By C.L. CROCKETT
Published Monday, January 09, 2006
On Dec. 30, I received an e-mail from a dear friend of mine who sent me a portion of Ann Coulter’s column from that day, a column published in The State Journal-Register.
I went to Coulter’s Web site and read the entire article. Apparently, she was trying to convince someone that black people shouldn’t have the right to an Afro-centric holiday. What business is it of hers what black people celebrate? She expressed her stupidity with the following brainless rhyme:
(Sing to “Jingle Bells”)
Kwanzaa bells, dashikis sell
Whitey has to pay;
Burning, shooting, oh what fun
On this made-up holiday!
FYI for Miss Ann: Kwanzaa has nothing to do with “making whitey pay,” nor burning or shooting. It’s a seven-day celebration (Dec. 26-Jan. 1) of the guiding African principles of unity, self-determination, collective work and responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity and faith for black Americans.
It does not replace Christmas or Christ at all. It is a separate and solemn event filled with love and appreciation for family, community and ancestry.
She is trying real hard to start some crap, or maybe she is upset that her president acknowledged black people in a positive way when he recognized Kwanzaa. Poor, bitter soul. Obviously, she wants her back patters to think that the holiday is about something negative. Something America should fear. How ignorant!
Someone ought to break her crayon.
Perhaps I’m being impatient. Maybe the rule of journalistic fair play will birth equally hateful articles during the holidays and secular celebrations that other people groups enjoy, such as: Yom Hashoah (Jewish), St. Patrick’s Day (Irish), Cinco de Mayo (Hispanic), Nirvana Day & Holi (East Asians), Ramadan (Muslims), Ascension Day (Roman Catholics) and the fairly new Casimir Pulaski Day (Polish).
It will never happen, you say? Why not? Because something like THAT would offend the bulk of potential supporters, and perhaps be considered ... um - racist? Why then, is it so acceptable to disrespect our celebrations?
The fact that misinformation and blatantly anti-black commentary is routinely accepted as justifiable these days is no surprise. But it is very irritating that such a race-baiting and incendiary message got the go-ahead for reprinting.
My aforementioned dear friend, who is white, expressed to me that he is once again ashamed to be so, after reading Coulter’s article. He cannot understand the fear and hatred that is aimed at black people constantly while, at the same time, almost everything blacks invent, sing, say, do and wear is shoplifted with fierce zeal by corporate sales teams and imitated, claimed and renamed by those same individuals who supposedly despise us. Even McDonald’s has co-opted our “I’m cool with that” to sell ice cream.
Ann must be upset because she doesn’t have any culture to celebrate. Or maybe because she is not included in Kwanzaa. Perhaps someone should “make one up” for her, so she won’t have to hate. Doesn’t she realize that all holidays/events/celebrations are “made up” by someone? Even God. Duh!
Ann is whatever she is, but this time, her usual heartwarming spew of projectile vomit - formerly known as “yellow journalism” - has now gone gan-green. It serves no educational purpose. It helps no one. It shows no depth or intelligence. It is simply mind-bending violence against the nation of African citizenry.
I know what she’s really mad about, but I’ll do her an undeserved favor and keep her little secret. Just because I’m compassionate like that!
C.L. Crockett, a 25-year resident of Springfield, is a published poet and a certified parenting instructor who is working to rebuild broken families.