President and Mrs. Obama wish a Happy Kwanzaa

Gretawire ^ | 12/26/14 | Greta Van Susteren

[Nachum]

THE WHITE HOUSE Office of the Press Secretary FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 26, 2014

Statement from the President and the First Lady on Kwanzaa

Michelle and I extend our warmest wishes to those celebrating Kwanzaa this holiday season. Today begins a celebration highlighting the rich African American heritage and culture through the seven principles of Kwanzaa—unity, self-determination, collective work and responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity and faith. During this season, families come together to reflect on blessings of the past year and look forward to the promises in the year ahead. As we remain committed to building a country that provides opportunity for all, this time of year reminds us that there is much to be thankful for.

[o-n-money]

Happy Festivus, one fake Holiday to another.
___________________________________________________

More people celebrate Festivus.

[DaveA37]

I hope their boat sinks.

[left that other site]

I know.

It is a LOL moment fer sure!

[TontoKowalski]

I'm just not getting the graphic. I am very unhip, so the fault is mine not yours.

But can you clue me in?

[right way right]

I think Festvas as a joke holiday, is funny even for Christians.
Airing of grievances, feats of strength, the pole, what am I leaving out?
Sounds like good clean fun to me.
Kwaanza is just a racist holiday, for racists.

[rlmorel]

I understand...unless you know about the background of the guy who "invented" Kwanzaa, it is incomprehensible.

Here is an excerpt from Wikipedia:

In 1971, Karenga was sentenced to one to ten years in prison on counts of felonious assault and false imprisonment. One of the victims gave testimony of how Karenga and other men tortured her and another woman. The woman described having been stripped and beaten with an electrical cord. Karenga's estranged wife, Brenda Lorraine Karenga, testified that she sat on the other woman’s stomach while another man forced water into her mouth through a hose.

A May 14, 1971, article in the Los Angeles Times described the testimony of one of the women:

"Deborah Jones, who once was given the Swahili 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 vise. Karenga, head of US, also put detergent and running hoses in their mouths, she said. They also were hit on the heads with toasters."

Jones and Brenda Karenga testified that Karenga believed the women were conspiring to poison him, which Davis has attributed to a combination of ongoing police pressure and his own drug abuse.

Karenga denied any involvement in the torture, and argued that the prosecution was political in nature. He was imprisoned at the California Men's Colony, where he studied and wrote on feminism, Pan-Africanism and other subjects. The US organization fell into disarray during his absence and was disbanded in 1974. After he petitioned several black state officials to support his parole on fair sentencing grounds, it was granted in 1975.

Karenga has declined to discuss the convictions with reporters and does not mention them in biographical materials. During a 2007 appearance at Wabash College he again denied the charges and described himself as a former political prisoner. The convictions nonetheless continue to generate controversy during Kwanzaa celebrations.

Pretty sordid stuff, but given the people he was hanging around with, his heavy drug usage at the time, and his general belief system, I have no trouble believing this was NOT something just cooked up by the government to get him in jail. Anyway, that is why you see the odd artifacts you see in the graphic below:

Note: It is not that I would not forgive someone if it were my place to do so, but this guy is doubling down and just denying it all, refusing to talk about it. I think he is scum of the lowest (or highest) order.

[TontoKowalski]

Good Lord, I'm sorry I asked.

But, I did ask, and thank you for the explanation.

What a sorry, miserable excuse for a human.

It speaks volumes for higher education that this guy has a professorship.

[rlmorel]

Not a problem...I post that graphic because it is somewhat of a “tradition” (hence my poking comment about it being, like a tradition, referring to the use of a soldering iron, laundry detergent, et al) but in the sense that the graphic appears on FR whenever this faux holiday/ceremony/tradition arrives.

Many of us believe that people can practice whatever holiday they want. But what we can’t countenance is the ridiculous political correctness that goes along with it, and the arm twisting that goes on to try to force us to accept it as something real, when it is patently not.

[TontoKowalski]

I was aware of the fraudulent origins, and I was aware that the inventor of Kwanzaa was a criminal.

But I really did not understand the depths of depravity.

But I'm still making that wonderful Kwanzaa cake next year!

[rlmorel]

Hahahahahaha!

[Yaelle]

OMDear!!! Nothing says holidays like gifts wrapped in Harriet Tubman wrapping paper!!!

It all sounds like skin color über alles. (Though I love the black santa paper. It is cool.)

[Yaelle]

It was too cold in L.A. For the parade. Not sure it got to 60 degrees.

[Yaelle]

Ok, seriously? We have the queeniest, femmest male President ever seen! Michelle’s black power salute is strong and loud. Little Barack needs a series of 12 one hour lessons to straighten his arms and erase the little girl wince from his face. Do not give up, Barry. Keep trying to look butch.

[TontoKowalski]

Michelle’s black power salute is strong and loud.

Oh, yes. I agree. I've always thought her black power salute was a model.

You can tell that if the North Koreans called her a "monkey" she'd jet over there and loot their store.

[ROCKLOBSTER]

President and Mrs. Obama wish a Happy Kwanzaa

And a happy black-racist, America-hating, communist fake holiday right back atcha homeboy.

[Yaelle]

Oh no, Mooch has “people” to do that for her now.

[lightman]

On the first day of Kwanzaa Øbama gave to me
A Marxist in a red tree.

On the second day of Kwanzaa Øbama gave to me
Two Jaily birds,
And a Marxist in a red tree.

On the third day of Kwanzaa Øbama gave to me
Three Dixie Chicks.
Two Jaily birds,
And a Marxist in a red tree.

On the fourth day of Kwanzaa Øbama gave to me
Four Lenin busts.
Three Dixie Chicks,
Two Jaily birds,
And a Marxist in a red tree.

On the fifth day of Kwanzaa Øbama gave to me
Five fel-on-ies.
Four Lenin busts,
Three Dixie Chicks,
Two Jaily birds,
And a Marxist in a red tree.

On the sixth day of Kwanzaa Øbama gave to me
Six Castro jumpsuits.
Five fel-on-ies,
Four Lenin busts,
Three Dixie Chicks,
Two Jaily birds,
And a Marxist in a red tree.

On the seventh day of Kwanzaa Øbama gave to me
Seven Mao pajamas,
Six Castro jumpsuits,
Five fel-on-ies,
Four Lenin busts
Three Dixie Chicks,
Two Jaily birds,
And a Marxist in a red tree.