either. There is a good point at the end of the blog that points out the schooling system. Kids are taught all kinds of things in school and in particular the early years of school. Mainly they are influenced to think one way about certain topics. This is okay at first because it gives us a starting point and one angel of an issue, but as we grow and acquire more knowledge, it is important to continue to talk about an issue so we can see more angels of the point. When we see more angels, we have more of an open mind and when we open our mind, we have something that we believe in and we can accept another person’s belief. This is the way to become more accepting of one another, by talking and acknowledging the beliefs of another human being. Not by Morgan Freeman’s idea of ignoring issues to no longer see me as a black person and a white person.
After watching this clip and reading the comments from Bryson Nobles, I am somewhat torn on how to respond. In some ways I do agree with Morgan Freeman, that Black History Month is “ridiculous”. However, the way that Freeman reacted to the question was a little extreme and very defensive. As Bryson Nobles said Black History Month was not created by white people to “relegate” black history to one month. I believe as Freeman said that Black History is part of American History and is a very integral part of how the United States of America grew into the country it is today. I do not believe that we should separate Black History in a sole celebration because in a way that is only feeding into more segregation. But I also believe that not all black people would agree with Freeman and some may get offended if Black History Month was no longer celebrated. In this situation, I can understand the statement that white people can never win the race game because in one case, like Mike Wallace, as a white woman I would be accused of relegating black history to one month and separating it from American history, possibly more segregation. But in another case if I spoke out and said that Black History Month is ridiculous and silly and shouldn’t be celebrated I may be accused of ignoring the impact Black History has had on our country and may even be called a racist. In class, Sam talked about the Jena 6 rally here at Penn State and how there were some black people saying “why are white people here?” and other black people saying “where are all the white people?” This is a very similar situation, because what am I, as a white woman, supposed to do in this case. If I go to the Jena 6 rally because I support the cause and feel that it is my duty to voice my disagreement, and then get called out because I’m white and don’t belong there; or I don’t go to the Jena 6 rally even though I support the cause, but feel that blacks wouldn’t think I belonged there and voice that, and then I get called out because I should be there supporting especially because I’m white. This is why some white people are not comfortable talking and confronting race. I am a pretty open person and try to see where other people are coming from, but if they do not try to see my point of view I find it very hard to have a constructive conversation with that person. If I am having a conversation with a black person and they’re only going to criticize my position, not try to understand where I am coming from and simply be extremely ignorant by being so close-minded, then I wouldn’t try to learn from that person because I would be extremely turned off (and I recently ran into this situation). However, if I am having a conversation with a person of color and we both try to see where the other is coming from, I would have that conversation all day long because I want to learn and hear others’ opinions and try to understand people more. If we all had more encounters like the latter, I believe the race relations in this country would be much better off.
Consistent agreement is decidedly boring. I understand this. However, in this case, it is with a surprising objectivity that I say, Bryson Nobles is a scholar of the finest quality, and perhaps a genius. This evaluation stems not only from the fact that I agree with and relate to a number of his points, but also from the concise, erudite presentation. Hopefully I can expand on a few of them here, rather than simply reiterating them for my own enjoyment.
“Not talking about race doesn't improve race relations any more than ignoring a cavity helps your tooth or ignoring lust helps your marriage. Race is real and it's okay to talk about and it's only as boring and unproductive as your inability to say anything original about it.”
Amen. Not talking, and hiding behind the cubicle dividers of political correctness serves only to exacerbate the problem. We fear what we don’t understand. Without some sort of dialogue with regard to a thing, it’s rather difficult to understand it. His analogies here are perfection. I can personally relate to the latter, referring to lust in a stable relationship. In any such relationship, communication is beyond essential. Lust may not be the object, it could simply be a matter of lifestyle, of conduct. Without a dialogue, you cannot know what occupies the mental space of your spouse or significant other. This poses a significant threat to the success and stability of the relationship. Mutual, suspicion may grow as a result. Perhaps the unspoken thoughts are in fact of a negative timbre, and the suspicions warranted. Either way, there’s no fixing what cannot be touched, what is not laid out on the table for consideration. With race is is largely the same. The races are as lovers. At present, they are as lovers with severed lines of communication, a relationship that started in the first place on relatively shaky, uncommunicative ground. Now the suspicions grow, and I hope the whole thing doesn’t boil over.
In academia, where one would expect some greater level of intellectual openness to occur, the situation is no different. In fact, it’s often worse at times. Anthropologists, those very people who devote themselves to human biological and cultural diversity, often cannot come to terms with race in such a manner. They dismiss it with comments like, "race is not a biological reality," or, "race doesn’t exist," or "race is a useless concept." These contentions may in fact be true, to some extent, but in dismissive form they are at fault. Race is indeed a cultural construct, for the most part. It is a web of cultural significance.But man is an animal suspended in webs of significance that he himself has created. One may consider culture to be those webs. But does this diminish them? Is race therefore unreal? As an anthropologist I say, no. It makes it all the more real, in fact, all the more significant. Culture is a part of our nature, and if this be so, what could be more significant than that which we thereby construct? I reiterate: race is real and it's okay to talk about... Whether or not we are that biologically (or should I say genetically) disparate, we seem to think that our differences, culturally and socially, are pretty significant. I think that's worth attention, and discussion.
But what of the differences? A new, progressive attitude has emerged stressing global, cross-cultural unity. "One world, one tribe" or however the quip goes.That's all fine and good but, there are a hell of a lot of tribes out there. Hmm. That's a tough sell. That doesn't mean we need to kill each other over it, though that's precisely what we tend to do. But that's not how it needs to be seen. Now for more Nobles:
"All those differences make for an interesting story-one that we'd be remiss for overlooking."
An interesting story, a beautiful story. In the words of Dr. Mark Shriver, "A source of beauty and wonder." How could diversity be anything less? Uniformity is a bare drywall. Granted, we do have our differences concerning our differences, but I think talking will help us to embrace them. More Nobles:
"Maybe we need to learn how to talk about race. I sharply disagree that talking about our differences has to drive us apart. Men are different from women."
This is a keen analogy, again. I've spoken much with women of late regarding personal issues (I'm male). It's remarkably revealing. We learn things about the other that could never be revealed otherwise. Some women apparently think that men do not hurt emotionally. However silly that may seem, it's true, and through discussion that misconception is shattered. This is but one example. The same may go for race.
Morgan Freeman, as much as I love the man, was not thinking so clearly here. The last thing we need to do is stop talking. If nobody's winning this so-called "game," perhaps we need to hold-up and talk about it for a second. If you were playing tennis (singles) and you rallied one point for 2 hours straight, don't you think you'd eventually get tired, stop and ask what in the hell is going on here (this is nuts)?
I really enjoyed reading Bryson Nobles comments on “White People Never Win the Race Game.” I mostly agreed with a lot of what he said especially that black history month should not be the means of learning about black people’s involvement in American history. Every February when it is “celebrated” I am not sure that it actually educates people on the history of African Americans; it is simply just noted as another holiday that happens once every year. Similar to a birthday or Christmas, it comes and goes and most people hardly think anything of it. Does anyone really even know the roots of Black History Month and why and how it actually began? I admit that I did not until reading this blog entry. I think that this is because it is merely “celebrated” without really being celebrated. What I mean by this is that although it is recognized by many every February, it is not actually celebrated because there is nothing done to educate anyone about what it actually stands for. If more people understood its origination, it would mean something and therefore actually celebrated by all. I also agree with Nobles when he says that we should all learn about different cultures but we should not leave it all up to the schools. This is true because if I do not remember being educated about the importance, origination or purpose of Black History Month. Therefore, parents, peers, extended family, society all need to pitch in and spread the knowledge about race. Morgan Freedman hardly added anything meaningful to the race dialogue and if anything almost made it harder for other races to join in and participate in talking about race. I think talking about race is a good thing and necessary because if we don’t talk about it, it’s just going to keep going on misunderstood. I think it’s great that we have differences, it is what sets us apart and creates an identity, and no one should be judged for that instead it should be embraced. Morgan Freedman was definitely playing into the race game especially when he says “white people can never win.” That in a way is just assuming that all people are in some way naïve of black people’s involvement in American history and that we should not engage in talking about their race. That really bothers me when someone makes such a generalization as that one. Finally, in no way am I saying that celebrating Black History Month is silly, but we should make it meaningful. If we are going to celebrate it every February lets spread the word as to why, and then maybe it will finally become more important than just another holiday that is celebrated every year.
If Morgan Freeman truly thinks that ignoring the race problem in America is the way to fix it than he is not on the right page. Maybe he is tired of being categorized as a black actor all the time, but does he really not want to be called a black man? Most proud African-Americans do not hide from the color of their skin, but they embrace it. There is nothing we can do to change the fact that not all humans are born the same color, and acting like we all are does not make sense. Morgan clearly hasn’t put enough thought into his stance on race relations, and quite frankly, im surprised that a man who has played god on two separate occasions could talk about such an important subject so stupidly. If race is never talked about or acknowledged, race issues will never end. Sometimes we think it may be easier to ignore a subject that is high tension, but that is lazy and cowardly. There are still many race oriented problems that happen all over the world. There is no way to work towards ending these problems if they are not talked about. These problems must first be brought under the limelight, then discussed and tried to fix. That is the only way we can work toward a world free of racism.
It is a shame that black history month is so often looked at a bad thing. It is an extra month to acknowledge great, influential black men. So many people say well why can we only study about black people for one month of the year, while white people get studied all year round. People act like since black history month exists, it is illegal to discuss black history in any month other than February. That is not the case. Black history is studied heavily during black history month, but that is not the only time of the year black history is studied. Influential black men and cultures are talked about all year round. Just because all teachers do not take the time out their lesson to inform the kids “were about to study about black people”, doesn’t mean that black history is not being talked about. It is not as though if a black man or woman is relative to a history lesson, the teacher will skip over talking about that influential black person simply because it is not the right month for them to be talked about. The black man or woman will be covered as any other person. It is unfortunate that black history month is looked at as a bad thing. I think it may be unnecessary to set aside a month to focus on black history because it is such a large part of American history and is usually studied about all year.
After watching the video of Morgan Freeman on “60 Minutes,” I actually found it shocking the way that he responded to Mike Wallace’s question. I guess it was because I love Morgan Freeman, I think he is an excellent actor, and I enjoy watching his work. It’s just one of those things that made me think. On one hand, I though that he had a point, in that people shouldn’t be referred to as “a black man” or “a white man.” If we want to put an end to racism, we need to look at people for who they are, and think of everyone as equal to one another, despite any racial, cultural, or religious differences. On the other hand, I felt like Morgan Freeman almost attacked Mike Wallace for asking the question about Black History Month.
As for the race game, I think that Morgan Freeman made it very uncomfortable for Mike Wallace. I especially saw this when he asked Mr. Wallace, “Which month is white history month?” You can tell by his reaction in the video that he didn’t know what to say, and whatever he wanted to say, he didn’t. Most likely he was thinking of what he could say that wouldn’t sound racist or wrong in any way. I believe Mike Wallace felt threatened and was unprepared for that kind of response. Bryson Nobles says that he isn’t very enthusiastic about Black History Month himself, but it’s no reason to get so upset about it such as how Morgan Freeman seemed to have done.
Overall, I agree with what Bryson Nobles had to say in response to Morgan Freeman. It is possible that Morgan was tired of talking about the race issue after so many years where very little has changed. He has probably been asked questions like that or something similar and he really just wanted to speak his mind and his frustration with it. I definitely agree with Mr. Nobles when he said that in order to improve race relations we need to talk about things like this. Communication is a major part of any sort of relationship, whether it is friends, family, love, or even race relations. Without good communication, friendships would fall apart, and the same goes for race relations. A lack of communication among different races will never help to solve the differences between them.
Looking at Bryson Nobles’ other response regarding the differences between races and cultures, I agree that it is important to learn about people who are unlike ourselves. This would give us an understanding of their lives and culture, and it would possibly make us more comfortable with being around each other. I also agree that we should not depend on schools to teach us this. I feel that the schools may offer a one-sided opinion on a certain race, along with not explaining a certain race or culture in the most detail for fear of change. We live in a society where not much has changed over the past one hundred years, and any small bit of change seems like the biggest change. This was seen during the past election, where we elected the first African American President. It was a huge change according to history and the media, but was it really that large of a change for those looking at racial issues? Or is it just a small step?
First I would like to admit that I am a HUGE Morgan Freeman fan. I think he his an incredible actor as well as role model, and I am not surprised that I agree with him..to an extent. Granted I am not black, so I do not personally know how black history month would effect someone of color, but I do see where Morgan Freeman is coming from. Placing emphasis on a topic such as this only broadens the gap between races. The question raised by Freeman, “why don’t you have your own month?” makes me wonder if every other month of the year is intended to be white history month and I just never got the memo. This concept ostracizes the black community, as well as confines an entire history to the shortest month of the year. It does not do the importance of African American history justice.
There are specific awards designated for African Americans that ultimately have the same effect. For example, aside from the Academy Awards, there are the BMAs (Black Movie Awards) that recognize the impact of African Americans on cinema. I am sure that receiving such an award would be an incredible honor. However, it makes me wonder if some black actors feel like they should be recognized only by people of their race? If they are deserving they should be recognized by the world not just those of their race! But if that is that case, should there be separate awards given to each subcategory of race within the entertainment industry?
I’m not sure at what point it all becomes ridiculous. I think that is what Freeman’s message is. Everyone should be recognized for his or her contributions as a human being, not just as a black man or white man.
Here is where my views differ from Morgan’s (were on a first name basis) Growing up in a predominately white area of New York, one of the only opportunities I was able to learn about the impact of African Americans on American society was during our unit of Black History month. The twenty eight days of February is definitely not enough time to cover the entire history, but it was better than nothing. Each February in Middle School and Elementary School I was required to pick an African American and write a biography of that person. In cases like mine, where African American culture was not familiar, I believe that Black History Month can be beneficial. It is extremely common for areas that are highly populated in one ethnicity or race to place emphasis on that history when it is studied in school.
Black history month is an interesting topic. Unsure of how to address the blog I had a conversation with my roommate about it. Hearing from Morgan Freeman and also from a kid in class that they think it is ridiculous threw me off but I can agree with both sides. At first you would think that something set aside just to appreciate the accomplishments of a group of people would be something that those people would look at and be so proud of. But at the same time, Black history is in fact, American history. So why do we minimize the history of all of America down to one month? And why do we label it by race? What about other races? What about other religions? All of these are part of America and American history right? As a white American, I also would not want to be labeled by a month. Sure, it is a month of appreciation, but why just take one month to appreciate an entire history? This is something that should be celebrated every day.
At the same time, my roommate brought up a good point. Black history month is looked at in a slightly skewed perspective. While we speak to educated individuals who see black history month similar to Morgan Freeman or to the kid in my discussion class, there are those who may be, and not necessarily are, less educated. These individuals may see Black History month as their time to shine and want their month, instead of seeing the truth behind it, seeing that it is the history of all of America as one people, and showing respect for it year round.
It is hard to judge something when you are not the one who is put on the spot. So I can agree with both. I do feel it is far less appreciated than it should be, but I also feel as though there are people who are really proud of it, although they may not see that they are simply labeled by a month. It is also a touchy subject to disagree with. I cannot say that I think there shouldn’t be a black history month, because think of everyone who would be put in the wrong by such a statement. I also do not believe that there should not be one, so it is not really in my place to say something like that. It’s all a matter of respect. Maybe it is not the idea that we should not have a black history month, but that is should be an American history month. I think everyone who really appreciates themselves simply appreciates America and would be proud to celebrate a month as one people, whether black, white, latino, jewish, catholic… it is something that all of America should celebrate together, and by singling out one race who, from what I have heard so far, does not really like being singled out, aren’t we just continuing issues with race? It makes it even harder to talk about because by saying that it should be a month to celebrate together, am I being racist? I am afraid to say we should celebrate it together because there would be those who agree, but then there are probably people who think I am stepping on toes because I am white and maybe it’s not my place to say such things. Black history is a great way to appreciate American history, but can’t we forget about race for once and look at it as a month to celebrate together?
To start off, I respect Morgan Freeman as an actor, narrator and a person. As for his 60 Minutes interview with Mr. Wallace I was in pretty much agreement with Bryson Nobles as for the perception of Mr. Freeman’s comments. My impressions of the interview were that Freeman seemed to just be sick of being “that black actor.” For much of Freeman’s career, Freeman has been the token black actor with the beautifully mellow voice. Freeman has played a character full of wisdom and charm in almost every role he has had. He has also very recently become the narrator of choice for almost every documentary type film. His voice allows for beautiful alliterations to be allayed to the subject of interest. Even though Freeman probably has the best voice of any actor in recent memory he is probably doomed to be remembered as that black guy with the good voice. For that probable fact, I can see why Mr. Freeman seems so frustrated. To me he is one of the best actors of all time regardless of his skin color and that is how I think he should be viewed and how he would want to be viewed. As for his comments towards abolishing black history month, I’m somewhat on Mr. Freeman’s boat on that statement. I think that it is kind of ridiculous to have a whole month to dedicate solely to a race, when there is no other race or religion that receives the same kind of treatment when it comes to celebrations. Mr. Freeman stated that he is an American, not a black American, but just solely an American. And I agree that that is how he and other blacks should be viewed. By giving the black Americans a whole month to celebrate their race is kind of preposterous, although I see the attempt behind it. I think that by having a black history month, we are singling black people out more than we should. Black history month is not celebrated in any other countries. When I was over in Europe, in Paris and Rome, over spring break this year, blacks were way more integrated into the society than in the US. Not once did anyone make a face or make a comment about any of the blacks around us during our trip. It was just like they were a normal French or Italian citizen, not a black French or black Italian citizen. I think that we should just integrate important black moments into our yearly calendar, like we do with Veteran’s and President’s day. I see no reason for a whole month to be dedicated to a race when we shouldn’t be putting such an importance on race anyways. As for Freeman’s comment that we should stop talking about race in general, I am not as on board with that idea. I think in order to deal with the racial issues that this country clearly has, we do need to talk about it. I’m just not sure the best way to talk about race is to dedicate a whole month to a certain race.
