Posted on 12/30/2006 2:34:47 AM PST by JohnHuang2
We hear a lot these days about a divided nation. So I began wondering this week why our nation has begun to embrace a relatively new celebration known as Kwanzaa, which is not as innocent as it appears on the surface.
Launched in 1966, Kwanzaa is celebrated for seven days, beginning Dec. 26. The weeklong festival was introduced by Ron Karenga (aka Ron Everett), a black author and Marxist devotee, who has a very dubious history. Mr. Karenga's Marxist roots should be a warning signal right off the bat, but there's more to be concerned about here.
In 1969, on the campus of UCLA, Mr. Karenga led a student group known as United Slaves, which, along with students in the equally radical Black Panthers (the rivals of United Slaves), actually attended classes with loaded weapons.
David Horowitz, in his book "Radical Son," noted that Black Panther John Higgins was then "murdered – along with Al 'Bunchy' Carter – on the UCLA campus by members of Ron Karenga's organization." Later, female members of the United Slaves said they were tortured by United Slaves members, all at Mr. Karenga's command.
Members of the organization have since reported being beaten and tortured by Mr. Karenga and his minions. He actually was convicted of felonious assault and false imprisonment in 1971 and sentenced to prison. At his trial, a psychiatrist's report declared: "This man now represents a picture which can be considered both paranoid and schizophrenic with hallucinations and elusions, inappropriate affect, disorganization and impaired contact with the environment."
But the story gets more bizarre.
When he was released from prison, Mr. Karenga had earned his doctorate degree and soon was appointed to the Black Studies Department at California State University, Long Beach.
I'll never cease to be amazed at the foolish gullibility of modern education officials.
Our nation, I believe, has also been naïve in accepting Kwanzaa without examining its roots and its founder. In our modern quest to embrace multiculturalism and diversity at all costs, I believe we are being duped by the founder of Kwanzaa.
I've watched several news reports on Kwanzaa in recent days and none of them have mentioned the dark history of its founder or its Marxist pedigree. The reports have simply noted that Kwanzaa is a weeklong celebration rooted in African traditions, and even that is untrue.
Mr. Karenga himself admits that Kwanzaa is not fundamentally African, telling the Washington Post in 1978, "People think it's African, but it's not."
In a recent column, Ann Coulter, never one to mince words, said of Kwanzaa: "[It] is a lunatic blend of schmaltzy '60s rhetoric, black racism and Marxism." She added, "When Karenga was asked to distinguish Kawaida, the philosophy underlying Kwanzaa, from 'classical Marxism,' he essentially explained that under Kawaida, we also hate whites."
Listen, I love learning about other cultures. At Liberty University, where I am the chancellor, this year we welcomed students from 83 nations among our 10,000-plus resident students. Further, nearly 14 percent of our student body is African-American. I truly enjoy meeting these students, hearing their stories and celebrating their life goals. It is fascinating to learn about others' customs and ways of life.
But I cannot accept Kwanzaa as a legitimate American holiday. It is corrupt and wholly anti-American. There is danger in it.
I join with Ann Coulter in celebrating Galatians 3:28, which notes that the gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ is available to all, no matter their race, color, background or heritage. It says, "There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. …" (NKJV).
Therein lies real diversity and true freedom for all.
No, Miss Marple - that's YOBS!
CA....
"Is there a gerbil appreciation day? Just asking..."
We'd have to ask Richard Gere about that.....
[sorry...it was just laying there and I had to go for it].....:))
And a new FR "inside joke" is born......
Let's all sing!
"Mono-poly-pantheistic-animistic-pagan,
is this a view of Santeria held by Carl Sagan?"
Beats me.
It was just something that popped into my [wacky] little head when someone in a biker bar asked me what my "religion" was, many, many moons ago.....:)
What?!? Really? Gee, I didn't know that!
How do you like that! A National Kazoo Day, that's a holiday, yet, and no one told me!
That blows!
CA....
Getcher quantum-fanny over here.
[no special reason...just fer holographic kicks]....:)
Actually, you hum and blow at the same time.
Holographically speaking, I think it's time we celebrated the birthday of the Grand Kolub of Plovonia (who was a guy I went to high school with.)
The only trouble is that the Great Doodah, who is responsible for giving the invocation on the natal occasion is now a Catholic Priest, which MAY (or may not) be a conflict of interest, depending on the tolerance level of his Bishop.
Are you saying it never happened????
What country do YOU think this is?One with the freedom to worship how one wants, celebrate whatever culture one wants, and observe any holiday they want. Silly me.
No, silly me.
I obviously need to adjust my elevation -- that last one went clean over your head.
Let's try again: In my country, the freedom to express one's opinion does NOT apply ONLY to the practitioners of an imaginary "holiday." In MY country, they are not protected from criticism, yet, at the same time, allowed to pump their nonsense into MY children's heads.
In MY country, they can "believe" anything they bloody well choose -- but, they may NOT brainwash MY children with it -- nor may they spout their nonsense, secure in the knowledge that others will be attacked if they challenge it.
So, again, I apologize for having lobbed that one so far over your horizon.
There is more to Conservatism than being of the religious right.
What gives you the right to insult the Christians on this forum? To call their God "mythical"?
What gives anyone the right to insult Kwanzaans (if that's the word), or Wiccans, Animists, those who adhere to Norse mythology, or no mythology?
Thank you for respecting Theravada Buddhists. My understanding is that school does not stress the rituals and rigamarole of later schools. It is the closest to the original teachings of Buddha.
I'm not quite sure how pantheism fits, though. I thought there was no theism in Buddhism. Am I wrong, or is this your own personal adaptation?
I've grown from being raised a Catholic, to being more of a Deist, to more a Pantheist, and now am working on understanding Theravada Buddhism. Thus my answer of being a Theravadan Pantheist -- of the naturalist or cosmic variety of pantheism where we and every sentient being is a portion of a "God" quite different from the Judeo/Christian/Islamic God.
As for the non-Christian Conservatives on this site, most of us have enough decorum to not insult the majority of our members. (I wouldn't want to, anyway. I have no problem with Christianity.)
I don't know why it's so important for you to insult Christianity and Christians. Why do you care so much about what they believe? Why are you so intent on attacking them?
he is right...it is a fake pagan holiday......
he is right...it is a fake pagan holiday......
Show me where I said he was wrong.
Wacky and memorable! And funnier than my attempt at theological songwriting :)
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