Posted on 12/26/2005 11:33:44 AM PST by ncountylee
CHICAGO, Dec. 26 (UPI) -- The largest annual Kwanzaa celebration of African-American culture in the United States began Monday at Malcolm X College in Chicago.
Ayoka Samuels, a consultant for the college's Kwanzaa committee said a major misconception is that about the seven-day festival is that it's meant to be "the black Christmas," the Chicago Sun-Times said.
Samuels said many who celebrate it do substitute it for Christmas, and if gifts are exchanged, they must be either educational or a symbol of African heritage.
Maulana Ron Karenga, now a professor of black studies at California State University, Long Beach, created Kwanzaa in 1966 as a way to restore a sense of connection with African culture.
Each of the seven nights is devoted to a particular community value: unity, self-determination, collective work and responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity and faith.
Part of the ceremony is the lighting of seven red, black and green candles, symbolizing sacrificed blood, race and Mother Africa, the Oakland Tribune said.
In Buffalo, N.Y., Denise Renfro said she is proud of the changes in her 10-year-old son since he entered Rites of Passage, an after-school program centered around Kwanzaa principles.
"He brings home good grades, likes school and has never gotten into serious trouble," she said
Sure there are proclamations that not only "annoy" me but perhaps even you, but please let me when you've compiled a short list of how many proclamations are fake fraudulent American "holidays" on that list invented by a criminal to mock Christmas, American tradition or heritage...
ANSWER: ZERO
Not at all. There was the Kwanzaa one that led this thread. Did President Bush not issue that? My point is that the POTUS issues all sorts of proclamations and greetings. I'm sure everyone can find one that's annoying. Presidents are equal opportunity proclaimers.
I posted this on another thread earlier. This is how I became introduced to kwanzaa in 1997.
"When my daughter was in kindergarten, I confronted her teacher with all my kwanzaa research after my daughter came home with these worksheets. I didn't want my 5 year old introduced to this violent radical so called holiday. The teacher didn't respond...she just stared blankly at me.
Blank stares and lack of response from teachers and school administrators, I have learned, will tell you that you have caught them on something they are unwilling to admit to."
We have left the public school....too many issues...too many blank stares....
"gifts must be either educational or a reminder of African heritage." Is that an oxymoron or a paradox?
"I am pleased to send warm greetings to all those gathered to celebrate Cinco de Mayo....
...We Americans cherish our deep historical, cultural, economic, and, in many cases, family ties with Mexico and Latin America. Cinco de Mayo cele-brations remind us how much Hispanics have influenced and enriched the United States. Hispanic Americans contribute to the shared traditions that are part of our history, including entrepreneurship, a sense of com-munity where neighbor helps neighbor, faith, and love of family. On this special day, I encourage Americans to reaffirm the ties of culture and friendship we share with the people of Mexico and with Hispanic Americans."
LOL...
When oh WHEN will Dubya issue forth a proclamation celebrating the Neanderthals victory over the Cro-Magnons from the year 21, 091 B.C.??
For you and all the other defenders of Kwanza as some harmless or constructive alternative holiday - I'd suggest that you take a few minutes to read the detailed description of this event as described by the manic criminal who started it. It is definitely anti-white America, anti-Christmas, and anti-religious. It has NO roots in Africa or any other nation or culture - it is a SCAM by a convicted felon and con-man.
Sheesh for all the whining about people getting 'picked on' for expressing opinions - there are still too many who comment without either reading the complete post or taking advantage of the shared knowledge that is made easily accessible.
"I would expect such PC behavior from the White House, but never from a so-called "conservative" forum like Free Republic. I guess I've been wrong all of these years that I've been a member and active participant. Some topics are, apparently, verboten especially if it somehow casts the President in a bad light - even though it was the President's own statements or behaviors which were truly at fault."
I am just as angry as you are.
Are "proclaiming" and "pandering" one and the same?
This President does it well. VERY well.
Free country
See what I mean? Presidents issue all sorts of these silly proclamations and greetings. It's just a part of the job. Most of them are silly. Some are serious. Some are downright annoying to a lot of us.
But...Kwanzaa will grow based on the amount of publicity it gets. We're helping it grow, right here.
"For you and all the other defenders of Kwanza as some harmless or constructive alternative holiday "
Don't talk to me about it. I have nothing whatever to do with Kwanzaa. Write to the President if you have a beef. He honored the celebration. I'm just pointing out that it's not worth getting all in a tizzy over.
Good posts MineralMan.
Wrong.
We're publically deriding a President for undeservedly and embarrassingly "helping it grow" as he panders to a known sham.
I don't have any beef with you - just pointing out that your assertions about Kwanza are, at best, ill-informed and completely uninformed and misleading at worst.
Just what we need - another poster who doesn't understand what they say in a post - go back and read your earlier posts. Just out of curiosity, did you graduate from MIT or some other college with a degree in engineering? That would explain a lot.
Beg to differ with you. When enough African Americans stand up against this mockery....a mockery intended and marketed to take their money...it will die a quick death.
It was promoted in California, BJC expanded its promotion, GWB is continuing its promotion. And only several thousand are listening in one major heavily populated city. I give it another five years, (depending on who is elected in 08) before we all start saying, "remember that hoax".
So where is the outrage? :-)
Agreed. And as I keep saying...the more the TRUTH about it is promoted, the quicker the silencing of it.
"are in all likelihood educated".....Surely--you jest --OR ----Shirley,U jus funnin us foks ain't cha?
The President's proclamations are read by many more than will ever read any of our threads here. Additionally, they are archived for historical purposes. You can't rationally equate what is said about his proclamation in a thread on a political forum on the Internet with the publication of his official proclamation.
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