After watching the Morgan Freeman video from 60 Minutes, I can definitely see where Sam was coming from in class when he talked about how white people can never do anything right sometimes. I can certainly understand where Morgan Freeman is coming from, and I think Bryson is absolutely right when he says that he thinks that Mr. Freeman is just tired of being a “black” actor and is sick of seeing how white people treat Black History Month.
Black History Month seems a bit flawed to me. I'm not exactly in Morgan Freeman's camp on this, but I do think it's odd how blacks get one month out of the year for their history to be actually noticed. The social studies classes and history classes I took while in primary school and secondary school taught an extremely watered down version of U.S. History, excluding events like the extermination of Native Americans and yellow journalism provoking the Spanish-American War, and glazing over other events such as slavery. How is it right that all many of us learned about slavery in school was that it was bad and the Civil War was fought to abolish it (which is incorrect anyway)? BHM seems almost like a way to appease blacks, to give them their one month in the sun before teachers start to teach the version of history that the textbooks give them: the white, European-American version. Thus, I agree with Morgan Freeman that black history should not be relegated to one month, it should be taught all year round since black history and American history are so unavoidably interwoven.
Also, I completely agree with Bryson Nobles' assessment of how white people treat BHM: like a birthday. I went to a predominantly white high school (there were only 2 black people in my graduating class of 250). During my high school years, I saw that BHM seemed to make many of the teachers uncomfortable. All of a sudden, they were compelled to go off whatever lesson they happened to be teaching and start discussing how great it was the George Washington Carver invented peanut butter. In a way, BHM was a positive thing because at least it forced teachers to talk about black history (even though they touched upon only an immensely small amount). I didn't learn about Gandhi until I took a college history class. Sure I'd heard of him from watching the History Channel, but I never learned about any of his bravery and devotion to his causes and the tactics of civil disobedience which he used to fight his battles. I think more than anything that shows how little we are exposed to other cultures in secondary schools today.
After being in this class for the better part of a semester, I have come to realize more than ever that Morgan Freeman's assertion that racism would go away if we “just stop talking about it” is false. Actually, it's kind of sad to see an influential black man like Freeman say that we shouldn't talk about race. In other words, I think Bryson's assessment is spot on.
The race game truly does seem to be un-winnable sometimes. Mr. Freeman ripped Mike Wallace for discussing BHM, and if Mike Wallace had agreed with him that BHM was pointless, he would have been torn apart by much of the black community. In that case, the only safe course Wallace would have had was to not even bring up the subject. It's really unfortunate and unfair in my opinion that Morgan Freeman has to resort to jumping down Mike Wallace's throat about BHM.
Before reading any of the actual blog about the video, I had to immediately applaud Morgan Freeman. I don’t think that he was out of line at all in what he said. I think that this country if far too sensitive about race issues, and being the devil’s advocate that I love being, is it really necessary to talk about it as much as we do? Is it truly necessary to have COLLEGE CLASSES about how to understand/respect other races? Because nothing taught in this class has been a huge revelation to me. Perhaps it was just the way I was brought up to respect everyone, regardless of race, age, religious affiliation, etc. I think that Bryson is feeding into the notion that it is necessary to keep race as a constant issue on the table. As far as Morgan Freeman “playing into the race game,” I just have to disagree. I’m happy that a black person stands up and says what, I’m sure, many of us are thinking. It’s rare and refreshing to see someone of color take that stand. The reason, I think, that it IS so rare, is because when someone does stand up and say what others are thinking, like Freeman and Eric Holder, they open themselves up to intense criticism.
This story reminds me of when Mike Tomlin was named the new head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers. There was a media frenzy surrounding the appointment of a black head coach. Tomlin’s response? He would rather be revered for being a coach with Christian values than constantly touted as the first black head coach in Pittsburgh. It’s nice to know that some people can see the sheer ridiculousness of the media circus, and, what’s more, recognize it in front of the media.
There’s nothing wrong with discussing race relations, but as with anything, when you talk about it too much, people just get annoyed. I feel like it’s a constant lecture, a constant argument, a constant battle, a constant hurdle that needs to be cleared. Why does Morgan Freeman always have to be known as the BLACK actor? There’s nothing wrong with the color of his skin, nor any other black actor, singer, etc. But why does that one aspect of the person always, without fail, seem to be the center of who they are (as described by the media)? I think that because race is such a huge issue these days, and it’s constantly being talked about, a person’s color can actually overshadow the person themselves. Why was there such a media frenzy about Mike Tomlin being the first black head coach in Pittsburgh? Okay, so he’s the new head coach. Let’s see him prove himself before getting ourselves in a tizzy. And no, I am NOT saying this because I’m racist, I’m saying it because I’m SO SICK OF TALKING ABOUT RACE. People need to prove themselves to me in order for me to revere them. We as a people need to stop overshadowing people of color’s characters by focusing so much on the fact that they are a person of color.
I honestly think that Morgan’s Freeman’s approach to there not being a Black History Month is absolutely ridiculous. He says that Black History should be American History and I think that that is quite foolish. Grouping the two together denies us the right to salute the contributions of the African American Race to society, when it was not even welcome, at that time period. Morgan Freeman is quite old and I can see his stand-point being that he does not want to be looked at as the “odd- ball” but when does this depiction actually stop and he sees that it is necessary for Black History to be segregated from American History. American History focuses a lot on how ‘great and rich’ the American culture is, such things as how the nation has thrived into one that is based on freedom and equality. While as, the African American culture shows the struggles and the many present and future struggles we will have to overcome as a race. Combining those two, to me provokes unawareness of the African American culture, and therefore provokes racism in inequality in the present time. So on that note, I completely disagree with Morgan Freeman’s statement on that part. I believe that this month is more celebratory than demeaning, but that is just my opinion. Thinking about how, Freedman talks about us eradicating the idea of the use of ‘black man’ and ‘white man’, I agree with this but I do not ever think it will happen. America has seemed to distinguish itself based on the factors of race and denomination. On the topic, ‘white people can never win’, in the race game I believe this is true. If Bryson was to say what Freedman said he would be looked at as a racist, and many would close their ears to his whole belief. I believe that this creates a double standard but what can you really do, when the white race has taken such a strong effect it seems to dissemble the African American race. If whites were to say things such as there should not be a Black History month, it would provoke an era similar to Mid-Atlantic times and Civil Rights times, that whites are maybe just trying to tear the race apart or even bring racism as a forefront that needs to be saluted by the White race. Sometimes to me, it seems quite unfair but then again, I would not want a white person or better yet ANY person for that reason saying that their should not be a black history month. I think that a black history month is absolutely essential when trying to celebrate the minority, otherwise it just seems that we would be overlooked and that would fuse the tribulations faced in today’s world.
I can’t really say what Morgan Freeman was saying makes any sense and that I understand what he totally meant by “stop talking about it” but I do think he is on to something. I can’t really think of anything to compensate for a month of black history, but with that being said the foundation of black history seem totally misunderstood now. What I got out of Morgan Freeman Interview was he is stating that he is successful, black, and a month cannot represent what HE and many other have done in AMERICA to be successful. I think the intention for starting black history had nothing but good intention. It was like we will give you a month of recognition because Black a month of recognition because we are shooting for equality. It seems as though without knowing the history of black history month and why black history month started we seem to lose focus of the entire representation that black history stands for. I totally agree that it starts with education in the schools I always feel weird about old people who knock or put down younger generation when their own action do not reflect what they would want the younger generations to do. I find it also funny how when you make a lot of money doing something all of a sudden your voice is the almighty voice that people listen to and that make the headlines. I think black history month was to recognized history for those who died for blacks to have a history today but also it is history in general. Instead of installing black in a lot of school curriculum we are given a month to learn about as many blacks as possible and when the month is over you can go back to your daily life. One thing I see with this is that people care about black history month but it the month that they care about and not the history. If people put as much effort into educating each other every day instead of looking for a month to give all of the answers about people of a certain race or culture. They should have a national history month to learn about history because I feel like even in schools white students don’t learn about history that has any relevance in their growth as whites. I just feel like history classes are shitty all through high school but that could just have been my school. History is important but some history that we are learning just has no relevance what so ever to today society and I emphasize relevance. History is important, but a lot of it today has to have relevance and that why I personally think if people are making history everyday then that is what we need. But back to Morgan Freeman. I think he wants the race wall to go down but we def have to talk about it, so I don’t agree with him on with not speaking about race because I think that it the most productive, it just the races don’t like to do it, BUT we need to.
Morgan Freeman’s comments to others may seem confusing to many. However, I sort of understand what he means. The video portrays Morgan Freeman being frustrated with Mike Wallace over the topic of Black History. I do feel Freeman is proud of his African American heritage. However, he wants to be credited for his accomplishments as an individual rather than a “Black Man.” Although many feel the way to address the issue of racism is to discuses the differences we all share. Morgan Freeman seems to feel at this point in history we are all equal. When Freeman said “Black history is American History” makes complete sense. I don’t how other African Americans feel about his ideas. Mike Wallace was stunned with his response. When he asked about a Jewish History month, Wallace knew he hit a nerve with Freeman. Some individuals do not like to discuss race. They feel uncomfortable with the diversity issue. I don’t feel Wallace’s question was to offend Freeman but embrace Black History month.
I agree with Bryson Nobles’ response that ignoring the race issue does not help diversity. Nobles opinion on Freeman being agitated, might be a reason for his controversial comments. He wants to be known as a successful actor not a successful Black actor. I too feel that Morgan Freeman is frustrated with constantly being reminded about his peoples past sufferings. He feels that African Americans need to move on. Last week at the Presidential Pres-conference a reporter asked President Obama about his efforts to help specifically Black people in a suffering economy. President Obama responded that his efforts are to help people of all colors. I feel Obama handled that question fairly well. As President, he represents all the American people, not just specifically Black people. Everyone’s opinion is totally different on racism.
My personal opinion on Black History month is mixed. I think it is great to recognize the accomplishments of African Americans and they should not be unrecognized. However just a Morgan Freeman stated is it not just pushing us far apart? It is such a hard topic to discuss. We should not dedicate 1 month to Black History, but in general include it in All American History. There is no “Jewish History” month as Freeman stated. Mike Wallace doesn’t want a month dedicated to his heritage, so why should Freeman? Everyone has a different opinion on this topic. Therfore, the responses will be controversial. I often wondered what life would be like if everyone ignored racism as Freeman suggested. Perhaps the racism wouldn’t occur if we began to recognize a person of color as just a person. However, I don’t feel this will ever happen. People are so caught up on picking apart the differences that we share. I don’t feel Morgan Freeman Was totally unjust in his comments. He is entitled to his opinions.
After reading the blog entry for today and watching the response that Morgan Freeman has to Black History Month, and seeing what Bryson Nobles had to say regarding Black History Month and race relations, I found myself agreeing with what both of them were saying. I also had a couple thoughts coming from my side of the race table that disagreed with what both Morgan Freeman and Bryson Nobles had to say. First of all I think Freeman makes an excellent point saying that black history is American history. I really do agree with what Morgan Freeman was saying here and I believe that comment can go much further than simply talking about Black History Month. For instance I feel black history should be talked about more in depth in our schools curriculum. However I completely disagree with Freeman’s comments saying that we as a whole should stop talking about race. Obviously as we are trying to bring forward in this class, talking about race and getting to understand one another is really the only way for people to heel racial differences and inequalities. I feel that if we completely stop and neglect race relations and opening up to one another we will do much more damage than good. Stopping race relations and open discussions about race will essentially hurt our society because without discussing race basically I believe that people will stop learning. White people will stop learning about black people and vice versa which will then lead to more racial segregation than ever. I thought long and hard about my interpretation and feelings on Black History Month and I have come to the conclusion that maybe at this stage in our race relations efforts having that time for everyone to celebrate Black culture is a good thing. As I mentioned above I believe that black history should be more incorporated in schools curriculums. If children learn at an early age that black history is just as important as any other history lesson then I feel, like Morgan Freeman was saying there will be no need for a specific month being dedicated to black people.
In regards to what Bryson Nobles had to say regarding race relations and Black History Month, I really liked his analogy comparing Black History Month to a birthday. I also really agree with what Bryson Nobles had to say defending race relations and open communication between races. From what I have seen, discussing race relations and race always tends to be more difficult for white people obviously because of our nations history. During Black History Month I agree with what Bryson said saying that most of us are simply being cordial. Personally based on my upbringing, my experiences with race relations, and my feelings and thoughts about race, I feel that Black History Month is not necessary. I say that only because I have certain views on race that many white people share which is that race isn’t an issue. I accept race and I see color but personally race is not a big issue with me. I get to know people and accept them for who they are. At the same time I am knowledgeable about black history so I completely understand and support Black History Month. In conclusion I think this whole thing goes back to what I mentioned above saying that we have to find ways to incorporate black history into history lessons and textbooks in our schools, because like Freeman said black history is American history and it is all relevant to our understanding of race and opening up race relations and racial dialogues.
After talking about this topic in my discussion group I can see where Morgan Freeman is coming from. I can understand that he thinks that Black History Month is not very positive anymore and I agree. At first, when I was a child, I thought black history month made me special because my race had its own month. However, as I grew older and learned about “American” history I realized that we learned about white history 365 days a year not just for a month. I realized how I was not special at all and then I just became indifferent about black history month like Bryson mentioned. I didn’t care either way about black history month anymore. Yet at the same time, I didn’t hate the month or anything, I just didn’t care about the month anymore. So now when I hear Morgan Freeman’s viewpoint it makes me lean towards agreeing with him. I think I can agree with everything Freeman said actually! I know sociology is about talking about race which is fine, but when Morgan Freeman was saying for us to stop mentioning race I think he means when we talk to each other or about each other negatively. It wouldn’t be a problem mentioning there is a variety of races it is just if we talk and think about it too much then its easier for us to see one race as superior or inferior. If people stop getting hung up on a friend being black or their “black” and just look at them as just another friend then yes, I think that will help us make progress. Although, black people have to do the same thing because sometimes black people get too hung up on race and even think their race is superior to whites because they may feel as though they are better or stronger since white people did not have as much of a struggle as they did. So, black people need to stop calling their friends that happen to be white their “white” friends and just call them their friends. When people stress the race of their friend it sometimes makes it seem like that friend is not as good or important of a friend as their friends of the same race are to them. So yes, I agree with everything Morgan Freeman said, but I do not think he should have attacked the white guy like he did. He could have been calmer. However, I do not know whether the white guy would ever win the “race game” because if he did agree with Morgan Freeman then I think Freeman would have something else to say to him. I do not know if that something he would say would be nice or mean but I have a funny feeling that he may actually agree with the white guy if the white guy were to say black history month should not exist because Freeman seemed to feel so strongly about the topic. However, the problem with the race game is that white people may never know what people of color’s reactions will be to sticky situations like this one.
After watching the 60 Minutes clip, I have to agree with Bryson that Morgan Freeman should’ve just kept his mouth shut and moved on to the next question. By attacking Mike Wallace he is essentially instilling fear into the minds of white Americans everywhere. When they see this they automatically think back to times when they were called out by black people and retreat back to their shells. Now I’m not trying to say "Oh woes white people." Hell no, that’d be just plain ole stupid, white people have got it easy and most of them know it. But when it comes to talking about race, a lot of white people are walking on very thin ice that often times feels more like a tidal wave than secure footing. White people almost never know what to say, and it’s because of situations like the exchange between Freeman and Wallace. Calls us stupid, call us ignorant, call us what you will, but white people are nervous to talk about race. Obviously most aren’t going to drop the almighty "N" word or racial slurs, but when they feel like they’re being politically correct or saying what they’re supposed to say and then get pounced on it because they said something wrong, that’s why white people are nervous. It’s pretty tough to handle criticism when you feel like you’re doing the right thing that many people have told you is right. I mean at least give white people some credit, at least they’re trying. They may not be making a full-blown effort, but they’re at least trying to do and say what is right. Obviously race relations in this country has a long, long, long way to go and it’s not like white people feel like they can make up for hundreds of years of slavery, discrimination and injustice with just a few politically correct words or a designated month. While Freeman was trying to make a statement to help improve race relations in the United States, he did the exact opposite. Maybe he is correct that the only way our society will be able to get beyond race is by ignoring it, but would turning a blind eye to the problem actually solve it? If my car is broken but I don’t look at it, it’s not broken is essentially what this theory would involve, and we may be stupid, but we’re not that stupid. The only way to truly be able to solve the race issues in this country is to have every white person experience what it’s like to live as a minority and since that’s pretty much not possible, it’s likely the race issue in America will never be solved.
This movie clip with Morgan Freeman was surprising to me, just to say the least. It was something that I wouldn’t have expected of him maybe just because of his demeanor in movies that I have seen him in. But after thinking about his response and reading the response of Bryson Nobles I started to understand both sides in different ways. I think that Morgan Freeman reacted harshly and without much deliberation but maybe he was saying what actually was on his mind and how he felt. Possibly he felt attacked with the question that was asked by Mike Wallace because of previous experiences he had encountered. I’m not trying to make excuses for him at all I just think that it is important to think about each side of the situation and the different ways it could be perceived. I do see that by making this response Morgan Freeman is making ‘the talk’ between different races much more difficult. It is causing whites to be more and more less likely to speak out truthfully on how they feel. The interviewer, Mike Wallace looked extremely uncomfortable with the way that Freeman came at him with such intensity and I’m sure that is because of the confusion he was experiencing. I think that any person, independent of their race can be misunderstood. This usually occurs because of past experiences or just the way your parents or the people who raised you have brought you and up and taught you to believe.
