Not everyone will feel a sense of Nova Scotian pride this
week. King’s College professor El Jones believes that the festival is
one more attempt to whitewash Nova Scotia and ignore the troubled
history of the largest indigenous black population in Canada.
“When I look at those ships I want you to think about the 400 black
men, women and children who would be forced to fit inside. Each slave
had two feet by three feet of room. Women were being raped on those
ships, people were casually beaten for the smallest infractions,” says
Jones. “It’s a quaint little ship, but this was the Middle Passage.
That was their purpose and they came to Halifax to work their
trade.”
Jones says that Nova Scotia tourism promoters try to present Nova
Scotia as a collection of “Scottish, white, bagpipe-playing fishermen
so that people from the States can get away from all the black people
that live near them.” She says the province tries to erase its troubled
history with its black population and instead embraces a simpler time
when Cornwallis was a hero and Halifax was involved in aiding the slave
trade and providing materials for plantations. This festival is just
one more example.
“I am not at all interested in this nostalgia that is removed from
any context. People say, ‘Why not go back to a simpler past?’ But it is
not simpler if you are, say, a woman, of colour, Jewish—that history
didn’t include you, so why should you be nostalgic?” she says. As the
province sells it, “this is just another nostalgic moment in white
history—isn’t it great that we are back in the 1800s? People say the
modern world is so confusing, so don’t we want to go back to those
times when we owned slaves? I don’t want to go back. I want to go
forward.”
Related Stories
Tall Ships gets funding boost
This article appears in Jul 16-22, 2009.
Were any of these ships sailing in used as a slave ships? Or is this article just generalizing a ‘tall ship’ as a reminder of what slaves were brought here on? Wow!, talk about misinformation… People always have to reach up from the bottom and drag the rest of the swimmers down i guess..
Excellent article Mr. Kimber. Unfortunately most people don’t look beyond the surface in life and then wonder why things go wrong. De-romanticizing the past can only keep us on the level track to a better future. I recall how my dad used to say how great the 50s were…unless you were gay, black, jewish, even a woman.
woman,
No one is saying to forget the past, Its almost like saying children get kidnapped in cars, so don’t drive them anymore..
I’m not condoning any of the slavery related activities mentioned in this article, but really, the SHIPS didn’t contribute to this…people did. All of this is long gone. The ships should be admired for what they, and not blown off for what a handful of people used them for a couple of hundred years ago. They were designed and constructed by dedicated men and woman, passionate about what they were doing. They are masterpieces of design and engineering, and represent the most sustainable form of transportation ever developed. They were no less remarkable in their day than a modern airliner flying half way around the globe is today. And like all great creations, they stir our souls, finding just the right balance between beauty, functionality and innovation. Now get a grip, and go out there and enjoy these creations before they disappear over the horizon once again.
I know what Ms Jones means, Halifax does NOT promote its full history. There is something especially poignant about that during the summer months, when much of the city’s energy and effort goes into promoting an “authentic” Nova Scotian experience.
There is nothing wrong with highlighting the beauty of a place with a complex past. Many places, for example in the Caribbean are world class “paradise” resorts, converted from former slave plantations! People still visit them in droves. To not visit because of that would have the opposite effect of NOT helping the community move forward. One thing, however is that many of those places make no qualms about clearly explaining their past origins. In a place that openly markets its rich history as one of its main features, it is frustrating to see how only one, idyllic, simplistic version of the history here is given. Many of the attractions and features often have a virulent story behind them, but the explanations for them are as empty as the sex ed classes in a catholic school. Its like your grandmother telling you to call your genitals, your “privates” and that a vagina is a “pocketbook”. You can ask and ask all you want but all you will get are the same responses accompanied by a blank stare.
In a province that prides itself on “authenticity”, again, the widespread simplification of history is hypocritical. It is not that people shouldn’t visit Nova Scotia and enjoy the historical attractions it has to offer, simply because we have a bit of a shameful past, like most places. Its just that for the sake of TRUTH and REALITY, things should be told as they are. We can recover from a shameful past, and be stronger because of it. Strengthening the connections within Nova Scotia means including all of the participants of its history. Its history is what makes it the culturally rich and diverse place it is today.
