Easily Offended?

I ventured through the "stereotypes and Myths" section and someone asked if we might be able to let go of the Black Holocaust in America (I am paraphrasing). I believe someone mentioned that if we seem easily offended, it is due to our history in America...

Here is my take on it....


The European Holocaust (from a genocide stand point) from I believe 1938 to 1945 (I think the first camp was in dachau in 1933 though, can't remember the dates off the top of my head. I am sure that would agitate my mother, lol). So, lets just say 1933 to 1945 (it's a bit broad, but, it will do). Are we constantly reminded of the atrocities? Yes, and we should be. Do people say that we should be able to call anyone the "K" word? Some, but very few. In some countries, the denial of the European Holocaust and poking fun at is, in fact, a criminal offense.

Now, lets look at The Black Holocaust in America. Slavery from roughly 1619 (depending on the scholar the dates can be a bit earlier or later) to 1860 (Some still enslaved having nowhere else to go). Jim Crow between 1876 and 1965 (if you consider their basis in the "black codes" it's much longer than that).

Europeans that didn't fit the criteria of the nazis were robbed, taken from their homes, and sent to camps and or killed.

Rosewood, Florida (Race Riot)

Seneca Village, NY (pushed and evicted from land they purchased to build central park)

Five Points District, N.Y (Fled and pushed due to draft riots)

Greenwood, OK ("The Black Wall Street" the wealthiest and most successful black community of its time. The race riots were the first time in history that the U.S. was attacked by "Air Terrorism". I believe the second was 9/11)

Just to name a few...

The political phrase often used towards the European Holocaust is , "Never Forget" (and or Never Again, which my mother often reminded me). My father used to chuckle and say, "The Black Holocaust's political phrase should be "Always reminded". There are many other things I could add that still affect Black People today (from Cointelpro to everyday political policy).

My point is that people shouldn't let go and shouldn't forget. And that "easily offended" would imply that we somehow have had an easy time in this country. I find the the phrase , "easily offended" offensive. And those that use it show how little they truly understand about the "Black American Experience". There are many calm and cool brothers in America. But, just because we let the ignorance roll off of us, doesn't mean we aren't offended.

I realize that this isn't the platform for any of this. But, I felt the need to give my two cents on the subject. You can decide not to read what I wrote, decide not to reply, or even negatively rep me and delete the topic all together. Or, you could discuss and reflect. The choice is yours.

 

This is exactly the platform and you make a lot of sense. Patrice Oneal talked about that in one of his last interviews, for the shit America as a country has put black people through and continues to put us through as a group its really amazing that there aren't a lot of black insurgents. With fear people of this country have toward us you'd swear there black terrorist in this country but there aren't. We're more likely to kill each other and when we do fuck with anyone else its purely economic very rarely if ever ideological. And the really fucked up thing now is when you bring up the disparities people in this country throw out shit like "My family never benefited from slavery so why do I have to hear about this shit" or my favorite "slavery happened in the 1800s get over it already". Its impossible to reason with the ignorant and those who do try to understand get slapped with the white guilt label but for some reason we can recognize the Jewish plight without a problem. Very odd.

 

Very valid points indeed gentlemen.

I'll comment on this section later, very deep and complex topic that requires more careful thought.

 

Thanks for commenting, I will wait for your input.