This ‘race talk’ is always going to be difficult because of these misunderstandings but in order for it get easier I think it is important for people to say exactly what is on their mind without trying to politically correct the others who are listening to take it at face value without taking it personally. Just listen to try to understand where the person is coming from. I know this sounds pretty unlikely for everyone in the world to have this mindset but I think that if we strive for that as a goal the ‘race talk’ with gradually get less hostile. I think that if Mike Wallace would have responded to the question with "Well, yes, I think that Black History Month is silly and that we should stop celebrating it?" he wouldn’t have gotten the response that he would be looking for. I think that Morgan Freeman and many other blacks would not be happy with that response. But that just shows how whites have little chance in winning this race game unless we try and reach that goal I mentioned before. They won’t be able to get through to minorities unless they (the minorities) remain open minded and allow for whites to speak freely and openly without taking everything personally.
Being a black male myself, I would likely initially take offense if Mike Wallace were to say Black History Month is silly and that we should stop celebrating it. I would get the feeling that he did not feel that achievements and voices of black people, in our history and now, were significant or worth recognizing. If anything, you would expect a black person to make a statement like that. And regardless of who makes the statement, when I think about Black History Month, I am indifferent. Bryson Nobles made a good point when he said Morgan Freeman may be exhausted by being a “black actor” and the unpersuasive empathy that whites may exhibit during Black History Month. Everyone has grown being informed about Black History Month; and, in primary education, we were taught to celebrate the month as if it were, seemingly, another holiday. But doesn't it make sense that people would grow weary of the hackneyed celebration of black culture and achievements in our history? Now don’t get me wrong, I love my black history. But I can agree that we don't need a month out of the year for people to dust off the poems and literature about black writers, scientists, and other figures.
Bryson Nobles commented that many whites may seem phony when February rolls around. It does seem insincere when all of a sudden you see blacks in all the commercials and documentaries take up the TV schedule. If you are going to recognize blacks, why not do it year round? And what is so significant about February that it has to be the staple of black history? Morgan Freeman was right when he said black history is American history. It’s as if whites felt guilty about slavery and decided to give blacks a month; and it’s insulting. If you’re going to give blacks a month of reflection, do it for all the races and cultural subsets. When Morgan Freeman asked Mike Wallace if he wanted a Jewish History Month, Wallace quickly responded that he did not agree with the idea. The idea of having a month of reflection or celebration for any one culture or race is somewhat demeaning and unnecessary. Some might feel that singling out their history and culture is making a mockery of their people. In that sense, maybe we should stop celebrating black history month. But who decides?
Regardless of whether black history month stays or goes, we should continue to talk about race. I do not agree with Freeman’s standpoint that not to refer to Mike Wallace as a “white man” and that Freeman himself should not be referred to as a “black man”. Frankly, there is no ambiguity between different races and cultures so we should not ignore them. It’s what makes us unique.
Watching this video was definitely surprising to me. Morgan Freeman always comes across so calm, cool and collected that to see him get all upset about something, especially Black History Month, seemed out of character. I never really understood the purpose of designating February, or any month, to a certain people’s history, but I think that may be because I am not one of these peoples. I certainly don’t understand why the month itself would be offensive, only possibly unnecessary. It is true that the fabric of American society, and therefore our history, is made up of different peoples and cultures, and that these cultures are not proportionally presented in our history lessons. We are not a perfect society, and our education system reflects that, but efforts made to rectify our flawed history lessons should not be ignored. I can’t claim to understand what it feels like to have my peoples’ history ignored, but I don’t think it’s fair to attack white people in general because of it. Like we learned in class, there is institutionalized racism, racism we may not all see, but that doesn’t mean that racism is purposefully held by all white people.
I don’t think Mike Wallace deserved to be attacked the way he was. Black History Month was certainly not his idea, but it’s certainly understandable that he would not take it upon himself to criticize it. It is an example of a white person trying to appear “cool” with everything, especially something (BHM) that seems to be a positive thing for race relations. Again, relating back to class, this is an example of the “mixed” messages that white people get from people of color. I, personally have never come across criticism for the concept of Black History Month from African Americans. So I would have been very caught off guard, as Mr. Wallace was. I would not know how to respond, and I also don’t think I could win with whatever it is that I said.
I also did not know that BHM was created by a black man. I always assumed it was an invention of a white man trying to rectify and relieve some white guilt. I think it is important that Americans understand the important contributions of African Americans over the course of U.S. history, despite the societal struggles they faced. Until we figure out a way to adjust our schooling system to represent minorities fairly and accurately, I think months like BHM are necessary.
I understand the suggestion that Morgan Freeman has always had to represent himself as an upstanding “black” man, and that maybe he is just tired of having to answer to race questions. However, it seems pretty apparent to me that not talking about race, or ignoring the issue, won’t solve anything. True, race shouldn’t matter, but we can’t ignore that it still presents issues in today’s stories.
First off, I would like to say that I am an enormous fan of Morgan Freeman. He is an outstanding actor, and although it is a difficult thing, I am not going to evaluate his comment with any bias at all. However, with that being said, I still believe I definitely agree with Morgan Freeman to an extent. Freeman makes a great point when he states that he does not want the history of his people to be boiled down into one month. He goes on to say, that Black History is American History, just like White History, or in the case of the reporter, Jewish History. There is no Jewish History or White History "month". It is taught as a whole, which is part of American History. The reporter stated that he would not want a Jewish History month. I am also Jewish, and I completely agree. I would not want a Jewish History month either. I would not want one month to be dedicated to learn about the entire history of Jewish people. Instead I would rather Jewish History be taught as a part of American History, and treated with the same about of significance and importance. By dedicated a specific month to Jewish History, is almost saying like Jewish History is less important than American History.
It seems like sort of a pity month to me. Like no one cares about black history, so let's make a month about it so the average person can learn and respect black history. I feel that is unfair. There are many minorities, races, and religions in America, yet we only select a certain month for one specific race, black history. Black history should be taught as a part of American History, something extremely important that all people MUST learn about.
On the other, Morgan Freeman makes a point where he says that in order to get rid of racism, we need to stop talking about it. I completely disagree with this point, which I believe most of, if not all, of the students in soc 119 would agree. The point of this class is too emphasize talking about racism and stereotypes in order to teach and inform people about different cultures and races so we can, essentially, help get rid of racism. So in that respect, I disagree with Mr. Freeman.
Lastly, Morgan Freeman makes on final point. He said that he doesn't want to be looked at as a black man, and he doesn't want to see a white man. He would rather just see the man. This statement ends the short clip from Morgan Freeman, and comes back to the main goal: To avoid racism and for everyone to be treated equally, something that everyone should agree on.
In the blog “White People Will Never Win the ‘Race Game’”, I definitely agree with both Morgan Freeman and Bryson Nobles’ sides of the argument. I can understand that Morgan Freeman is fed up with racial issues. Many Black men in America face daily hardships, and often get tired of having to defend or prove themselves as intelligent human beings. Imagine what successful Black men have to go through. While it may seem like they have the “good life” and are better off than the unsuccessful Black man, they face their own set of hardships. As an actor, I am sure Freeman has experienced additional things in his life that he would not have faced if he was not famous.
When viewing his interview with Mike Wallace, it seemed to me that he is tired of the race issue. I am not sure of his age, but I would suggest that he has been around for awhile, and seen a lot of the racial divide and the efforts towards peace, justice, and equality. In addition, I am sure he has had to defend or speak on behalf of his race multiple times. After awhile, this gets old. Like Sam mentioned in class, often White people ask Black people or any other minorities about a particular racial issue to find out what is acceptable and what is not in terms of how to conduct themselves, like the certain things that can be said. While these types of questions are necessary in order for both races to grow, being questioned about racial issues as if the minority is some type of “different creature” can be annoying. For example, for the Black person to be pin pointed out of a racial discussion group and asked, “So what’s your opinion” can have a Black person feeling like “Oh, here we go again”. Morgan Freeman was probably tired of having to speak on behalf of a Black issue.
I could clearly understand his retort about not wanting only one month designated for Black history because Black history is a part of American history. The textbooks used in the school systems don’t give much information about Black history at all. I believe the first time I heard about Black people in my United States History class was on the topic of slavery. After this, maybe I learned a little about George Washington Carver, Rosa Parks, Harriet Tubman, and Martin Luther King, but nothing to the extent like the information of the European Americans. What about the Blacks that created different inventions or took place in legislative processes. It is sad to think that Black history is not incorporated into American history as much as it should be. However, I think that Black History Month is beneficial because it is a simple reminder that Black people have done a lot for this country as well.
In contrast, I do not agree with Freeman’s attitude about getting rid of racism by ignoring racial discussions altogether. Issues never get better if they are not talked about. While it would be great for people to not see color when they think about other people, it is somewhat unrealistic for everyone to be blind to the fact of color. I think his comment showed a lack of being tired of racial issues in general, which are understandable. However, I think the best way for anyone improve as an individual would be through discussion in order to better understand the other side of the racial fence.
I was really surprised at Morgan Freeman’s reaction on 60 minutes. He completely jumped on Mike Wallace and acted as if Mike Wallace had offended him in some way. I agree that we should not just have one month set aside for Black History Month, but at the same time if there wasn’t one, there would be complaints about that too. I believe we should teach about black history all the time and not just compact it to one month. I mean, we get days off of school to recognize white men in history, but we only have Martin Luther King Jr. Day to celebrate black civil rights. However, I do not agree when Morgan Freeman said we should stop talking about race. I don’t agree that that’s the way to get rid of racism all together. I think that would cause an even bigger divide. The problem will still always be there and will cause tension. It’s like when you get into a fight with a friend. If you never acknowledge that something is wrong, there will never be a solution. The problem will keep building up until it blows out of proportion. He also said that he’s going to stop calling white men “white men” and white people will stop calling him a “black man”. That is also impossible. Since race issues have always been around with the divide between black and white, people will never look at someone and not see color. There is something about us as a human species that looks at people’s appearances. We are all guilty of it. We look at people’s clothes, hair, faces, shoes, everything when we first meet them. After doing so, many people judge, which is why there is the race problem. People use the outer appearance and judge based on what they see, not what they know. It’s like saying “don’t judge a book by its cover”. It still happens because it’s advertising. Our looks and features is our way of advertising our race to other people. We are showing them whether we are black, white, Hispanic, or any other race. I believe people should take it upon themselves to educate themselves about other cultures and our history. We would not be where we were today if it weren’t for our history. I don’t think race should be something to be scared to talk about. The only way to learn more about it is to actually engage in those conversations and to put yourselves in those situations where you might say or do something wrong. You will never know if you sit in your “black bubble” or “white bubble”. Only when you make the initiative will something happen.
Upon watching the Morgan Freeman clip, I understood where he was coming from, and I agreed with some of his points. Then I read Bryson’s response, and I have to admit his arguments, though countering Freeman’s, made a whole lot of sense too. Thus, I guess I agree with aspects provided by both men, which seems to reaffirm why race is such a controversial topic draped in contradiction. As a white guy who never really sat down and thought about it, which some would argue is part of the problem, the opposing comments lead to a load of confusion.
I guess it goes back to what Sam talked about in class. Sometimes white people are trying to desperately to understand, to attempt to create a mood in which the feelings and thought processes caused from hundreds and thousands of years change. Sometimes it feels like we’re screaming, “WE’RE TRYING TO UNDERSTAND. HELP US,” but all we get in return are looks that say that we should already know what to do. It sucks. Even in this situation I would look Morgan Freeman in the eye and sympathize with his feelings of calling each other simply ‘man’ instead of ‘black man’ or ‘white man’. However, at the same time, I have learned this semester that it is necessary to call on race in order to move past it one day. You need to recognize the mountain standing in front of you before you can climb it, right? I feel like a politician forced to agree with one side in a given debate but then have to agree with another opposing side the next day simply to move forward.
I also understand Freeman’s frustration with people only calling upon Black History Month once a year when, in fact, black history in AMERICA is still AMERICAN history. To isolate history to one race merely ignores the fact how everything is interconnected with each other. These moments in history are all small pieces of the puzzle along the timeline; they fit together and can only make sense because they fit together. Once again, Bryson creates a grand argument to the fact that this recognition of black history and culture was created by a black man. I guess Freeman is looking for a pairing of both eliminated that celebration to one month and live it everyday. I take it as he wants all people to celebrate who they are and celebrate the fact that we live in a country where so much diversity can exist. I also understand how this can cause conflict from the opposing sides even more.
Even as I tried to piece all that stuff together in my head, I have now become more confused. I feel frustrated not knowing what to do, but I want to loose the ignorance and judgments broadcasted to me through my life. I have hope for the change that can happen. I just hope that people different than me who I am trying to relate to and connect with can appreciate it.
Before watching the clip of Morgan Freedman’s interview on 60 minutes and reading what Bryson Nobles had to say about Black History Month, my opinions was that if blacks have a month dedicated to their history why doesn’t every other race including white. I always assumed before that was this a common idea amongst non-black people that it was strange we a have a month dedicated to their history but not one for Mexicans or Native Americans. I never really considered that black people might be opposed to the month as well.
When I saw Morgan Freedman’s reaction, I realized that blacks could take from the fact that we assign one month to remember their history that it seems like the other eleven are for actual American history (white history. Also, in the more extreme sense they could feel like it makes a point to highlight their suppression throughout our country’s history.
On the other hand, I think the reason we celebrate a black history month is to bring to light accomplishments of black people in America’s history and to recognize their contributions more than the other months of the year. I don’t know if this is because white people feel like we have to “make-up” for the sufferings they endured in the past? Or is it just because they are the largest minority group in our country and so we want to acknowledge them and their culture and achievements?
It is interesting to use the context of the interview and think about if white people can ever win the race game or not. Mike Wallace makes an attempt to argue with Morgan Freedman’s disapproval and straight dislike of black history month, and even tries to compare his religion (being a minority in America as well) to being black. When Freedman presses his point Mike Wallace backs down rather quickly.
Freedman’s response to his question, “Well then how will we ever get rid of racism?” is also interesting. He makes a point of saying we should ignore race for all intents and purposes. As we have learned in class, ignoring race is not at all overcoming racism. That is only getting caught in one of the steps of the development of racial identity. But because Morgan Freedman makes this bold comment, Mike Wallace feels as though he should agree. He doesn’t want to say, “But you are a black man.” Or “But I see you as a black man.” Or else he would be labeled a racist. To reach the stage of commitment (for blacks) and autonomy (for whites) everyone must be aware of race and the issues associated with race but the same time be fully accepting of other races.
I read the entire blog before I listened to the video, and from what the ex-direct of the race relations project wrote, I thought Morgan Freeman was going to say something completely idiotic, or out of line. However, what I saw was something I totally agree with. Who really cares about black history month? I have never really met a black person who embraces black history month. I have always felt, personally, that it was almost just something the government gave black people as a way to say, "Sorry for us being assholes all those years." He was completely right in saying that black history is a part of American history, that white history is. For instance, if I see a lightbulb, or eat peanutbutter, I don't think "Wow, a black person made this." The same as if I see something that a white person made, seriously, who cares? The person, whether black or white was obviously very intelligent, and inventive for coming up with these things that without a doubt changed our lives, so why constrict their genius to something as trivial as race. George Washington Carver didn't invent things because he was black, it was because he was skilled in the sciences. Martin Luther King wasn't a great speaker because he was black, it was because he was highly educated, and charismatic. I think to say things like that truly takes away from the genius of their existence, and is just plain silly. We want to be equal, but we give a race their own month to seperate their history? How does that make sense?
As far as Morgan talking about "not talking about race", I think he wasn't literally meaning, Okay lets just pretend there is nothing. I think he was more or less saying, that after all this time why can't we just embrace that we are different and accept it. While I think we have to talk about things to get passed that, it makes sense. For years, Freeman has been known as a great actor. That is without question, I enjoy every movie i've ever seen with him in it. However, no matter how well he plays a role, or how intense his performance is, he is always a "black actor". He is a good actor. Period. The darkness of his skin doesn't effect his acting in the least, thats like saying Robert De Niro is a great brown haired actor. There are things about a person that clearly define them, and their skills. I however, don't feel race is one of them.
Morgan Freeman, I'm sure see's that too, and is clearly upset with that. After all the years, and all the roles, he is a still a "black actor". And if someone as distinguished as him, cannot shake the tag of "black", how could a regular person shake the tag of a black person? I feel that in a perfect world, it would be great to be completely color blind, and not talk about someone being a black athlete, or a white rapper. But in reality, we will, and I think we always will. So although, I wish we didn't have to talk about it, I feel we will have to continue and hopefully find some sort of middle ground.
Morgan Freeman makes an excellent point. However, I feel that his point could have gotten across a lot better if he hadn’t seemingly gotten offended. Anger never really helps get things accomplished, but it’s great that he raised the point on such a highly viewed program. I don’t think enough people think about the fact that black history month may be doing worse for race relations than helping.
Pointing out that different races deserve their own month to be recognized, point out that our country still views races differently. There is no white history month, no latino history month, no middle eastern history month, so why do we need to point out that we screwed over a lot of black people by celebrating them? If we want this country to view every other person as an equal, we need to eliminate entire months devoted to particular races, because then it simply reminds us that we are different.
I am 110% for being proud of where you’ve come from, hell, if I wasn’t german, I might be even more proud. Not that I’m not, it’s just that generally speaking, germans are not always looked at as the most understanding people. But yes, I would say that part of being who you are, is knowing where you’ve come from, and being proud of that.
If anything, we need to find a way to develop a diversity month. I don’t know how possible or probable this would ever be, but that’d promote race relations a whole lot more than a month celebrating just one race. Why not have each week focus on a different group/race/whatever, and then find a way to bring them all together, kind of like a seven degrees of separation?
