tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3279771113145533933.post4411821021821279200..comments2016-04-23T15:38:31.607-07:00Comments on BIBA Blog: Heri za Kwanzaa!!CastleSkinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08526963873547448696noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3279771113145533933.post-25657618986045779832016-02-05T04:39:41.118-08:002016-02-05T04:39:41.118-08:00AMEN!!! What an amazingly articulate and poignant ...AMEN!!! What an amazingly articulate and poignant response! Thank you so much!!CastleSkinshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08526963873547448696noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3279771113145533933.post-52109292634347014092015-12-27T06:06:40.019-08:002015-12-27T06:06:40.019-08:00I completely agree. And here’s some musing from an...I completely agree. And here’s some musing from an interested outside observer:<br />The historic circumstances that gave rise to the existence of Africans in North America, later the United States of America, are unique, and gave rise to a unique bond among Black Americans. Considering the adverse circumstances that afflicted Black Americans in the course of their history in the US, and in view of the harshly imposed fragmentation inflicted on this community - on the family as well as on the community level - it's a miracle that such a strong and unique identity was developed. So yes, celebration that is unique to the diverse but strongly interlinked community of Black Americans should be welcome by all. As far as I could see and understand, Kwanzaa is a celebration that does not take anything from the other aspects of the identity, or identities, that Blacks Americans may have, whether they are e.g. Christians, or Muslims, or Jews, or agnostics – it just puts another layer on it. My understanding is that Kwanzaa is a winter celebration that reaffirms certain values, as well as the link with Africa and the common history Black Americans share. The reasons for this celebration seem to me infinitely more benevolent than, e.g. celebrating the victory of a particularly extreme and reactionary branch of Judaism over the more forward-thinking Hellenistic society in Judaea, as well as than celebrating the advent of a major monotheistic religion that did well for some, and horribly for millions of others. But then Hannuka and Christmas are not only about that, right? There’s family getting together, and celebrating people’s common ancestry, and other positive aspects we associate with these winter celebrations. But if so, then Kwanzaa embraces exactly these aspects, without having the other intrinsic nasty connotations of Christmas and Hannukah, connotations that are not very often discussed, and one can easily understand why. And the last word on “invented” celebration – Kwanzaa joins a number of celebrations that empower groups of people that were historically suppressed and discriminated against. We celebrate the Stonewall riots in Gay Pride, and we have International Women’s Day – two recently “invented” celebrations that remind us the hard path to equality. So even if Kwanzaa is different in some aspects, it can be seen also as a celebration of the path that Black Americans carved for themselves, from the civil rights point of view. Ultimately – a celebration like Kwanzaa is born from and celebrates a bond among people. And I say - if it didn’t exist – it should have been invented, and good that it was!<br /><br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18419669263752216223noreply@blogger.com