That being said, I understand Ms. Jones’ frustration but perhaps her delivery of that public statement is not being well-received. Perhaps, that is not her style. Nonetheless, she is making a strong point that should cause everyone who reads it to consider its relevance.
That’s not really the point. The point that the author of the article is trying to make is that we shouldn’t celebrate something as part of our heritage without realizing that one man’s heritage is another man’s oppression. If slavery is part of our heritage then it should be engaged with openly and not ignored. It is ignorance that breeds intolerance and hatred, not knowing different perspectives of the same history.
It’s the same as commemorating Cornwallis as our City’s founder. Yeah, sure he founded Halifax, but he was also responsible for the massacre of Mik’maq people (including innocent women and children). Not may people know this when they pose with his statue in the children’s park across from the train station.
I think this article was written with the hope that while many go downtown and pose for pics with the Tall Ships this weekend, you have an appreciation for ALL the lives that made the working of these magnificent ships possible… including the ones that are often forgotten and ignored. Slavery IS a part of our history. Whether or not you chose to acknowledge it or celebrate it is entirely up to you.
Thanks for this article, I was just reading another article lately about the horrors endured by slaves on the ships, and didn’t really make the Tallships connection.
I too am annoyed by people saying “let’s remember a simpler time” you mean before all those uppity minorities and women decided to speak up for themselves?
I think we can appreciate the Tallships’ history and craftsmanship without pretending that it was all about romantic sea voyages and adventure. It could even be a good learning opportunity for children.
Wow!……Pure utter slanderous irresponsible misguided off-the-wall bull fucking shit!! You are truly a screwed up individual professor El Jones if you believe any of that bunk! That is insidious, the dictionary definition of the word.
If that’s all you see when you see a wooden tall ship, tell me, what do you see when you look at a piece of rope? What do you see when you look at a an iron shackle or a whip? What do you see when you look at a tree? What do you feel when your at an auction? What do you see when you look at a bus? How about a sign? You know, signs were once used to prohibit blacks from certain areas!
What I really want to know is, what do you see when you look at a white man?
I fully agree with mcgayle. What sort of BS article is this? Slave ships represented about .01% of the merchant fleet of the 1800’s.
While we’re at it, why don’t we demonize Volkswagen, because in the past, it was a car company developped under Hitler’s eye, using Jewish slave labour?
Let Volswagen be known for what it is, a demonic company whose cars were made by slaves!
El Jones needs to take the stick out of her arse.
Know what one of the ships is? The freaking AMISTAD.
http://www.tallshipsnovascotia.com/shipsDe…
Oh look, serves as a “floating classroom, icon and as a monument to the millions of souls that were broken or lost as a result of the insidious Transatlantic slave trade. The vessel offers an important message for all Americans about our collective history and future.”
Most of the ships were built after 1900, FFS.
El Jones – one ignorant bitter man and one more reason for young adults to avoid King’s College.
a bunch of rednecks walking around looking at ships, where is the amusement in that ???
Phantaz, thanks for pointing out the other selective moral outrage issues as the Volkswagen etc…. what scares me in this article is this prof really seems to believe that white folks, do this to get away from black people they know? all And what white folks, I guess because you know how we all look the same so why both being specific we don’t matter.
Unless I have misread the context it is by far the most clinical thing I have read/heard in a long time in a province where a small posse loves to keep non- blacks racially hostage for ghosts.
There is so much I could say but I truly could not be bothered wasting my time.. however…These are the same type of folk who chat about how the very first people were from Africa but so to where the very first caste systems which invented slavery in the first place…you cannot have it both ways : if you are the first people then you are the first slave owners!