I can understand why black history month was created in the first place, I can understand why It has lasted as long as it has, but I cannot understand why we cannot realize that time’s change, and some things need changing. That’s the biggest problem with this country I feel, not being able to adapt to current times socially. Yeah, we can keep up technologically, militarily, whatever, yet we can’t keep people in our own country getting along? Granted, there will always be turmoil on our own ground, but it should never be racially motivated.
I guess I’m naive; I’m all right with that. The minute this country, or this world, gives up on looking towards a better or brighter future, is the minute we’re all kind of screwed. Overall, someone needs to take some real steps to taking care of the race turmoil, being in this class, we’re all kind of taking the first step, but we need to take it past this. I got really off topic, but we all need to do our part to eliminate making anyone feel alienated.
Black History Month has been something that schools across the country have been teaching to kids for years and years. As a kid, I was taught about black history month, but I never took it serious because I felt like black history shouldn’t be relegated to one month. After watching the 60 minutes clip with Morgan Freedman, I have to say that I am unable to side with either. I feel like both made some valid statements. I completely agree with Morgan Freedman when he says that black history is American history. I am in complete agreement with the statement. Black people have made history in America for centuries just as white people have so there’s no reason why we should be celebrated with just a month. There is not a white history month or a Chinese history month, so why is there a black history month. I think that Morgan Freeman is annoyed by the fact that he feels blacks are treated differently. It os clear that he just wants everyone of every race to be seen equally instead of being seen differently. I do believe that Morgan Freeman could have approached the situation differently though. I believe the way he addressed Mike was wrong and if I was Mike I would have just stopped talking because it was clear he was going to get nowhere with Morgan. Think about this scenario. Whites try to talk about race, but just get shut down, like what Morgan did. Then when they don’t talk, they get frowned upon because they just sit at the “race table” silent. This is a perfect example of the phrase “white people can never win” and I agree with Bryson when he says “the default should not be a disarming attack that only makes white people more unwilling to talk about race”. I think we need to talk about race in a sense where we point out where people of different races are not being treated equal in order to eliminate seeing people as races. Pointing fingers won’t solve anything and neither will being hostile.
It is entirely evident that Morgan Freeman feels some deeply-rooted exhaustion from his many years as a black man, and is well enough into his years to have experienced many eras in our country’s history. Having all of this on his back gives him every right to be somewhat frustrated and dismissive of the topic. Although he did give his opinion, he seemed irritated by the time spent on the subject.
He does not like the idea of Black History month for it places “African American history” in a place inferior to the rest of the populations’ histories. Personally, I disagree with Morgan Freeman’s opinion of Black History month. There are weeks, months, days to raise awareness of other things such as domestic violence, breast cancer, etc., so why not delegate a month to honoring African American history? It should be treated as an honor rather than a dismay, for it gives our society an opportunity to talk about race.
It is absurd for Morgan Freeman to have said that we should stop talking about race. The only way anything has ever been resolved in human history is through communication. Avoidance and denial is known only as a block in the road. Perhaps he is exhausted from the personal experiences he has had through his lifetime. Having been born in the late 1930s, he has walked through such a great number of eras in our American history and experienced life as a black man and a famous one, at that for quite a long time. I could understand that he might be jaded and cynical about race at this point in his life, but he should have refrained from speaking those words. Many people look to him as knowledgeable and wise. He typically plays that role in movies. They’re obviously going to listen to things he says in interviews and be swayed to see from his point of view. Unfortunately, in his powerful position, he may have given the wrong impression and poor advice to many viewers.
I think that younger celebrities should begin working toward bringing people together and communicating about racial issues. The role models of our generation are often celebrities. We look up to them and admire them, so the things that they say and the causes they support will get great following from us influential kids. I believe that if influential people such as these broadly supported such a cause, we could have quite a bit of communication lines opened.
Sherrell Obaji
Sam Richards - Soc 119
Due: 3/27/09
White People Will Never Win the “Race Card game!”
The first thing I want to express is my opinion when it come to race problems; the inequity that people of color face on a daily bases is something that will take time to change, slowly but aggressively thing are changing for people of color.
I think people of color are still in the immersion stage to a certain extent. Let me explain! Morgan Freeman (a well rename actor) expresses his on how things are look upon when it comes to race (he makes a good point). African (Black) Americans have come a long way far as a being accepted in American culture, we go now Doctors, Lawyers, Judges, etc; because as a whole we have accomplish so mush and exceed the test of time to narrow the African American culture to a month not right.
Black History was to recognize blacks and the hardships that blacks had to endure while living in the United States. Once black history was established it really helped black find their place in America (it was more on the bases of blacks being viewed as an independent culture).
Morgan Freeman point of view is if blacks have come so far why is it that blacks are still subjected to color and a month of history. When Mr. Freeman says to the interviewer (which was Jewish) “why isn’t there a Jewish month”, I think he was referring to the fact that jewish history isn’t narrow down to just a month so why is it that blacks have to accept just a month.
Personal Opinion:
No one knew that blacks’ leaving the South to move to the North was going to have such a positive outcome like it did (everything worked out for the best). Life for blacks is much better than the 1900’s; life is no longer a struggle to live day to day. In today society, blacks work as doctors, teachers, laws, and engineers. Blacks (or any other race for that matter) are no longer judged by the color of their skin, but the content of their character.
According to Snopes, Bobby Kennedy stated “things are moving so fast in race relation a Negro could be President in 40 years. There’s no question about it, in the next 40 years a Negro can achieve the same position that my brother has. Prejudice exits and probably will continue to, but we have tried to make progress and we marking progress. We are not going to accept the status quo” (Snopes, 2008). When Obama Barack became President of the United States not only did he make American history, but he was the “First” African American man to become President of the Unit States. It is said that a lot of young Americans from all cultures was voting for Obama, this is a good example to show that times have changed and things are going in a positive direction.
In a way I understand where Morgan Freeman is coming from. At his age he is probably so tired of racial issues; especially as a black man. It seems as if he just wants people to stop looking at race altogether. In a picture perfect world that would be great. But because of all the inequality in the world we do talk about it and take classes like soc119. He says in the video to stop talking about it. Nobody is going to stop talking about race until discrimination ends completely. At this rate it could happen in a few decades but who knows. Black History Month is a tribute to the African American race and all that they have gone through. Instead of saying that this was “ridiculous” Freeman should of went on to say that racial differences are. Maybe this is what he was trying to say. Whites view that month as a month well deserved for all the suffering in the past. I can see a black person feeling two ways about the month. On the one hand it is a month of dedication to one’s own people and history. On the other it is singling out a race, apart from all the others in the United States. If anything there should be a Native American month. After all, we did take ALL their land and kill thousands of innocent people. In a way certain things such as black history month and affirmative action are just ways white people in power apologize. Enough is enough with the apologies. I don’t think we will ever stop mentioning the fact that slavery took place. We should be sorry, but at the same time no personal guilt should rest inside a person of color. None of us personally bought a slave in the 1700’s. Most whites feel as if we have no place to say anything regarding race because were afraid a person of color will yell at us that we have no clue about the issue. Well we do have a clue and it is our issue as well as anybody’s. We live in society together; therefore their cause is everyone’s cause. Most of us want equality, and I’m sure many brown and black people do not want handouts. They would rather make it on their own on a level playing field. The problem is discrimination. Police targeting brown and black people seriously needs to come to an end. More whites than blacks use drugs, but the arrest rates are double for blacks. How can this be ignored? This has been fueling the drug war, and costing us billions in taxes. It also creates a line between law enforcement and minorities.
I am going to have to disagree entirely with Morgan Freeman’s attitude about Black history month, and his strategy for solving racism. But I also think I understand why he said what he did. His words are obviously fueled by momentary irrationality, which was probably fueled by a pretty rational reason for getting irrational. It sounds to me that he is reacting, understandably angrily, to 60 Minute’s unintentional implication that he is a black person, and so he can be automatically placed into the ideological category of “black person,” who, from a white person’s perspective, would be gung-ho for Black History Month, rather than being seen as a unique individual with unique opinions. This is further evidenced when he states that we should stop seeing color. He is obviously fed up with being labeled as a talented black actor, rather than being seen simply as a talented actor. Additionally, this sentiment has most likely been fueled his entire life by white-washed Hollywood. Coming from a world where almost all the lead roles are white, it must be really difficult to be relegated in every movie to whatever role was supposed to be a black person. But therein lies the problem with Morgan Freeman’s point. Yes, it is incredibly unfair that most leading roles are written for white people, but it is unchangeable that he is a black person. It is not something that we can ignore and it is not something that we should avoid in conversation, which are both things he advocates. As Bryson said it, Freeman is just playing further into the race game. He is playing the expected black role of being omniscient in the race argument, and not allowing the other side to speak. The other side didn’t exactly try to stand up and defend itself, but even when it tried to, Freeman shut him down, saying that the solution to Race Relations is to deny the real world and ignore race entirely. He further plays into the game by stating that it is one that white people will never win. What he is saying, is that it is Black History Month is something we are not allowed to discuss, because we are outsiders. Stating that we should get rid of black history month will be labeled racist, and supporting it is interpreted as the one month of the year that white people care about black people. In short, Freeman has entirely eliminated the Race discussion. I do understand though that his opinion is a product of his circumstances, and it is unfortunate that he has come to the conclusion he did.
What bothers me even more about the video is that Mike Wallace is obviously afraid to offend someone. He is a professional reporter, and he is afraid to call bullshit on Morgan Freeman’s irrationality, simply because he feels he has no authority in the race argument. His response is simply to stutteringly mumble something, and then claim sanctuary as a person of Jewish descent. I interpret this as him trying to claim some credibility in the argument. He shouldn’t need to qualify himself; he is a human being and therefore inextricably entwined in the race problem.
First off, Morgan Freeman’s my boy. Ever since Driving Miss Daisy I’ve been a huge Freeman fan. The man is as cool as they come; cool as a cucumber you might say. One of my favorite movies with him was Deep Impact where he played the President of the United States in the time of the huge meteor crisis. He had a very powerful role and I think President Obama learned a few things from his fellow black man as President. That being said, what an asshole he was in that Sixty Minutes interview. I mean, come on Morgan, fans like me look up to you and your going to act all crazy on TV and be mean to Mike Wallace. No one insults Mike Wallace and gets away with it! On a side note, Morgan probably gets tons of booty in real life with that suave earring he has. Anyway, when I first watched the clip I thought he had a point and that black people don’t need to be treated and different or treated specially with a month honoring them as a people. However, Bryson Nobles made me do a 180 and I’ll tell you why. But on another side note, Morgan was pretty solid in The Shawshank Redemption, which is a super sick movie. Back on track, I like Mr. Nobles’ point on how although its nothing to get real enthusiastic about, it’s also not something to be angry about either. And I agree with his comparison that having a month to celebrate black people is no more silly than having a day to celebrate your birthday. And yes I assume that after you reach a certain age birthdays are just another day and aren’t really anything worth jumping up and down for. And I assume when you’ve been celebrated for being a black actor as long as Morgan Freeman has it probably is just the same way.
If taking Sociology 119 has taught me one thing, it’s that when you don’t talk about race and recognize people for their differences then it only makes things worse. And that is exactly what Morgan Freeman does in the clip saying, “I’ll stop calling you a white man, and I’ll ask that you stop calling me a black man.” Morgan, this is a no-no. So I completely agree with mostly everything that Bryson Nobles, good stuff there. To answer Sam’s question can white people ever win, that’s like asking if global warming is for real or not…kind of. What I am trying to say is that we’ll only find out with time and probably not as soon as we’d like either because nothing happens over night. So only three more words to go and this already is stupid enough but I’ll add that if you haven’t seen The Bucket List you should, it’s not all that good but it sure is a tear jerker.
Morgan Freeman’s stance on black history month is not a big surprise to me. I’ve heard this point of view through many media, and it’s been characterized as the typical radical view for many older black men. There are many reasons for a black man to dislike black history month; such as the attention it draws to them and the “feigned and unconvincing empathy” that white people display. Although I’m not black, I feel that this is a logical view point to have. I wouldn’t want my race to have a month of forced remembrance by the entire nation, while no other race does. I wouldn’t want small children in elementary school to be forced to have to learn about the suffering that my ancestors endured. If someone wanted to learn about my history, I would gladly teach them, but I don’t feel as if anyone should be forced to learn about an issue that shouldn’t directly to relate to them, especially a child who wasn’t even alive back then. While these reasons lead me to consider the negative view of black history from a black man’s perspective, I can also see the viewpoint of the proponents of black history month. They feel that because of the enslavement of my ancestors, they deserve a month to remember the history of their people, and allow people of other races to hear of their struggle and perhaps feel more compassion and act more friendly towards black people in their day-to-day lives.
I agree with Bryson’s view on Morgan Freeman’s interview response. His negative viewpoint does nothing to help those who support the cause during black history month, and is just unnecessary to share on a national public broadcast. It’s true that Freeman should have been more considerate and not shared his negative view or change the subject to get to a new question. I respect any black person who wants to celebrate or support black history month, for they only want to share their heritage with others.
To answer Dr. Richard’s question, “What do you think he means by calling it a game that white people can never win?” I think this statement is very true. There’s no reason for a white person to be against black history month. The sense of guilt that many white people have learned they should feel through black history month lessons in elementary school causes them to feel that they must support the cause. If Mike Wallace had agreed with Freeman and supported ending black history month, it would seem entirely inappropriate, even if he really does support Freeman’s view, as many white people passively do. I think Morgan Freeman said it best, in that the only way to stop racism, is to stop talking about it.
I think Morgan Freeman is justified for not wanting to have a black history month. He is an old black man that has seen America before and after the Civil Rights movement. It is understandable that he may feel that it is a lame attempt by white people to relegate a month to remember and learn about black history month. I personally hate getting special treatment especially when it is unnecessary and undeserved. I feel this is how Morgan Freeman feels about black history month. Mike Wallace was stunned that Morgan Freeman thought black history month was ridiculous. Later in the interview he admitted that he would not want a Jewish history month. I do not understand that logic. Why is it okay for a Jewish individual not to want a Jewish history month, but is seen as irrational for Morgan Freeman to wish black history month did not exist. Yes, I agree that Morgan Freeman was harsh and a little rude in his approach, but I feel his reasonings are completely justified. Wallace saw black history month as a way to end racism in America. How could celebrating a month of black history end racism? For one thing, people, white and black, generally do not do anything different during the month of February than any other month. There may be a couple of documentaries on the History Channel or PBS that discuss aspects of black history. The only thing that is different from February than any other month is that there is not thirty or thirty- one days. I find it interesting that February is black history month, the month that has unequal amount of days than the other 11 months. I feel it was done on purpose to emphasize the inequalities that black people faced in America. Unequal months compared to unequal treatment. Carter Woodson, who originated the idea of a black history month, selected February because it is the month that both Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass.
Black history month was created to recognize black icons and leaders that played a successful role in the Civil Rights movement and the abolition of slavery. I think it is great that an effort was made to recognize the efforts of these great men and women, but it just seems like a lame apology by the United States. There is no national celebration to commemorate these individuals. In addition, I feel Valentine’s Day overshadows black history during the month. In other words, black history month is insignificant because it is ignored by the majority of people in the United States. That is why Morgan Freeman does not want a black history month. A month is set aside to appreciate and acknowledge the successes of black individuals, but it fails to do this. He would rather not have one because black history is apart of American history. People will recognize the efforts of these individuals with or without a black history month. Plus, I don’t understand why it is bad that Morgan Freeman does not want a black history month. Byrson Nobles stated that black history month is not different from the celebration of a birthday. I find that comparison to be incorrect. People that celebrate their birthdays get the recognition of their birthday by a party, presents, or cards. During black history month, there is no parade or any kind of celebration. Morgan Freeman has every right to denounce black history month, no black individual benefits from it.
I actually agree that “Black History Month” is a month that is not unnecessary as much as unwanted. It has to be on some level considered racist simply to have a month dedicated to a people that make up a decent percentage of this country. I agree with Freeman that “black history month is American history”. He is absolutely correct in this statement, but I believe that many white people did not have ill intentions when we (and I’m assuming it was white people who created it) decided that February was going to be black history month.
We touched on the fact Thursday in class that sometimes; it seems that white people cannot win. If white people try to sympathize with minorities, many will feel shunned as black people (especially in the emerging stage) will dismiss outside support, especially from white people. This is not a shot at black people; I understand where many are coming from. As a race, black people have been, and continued to be suppressed by the powerful white people who have controlled our government for hundreds of years. However, there are white people who legitimately sympathize with black people. It is simply a tough situation to judge, because many whites want to help blacks progress to complete equality, but others who have no problem pushing any minorities down in order to better them.
When did we decide that we needed a black history month? How is black history any less important that white history? Unfortunately, that is the impression that having a black history month gives. If there is a black history month, shouldn’t there naturally be a white history month? There is nothing wrong with dedicating a month to black people, but to dedicate a month to them and not to other races can be described as nothing but racist.
Similarly to black history month, March is dedicated to women across the nation. We have months for women and blacks, two groups of people who have been oppressed for as long as history has been recorded. However, does having a bus for these people further discrimination or eliminate it? I believe that to truly understand and eliminate racism, we need to almost move beyond it as a country. It would be ignorant to not acknowledge that racism has happened, but we should be beyond it as a country.
I do not blame minorities for being bitter at the way they, and their ancestors have been treated, but I do not believe that people (especially white people) are not as ignorant as they were in the past. We need to move beyond Black History month and other events like this to try to repay minorities. Instead, lets treat everybody like we are all equals.
I think race is a item that the more we talk about it the greater the problem becomes. I feel that the clip shows that I'm not the only one in the world who feels that. The clip shows Morgan Freeman saying that he thinks black people should not have a month named after their history. I agree with him because I feel like this brings about the issue of people looking as black people and their history differently then the rest of America's history. I think the when looking at history and the past we need to look at all the people and the history equally.
