We got a bunch of emails yesterday about various comments on the Seattle Times website and rolled our eyes heavily as we clicked each link and scrolled through the typical, nasty, race laced comments that always seem to find their way into the online comments section.
First, an Editorial on the African American Academy:
The intent of the African American Academy was wholly appropriate and doable. But while the school’s Afrocentric curriculum instilled a strong sense of self in students, it fell short on the academic basics.
Okay well first of all there is no “Afrocentric curriculum” at AAA, but we’ll let that go for now; ya’ll know how we feel about what’s [been] going on in that building.
That being said, the point of THIS post is to address the comments left on the Times site. Plug your nose:
1. From user JumpMarine: “Put simply this IS a government sanctioned racist school that should never have been allowed. We will only get to true equality when we stop pointing out every little difference. I’m an American, not a _______fill in the blank American.”2. “I would like to add my endorsement to JumpMarine’s comments. Yes, quality education is possible in communities that aren’t diverse. The compositon of the community is far less important than its values and ideas. The Academy, in its very name and mission, was wrong in teaching that it was ok to ignore diversity. A fatal design flaw that can’t be overcome with all the lip service in the world.”3. “Yes, being an “ethnic American” does make you less of an American and less of a person. If your ethnicity is so important to you, go form your own little state.”4. “And the number one reason we should have known the African American Academy would;t work?One word; Ebonics…”
5. “It’s an unfortunate aspect of today’s black culture that having an all African-American school that by concentrating a number of them probably kept delinquency rates lower and kept test scores higher in other schools plus kept the idiotic culture of hip-hop stupidity from infecting everyone else’s children any more than it’s already done.”
Three political newcomers from the Seattle area will be in the crowd gathered in Washington, D.C., next Tuesday to witness the historic inauguration of Barack Obama.
To the comments:
1.”I noticed there was no white guys in their little book club – too busy working at their jobs, I guess!”
2. “How nice !!!!!!!!!! A politically correct group from our State !! Have fun in D.C with a trillion other people !!!!!!!”3. “The epitome of “Diversity” and also, reverse discrimination.”4. “Just another come on for ethno-centric front groups.”5. “The obama campaign introduced a whole new batch of entitlement minded people to politics.”
Seattle pretends to be liberal and progressive, but underneath it all, racism lurks. No one should be surprised.
Damn.
To be fair, most of the ignorant comments are from folks outside of Seattle (Richland, Yakima, Bothell, Redmond, Kenmore, even out of state) and not Seattle proper.
Still it shows how far we’ve come, electing a black president and all – see, it’s the end of racism in America. (sarcasm) Yeah, right.
With Black History Month almost upon us, I am already seeing more than the usual ignorant discussions about “why do we need a Black History Month?” (sigh)
You are right, it’s Seattle et al.
It’s the easy-click nature of online commenting. People with racism in their hearts write something and just click “submit” without thinking, because it’s so easy. Some of them may know exactly what they are saying, while others don’t realize that their racism is showing. I don’t know which is worse.
Well, the folks at Cooper had a meeting last night and cheered when a parent suggested closing Roxhill. Damn, thought they wouldn’t do it…throw us under the bus after how they have been kicked. Congrats SPS/School Board you got what you wanted….the cage match is now bigger. I don’t know how anyone can cheer for what that JJ Ball person said about our school.
Thanks,Sable you are right, just like you know you are. Seems that finally having a Black President has given some white people some sort of carte blanche (no pun, honest!) to bring forth their formerly private racist thoughts. And, gee whiz, doesn’t Seattle have a lot of privately racist thoughts? The Seattle Times gets some of the ugliest racist comments, especially when the article is about schools. Some ugly nasty parents out there!
There is a new book “Between Barack and a Hard Place” by Tim Wise that looks at the way the privileged race now feel there is no longer any need to address racism. The idea being, well, now that there is a Black in the White House whites are clearly all washed clean of any racist tendencies. No more racism. gone, just like that. And, yeah, no need for Black History Month. I guess they think that without racism, there are no Black people anymore. Convenient.
Seems to me Black history Month should be extended from January to December. Every year. Too much to cover, what with new history being made every day.