Black enslaved black before any other nation….. so if we are talking history then lets do so and not that convenient one that is just used to manipulate for attention. All nations have been conquerors and all nations have been conquered…It is how we evolved as ‘civilizations’….. there are many things done to many people that were ‘wrong’ –no one group has a monopoly on the suffering committed by others.
You lose credit with me when you chose to think history started with slavery of the blacks to the new colony…..try stepping back a few centuries and you will get my undivided attention.
Anyway, to suggest there is a mass conspiracy of the promoters to hide information so that folks can get away from black people is a symptom of a more dangerous illness.
It is refreshing to see some of the other readers have not been fooled.
White washed with Scottish blah blah blah… what about the Multicultural festival, Pride week, Buskerfest and the Atlantic Jazz Fest? Tallships is just a bunch of ships. No one is making a political statement with it.
Smee, that was powerful…loved it…yes I am curious as well and well asked….what DO they see when they see all that and then what do they see when they ‘see’ a white man… with all this uneducated and racist rhetoric against all whites I doubt they truly see white men (women) at all…. brilliant
THANK YOU Smee….
This guy is a university professor? A new low in education. If you follow his logic we would ban horse shows and horse racing because horses were used to round up slaves in Africa. What a maroon as Bugs would say.
“What I really want to know is, what do you see when you look at a white man?”
This is a interesting question, it would be nice to see The Coast do a survey and pose this very question to Blacks here in Nova Scotia.
The Tall Ships festival is not about Scottish, bag pipe playing fishermen. If you actually pay attention to the promotion for the event you’ll notice the characters they use to promote it are pirates. Obviously, playing off the Hollywood success of Pirates of the Caribbean. Pirates, both historically and today, are nothing to be celebrated in reality, but like anything burried far enough in the past there is an intriguing mystique to it that we romantacize today.
As for those Scottish bag pipe playing fishermen; being one myself I take issue with Jones’ attempt to throw mud at that particular group of people. The vast majority of Scots who came here did so under duress; many of them died en route due to squalor conditions. Many of them died after coming here because of the harsh living conditions in places where they were dumped off the boat, like northern Cape Breton.
Let’s use the Tall Ships festival as a reminder of how far Nova Scotian society has progressed since the golden age of sail, and a reminder of the work that’s yet to do.
I think this professor should be fired and taken to the Human Rights Commission for racism against whites, culturalism against the Scots, instrumentalism against the bagpipers and careerism against fisherman…
Then while we are at it: CANADIAN TIRE: WILL YOU FECKING take the tam wearing Scottish man off your fecking money…..are you that confused?
Now that is racism!
Stick to pictures of a tire on your tire money!
Scottish people were forced to be frugal because they were being exploited and culturally murdered…frugality is not the same as being cheap or fake and the implications on your fake money are offensive.
Frank Mckay.Who the **is romanticizing the past? Is a so-called professor’s flawed logic that we are discussing. She has made what is known as a category error. Example: Tall ships carried slaves. Slavery is bad. Tall ships must be bad. Its this type of affirmative action professor that is dumbing down our education system.
mcgayle;
I thought your first and second comments made excellent dialogue entries, I didn’t have the stomach to spend the time or energy responding to that idiot’s babblings.
I also liked Phantaz’s point; and history is oozing with many other such examples.
The Can-tire Tam o’ Shanter thing could be a whole new bitch on it’s own, seriously!
And what happened to the St. Andrew’s Cross?!
Well I hate slavery, but I find it hard to beleive that the only things that those ships ever were used for was to carry slaves.
After doing my jazz shift last night I took the ferry back to Dartmouth and it was very quiet given the bustle of the day….
It was just me and I walked over to this ship and became angry. In front of the walkway is a historical setup for the Curious to read, albeit the Coles version of this ship that became the symbol for so much. It clearly does not attempt to hide the role this ship played in illegal human trafficking and it spoke openly about its purpose of being not just a historical fact but as a motivator into all that is possible and futuristic…..so after getting to see this and read this in the quiet of my solitude I more than ever realized this professor is a danger to inquiring minds paying for their tuition.