You can see how the reporter was caught off guard by the response and I think a lot of people would be. I have a lot of friends from other races and they do not understand why their is a black history month, and I feel a lot of people do not understand it. I think when it was put in place people thought of race a lot differently then what we do currently. A lot of people in the world never thought America would have a person of color running our country, the president of the United States is Black I think its time we stop talking about black history as a different part and put it in with the rest of our history. I feel that the month was put into place mostly for the media, to make it that Americans did not forget about what happened to people of color and to make people of color feel like white people still feel badly about what happened. I do not think we need it any more, I feel that black history month should not be looked at as that anymore.
I feel that white people have their month all the time, a white man found America. White people brought black people over to America, although it was not in the best of terms, I feel that black people should have their history looked at in the same terms of white people. Does this mean that I think we should cancel Columbus day? I do not, that man found America and let the world know he did. Although people were living here at the time, Indians, Columbus found and passed news back that their was this new world in America. Columbus should have his day still but I do not think Black history month should still be around it only brings up race and does not make people look at all races equal in my point of view.
Race will always be looked at. If I'm talking about Morgan Freeman I will still call him a black guy no matter if they have Black history month or not, I look at is as a way to paint a picture of a person if telling a story. Just in the same way if I said a blue car or a green tree it is a word used to describe. I think having black history month breaks the flow of having people looked at in an equal way, their should not be black history month as it splits races.
I have been taught about Black History Month for as long as I can remember, but I was never really taught about Black History Month. For a long while I have thought about Black History Month the same way Morgan Freeman thinks about it. I feel it is kind of a ridiculous to relegate a race of people to a month of “celebration.” I cannot seem to justify just giving a month to people for whatever reason. When I saw the Morgan Freeman video I definitely agreed. I was like, “yeah, you go girl.” I somewhat understand his sentiments. He is always be touted as a “black actor” even after all the work he has done and the time and years he has put into his career, he is still being called a “black actor.” Why can’t he just be an actor? Why do we constantly have to put that label on Morgan Freeman and other actors and actresses that happen to be black? But it’s not just Black people that this happens too. It is the same way with Asians, Spanish, Indian, etc actors and actresses that are just happen to not be white. When they win awards or something, it’s such a large feet for race relations and for that particular race. It’s just a load of cockamamie mess that I feel is completely crappola.
I just don’t understand why there is a “Black History Month.” Why can’t we integrate learning about black people and their history into the standard curriculum? Why do we have to wait for February to learn about Black people? I wouldn’t mind learning about George Washington Carver inventing peanut butter before February. I could learn about Harriet Tubman in November, I don’t mind it. To me, it is just so odd how this whole thing works.
While I say all this, I also never took the time to try and find out what the origins of Black History Month are. I never really thought about how Black History Month came about and why it was created. I always figured a bunch of white people felt badly about the past relations with Black people and decided to relegate a month to celebrate them. I guess I always figured it was kind of like a parting gift for losing on a game show. Yeah you lost, but you get this sweet new pencil sharpener! I know it sounds messed up and like I’m a tool for thinking this, but that is the way it has looked to me for years. It just seemed like a ludicrous situation. I guess I probably should have put some more thought into it before I formulated my opinions on Black History Month.
Reading that blog entry and writing this makes me want to learn more about Black History Month. I want to learn the origins and why it was truly created.
Marlon Chopra
I disagree with what Bryson has to say. Morgan Freeman has a good point about, “relegating black history to a month”. That is saying all the other 11 months let’s not care about black history and that is absolutely ridiculous to think that we should only have one month for Black history. Just like Morgan Freeman says Black history is American History, and where is the delegation for white history, because despite what people in mainstream and even some academia areas, White is a race just as well as black. The fact that there is not a white history month assumes that American History is white, and everything else must be kept separate. Now is that fair. The idea behind putting Black History as a month was to promote diversity. That did not promote diversity at all it further marginalized black people because it said we are going to talk about your history this month now be happy with it. When Bryson says that the race game is one that white people can never win he is saying that no matter what white people argue they will never win because the bottom line is society does not consider white a race. But we do consider white people to be racist, so in a sense it is a double standard. The sad part is if Mike Wallace would have said well yes I believe Black History Month is silly then he would have been accused of being racist. He would have been accused of not appreciating and accepting black people when in reality he could have had the same feelings of marginalization but because he is white no one would have noticed that.
I think there are good and bad aspects to black history month. I feel that we shouldnt completely take it away because there is so little light shed on black history in this country as it is. I fear by taking it away it leads to less thought about the actual meaning and creation of the month. However i agree with Morgan Freeman in that Black history is very much American history and as americans we all need to stop seperating the two as if they were two different entities. In this counrty we focus too much on the actual slaves coming to america part of black history. We dont spend enough time talking or educatiing people on the repercussions and after math of slavery that led to the African American mindset of today. We also spend no tiume talking about african american achievements in this country and the people of African American decent who helped to shape this country as much as Benjamin Franklin or Albert Einstein did. I also feel as if 300 plus years cannot be condensed, no matter how focused the student, into one month of history. I feel that history sjhould be learned together. While we learn about American development we should also learn about womens right movements and the African American movement of that time period. To me black history month is just a month. I dont see any real effort going in to build awareness about African Americans. A few extra commericals come on that involve more ethnic looking Americans rather than your typical curly head half white half black African American representing us on television.i donjt see any parades or fire work s or anything special to commemorate the month. So iam not even sure if Black history month is serving its purpose out side of elementary school. There are alot more older people who could benefit form some forced integration through Black history month. i do feel as if Morgan Freeman may have benn alittle agressive in is attack . He could have simply ansered the question and gave reason to back his argument. The interviewer did seem very attacked and he didnt deserve that. Iam sure he would have understood what Morgan freeman was talking about had Morgan been more understanding. The race game is a game White people can never win because they can never be a black person. I think they can however educate themselves and become more aware and understanding of the problems minorities face everyday. I dont feel sorry for white poeple and i dont think that they can feel sorry for us. Together if we as black people acknowleged that not every white person is the same and not all of them think the same, and if white poeple realize the struggles we go through and better appreciate where we've come from, We can make for a better society.
I would agree that Morgan Freeman’s comments were a little unwarranted, but I can see where he is coming from. I know that Black History Month was created to celebrate the tremendous accomplishments of African Americans throughout history, but the fact that these accomplishments aren’t receiving praise on a regular basis is what Morgan Freeman is upset about. The history of African Americans should be included in the curriculums in school, and I know through personal experience that it isn’t talked about as much as it should be. I don’t disagree with the idea of Black History Month, but what upsets me is the fact that there needs to be one at all.
I do disagree with Morgan Freeman on his other point though. He says that we should get rid of racism by not talking about race. This course has taught us that this is absolutely the wrong way to go about eliminating racism. You need to talk about race in order to eliminate racism, because without talking about it, nothing is going to change. There are too many uneducated and racist people in this country who will continue to teach racism to their children if they are not educated in race relations. Just because someone does not acknowledge someone as being black or white through spoken words does not mean they do not have prejudice thoughts about them. People will still be acting in discriminatory ways if no one talks about race. What we really need to do is educate people about other races, ethnicities and cultures, and encourage everyone to open up to race relations conversation. When people can openly talk about race and say what they really feel, that is when we can begin to truly come together as a nation.
I also agree with Bryson Noble when he says that the race game is one that white people can never win. When talking to someone of color, it is often difficult for white people to truly open up and say what they feel. Obviously, no two people act the same way when you talk about their race, and white people are often too afraid of offending people to say what they feel. In my opinion, you should always think before you speak, but at the same time someone is going to get offended with anything you say, so you should say what you feel. Too many people don’t say anything at all because they don’t want to offend anyone, and that hinders the whole race relations process. As long as people are educated enough to make meaningful contributions to race relations, there shouldn’t be any problems anyway. Like I said before, once we can sit down together and really open up about race, then we can begin to eliminate racism.
Well, I think Morgan Freeman in his disregard for Black History Month was trying to force people to think broader about such issues of race and the place that it each of us has on the race table. He was trying to illustrate that since Black History is intertwined with American history it should be seen as a part of it instead of being extracted from it and given a month, February (the shortest month of the year) as a time for token appreciation for their contributions to this country. Well previously I was of this persuasion until it dawned on me that during Black History Month you get to learn new things that you did not learn before. For example you get to hear of black accomplishments that you probably thought never happened (the first black woman in space for example) and then I question myself if I would have known this info if it was not for Black History Month. You see in a society in which you belong to the minority, the mainstream will most likely reflect upon those who are of the majority and who hold sway over that country’s political, economic and social lifestyles. In the United States, the majority is white people and in essence they will dominate and be present in most segments of society. For those in the minority, then it is difficult to find “your representative” in this scheme of things and in this case events like Black History Month play this role where they highlight black personalities and figures who would not even get the time of day, get noticed if it was not for Black History Month.
This also comes into play when you look at things like BET, Telemundo, Ebony Magazine, NSBE and other ethnocentric types of organizations who function to highlight a perspective of a community that would otherwise not have it if it were left to the dictates of mainstream society. Morgan Freeman’s desire for Americans not to see race as an aspect of life may be admirable but highly unrealistic and probably is a mentality of successful blacks especially celebrities who have prospered and are disengaged from the everyday livelihoods that other blacks face. To expect people to ignore race is to ignore the very foundations that have made this country for better or worse what it is today. Race cannot just be swept under the carpet because it directly or indirectly influences the decisions and lives of millions of Americans from where they want to live, whom they want to marry, who they want to hire and other aspects of everyday life.
It is impossible for me to truly understand what it must be like to experience Black History Month as a black person. However I felt as if I could empathize more after reading Nobles response and hearing Morgan Freeman’s rant. I thought that Nobles did a great job of explaining and responding to Morgan Freeman’s interview. I could see both sides in the situation, but I think I agree more with Nobles than with Freeman. I like when Nobles said BHM is like a birthday, you appreciate the celebration but sometimes do not care to celebrate. On the other hand, I understood Freeman when he was asking whether there was a Jewish or a white history month. I can understand how it would semi-insulting. In an ideal world, and with half of the history that the United States has, it would be great if we could celebrate American history month of the uniting of both races. However due Americas vast past, something had to be put in place in order to compensate for the mistakes that fall on the backs of the white men.
I thought that Freeman was especially wrong when he said that we should just stop talking about it. I hope what he meant to say is that he wishes that we never had to talk about it, and that race did not decide so much and classify so much as it does, however that is not reality. It will never be reality. I think that we need to talk about race differences in order to try to understand and see a different point of view than the person staring back at us in the mirror. When Nobles said the race game that “whites will never win”, it stuck out to me immediately. I am honestly not sure what he meant by this. However I might guess that he means that in the world of race and the conversations of race, whites will never truly be able to understand or fully compensate for history. That no matter how hard they try, there opinion as a white person about a black person will never really be valid. Just like if Mike Wallace had agreed with Morgan Freeman that he believed Black History Month was insulting and a bad idea, I have no doubt that Wallace would have taken some criticism for it. So instead, Wallace stayed quiet and just agreed with Freeman. There is no conversation there, it is immediate submission for fear of saying the “wrong thing.”
Thank God for Morgan Freeman! This man hit the nail on the head. He is dead on balls accurate and I completely agree with him. I never understood how we as a nation keep contradicting ourselves. We preach that racism is wrong and that all men are created and to be treated equal and then we go ahead and give special privileges to people of color or whoever as a form of compensation. First of all giving someone a month isn’t going to make up for past injustices and wrong doings. Second, we are now giving a special set of rights to a new group of people. This is like “Animal Farm” is everyone equal, but are some people more equal than others? This is now reverse discrimination and inequality. Morgan is completely right, African American history is American history; we are all fucking human beings! Even classes like this one just perpetuate stereotypes and inflict more damage when it comes to race relations. If we just acknowledge that there are differences between us and accept them and move on we will be fine. This class kind of reminds me of the dare programs that try to keep people from doing drugs and the kids grow up and want to do the drugs more than ever. Yes there are issues everywhere we are not going to solve them all, but calling it racism isn’t going to fix it. One way or another people will find something else to disagree on and kill each other. We need to stop depicting people of color as people who need sympathy and comfort, and stop seeing the white man as the evil oppressor. Last time I heard we are in the 21st century and we need to all move on and take responsibility for our own lives regardless of race. I’m tired of seeing people of color take advantage of white kids for being white, and white kids being ashamed of who they are. We should all be proud of who we are but that does not define your life! Jesus Christ any single person on this planet can make the argument of being mistreated and being oppressed. I am Irish and my people have been tortured for over a thousand years and then more when we got to this country. Shouldn’t I be mad that I only get one fucking day, Saint Patrick’s Day, a day that also just perpetuates the stereotype that all Irish drink. Stop putting a God damn label on every person on this planet see someone as a person not a skin tone. How are we ever going to evolve if we keep looking backwards for answers? Times are changing, stop clinging to the old beliefs.
I believe that having Black History Month is feeding the fire of African Americans being treated “differently”. It may be “cordial” to give them a month of their own, but in reality I feel that it is still segregation. Blacks have a month to celebrate their history but whites don’t? It reminds me of Women’s History Month. It just goes to prove that white men are the dominant group, and women and people of color are truly “minorities”. I think Morgan Freeman is spot on with his comment that we need to stop seeing one person as “a black man” and another person as “a white man”. I’m not exactly sure who declared there to be a Black History Month, but if it was a group of white people, what gives them the authority? I agree that ignoring the problem of racism won’t help anything, because for sure it exists. But to bring it up so much, I feel leads to the disintegration stage, where white people are aware of racism and want it to end, but start to feel constant guilt.
I think it was convenient that the “white people can never win” theme came into place in this video. I guarantee Mike Wallace will never bring up Black History Month to any other black man again. Then again, if he agrees with Freeman and says, “Black History Month is silly and we should stop celebrating it”, he would be seen as a racist. It all comes back to the fact that not everyone in a group shares the same opinions. While Morgan Freeman may hate Black History Month, thousands of other African Americans might celebrate the month and think that it is great for their race. Sometimes white people feel that they just can’t win. Mike Wallace seemed like he was trying to be sensitive to Africans Americans by having an interview about Black History Month, but instead he came out looking like just another ignorant black man.
I also agree with the follow up comments that Black History Month should not be “the” means for learning about black people’s involvement in American history. The speaker who came into class mentioned how in school, African history is delegated to about three weeks to one month out of the school year. That is pretty ridiculous in my opinion. As Morgan Freeman said, black history is part of American History. We should be learning about the African Americans just as much as much as we learn about Whites and Europeans. Also, schools need to stop teaching about how Christopher Columbus “discovered” America. Nothing was taught about the people who lived in America before the Pilgrims. Or what they went through, all that is taught is how the Pilgrims survived and how they had Thanksgiving. In my opinion, that is leaving a whole lot of information out of history.
Bryson Nobles’ argument that Morgan Freeman is incorrect in saying what he does in his interview is extremely valid. To some people, black and white, black history month is an important time to reflect upon the past, and celebrate what the future holds; it is not meant to be demeaning. In this interview Morgan Freeman is playing into the race game by making white people seem like the bad guy. Sure there are circumstances where white people are, but this is not the case across the board. What he says leaves everyone watching feeling strange, and Mike Wallace uncomfortable. Dr. Richards posed an interesting question when he wrote a possible response from Mike Wallace, “Well, yes, I think that Black History Month is silly and that we should stop celebrating it?” If this had been the case, Mike Wallace would be considered racist for agreeing with Freeman by millions of viewers and by Freeman himself. So how does Wallace win? How do white people win? Everything we say and do is wrong and offensive to at least one person, whether we mean it to be or not. In the race game, this is often how it goes. People of color are very hard on white people when they say something that they “do not like”. When so many different people like to hear so many different things white people cannot honestly be expected to remember what every person prefers. The objective is not to anger people or make them feel as if they have to be defensive; it is to simply bring our opinions to the race table. Race is a sensitive subject, and any discourse about it can be misinterpreted very easily. Due to this, many people try to censor their remarks, and their true message is not appropriately conveyed. So which is worse, not appropriately conveying your point or being misinterpreted for saying exactly what is on your mind? It is just another grey area that we need to learn to deal with in the race conversation. We have to leave our sensitivities at the door when we have these conversations if we want to have an honest, effective conversation. So the next time someone makes a remark that seems rude or derogatory about race, try to not take it so personally, unless you honestly feel it is meant to be that way. And as for what Morgan Freeman said, those comments are unnecessary. If you do not want to talk about race, do as Bryson Nobles said and politely remove yourself from the conversation by moving on to the next topic. If not, there just becomes more ambiguity that pushes white people away from the race table.
Lol I believe Nobles arguments go back to the lecture, because you can never get a homogeneous agreement from a large group of people, specifically in this case from the same person. It would be futile telling you that I agree with Morgan Freeman on Black History Month, but disagree with him on race dialog. This article is about whether or not the dominant race/group can remain in the position without dissidence from the minority races/groups which coexist under their "rule". Truth is things such as black history month when it comes to racial issues is insignificant. Im sure any group would rather bring to the forefront of issues human development issues such as health care, education; Furthermore, roles with in society, and the loss of a pariah status, that both black and Latino races have to live with.
The "Black Leaders", I don't know who appointed them as such, usually plea on behalf of their communities for police liability, a proper education, equal representation in civic matters, and support for black owned business. The important issues are always replace by cosmetic or insignificant ones in order to misinform some one of the true issues. We such all work to equality and not whether some ones feeling get hurt. I believe in a majority consensus it goes without saying that it may be mixed reaction across the board specifically how you should act towards somebody of a different race than you, what or what is not socially acceptable.
