--- In AsburyPark@yahoogroups.com, "Michael W. Brim" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
wrote:
>
> Since you asked:
>
>
>
> As far as Columbus Day goes, I have attended several since moving
>to the
> area (from Pittsburgh PA via Daytona Beach FL were Columbus Day is
>not big
> thing in these areas as they are here in the NY and NY area) and
>have found
> the celebration of Columbus landing of great interest! Have
>learned a
> number of things from the presentations, like how bad a guy he was,
>but
> overall he played a MAJOR roll in what we have here in Asbury
>Park. A great
> place to live, work and play.
> The celebration draw a good number of people this year, with so
>much going
> on the boardwalk that day .. But was missing from Columbus Day
>event were
> the young Indians!
Glad you support Asbury Park's recognition of the day (although I
disagree with you on the bad guy part).
> Because of the wide culture makeup of Asbury Park, "Holiday Season"
>works
> for me, it includes Yule, Hanukkah and Boxing Day, to name a few
of the
> events the term covers.
>
> "Holiday season" includes those who do not celebrate Christmas in an
> end-year festive spirit and gives us religious neutrality.
To have the accutrements of Christmas but to change the name isults
Christians.
Also, Christmas is obviously relgious, but in America, it is also an
the most ingrained and important cultural holiday that we have.
To deny Christmas is as insulting to my culture as if I were to
remove the names Kwanzaa or "Pride" from those celebrations.
I hope someday Asbury Park will decide to no longer insult who I am
as a person.
Also, a few things about Kwanzaa.
While Dr. Karenga today will say Kwanzaa is not religious, that is
not how it was when he started it:
In 1977, in Kwanzaa: origin, concepts, practice, Karenga stated, that
Kwanzaa "was chosen to give a Black alternative to the existing
holiday and give Blacks an opportunity to celebrate themselves and
history, rather than simply imitate the practice of the dominant
society."
I bring that up because of your assertion above that you would like
to keep religion out of Asbury Park's cultural celebration.
Today even Dr. Karenga admist that some celebrate Kwanzaa in place of
religion, althoug he does not encourage it.
As to inclusiveness, you shouldn't hang your hat on Kwanzaa. While I
can celebrate it, I am not permitted to take part in its rituals
because of the color of my skin.
Christmas doesn't exlude like that.
NOTE WELL: I DON'T MAKE THAT COMPARISON TO INSULT KWANZAA, ONLY TO
DISSUADE YOU FROM YOUR THOUGHT THAT CHRISTMAS IS EXCLUSIVE.
Finally, since you brought up "Bad Guy" in reation to Columbus, I
thought in fairness I would repring the part of Dr. Karenga's
biography that was not linked to earlier:
He was convicted of torturing two black women by stripping them
naked, beating them with electrical cords, placing a hot iron into
the mouth of one and mangling the toe of the other in a vise. During
the ordeal, he forced them to drink detergent.
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