This ‘teacher’ who not only likes to incite racial hysteria because it gave them 15 minutes of fame…but fabricated information not only historically but in the realtime for this ship that openly publicizes and encourages the discussion of history….. which includes the role played in the transporting of human beings.
As someone who supports anything that is about the intellectual….this teacher did act recklessly and with no sound reasons to make such racist comments toward so many. I do not know the promoters nor do I care. What I read was a bunch of racism ..oh and by the way to sum all Scottish men as fishermen and /or playing bagpipes is akin to saying all Black men can jump….
This article reads today with a new meaning of disgust for this irresponsible person the tax payers are paying to educate our future generations. This professor should be removed immediately for this ‘subtle’ hate crime that accuses NS of engaging in behaviour of assisting other white folks to help them get away from black folks.
Surely this board of directors at this university will deal with this unconscionable person?
The last thing this province needs is any more folks talking out their ass, we already have the market on that talent.
To suggest that tall ships are one thing, and symbolize only one action, at the cost of everything else they symbolize is painfully facile.
Jones is quoted as saying, “I am not at all interested in this nostalgia that is removed from any context.” And yet, Jones sees fit to force tall ships into one single, over-simplified context.
While there is value in being aware that slaves were taken away from their homes in ships with sails, distilling the entire history of trans-ocean sailing into nothing more than slavery-centric mediums of conveyance is an affront to intelligent thought.
Tall ships were used to bring tea from China for the ladies of Victoria, London and New York to sip.Tall ships carried exotic spices to brighten up the food choices on the tables of Europe and North America.Tall ships carried: coal,timber,fish and just about everything else from anywhere to everywhere.The Royal Navy even used tall ships to interdict the international slave trade and help in its demise.
The tall ships organisation brings together young people from all over the world,young people of many colours creeds and cultures in the hope that they can learn tolerance and understanding of their fellow human beings and provide a life enhancing experience to the many participants.
It is very disheartening that a university professor can not get past his/ her own prejudices to see the good that this kind of experience brings.The comments professor Jones made were waspish and bitter and included much of the kind of racial stereotyping that would be regarded as hate literature if applied to people of African descent.Well done professor Jones your comments will foster more bitterness between the races.
posted by David at halifax
This man Jones is a woman. She is a “Teaching Fellow” for the Foundation Year Programme at King’s. She has an MA in Film from Manitoba and is completing a PhD in English from Dalhousie University. Following this she will be taking her LOL. So hardly a professor.
She isn’t not a trained professional historian. She is committing the same errors all amateur historians commit.
Popular opinion seems against her and her ideas, so there is not much need for me to expose her anymore.
Terrible article. Yes, El Jones (who is a woman – a fact some commentators failed to realize) is articulate and willing to talk. But she also puts her foot in her mouth, as others have pointed out. Did you fact-check her assertions? I guess not. Although some of the Tall Ships were slave ships (like the Amistad), one reader pointed out that its history IS made clear to visitors, and is fact is part of its appeal. If Jones’ overarching point was that Nova Scotia romanticizes its white past and tries to hide the history of racism and abuses, that is true. But she completely undermines herself with the blanket statements, lack of academic thoroughness, and selective vision.
As a student of King’s, Michael probably had easy access to her as a source and perhaps a professor, but that doesn’t give him an excuse for balancing this whole article on her flawed statements. One wonders if this thing made print because the author is the son of the Coast’s Senior Feature writer?
http://www.stephenkimber.com/content.php?c…
I expect the son of the Steve to print garbage about racial issues in Nova Scotia, Steve Kimber is one of the weakest writers of the black experience and race experience in this province…too scared to print the truth and playing it too safe by printing the words of blacks, any black will do, and holding it as gospel…I guess it is genetic?
mcgayle, do you have something to say, if so say it, otherwise shut up. I can’t tell if you know what your talking about or if your just blindly disgruntled. (-;
….Clearly someone has been passing out free crack again…A black person is speaking out about their history and to discredit their views you say they are on crack. Your words seem to reflect an at the very least a subconscious racism. This same feeling becomes apparent when you attack Michael Kimber and his father for always believing black people are automatically in the right.I see no opinion reflected in this article of the author as it is entirely in Jones words. To me this seems to be one perspective of the seven or eight stories from how to pick up a sailor to lessons learned aboard the amistad. This is how some people feel. How is it racist for Jones to feel excluded? She at no point says we are scottish fishermen she just believes this to be the image which is being sold.