I think beyond race, who you are, how you act, and your personal beliefs, will never satisfy everyone, especially beyond societal lines.
I think White people will "never win" as long as they go on like nothing is wrong or believing it completely or faults when educationally and and within the realm of civic rights we are not equal. Inner city school are full of children who are not taught, I known because I attended a Philadelphia school district high school where half the teacher decided they rather play movies than teach us. Prison systems are disproportionally filled, and cops often violate rights and falsely police reports.
That's why "white people will never win the race game".
It’s very apparent that Morgan Freeman’s opinion on race and not talking about is not the best course of action. Morgan Freeman was playing into the “race game” in that it contradicts what most white people think about Black History Month in that it is a good thing and that black people are ‘proud’ about it. Mike Wallace was put in a place where he had no idea what to think about the issue and you could see in his reaction that his idea of black history month and especially how black people feel about it was shattered in the blink of an eye. Mike Wallace was looking to Morgan Freeman for what to think about black people, it was so apparent it was amazing. I’m sure that Mike Wallace felt that he wasn’t allowed to express any type of opinion outside of what Morgan Freeman had said and probably on the grounds that he was afraid that disagreeing with Morgan Freeman would be racist! This is, of course, ridiculous because I’m sure the Mike Wallace is not racist and I’m sure that whatever Mike Wallace’s views of black history month were they probably were not racist at all. Morgan Freeman had complete control over that situation and at that point probably could have convinced Mike Wallace of all of his views about race in America. In short, Mike Wallace probably walked away from that interview very confused and probably said “what the fuck just happened there?” I really believe that this is not helping at all and it is hurting because like was said in the blog that what Morgan Freeman had to say would probably push whites further away from talking about race. Without discussing something you don’t understand you will never come learn. Morgan Freeman was defiantly in the wrong here, however I do think that Freeman could just be tired of being treated differently which is something that is ok to desire but I feel as though not talking about it will make it go away. We must first understand before make change. I liked the quote in the blog about pretending a cavity is not there will make it go away. However, I would like to think of the cavity as a cavity that will not get worse and as long as you don’t touch it, it won’t hurt but is always there. I would have liked to hear more of Morgan Freeman’s reasoning and I feel as though he may have made some valid points, or at least some points that would make sense to his personal and unique experiences as a person. At any rate I still think Morgan Freeman is an awesome actor and I could fall asleep to his voice any day of the week!
I agree with Morgan Freeman in the belief that we should not have a black history month. I think that the attention of the month is a good one, trying to commemorate and honor black history and important people who helped in the movement of this country. However, I think it really singles out or separates black as a race. It is like saying their history is different and separate from the rest of American history. Yet, this is not the case at all. Black history is also part of American history. It makes this country what it is today. Yes, major events like the emancipation of the slaves after the civil war, gaining the right to vote with the 13 and 14th amendments, and even now electing the first black presidents are events that greatly affect blacks. Still they affect the country as a whole as well leading it in a new more positive direction. In reality, have black history as a separate month does not do anything to help the issue of racial discrimination. When people are more categorized or separated by their race then people focus more on the differences which can lead some to discriminate. On another note, I do think that it is important to learn about major events of black history and leaders who helped bring out change. This should be by no mean any less acknowledged or remembered. It is just that it should not be thought of as separate part of history from the rest of this country.
Even though I do agree with Morgan Freeman about not having black history month, I do not think we should stop talking about race altogether. For, currently there are races that we categorize ourselves by and everyone is aware of it. So, it would not help any cause to just simply ignore it. There is already so much history and tension built up behind many races. To move to a point where race no longer has to be an issue to even discuss we need to start by actually dealing with it verbally. People need to talk to one another to understand each other better. They need to stop judging or stereotyping people by their race or culture. Get to know people as individuals just not members of a group. This really is the ideal. When everyone is segregating off into group and not migrating outside of them that is where the problems begin. Everyone is ignorant about the people around them and issues arise from preconceived judgments. Once people converse with each other, first dealing with present issues, then we may be able to get to a point where it will be ok to just stop talking about race altogether. I just do not think it is the ideal solution right now.
Ebony Martin
March 27, 2009
Soc 119
Stop Talking About Race- The Significance of Black History Month
I must say that I don’t agree with Bryson Nobles on this idea that there is a justification for Black History Month, and it is no different from having a birthday. I have to agree with the point that Morgan Freeman makes, and maybe this relates to the somewhat common feeling of being a person of African decent. Who’s to say that only one population of an ethnicity can have a month to celebrate their history, and how can we say that there is no division between ethnicity here in the U.S and racism as well as discrimination is slowly ceasing to exist when they separate us for a whole month. Yes, we know that Black History Month is meant to commemorate those that came before us and the struggles that they overcame, but we also understand that a rich history such as that could never be consolidated to one month.
When Morgan Freeman mentions the fact that there is no Jewish History Month, I think he raises a valid point. Jews migrated to the U.S just the same, and hold a strong history within their culture and yet they are not singled out. Therefore, why would you single out one particular group of people only to mention them from time to time? I say, if it doesn’t occur in the same way for all groups of people, then there shouldn’t be one.
Morgan Freeman also mentions that the problem with race relations is that people judge and then also talk about the issue for decades. Why can’t we all just look at people for exactly who they are…people and not try to categorize them?
The problem with this concept is that whatever we continue to carry on throughout our lifetimes will be the same morals and beliefs that our future generations and our offspring will model. So if we stopped talking about how drastic everyone’s differences are, and focus on just who they are, then the problem if not eliminated, would be significantly minimized. The thing about character traits that people don’t understand is that they are passed down if they are not forgotten or disintegrated and that does not just include characteristics, but culture and assumptions as well.
For so long, the problem with our culture is that we embed these ideas into everyone’s minds and then yell at them when we want them to believe otherwise. Yet, I think if we acted upon the fact that “race” and other concepts shouldn’t take up as much space as they should in this world, then maybe we could actually make a difference that wouldn’t be as forced as it is today.
Therefore, my conclusion is taken the present as it is and let’s not dwell in the past. If we choose to emphasize something, it should be across the board and not just a state of correcting something in a ethnic culture’s past because we feel guilty.
Since Freeman's statements became public, I have read many editorials written by black intellectuals calling for the end of the celebration of black history month. What I can grasp from this claim is that they believe Black History month is no longer necessary, and that a 28 day observance both confines and trivializes the historic contributions of African-Americans in this country. Prior to even thinking about what Freeman was saying, I had to first get over my continued outrage at white people asking black actors, athletes, and entertainers what they think about issues that are outside of their areas of expertise. Publicizing the opinions of Morgan Freeman doesn't make him a spokesman for the black race. I don't see anyone seeking out Robert DeNiro for opinions about Iraq, but that's a whole different discussion. But in response to Freeman's comments, all I can say is, "Please."Celebrating Black History Month no more confines the history of African-Americans than the one day MLK holiday confines the achievements of Dr. Martin Luther King. Or that St. Patrick's Day confines the history of Irish-Americans to March 17th. Mr. Freeman and others maintain that in place of Black History Month, black history should be incorporated into the mainstream history of America. Their thought process is that black history can be celebrated every day by its proper inclusion in American history. Mr. Freeman went so far as to ask Mike Wallace, "Which month is white history month?" The sordid reality is that every month remains white history month in this country and it is precisely for this reason that Black History month remains relevant and necessary. When Mike Wallace asked Freeman how we can get rid of racism, he replied:"Stop talking about it.” Clearly, this man is stuck in the pre-encounter stage on the race continuum. I don't know about you, but I simply cannot agree with Freeman. We will not solve racial issues in this country by putting our collective heads in the sand and hoping they will go away. We can't run from our own racial past and delude ourselves that everything is okay in America. Our society still remains segregated in many ways, from where we live and where we worship, to who survives a hurricane. We like to think that we are a society beyond racism, but reality doesn't bear that out. Race is America's great taboo, and the fact is that there are differences -- cultural and physical -- between people of different races. We need to acknowledge those differences. Pretending like they don't exist is ignoring the elephant in the room. Mike Wallace is a white guy. Morgan Freeman is a black guy. As much as I would like to see it other than this, I won’t and I can’t.
I am not black, brown, or African American. I am not Jewish, Native American, or Asian. I am a white girl from northeastern Pennsylvania. My ancestors came over here on a boat from Europe and I barely know anything about their cultures. I am educated enough to know my culture’s history, which is American History. In classes in high school, and even college, we learn all about the United States and the beginning of our country and what made this country what it is today. I agree with Bryson Nobles, that it is silly to dedicate one month to a specific culture. America is such a melting pot and there are so many different cultures that I do question why only one specific group of peoples has a month to themselves? I feel like Black History Month came about as a result from the civil rights movement. I do feel like black people were mistreated back then and something did have to be done, but I feel like dedicating a month to their history is kind of silly. It is almost doing their culture an injustice. It is almost exploiting their culture more because they are the only ones with a month dedicated to their history. We should just celebrate all of our history as American history, because whether we are black, brown, red, yellow, we are all Americans.
I could see why Morgan Freeman was mad, but at the same time, he flipped out on Mike Wallace. It was uncalled for and completely unnecessary. He definitely could have controlled himself a little better and address the issue in a calmer manner maybe. I think that if Mike Wallace were to say that he thought Black History Month is silly, Morgan Freeman probably would have flipped out about that too. Seriously, this is what puts white people in a predicament. I know that I feel comfortable talking with different races about race when I know them and know how they are. I sort of feel comfortable talking to other races about race, but it definitely is easier if you know them because you know what you can and can not say. It is not worth talking about something if it is just going to end up in a huge battle. I have a lot of respect for Morgan Freeman as an actor, but after seeing this clip, I really felt bad for Mike Wallace. This poor guy was probably just reading questions from a cue card and was completely attacked. Plus, he was not the person who implemented Black History Month. That was people years ago, and I really do not know if there is anything we can do about it.
Thank you, thank you very much Morgan Freemen. I too find black history month to be ridiculous. Now Webster’s definition of ridiculous is arousing or deserving ridicule. I think Morgan Freeman choose ridiculous because it is amusing to him that the white man only gave black people only one month to celebrate all we have been through, all we have accomplish, all we have gained in this white world. The definition of ridicule is the act of exposing to laughter, and to me this is some funny stuff. Like Morgan Freeman said how can you relegate my history, our history, the black history to a month? My question is how is it possible to put people like Booker T. Washington who was one on the first African Americans to be honored on a stamp, George Washington Carver who thought former slaves farming techniques so they could become self sufficient, Lee Elder the first African American golfer to play in the Masters tournament, Shirley Chisholm the first African American woman to be elected into the U.S. Congress, people like Paul Cuffe, Richard Allen, Frederick Douglass, Sonjourner Truth, Herriet Tubman, W. E. B. Du Bois, Ida B. Wella-Barnett, A Philli Randolph, Roy Wikinins, Thurgoog Marshall, James Farmer, Whitney M. Young Jr., Benjamin Hooks, Malcolm X, Ralph Abernathy, Andrew Young, Colin Powell, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., I know some of you might think this is a lot of names, but these names are just a petite amount of the people who combine to make black history, so it is truly amazing and historical to give one month to celebrate these wonderful people legacy and what they and so much more have accomplished on behalf of blacks and the whole of mankind. When Morgan Freemen asked the host which month is white history month, he was baffled and his answer was he is Jewish. There is no answer to the question because white history month is celebrated throughout the year everyday and black people just je twenty eight days sometimes twenty nine days to celebrate our history our precious history, American History. That’s the thing why is it called Black History why isn’t call American history?
The host asked a very important question that I though Morgan Freemen Answer very well. He asked how we are going to get rid of racism and Morgan Freemen just out right told him the truth “stop talking about it.” As long as we keep on talking about racism all the time, seeing each other as blacks, whites, brown, yellow, pink, blue, racism will never end. If we address each other by our names and push color aside then all this race talk will be avoided but as long as we see color then racism will never end. It’s not that white people will never win the Race Game; it’s that they created the race game and now they don’t want to be held accountable for their wrong doings. It’s like creating a monster but when it starts to destroy you disown it, Life does not work like that.
I found the video clip very interesting. I would have to agree with Morgan Freeman when he says that he does not care much for or want black history month. First of all black history is apart of American history. Separating these histories does not make us any closer to finding common ground; it just further divides the races. The fact that blacks get their own history month separates them from every other race. Having a black history month singles them out from every other race. When I was younger I was actually a bit jealous and curious as to why blacks had their own history month and wanted to know why whites did not have their own history month. The whole idea of singling out races and dedicating a month to black history just seems sort of pointless. In my opinion there should not be a black history month. It almost seems to cause more division. For example, when in class, Sam talked about Penn State and how at one point they had a white prom queen and king and a black prom queen and king. It seems that that would suggest that skin color creates such differences. In fact, so many differences that a white couple and a black couple would be in a totally different league. The idea just seems stupid and seems like it would cause more problems besides it just being unnecessary. As for Bryson Nobles saying that he thinks having a month to celebrate black people is no less silly than having a day to celebrate birthdays, I would have to say these two types of celebrations are pretty different. Birthdays are all about the individual and how the individual wants to celebrate it. Also, almost everyone has a birthday. No one or any particular group is singled out because of their birthday. I do agree with Bryson Nobles when he says that not talking about race is not going to get us anywhere or fix any problems. However, I don’t think that is exactly what Morgan Freeman said when he said let’s just stop talking about it. I feel sometimes that people blow race issues out of proportion. If skin color is not such a big deal then why do some people really seem to make an effort to make it an issue. I’m not saying that race is not an issue and that there aren’t major problems that should be addressed. In conclusion I think that Morgan Freeman did say something constructive by not making such a big deal about the question. He said what he thought. There should not be a black history month and I agree. He said few words but got his point across.
You’re damned if you do and damned if you don’t. White people have always had advantages over black people, and unfortunately, will probably continue to have them. However, I’m not ashamed to sympathize with the white team on this one. I have no guilt saying I believe Morgan Freeman is wrong by forcefully rejecting the olive branch he was offered by Mike Wallace. The race card is definitely something black people have on white people. I agree that one month hardly accounts for the entirty of black history, but what Holiday fully represents why it was established? For example, St. Patrick’s Day hardly sums up Irish culture, so should I be offended by its celebration? I feel quite the opposite and enjoy the parade in Pittsburgh year after year. Morgan Freeman’s response probably isn’t unique, and these negative responses further complicate an already complicated matter. For lack of a better solution, white people do look to other races for ideas of how to interact with them and more often than not, mistakenly end up generalizing entire populations. Sometimes generalizing or stereotyping can be taken lightly, such as by saying white people can’t dance. As the article “Say ‘Hello’ to my New Black and Brown Friends” points out, such generalizations and stereotypes can also be harmful and dangerous to fall into. African Americans for the most part aren’t poor, although this is still a commonly held belief in the United States. The racial identity development scales presented in class I think will be very productive in enlightening both sides just where we are in trying to build meaningful relationships with each other. The last couple of classes have helped me to see which stages I’m lingering in at least. I feel somewhat empowered by the second half of this semester and feel like I belong at the race table just as much as black people, who might have intimidated me before. I know Mike Wallace was caught off guard by Morgan Freeman’s response, his intension being only to shed light on a celebration and to relate to the person he’s interviewing, something he can never do. Hopefully Mike Wallace isn’t totally discouraged from offering the olive branch in the future, and hopefully Morgan Freeman will recognize one man, one celebration, cannot undo years of injustice. All Morgan Freeman has to do is take the branch in his hand, maybe see how it feels. The last point I want to make is the fact that I love Mark Twain’s quote, “"Don't let schooling get in the way of your education." I love this quote because it applies to so many things beyond this blog. Text books can teach us some things, but experience has led me to know what is comfortable to say around my friends of different ethnicities. Like my white friends, my black friends are all different. I appreciate the fact that they know I’m just curious about things, especially trivial things like the differences between our hair types. For once, it felt good for someone to call me ignorant because it meant I wasn’t racist. I think learning from experience illustrates the Mike Wallace/Morgan Freeman situation quite well.
I actually remember watching this interview on 60 Minutes with my family. One of my favorite quotes came from him on this interview: “Life has been good to me, so I try to be good to life. But how do you be good to life? You live it.” But his “Stop talking about it,” quotation when asked what to do about ending racism doesn’t escape my memory either.
At the time I first watched this interview, I agreed with Morgan Freeman. Why wouldn’t no longer calling attention to race help improve race relations? I’ve said in my previous blog responses that focusing on the differences between the different races won’t improve the current relationship between the races, but instead looking for all the things that the races have in common can bonds be formed that will overcome racism. But since that seems an impossible goal, ignoring the subject entirely seems to be the next best solution.
But Morgan Freeman’s method of addressing race was exactly as Bryson put it: unconstructive. Here is a prominent person of color who has a very strong fan base who has the power to make people listen to him and would at least consider his opinions to be valid. And when he had an opportunity to make the situation better between the races, he dismissed it as something that despite how many times it had been talked about, no progress had been or would ever be made.
That said, I can certainly understand the perspective that at his age he would be tired of discussing the subject of race, but what he fails to understand is that at his age, he can also help do something about it. The voice of experience has the power to inspire change, and Morgan Freeman ignored the opportunity to make change in the world of race relations.
I agree completely with Bryson’s opinion. Ignoring a problem doesn’t make it go away, and there is nothing at all wrong with celebrating a person’s culture for a short period of time. Now, I do understand Morgan Freeman’s perspective that it seems that black people are the ones to be singled out, as they are the only ones to have an entire month dedicated to them, but on the other hand, Bryson hits the nail on the head when he points out that people are indifferent to it. Some people enjoy celebrating Black History Month, others it doesn’t affect either way, and some dislike it for one reason or another. It all depends on whether or not the person or culture being celebrated enjoys the attention or not.
