bhm: all bets are off

We can celebrate a whole month of black history (BHM), but once money is involved all bets are off. We can feed hungry, greedy, corrupt should-be-bankrupt banks millions of dollars, but cannot put a nickel into the hearts of black America. Black history I think feels like one of these things in America where people are feeling ‘what do we do with this?’ The simple answer was presented on the radio last week on NPR. The statement was made that basically said until African American history or any other ethnicity besides white is taught in schools that there is a need for Black History Month.

There seems to be some consensus on this. You do not see a lot of uproar over the month. Certainly no one is saying it is reverse discrimination. Why is there no uproar over this compared to say affirmative action? There are easy answer to this and hard answers. First, BHM takes no energy. Outside of school (and I would even say elementary school) people don’t have to learn or hear about it. What a shame. So, it doesn’t take any thought. Second, after a country blindly puts a people into slavery for three-hundred plus years what better way to give-back then to celebrate a whole month of it. Oh – and it is the shortest month of the year. Third, BHM takes no money from white people.

Once money is involved all bets are off. Just look at the cases against welfare, helping the homeless and the poor. It all involves taking money from one person and giving it to another for the sake of making someone else’s life a little better and making life a little more just. Money also involves power. Giving money involves giving a little white power away and giving a little white power to other ethnicities.

Let’s take a look at affirmative action. White people hate these two words. Hate. But affirmative action doesn’t just help ethnic minorities. Affirmative action helps women. It’s created equal opportunities for women to play sports, learn, and get a job. The reverse, when affirmative action is dismissed (as it was in Michigan) sometimes schools such as a school for all girls are dismissed.

The claim against affirmative action is, of course, that it is biased and unfair. Of course no one says that for athletic scholarships, or relatives who help you get a job or into the college you wanted. No one makes an uproar about these. But, when affirmative action is mentioned all bets are off.

Like NPR and BHM the easy answer is until black America is given equal rights in schools, in employment, in housing, health care, etcetera, affirmative action is more than a two word phrase - it is needed.