Neo, I would tell you to kiss my Scottish ass but there is not enough anti-fungus cream for me to apply after you did.
Kayla, did you get some of that free crack too?
You obviously lack the ability to understand my posts so stop holding up the line and move along….peas and sanks
Wow. Some of the anger and hatred from some of you only serves to prove Jones’ point… I’m looking at you, mcgayle. Do you KNOW this person in real life or something? This sure sounds personal.
First of all, I think people are being needlessly defensive. Jones is referring to NS tourism promoters, not all Scotians and certainly not all whites. She said an IMAGE is being presented of Scottish bag-piping fishermen, not that all white Nova Scotians ARE that… but what is wrong with playing the bagpipes or being a fisherman? How is that an insult? I do not live in NS, and whenever a commercial comes on about visiting Nova Scotia, it involves some combination of lobster, bagpipers, kilts, ocean scenes and lighthouses. That’s all fine and dandy, but there ARE many Nova Scotians who do not share that heritage and feel excluded or like their culture is not included in that vision. It is just as historically and culturally accurate to have African drumming or Mik’Maq ceremonies as a part of those commercials and brochures, but you rarely see that in the rest of the country, and in fact, living in the rest of the country, I know that many people are only marginally aware that NS HAS people of African descent and certainly it is not widely known that Canada participated in slavery. I think that that is where Jones’ frustration comes from, as a Black person who has lived both in and out of NS and has experienced some peoples’ ignorance first-hand.
No, she is not a historian. No, not all of her facts are accurate. But I don’t think she was interviewed from that perspective. I think she was used as an example of someone who feels excluded, and perhaps the journalist is sympathetic or in agreement with her views, but all he said to that end was “not everyone will feel a sense of pride.” Well, since he interviewed one person who doesn’t, not everyone DOES and so that is technically factually correct. He didn’t say anything else to indicate support for the author – comments were merely put out there to stimulate debate, as has happened, though unfortunately not the type of self-critical, progressive debate that might have been wished for and that would have been nice to see. Why does it matter what race the journalist is or who his father is? Not knowing the individual in question, I have nothing to indicate that either way and don’t see why it is relevant. It actually reveals a lot about the people criticizing him that they are making assumptions about people speaking for all Blacks and so on. It’s just an article about one person’s perspective. You are free to agree or disagree, but to use this article to attack a wider range of Black people than the one making the comments is also unnecessarily racial.
Interesting that where gender is not mentioned, the assumption is made by some of you that the speaker is a man. I would urge some of you to also examine your assumptions about race.
I think and have reason to believe that Jones’ remarks come from a profound sense of alienation and isolation. For those who have not experienced it, being in the academic world as a graduate student and then university instructor as a woman of colour can be an extremely difficult and lonely experience. The worldview and perspective of others like you is often underrepresented and devalued. For many people, the more you learn, the more fulfilled and complete you become, but for others, learning about the history of one’s people and the things that happened to one’s ancestors can be extremely painful, and when speaking about it leads to misunderstanding and vitriol as was expressed here, that leads to more pain and isolation and a further entrenching of one’s position.