I personally am indifferent about Black History Month, but I certainly wouldn’t fault a person one way or the other if they wanted to celebrate it or not. Morgan Freeman doesn’t want the attention called to his race, but everybody deserves a little attention now and then. Everyone has a right to choose when they want the attention, regardless of their race, and one person’s choice to be celebrated or not does not necessarily reflect everyone else’s choice.
I thought that was one of the funniest things I’ve ever seen. Morgan Freeman was so funny, plus it so went with his personality that it just added to the hilarity of the situation. Add in a guy who was blustering because he made a stupid and ignorant mistake, well, it was funny to say the least. I mean I can’t believe he would generalize and then try to defend himself by saying that he was Jewish. I mean what kind of idiot do you have to be, but I feel for him since he was dealing with the great sarcastic mind of Morgan Freeman. That was an overexageration of his coolness but it still does not take anything away from his coolness.
I do like Morgan Freeman’s point though. I agree that we put to much emphasis on race, and while this is a good thing, it is detrimental. I think that we should be able to be proud in our heritage, but we should stop being so obsessed with race. Yes you are a person of color, but once we recognize that we should move onto how he are all similar and different as people. I believe that people should be seen as individual people just as Morgan Freeman, and not judged based on how similar one looks or dresses. People are individuals that differ in personality, moods, idiosyncracies, and backgrounds. There are far too many variables which make us human, that we cannot truly comprehend what makes us so similar.
I think that the old coordinator was wrong about Morgan Freeman. It wasn’t just that he was tired of the black actor role, he was just an individual who wants to be seen as Morgan Freeman. He doesn’t want anybody to associate and assume things about him. To be an independent person is who we should all strive to be.
What was the point of this, “Try to imagine the overplayed black guy who grew up in "da hood," plays basketball, wears “do rags” and “tims,” will eat a small mountain of chicken (with hot sauce, of course), wash it all down with "red" kool-aid and top it off with watermelon flavored Now 'n Laters for dessert . . . then throw in one more ridiculous stereotype for fun - that's the Bryson Nobles you've been responding to.” I mean, so what if some do, that’s the point of a generalization, and I think it’s universally understood. He just wants to be funny, but really any intellectuals can understand stereotypes.
White people will never win the race game
I remember when we had the speaker on Thursday and he said that when he went to Africa they thought differently. When he said "I'm African like you" and the man responded with the neighbor comment, I completely agree with that African man. Its not that Africans criticize the way that Black Americans want to be African but they question it because "what have you done for our country?", as my grandmother would say. I come from a very strong East African family and they think every American is white. My mother is a very cheerful, caring, and get to know you type of person. Her heart is shown as soon as you meet her and most people don't have that approach to complete and total strangers as she does. I definitely took it for granted because I thought everybody was the same but in America most people wouldn't care about their own neighbors, unless something serious like a death or another extreme case. On a regular day to day basis Americans do not care or even want to know each other, which is a very selfish approach in my opinion. I always separated myself from the Black identity even though I look "Black", yes my hair is rough, my skin is dark and most of my friends are Black. I am very separate though, when I go home I do not speak English in my home, I don't eat American food, and I am a East African woman not a African American woman, so that separates me from them. When it comes to Black History I actually do not care because that does not involve me. America does not speak about our accomplishments in their upcoming and how they used our people as slaves to better this country, so it does not involve me. In a sense I have this Mexican- American approach, being unwanted and very unappreciated. I have had comments from friends that I am part of the Black community to the White people so I would have to start caring but truthfully I really do not. I actually think that Black Americans complain about many things like this when they should be worrying about other important things. The least amount of slaves were brought to America and the most were in the Caribbean's and South America yet do we see people in the Caribbean's or South America complaining about a month. Yes, I do understand the context of it and that a month is not fair but really what race does have recognition for a month other than the Black race.
I think that Freeman’s comment about white people not being able to win the race game makes no sense. The race game is not a game to be won, whether by white people or colored people, it is a stupid game that gets between people of different races and drives them apart or stops them from discussing how they really feel about race. Black History Month is pointless, I believe Freeman is right on this point. Why isn’t black history seemlessly integrated into the rest of our history when it is taught in schools? Its not as if its in some way special or detached from the rest of American history, so it should just be treated in the same manner as any other topic would be in a classroom. I wouldn’t necessarily say it’s a bad thing, its more of exactly what the blog entry says, that its just a pointless event held to appease people and make them feel important, but that’s all it is, pointless. Everyone should know black history, in fact black history shouldn’t even be a term, why does it matter that the people involved in specific events in the past were black or not? Unless the events and people being discussed have to do with racism and equal rights and other such struggles that black people faced in American history, it shouldn’t even matter whether the people involved were black or not. On the flip side I think Freeman’s reaction was a little strange and unnecessarily angry. Its hard to say that with only a 55 second clip, as I suppose theres a chance that the clip is taken out of context of the rest of the interview, but I believe that even though Black History Month is somewhat pointless, its certainly not something to be angry about, its just recognizing the struggles and successes of black people in America. Just because it shouldn’t need to exist doesn’t make its existence wrong. In addition any attempt to remove Black History Month from existence would almost definitely be treated as racist, and wouldn’t solve anything. I also believe that the fact that Black History Month was created by black teachers would have ruined Freeman’s argument, had Wallace brought it up, so even though I agree with him on some level I think his argument is partly built on false information. How would a holiday created by black people be a holiday created to make white people feel better about racism? That simply makes no sense. Another side to this whole situation is that in all honesty, you can’t teach everything about the history of the world to kids who take one history class a year tops for their elementary, middle, and high school careers. There’s simply not enough time.
After reading Bryson Nobles comments regarding Morgan Freeman’s response to Black History Month, I agree with everything he had to say. The race game is one that the Caucasian race is never going to win. Blacks use their treatment in the past as means to making whites feel uncomfortable in many situations. In the 60 Minutes interview, Morgan Freeman is very insecure and is still living in the past.
I think Black History Month is a great idea because it acknowledges the struggles that black people have gone through. Having a month to recognize the hardships of blacks allows people to reflect on their hard times and remind citizens never to go back towards those times. Even though slavery still exists in many forms, I believe that Americans are moving towards a more free nation. With black people gaining access to better schooling systems and health care, America is becoming a much more equal. Blacks and browns are moving away from poverty into areas that foster a much better learning and growing experience.
At the same time, Black History Month is the means for many whites to learn about the black race. Growing up in high school, I was not really faced with much diversity. There were five blacks in a class of 700 people. By no means was my school racist, but they tended to stick together and not branch out much. I got to know one or two because of my involvement in sports, but still did not really talk about race related issues. Being involved in Soc 119 has allowed me to become more comfortable when engaging in race related conversations. If I had the teaching in high school that I have in college, I believe I would have tried to become closer friends with the few black kids in my high school. Not talking to them about race really put me behind my peers at Penn State.
I noticed this on my first day in class when I felt very uncomfortable with the number of minorities in class. For once in my life, I witnessed equality between races. My discomfort was not bad by any means. After a couple lectures and discussions, I came to realize that all people are very similar. I had previously thought that many black people were “thugs” because of the typical people you see on the news, or the crowds on the streets. Talking race with people of color really brings things into perspective.
If races are not educated about other races and do not interact with each other, no ground will be made on the race issue. People like Morgan Freeman taking offense to ideas meant to educate makes it difficult to move in the right direction. In the future, younger generations need to be educated at an earlier level so they can leave their segregated views of America behind.
After reading the blog “White People Will Never Win the Race Game” I feel like what Morgan Freeman said can be taken two different ways. One is that only one month is ridiculous we should be thinking and learning about our history as a nation all the time, not celebrating it just one month. But on the other hand he could look like he does not care about his own history and some blacks could take this as hurtful when someone does not care. At the race table we white people sometimes think that black people want more things dedicated to them or want more attention to be paid to their ancestors and where they came from. So when Morgan Freeman says that he does not care about Black History Month it sounds hypocritical on what so many black people have been asking for. Though maybe I’m wrong? After Morgan Freeman said this it looked like Mike Wallace did not know what exactly to say back. He had to be careful what he said because if he said something wrong he could look racist. Hypothetically if he said that “Yeah Black History Month is ridiculous” people would have an uproar with this “racist” reporter. That is probably what he means by saying that “the white person will never win.” They really can’t because like Sam said in class African Americans are give a whole month to celebrate their history and then there are some blacks like Morgan Freeman who don’t like it. I know that all blacks or African Americans don’t think this way though, so you can’t make everyone happy. This goes for every race and ethnicity. Though going on what Mike Wallace said, he is Jewish and there isn’t a month to celebrate Jewish history. This is why white people have such a hard time at the race table, because if they say one thing they’re not being honest and if they say another they look racist. Yet a black person can “diss” Black History Month and it may look wrong but he’s not called racist straight out.
I agree with Bryson Noble on the fact that talking about race should not drive races apart. I believe that Morgan Freeman said nothing helpful for the race table. I’ll admit that I don’t know how to talk at the race table, but that doesn’t mean I’m not open to learn and join in on one. I do think that the schools use this month to the fullest to put it in their lessons plans, which is great. It gives teachers the time and excuse to talk about the race issue, but I think that just because there is a month set aside for black history teachers and race tables should not limit talking about them during the month of February. Just like every other ethnicities history should be talked about equally as much.
After watching the Morgan Freeman clip, I completely agree with him. Why should there be a black history month. Bryson states that Black History Month is just a time for everyone to acknowledge something that is celebrated all year round. I don't think that it needs to be a month. If it can't be celebrated all year round, or if it is, then don't bring any more attention to it. Blacks all over are trying to get over the fact that they were slaves, they are trying to start believing and thinking that they are equal, as they are, to everyone else. Why devote an entire month to the fact that blacks had to fight for where they are today, and remind them of the hardships they had to face and what they had to overcome.
On that note, we don't have a women's history month. What about all the women who had to fight to get to where they are today? How women had to fight for the rights they have, and to be seen as equals and have the same opportunities that men have today. They don't have a month devoted to women's history and the things they have overcome, so why in the hell is it fair to have one strictly for blacks? And for that matter, why doesn't every race and religion and anything else that has had to fight to get where it is today have some month dedicated to their recognition and acceptance? It doesn't seem quite fair that we devote one whole month to Black History and not to the other people who deserve it. Then again, who brought about Black History Month and why is it still in existance?? Was it someone white who felt guilty and wanted to do something to bring about peace? Who keeps it going, and why hasn’t the question of having it be eliminated come about yet? Are there really that many blacks that actually had to go through the slavery age still around? I’m guessing there probably aren’t and that the people in today’s society, of every race, atleast here in America (BY LAW) are given the same rights as the next guy. I can’t account for discrimination, but by law we should all receive the same treatment! I am sick of white guilt. I didn't do a damn thing to any black people to feel bad for the fact that they were slaves. Therefore I'm not going to feel sorry for them, and I sure as hell am not going to celebrate an entire month (ironically the shortest month) to them when the people growing up in today's society (for the majority) didn't do a damn thing to get the black race where it is today. Black History Month is a thing of the past... and it should remain that way!
As I watched the 60 Minutes clip with Morgan Freeman, I laughed when Mike Wallace said he was Jewish. Even before Morgan could ask Mike if he wanted a Jewish History Month I thought about what that would be like. I am Jewish and I have to agree with Mike Wallace on this one, I would not want a Jewish History Month either. Let’s see, there’d be a day or two on immigration into this country, a day talking about Sandy Koufax and then about three weeks of talking about the holocaust. Most of the Jews in this country know a lot of them came from Europe, that Koufax missed the World Series for Yom Kippur, and that Hitler was bad. To be quite honest, I would have no desire to see famous Jews on TV reminding me about all the great things we as a race have done. If you had Jewish History Month, then everyone is going to need one. Let’s just stick to normal month names like January, February and March instead of giving each group it’s own time to shine. Now Morgan Freeman said how white people can never win this race game, and I do have to agree it seems that a lot of times if we say a comment to someone of color, a lot of people tend to find a way to turn it into a racist remark. Morgan Freeman did bring up another thing that I strongly disagree with, mainly because of taking SOC 119. I don’t think we can get rid of racism by simply just not talking about it. I feel that what goes on in our discussion groups is amazing and that by talking about this kind of stuff, dealing with this stuff, and working through this stuff, we are making far greater strides than if we just sat back and kept our mouths shut. Before taking this class, I did tend to agree with Morgan Freeman in that if we stopped talking about racism, it would go away. However life teaches us that if you ignore something, that doesn’t mean it will just go away or get better. By talking with people in my discussion groups I have learned new things, I have become more comfortable with people of different backgrounds unlike my own. In high school for most of us, almost all the students we graduate with have the same social, racial and economic status. When we get to college, everyone is thrown together and mixed. Granted we don’t have the largest ratio of black students to whites at Penn State, but there are certainly more than the amount I went to high school with. Being comfortable talking about race is the biggest key to eliminating racism.
I agree to a certain extent with Morgan Freeman on his views on black history month. I have always thought that it is important to recognize the history of different cultures but I never understood why there was a black history month and not a month for any other race. Are their histories not as important? Should we all just focus on black history and nothing else? Surely Asians have a rich and interesting history they would like to focus on as well.
Many times over the years when black history month rolled around, I would mention some of these thoughts to a friend or two, but only to get looks of disbelief in the words I was saying. I could read it in their face, every one of them thinking that I was some racist for not thinking black history month was special. I am not saying that black history should not be talked about or celebrated I just want to understand why it cannot be celebrated as American history month.
I also enjoyed the obvious awkwardness that the sixty minutes host had when Morgan asked him why he thought there should be a Black history month. The only thing the poor man could think to say was that he was Jewish, which is either here nor there. The truth of the matter was that Morgan Freeman was counting on the man not having an answer in order to prove his point of why there doesn’t need to be a black history month.
On many things I do agree with Morgan Freeman but in one thing I do not and that is to stop talking about race. I feel like race is something that should be talked about more. That people should break out of their uncomfortable shells and say what they think about race instead of hiding their thoughts and misconceptions. If people stopped talking about race the whole issue would be just like a purple elephant standing in the room that is the world. For an example let’s say that I have views on race that I know are not shared by everyone else in the world but I have never talked to anyone about them because I know they will view me as racist or worse. But if I could talk about these views with others and have them help me understand a different way of thinking and their perspective on race I could open myself up to new ways of thinking and living.
By talking about differences in people such as race we will hopefully be able to someday celebrate the awesomeness of having so many different people in the world with such different histories. I know that not all histories are full of happy memories but all histories deserve to be remembered not just a select few.
When I first saw this clip, I was pretty shocked to see Morgan Freeman act so hostile and offended by the thought of us having a Black History Month. After reading what Bryson said, I can understand a bit better where Morgan Freeman is coming from. If my entire image was important as an actor because I was black, and everywhere I went, the fact that I was black was mentioned constantly. It can be annoying and insulting. Its like, "Well I'm more than just a black actor." It can be tiring to have this "image" behind you all the time. With this being said, it does not mean that he should have acted that way. Black History Month – although just a month, can still stir up conversation, which is needed in order to discuss race and the issues that occur today. At the same time, a month to remember Black History Month is like saying that the rest of the year we can talk about other things. Most children also realize about racism and slavery because of Black History Month, which can be good and bad. Good, in the sense that they can learn facts, but bad because many people can twist things around and have them perceive things differently. An example of this being the twin sisters we saw in class (although this is about the Holocaust) we can still see how a huge event is considered "overrated."
Watching this video also made me think, why wouldn't anyone else want a Jewish history month? Jewish people were oppressed and killed because of their culture, shouldn't they have a month of remembrance as well? And why would Mike say no that he wouldn't want one. I'm not Jewish…so I don't necessarily know why not. But perhaps people wouldn't want to feel as if they only have a month in order to for others to remember the struggles that their ancestors went through. Whatever the reason, I think Morgan Freeman overacted and should've done what Bryson said, and just moved on. Going back to having a Jewish history month, perhaps having this will increase the attention Jewish individuals will receive during this month, making it more of a event rather than a remembrance. I can also see the media making a huge deal about it, every commercial being about it, shows, school plays, all of this can be painful to some. Not only this but very personal memories and questions will probably be asked of Jewish people. This is a memory that some may not need to be recalled. This being said…the importance of race being discussed is more important than it being swept under the rug. Black History Month, can at least start some discussion.
As a white person, I somewhat agree with Morgan Freeman. While I am not trying to relegate the month, I think that it is about time we begin to stop distinguishing ourselves as black and white. When Freeman asks Mike Wallace if he wants a Jewish history month, he quickly says “no”. The reason is because it undermines the significance of the Jewish Heritage just as Black History month undermines the significance of African Americans. To me (and most other people), it would not make sense to have a White History month because I do not think it encompasses all of our history. Are we telling black people that because we do not have our own history month that we have a more storied history than they do?I believe that we have come far enough as a society to realize that we do not need to set aside a month to recognize what black people have accomplished--it simply does not do them justice.
Like Freeman said, black history is American history. With black history month, we are not incorporating all of the accomplishments into American history. Furthermore, by separating the two is basically a slap in the face saying that black people were not an integral part in the development of the United States, but something separate. When Nobles says that we are being courteous by designating February as Black history month, I think that it defeats the purpose of race relations. In class, Sam always talks about white people feeling guilty, how we are afraid of black people and how we should move past this. The only thing that we are doing with black history month is showing how guilty we are after more than two hundred years. It is time to move on from this.
While I disagree with Nobles on the topic of black history month, I agree with him on the fact that we cannot ignore race. All of my life I have ignored race, but after taking my first class of SOC 119 I felt like an oblivious first grader. Race is all too prevalent to ignore and is something that everyone needs to be educated on. We are only making matters worse when we pretend like we do not see color. When people say that they do not see color, they are either lying to you or are fake. Growing up in a white township, people would feign as if they did not act differently around someone of color. Yet, when one of them came to their house the white person would follow the person of color’s every move. If you see color, like all of us, the only solution is to be open about it.
