kwanzaa Options

[*kryogenix*]

Do you view Kwanzaa as a real holiday, or a joke?

[*kryogenix*]

Well, it's not even an African holiday. It was made by Ron Karenga (a Black militant and convicted felon) in the 60's. Fewer than 2% celebrate it.

Also, Kwanzaa is not compatible with all African cultures, especially with North Africa, which practices Islam. Actually, it attempts to reject the other religious holidays.

Kwanzaa teaches the seven principles of blackness (I'm not even kidding). It is also evident of Karenga's marxist views.

[illumineering]

Well, it's not even an African holiday. It was made by Ron Karenga (a Black militant and convicted felon) in the 60's. Fewer than 2% celebrate it.

Also, Kwanzaa is not compatible with all African cultures, especially with North Africa, which practices Islam. Actually, it attempts to reject the other religious holidays.

Kwanzaa teaches the seven principles of blackness (I'm not even kidding). It is also evident of Karenga's marxist views.

Of course it's not an African holiday, Ron Karenga in an African American. Kwanzaa is NOT viewed as a religious practice, it is about culture. Cultures can embrace more than one religion. I didn't realize the validity of Kwanzaa, or any other celebration, was based on popularity polls.

The seven principles of blackness have validity across all cultures. The primary purpose of naming the principles was to empower the BLACK community. The naming of these principles was done in response to Karenga's negative views of western religion with respect to the BLACK community. As for being a convicted felon, Malcom X was as well. He served his time and has as much right as any other person to reenter society. That fact in no way invalidated his leadership among the African American community. If you read Karenga's biography, he also has 2 doctorate degrees, written several books, chaired CSULA's Dept. of Black Studies and was involved in the establishment of the Milliion Man March.

[*kryogenix*]

Of course it's not an African holiday, Ron Karenga in an African American.  Kwanzaa is NOT viewed as a religious practice, it is about culture.  Cultures can embrace more than one religion.  I didn't realize the validity of Kwanzaa, or any other celebration, was based on popularity polls.

The seven principles of blackness have validity across all cultures.  The primary purpose of naming the principles was to empower the BLACK community.  The naming of these principles was done in response to Karenga's negative views of western religion with respect to the BLACK community.  As for being a convicted felon, Malcom X was as well.  He served his time and has as much right as any other person to reenter society.  That fact in no way invalidated his leadership among the African American community.  If you read Karenga's biography, he also has 2 doctorate degrees, written several books, chaired CSULA's Dept. of Black Studies and was involved in the establishment of the Milliion Man March.

I didn't say it was religious. However, the religion discourages celebrating other religious holidays at the time. Initially, Kwanzaa was not meant to be celebrated alongside other holidays. However, when they realized that not many people celebrated it, he changed his opinion and said it was possible for Christian blacks to celebrate.

It's not a popularity poll. The statistic proves that the majority of African Americans do not think it is a holiday worth celebrating. When the group that is supposed to be celebrating the holiday refuses to celebrate it, you kinda have to question its validity.

If they have validity across all cultures, why call it the principles of "BLACKNESS?" If I believed in those principles, would that make me more black than someone who didn't believe in them? If you look closely, the principles coincide with marxist/socialist principles, which he picked up after his felony sentence.

What do his degrees and other credentials mean? It doesn't change the fact that he tortured two people and was convicted of felony charges. The fact that he associates with the Million Man March (and Louis Farrakhan) doesn't improve my opinion of him.