Springfield launches Kwanzaa 2011 celebration

The Republican ^

[matt04]

For an half hour Tuesday, Jeremiah Anderson served as one of Mayor Domenic J. Sarno aides, helping him launch the city’s official celebration of Kwanzaa.

Jeremiah, 11, of Springfield, was one of several dozen young people attending the City Hall ceremony recognizing Kwanzaa, the seven-day holiday that celebrates African-American community, family and culture.

As Sarno stood at the podium, reading a proclamation, Jeremiah stood by his side. At the mayor’s invitation, Jeremiah finished the proclamation, winning applause from the crowd and the mayor.

The holiday – which runs from Dec. 26 to Jan. 1 – was first celebrated in 1966 by Maulana Karenga, a black studies professor at California State University. The holiday is modeled after ancient and modern harvest celebrations in Africa, and the name Kwanzaa is derived from a Swahili phrase meaning “first fruits.”

Springfield resident Keyana Jones explained the seven principles of Kwanzaa: unity, self-determination, collective work, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity and faith.

[kearnyirish2]

This is a beautiful celebration of the diversity of America.

How #@&% stupid; the Ku Klux Klan couldn’t have further removed black America from the mainstream if they tried.

[muir_redwoods]

The 55 year-old idiocy of a clown named Ron Everett continues.

[109ACS]

Heck, I thought the article was about this Springfield:

[who knows what evil?]

Assachusetts? What a surprise.

[Vaduz]

Maulana Karenga, a black studies professor at California State University makes up a holiday and the chumps follow it.

[LibLieSlayer]

Those that celebrate this pagan demonism will not like what Saint Peter tells them when their time comes.

LLS

[who knows what evil?]

Springfield resident Keyana Jones explained the seven principles of Kwanzaa: unity, self-determination, collective work, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity and faith.

We saw some of those principles in action at the Mall of America the other night...

[mc5cents]

[CitizenM]

From what I remember this guy had a different name, and was in prison for rape, when he made up this holiday. He did it because he hated what he considered was the "white" American Christmas celebration. Later he changed his name to Karenga. Where the idea of him being a professor came from, I can only imagine...probably from the mind of some liberal journalist who wanted to spread a lie. Of course, when Kawanza gained some popularity, the media never mentioned that it had been thought up by a jailbird - as a protest against Christmas.

And who ever heard of a celebration of the harvest...in any country...in the winter? The whole thing is a joke, including the stolen idea of lighting candles like during the Jewish celebration of Hanukkah.

[BillGunn]

Springfield resident Keyana Jones explained the seven principles of Kwanzaa: unity, self-determination, collective work, cooperative economics...

How do "self-determination" and "collective work, cooperative economics" reconcile? They are antithetical!

[albie]

Will there be any fried giraffe on a stick?

[Vermont Lt]

At least they aren’t shooting each other, which has become a sort of sport in Springfield.

[rickmichaels]

...the seven principles of Kwanzaa: unity, self-determination, collective work, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity and faith.

[N. Theknow]

6 candles surround one candle in the middle of the, what is that thing called that looks like a menorah? A Kwanorrah?

Maybe it signifies a welfare queen and the 6 fathers of her children.

[Vaduz]

Yuur right it was the jailbird who started it.

[drpix]

The article's one sentence on the origins of "Kwanzaa" is a work of total censorship and propaganda - requiring the following correction:

The holiday... was first celebrated ^invented in 1966 by Maulana Karenga, a black studies professor at California State University ^{radical, separatist and convicted violent felon*}.

^*Note: According to the NYTime's own (certainly reluctant) admission the substance of the offense was as follows: "Deborah Jones, who once was given the title of an African queen, said she and Gail Davis were whipped with an electrical cord and beaten with a karate baton after being ordered to remove their clothes. She testified that a hot soldering iron was placed in Miss Davis' mouth and placed against Miss Davis' face and that one of her own big toes was tightened in a vice. Karenga, head of US, also put detergent and running hoses in their mouths, she said.”

[Doc Savage]

These morons just come out of a COMA??????????????????

[Venturer]

I thought they had celebrated Kwanza at the mall when they rioted over the Micheal Jordan Tennis shoes.

You mean that wasn’t Kwaanza.? It was an all black festival.