After seeing clip of the 60 Second interview of Morgan Freeman I have to say I kind of agree with him. I’m always surprised by the pride Americans take by saying they are the most diverse nation in the world today or the biggest sociological experiment in history or call this country ‘a melting pot’ when really, if you dig deeper most people in this country don’t even associate with people that are too different from them. Yes I admit it is a bit of a broad statement but look at the discrimination against Mexicans, and I can also speak from personal experience because I’m a foreigner. It all sounds good on paper but really this country is still a fledgling when it comes to truly understanding race relations and letting everyone live out the American dream.
For me the whole purpose of Black History Month is kind of defeated because most people here are saying that they never stop to think of what this month represents or tries to teach. So at the end of the day the only people who care are usually Black people and not the people who the Black population is try to reach out to and have understand their points of views. And because of that simple fact that people don’t even care enough to research something as obvious and as public as BHM, it makes me annoyed when people say they don’t know anything about Black people when they don’t even care enough to take the initiative to learn anything. I understand that no one who isn’t Black can never truly understand what it means to be Black or fully understand Black peoples experiences, but doing a little research never hurt anyone. At least become more knowledgeable on the basics that everyone can understand than hide behind the skirts of ignorance.
The point that Freeman made that really struck home with me is that Black history IS also American history. Out of every history class I have ever taken in my academic career in this country, usually only one chapter is used to explain the Black struggle that took place in this country. It is such a complex matter but it is all wrapped up in about 10 pages of reading and at the end you come away knowing nothing of substance. So really, how is one month out of a year supposed to compensate for a life time of lacking education? And to make matters worse, even less attention is paid to Native Americans, The REAL Americans. What do people say to that? I’m not saying that it is completely a bad idea but I think that this month was only created so that political figures and people can deflect the question as to why they aren’t doing anything about race to some extent. And this is a silly question but why is it during the shortest month of the year anyway lol.
I don’t completely agree with Freeman’s comment that we should just stop talking about race, because nothing will change unless people speak up. Look at what Martin Luther King Jr. did. It was all through speech that he got people to understand the Black struggle and made it possible for this country to take one step closer to eliminating racism. I understand that having been in the spot light Freeman might just simply be tired of talking about race. I mean I can imagine if I had to talk about it and fight about it my entire life at some point I would get a little annoyed but I wouldn’t go as far as telling people to stop talking about it. Just simply stopping people from acknowledging the fact that they are white or black doesn’t fix the problem at all and to some extent robs people of their own personal history and sense of identity.
The history of Black History month dates back to 1926 when it was Negro History Week. Dr. Carter G. Woodson is credited with establishing the annual celebration. While attaining his Ph. D. at Harvard he was disturbed to find that there was no mention of black history. In 1915, Dr. Woodson started with the Journal of Negro History, which started to integrate black history into American culture. At that time when it was first recognized for celebration, there were really no studies or research actually done. It wasn’t until later on that true research was being done.
For many many years, black history was ignored and wasn’t really spoken about. Today, black history is as relevant and studied as the pilgrims, maybe even more. This shows that we have come a long way but I think until we stop separating the two, and making it American History and not dividing the two, we won’t ever stop thinking of inequality and racism.
I was in a way a little surprised to see what Morgan Freeman had to say, but after listening to the whole conversation I wasn’t really surprised. He reminded of the Bill Cosby interview where Bill Cosby once commented about Black Americans throwing the race card and the slavery card. He said that it is hindering growth for these kids. He stated that instead of complaining about things that happen many years ago and not even to these kids that they should get up and gets jobs. Now I am not saying that I am advocating that we forget slavery and the history that this country has. I think everyone’s history should be with them always.
As an Armenian, I am constantly in tune with my heritage and culture. I am so proud to be Armenian. I love my culture and where I come from. Being first generation American is important for me to brace. America is one of the very few places in the world if not the only place that there are no set nationalities, cultures, etc. Some people in this country think that there is a right and wrong. This country was founded on the principles of Christianity, but that isn’t the only way to live. America is unique in that it allows all of us no matter where we come from to be proud of ourselves and remember and celebrate our history and at the same time allow us to decide for ourselves. Being apart of a family where culture and values and heritage were taught to me and surrounded me constantly I grew up in a Lebanese/Armenian/American culture. I have the best of three worlds. I can go to any of the three nations and “fit in”.
I feel it’s about time we start to look at each person as the person not as the history. We spoke in class that white people would feel guilty…I don’t. I may feel lucky at times, but not guilty.
As much as I regret to say it, Morgan Freeman is wrong here, when he points that he doesn’t see the need for Black History Month. People all around the world have, and will, continue to celebrate the lives and accomplishments that change the course of humanity.
If there is no need for Black History Month, maybe we shouldn’t celebrate MLK Day, or Gandhi’s birthday- or even the Oscars. After all, why celebrate the accomplishments of great people, who sacrificed everything they had for freedom. What Morgan Freeman doesn’t realize is that were it not for the people who are celebrated in Black History Month, life might have been very, very different for him. Maybe then, if Mr. Freeman chooses to continue to say that it is an unnecessary occasion, we shouldn’t nominate him for an Oscar or any kind of award for acting- because hey, if we aren’t supposed to celebrate life changing events, why celebrate life changing acting right?
I sometimes wonder if both sides will ever truly meet eye to eye. I’m not black or white which is why I feel like I have a great view of what’s going on as an unbiased spectator. When white people don’t care, they’re said to be ignorant, and when they do it’s being ‘fake’. Likewise, it is definitely true, that some white people try to get along and play the part of a concerned and wonderfully law abiding citizen who believes in race equality. Yes, Morgan Freeman is right, partially. Then again, you’re going to meet fake people all your life, people who pretend that they’re something they’re not.
Nobles, too, is definitely right when he says that there are consequences to growing up in an education system that ‘compartmentalizes’ everything. That is the core of the problem. We aren’t taught to respect race from the start, and that is key. Teachers need to tell us how to behave with each other, long before the prejudices of the world have affected us, and shaped the way our minds think about people from different cultures.
Prejudice and racism needs to be eliminated and it needs to go now. Some people think that it serves to separate our society into its ‘appropriate’ levels. Those people are wrong and it is up to all of us who know what is right to send out the message of anti racism whenever we can.
In response to Morgan Freeman’s interview with Mike Wallace towards black history month, I feel that people overlook the true meaning of what it’s there for. People automatically think that it’s put in a box for solely black people to celebrate. The goal is to get America knowledgeable as a whole collective unit. When it comes to the production of goods, the ultimate motive of a company is profit. Their tactic in doing so is to draw in consumers by standard advertising approaches. The flaw of this is that the consumer is blinded. They only notice the personal benefits in receipt of purchasing the item at a local store or online shop. What is hidden is the source of where and how this particular product is made. Marx, in turn, went behind the scenes and examined the working conditions of laborers. He found that there is an imbalance when it comes to the means of production versus the comparative treatment between the owner and the worker. Socially, there is little to no interaction between the owner and the worker. This is ultimately a separation of class from the superior (owner) to the inferior (worker), which he defined as a power imbalance. The discomfort of the working environment, such as excess heat or hard wooden chairs, is overlooked. Even with respect, the workers are verbally stepped on with demands and threats by supervisors. Monetarily, the compensation that the worker receives on the basis of the work put forth doesn’t add up equally. The owner receives a vast majority of the profit earned from the products that are sold, with minimal contribution to the manufacturing process. For an attempt at resolution, Marx constructed a Model of Social Change: The Communist Revolution. He approached the class conflict and categorized each of them. The Capitalists being the owners of the private property and the Proletariat group being the owners of the labor power. He sought to generate class consciousness, which he considered to be an awareness of connecting the part of working class in which one belongs to the common relationship one has to the means of production. This was the anticipated first step into instituting social change. In recognizing the difference in labor motives between classes, Marx appointed survival to be that of the proletariat and maximization of control and surplus value for the capitalists. A relevant article entitled The Racialization of Global Labor by Edna Bonacich, Sabrina Alimahomed, and Jake B. Wilson speaks of the capitalist system being maintained and structured by white supremacy. It touches on subdivided aspects on estrangement such as racial and gender discrimination in the labor force. The authors consider race to be the pivotal reason for today’s exploitive labor system. They define racialization as the process by which racial attributes and meanings are projected onto previously nonracial situations, varying socially, economically, and politically
I completely agree with Bryson Nobles about Morgan Freeman. I understand that Morgan Freeman is upset about race, but there’s no way that people are going to just stop talking about it. I don’t even think people should stop talking about it. It helps us learn about the other races and cultures, and it helps us respect them. I would love to ask questions for the rest of my life about race. I’d hate for that to be taken away. It gives me a way to connect to different people.
When Morgan Freeman says it’s a game “that white people can never win” I feel discomfort. I don’t think it’s a game and I certainly don’t think it’s the black people winning. We gave black people this month to celebrate their history in the United States. I don’t think it’s just a way for us to say “here’s your month, now stop calling us racist”. So the black man must not think that it’s a game to see if we can eliminate racism. That’s not what the month is for. It’s a time of celebration. Morgan Freeman is probably just sick of these questions about race, and he’s probably sick of racism still being out there. Like Bryson said, he’s taking it like a person of old age takes his or her birthday. He’s getting sick of it and doesn’t care that much about it anymore.
When my discussion group talked about this topic, there was mixed feelings. Some of the black people in my group liked Black History Month while others didn’t. Those people thought that a month is not a way to celebrate the black people. It should be celebrated year long, just like we celebrate the white people. Now remember that these people are still young compared to Morgan Freeman so in a way what Bryson said doesn’t make sense. There’s no way that these people in my group hate their birthday already. Some of them are probably just dyeing to turn 21 years old. The ones that like Black History month understand why it’s there and so when I look at the black people who don’t like it, it makes me believe that those people are the people who get very offended when it comes to race. They don’t like getting questions asked to them as much as the other black people. I think these people are the very defensive people. However, those people still can answer questions and that little bit helps. Just because talking freely about race has cured racism doesn’t mean that it’s not. I agree with Bryson in that we need to talk about things to each other. It’s a step at least.
It was a surprise to me the Morgan Freeman would say that he does not want a Black History Month. It seems like a good idea that people learn about black history because many people do not really know about black history. I do think that he has a point though; black history is American history and should not really be viewed as something separate from American history. He could have honestly done it some sort of justice rather then put it down; the dedication of February for black history does help society to learn about what has happened to the black race throughout history. There have been many events that have happened that should be more known than they are. There should not be just one month dedicated to black history, it makes it seem like that the rest of the time black history is just swept under the rug until next year.
Well honestly, I think black history month is stupid, why do we need to dedicate a month to black history when it’s a part of American history. Personally I think society has come a long way since Martin Luther King and the Civil Rights Movement. Furthermore, it seems that the goal of black history month would be to create equality for the African American race. However, I think that black history month has the opposite effect. By drawing attention exclusively to their race, black people are setting themselves apart from the rest of the population. On the other hand, I do also think that many members of society are incredibly ignorant toward racial equity and black history month could offer a solution to this problem. So black history month probably does something good, is does help to get the information out about black history. But it’s not really going to make a dent in the way most people act when faced with a racial conversation or racial controversy.
Morgan Freeman seemed to overreact to the concept of black history month; honestly he might not like it and it might not actually benefit society in a big way, but it’s not really hurting anyone to have to have it. Yea, I don’t think that if you sat down a member of the KKK during the month of February to watch black history, I don’t think it would tell them anything they didn’t already know. It could be seen as another way to increase white guilt; honestly white people have no individual say over some racial topic. I don’t think were going to get past racism by not talking about it like Morgan Freeman says, that’s just not bringing race to the table at all. By just putting it away someone one who views race in some sort of negative form, those people wont get any help from talking about it.
This interview with Morgan Freeman seemed to be an intense one due to the fact that these are thoughts that I feel have been within him for long and felt that this is the time for him to let the rest of America know his true thoughts on black history month. From what I have observed about the celebration of black history month, I see that numerous African – Americans are really into it and take time to reflect on what has gone on in the past and find ways to progress into the future. But to some extent many people feel that it does not really get the recognition that it deserves which may anger some people. But at the same time, I do somehow understand Morgan Freeman’s sentiments as to why the history of black Americans which is a huge part of American History is celebrated in one month as compared to what had gone on for so many years. He also raised something very important by saying that addressing that it is when people stop addressing each other by the color of their skin that is when we will realize the long time goal of the emergence of race relations. I mean think about it, there are so many people who cannot have a simple conversation without address the race of the particular person. Like what does the race of someone have to do with anything these days? Does the race of a person determine his or her inherent qualities? This is definitely something that we as a people will take a very long time to recover from or to change. Additionally, for him to say that we should stop talking about racism, in my opinion is not the right approach to setting things unto the right path. If we do not have race relations or speak of race how will we as a people learn to understand and appreciate each other? It is through talking about race relations that we can urge the younger generation that will come after us to correct the mistakes that we have made so that we can all live peacefully and really administer the true values of American citizens and how they try to portray themselves to the rest of the world.
I think that there also should be more education in middle schools as well as high schools. Especially as this is the time that these children become very aware of what is really going on around them in terms of race relations. This is the point where they are more likely to identify with their culture and assimilate more into their close knit society and discover themselves.
I have always thought that black history month was a bunch of bull. Why should learning about black history be limited to one month out of the year? I have always thought it would be better to include the history of black people into history classes rather than making it separate as if black history is different than American history. By having a separate month for black history, it is indeed enforcing the fact that black people are different. On some level, I do agree with Morgan Freeman, why does everything have to be a black person or a white person and not just a person? I feel like Morgan Freeman is just tired of being seen as a “black” actor for so long that it just irritates him when everything is seen as race. Why can’t that person be seen as an individual rather than a race. Although race cannot be completely ignored, it does not have to be such a big issue when it comes to frivolous things as occupation, being the black actor or black doctor. I do think Morgan Freeman is wrong in saying that in order to get over racism we need to stop talking about it. How else are we supposed to overcome it, if we do not try to understand how someone else feels on a particular subject or about a certain issue or conversation? In order to understand the other side you must look at it from that stand point. Yes, we are all human beings but it would be naïve to think that because we are all human means that we feel the same. It would be equally naïve to think that every black or every white person thought or felt the same but there are huge differences that do come from being black, brown or white and growing up in a white society.
I think the quote, “white people can never win” means that white people will never understand the struggles that black people have gone through in history as well as today. No matter how much you try and learn about the history of black and brown people unless you are black or brown you will never fully get to experience the world as they see it. Although I do believe that when white people do ask questions and try to see the “other side” of things they are sometimes seen as racist or ignorant because of certain questions they may ask. But on the other hand when they do not ask any questions at all they are seen as not wanting to learn about the culture of black people and being closed minded. In this sense this always explains the quote, “white people can never win.”
I hope this journal entry in response to this previous blog entry is not too far in the past, but as I took a look at the blog entries this particular one struck a nerve with me, and now I have to write about it! I remember hearing and seeing this video footage of 60 Minutes reporter Mike Wallace’s interview with Academy Award-winning actor Morgan Freeman back in 2005, but not really paying any attention to the controversy it sparked in America over the topic of racism. Freeman is such a respected performer in the entertainment business, so I was taken aback after seeing this interview repeatedly. When we think about Women’s History Month or Asian American Awareness Month we don’t even give it a second thought and say, “Wait a minute, why don’t we get more credentials for our history?” In fact, if a commercial on TV or an article in the newspaper claims that it time to recognize these groups we think, “Oh wow, I totally forgot this month was ______ month to celebrate!” I think Freeman missed the mark on what these months represent. Last year, I was a reporter for COMradio at Penn State and one of my first stories was to focus on the Hispanic Heritage Month and the students who kicked off the celebration for the first time it was celebrated nationally at Penn State. When I interviewed Executive Director of the Governor’s Commission of Latin Affairs Norman Bristol Colon he had nothing but positive things to say about group being “marginalized” to a month and instead insisted that this month was a way to make people aware of Hispanics contributions to the community. That’s what the awareness or history months represent in America. Too often is knowledge and information misconstrued regarding the history of all races in American history. At the end of the day these months’ ultimate purpose is to celebrate the struggles and accomplishments of those groups and to educate others. Freeman states that to get rid of racism we must, “Stop talking about it.” As uncomfortable or contentious the topic or race is, we must talk about it in order to stimulate our thinking of each other’s background and culture. Freeman is letting the race game get to his head. He thinks that not talking about race and ignoring the issue will ease the possible tension. Isn’t the resolution usually to talk about the issues we are initially reluctant and hesitant about? Lastly, I think Bryson’s quote, “that white people can never win,” means that no matter what white people say or act in situations dealing with race they always seem like the bad guys…it may have been ok for Freeman to make that statement about Black History Month. Hell, it may have been ok for a Hispanic or Asian person to say something relevant to that. But if a white person made a comment like that, there would be an immediate uproar from society. In conclusion, this blog entry concerning Freeman’s opinions about Black History Month made me realize that sometimes we take for granted the history and establishments different people and their past generations across American created.
Definition of “BLACK”: dirty, soiled, thoroughly sinister or evil, wicked, heavy, serious, very sad, gloomy, calamitous, characterized by hostility or angry discontent, distorted or darkened by anger…. Still want a “BLACK HISTORY” month? Richly melanated Americans occupied this land far longer and before the immigration of most Europeans, which would make them Natives with a far longer history. Why should so-called Blacks continue to be "othered" by the European masses. They should not be responsible for having to educate the ignorant. That's what books and getting to know people on a real face-to-face level is for. We don't have a "WHITE HISTORY" month, because this nation gets to celebrate White History 365 days a year through the educational system, government, laws, policies, movies, advertising, employment, etc... WAKE UP!
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