I'm going to ask you to stop calling me a black man

hoosier · #1 12-16-2005, 10:32 PM

Here's a report from the Associated Press:

Morgan Freeman says the concept of a month dedicated to black history is "ridiculous."

"You're going to relegate my history to a month?" the 68-year-old actor says in an interview on CBS' "60 Minutes" to air Sunday. . . . "I don't want a black history month. Black history is American history." . . .

Freeman notes there is no "white history month," and says the only way to get rid of racism is to "stop talking about it."

The actor says he believes the labels "black" and "white" are an obstacle to beating racism.

"I am going to stop calling you a white man and I'm going to ask you to stop calling me a black man," Freeman says.

Morgan Freeman is a man.
- OJ

RACooper · #2 12-16-2005, 10:37 PM

As much as I despise the OJ - Morgan does bring up a good point... as long as people are stuck with the identifications of "white" and "black", people are going to have serious hang-ups and issues in dealing with someone they consiously identify as an "other". There is nothing wrong with acknowleding someones cultural or ethnic heritage as long as you don't use that acknowledgement to pidgeon hole them.

33girl · #3 12-17-2005, 01:44 PM

Tom Joyner predicted this would get blown out of proportion and taken out of context...I see that he was right.

uksparkle · #4 12-17-2005, 11:15 PM

Well if we're going to get rid of black and white, we might as well throw out male and female, fat and thin, and pretty much every adjective ever.

Lindz928 · #5 12-19-2005, 05:14 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by uksparkle
Well if we're going to get rid of black and white, we might as well throw out male and female, fat and thin, and pretty much every adjective ever.

Yes, because they are all exactly the same.

Tom Earp · #6 12-19-2005, 06:33 PM

I Admire Morgan Freeman very much, but there is a difference in the coloration of the human species.

As a so called white person, I have to work on a tan while Black persons already have a great tan.

Dated an Asian who disliked her coloring while I thought it was beautiful.

I oft wondered where Black came from as African-Americans or more Brown toned, Asians are not Yellow, American Indians are not Red and Whites are not actually white.

Oh Well, I am color blind anyway!

hoosier · #7 12-19-2005, 10:17 PM

For a long time, I've been skin colored.

lifesaver · #8 12-20-2005, 05:28 AM

Its human nature to organize and classify things and people. Its how our brains are built. As long as we work to end disparate treatment of different groups, were doing the right thing.

When I was a kid i asked my parents why there was a mothers day and a fathers day but no kids day. My father looked at me and quipped, 'because everyday is kids day.'

I wonder if the reason we need a black history month is because the other 11 are white history months.

Lindz928 · #9 12-20-2005, 10:38 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by lifesaver

I wonder if the reason we need a black history month is because the other 11 are white history months.

That is often the line that I hear... But I don't think it's true. How often do you celebrate your "whiteness"?

Tom Earp · #10 12-20-2005, 06:32 PM

Every Christmas when it snows!

Us White Folks Go out and dissapear!

USCTKE · #11 12-21-2005, 01:38 PM

Quote:

Every Christmas when it snows!

that only works in places it actually does snow

AlphaFrog · #12 12-21-2005, 01:53 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by lifesaver

I wonder if the reason we need a black history month is because the other 11 are white history months.

Feb - Black History Month
March - Women History Month
May - Asian Pacific Heritage Month
September - Hispanic Hertiage Month (Technically Sept 15th-Oct 15)
November - American Indian Hertiage Month

So that only leaves 7 white history months...

Private I · #13 12-21-2005, 05:06 PM

I don't think this was taken out of proportion. Whenever someone's describing someone to me who is black they always feel the need to add that fact. When they're describing someone white, it's always assumed. Do newspaper articles describe Jack Nicholson (random example) as a white actor? None that I've ever read. Anytime it's an article about Morgan Freeman, his race will be mentioned, guaranteed, even though his has become a household name by now.

Dionysus · #14 12-21-2005, 05:12 PM

I dunno, I think many black people are guilty of this too. They even made fun of it on Scary Movie 3.

You know how they did a parody of The Ring...Nia Long's (I think) character was on the phone with this guy, and I think he asked her what's on the news or something, she answered "Some white girl fell down the well!!!"

omegamcgee · #15 12-22-2005, 10:57 AM

This is great! Morgan Freeman never ceases to amaze and awe me.

I have thought for a long time that having black history month was not really productive. We don't have white history month, and it just kind of seems to me that this whole thing just propagates racism. Thinking about people in terms of black and white, and even devoting an entire month to the history of one, is detrimental to equal rights and the end of racism.

I'm white, and I don't want to sound racist, I'm just saying. People are people. Don't mention the fact that an actor is black when you don't mention that an actor is white. It doesn't really matter anyway.

Of course, I'm the girl who believes in EQUAL RIGHTS, which to me means everyone gets the same treatment. No matter what your skin color.