There is definitely a racial and cultural divide here, and I can tell you that while Jones’ comments may not have been the best way to bridge it, some of the comments here further drove in the wedge. What kind of message do you think that this sends to young kids of any race who might read this? I’m disappointed that more people did not see Jones’ pain and respond more gently and respectfully with their criticism. I agree that some of her historical facts or knowledge of the festival were incorrect, but I don’t think she was presented as an expert on either of those. This seems to be one of those rants that emerges from an evening spent dishing with friends and really, the journalist is the one responsible for making the piece more balanced – perhaps with a response from someone with a different perspective than this one. Printing it this way leaves Jones hanging out to dry and having her profession maligned, threats of being fired or sued etc. when really, she just responded to a request for an interview from what I can see. Probably the whole thing was not even printed. And I think that adding her university position was just that thing journalists do to identify people, just like the mainstream media always post age, whether or not it is relevant. I think that the interpretation was made that her position was somehow related to the comments or made them more valid, but since she is not a history professor, I don’t believe it did and might have been better left out altogether. I wonder how people would have reacted if the comments were just presented as made by any random individual. The issue here is more lazy and poor journalism than anything else I think.
I see peoples’ reactions as being overblown, much like Republican attacks on Sonia Sotomayor in the US. I really don’t see where white people as a whole were targetted. The only comment that was somewhat ill-advised was the one about ‘people from the States wanting to get away from Black people.’ That is a generalization about non-Black US citizens that did not really aid the general point and seems rather naive and childish, but other than that one comment, I don’t see anything out of line and certainly nothing racial.
I’d like to add to those that are bringing up the history of the Scots people and how some of them were also herded onto tall ships or culturally violated – if so, then you should be able to have sympathy for others who experienced even harsher methods of the same thing. The Scots at least often left home somewhat voluntarily – maybe there was no real choice due to hunger, but they still got to choose the place and time they left and were not captured violently. They were not sold as cattle or auctioned to the highest bidder. They got to keep their names, religions, culture, communicate with their families left at home, play their bagpipes and wear their kilts. And as white people, they were not held back by having a skin colour that was automatically stigmatized, and so it was easier for subsequent generations to overcome poverty. They quickly became leaders of Canada, including the first Prime Minister who was of Scots descent. Many of them obtained their land and wealth at the expense of Africans and aboriginals. If you were serious about the Canadian Tire money comment, I hope you realize that people of colour are routinely subjected to such stereotypes and worse. If you really can’t see that, then this article DOES apply to your mindset.
As to the “white history” comment, that doesn’t refer to individual white people, but to the fact that the history we have is mostly from the white (and male, and heterosexual) perspective – FACT.
I cannot believe anyone is serious about filing a human rights complaint on behalf of white people. How many complaints have you filed on behalf of the most marginalized among us? Are these comments really hurting the place of white people as most privileged in the racial hierarchy we live under? Are white people taunted, excluded, imprisoned, underpaid, overworked, miseducated and all the rest at anywhere close to the rates of people of colour? I think many Black people would be praising the Lord if the worst they experienced were comments like this. Your human rights committee is kept busy enough with real racial problems – if you are really interested, browse their website and read about some of the situations they face and the initiatives they have undertaken before you make such reckless remarks.
I see not simple outrage over an inappropriate comment or two, but an effort to silence and shame someone who challenges your worldview, and that is really sad and does not present your Nova Scotian pride well at all. Another opportunity lost to have a real conversation and build some bridges – shame.
I forgot to address the suggestion made by someone (mcgayle?) that Jones is an “affirmative action professor.” That’s offensive on so many levels. In my experience, people usually make comments like that to mean that a person of colour who was hired for their colour and not their qualifications. It shows a misunderstanding of the nature and purpose of affirmative action, an assumption that it’s a negative thing, and an assumption that a person of colour can’t succeed on their own merits. Which is not a negative reflection on affirmative action – it’s a negative reflection on YOU. Do professors of colour not belong in the classroom? Your remark is not solely directed at Jones but at all professors of colour.
Also… I don’t think the ships are the real problem. They were just the mode of transport at the time. Hitler transported people to concentration camps in trains, but it doesn’t make trains bad. Sex slaves are transported now in ships and planes but it doesn’t make ships and planes bad. It is human beings who can be and do bad in our treatment of each other.
And this whole thread reminded me why I would have such a hard time coming back to NS to live, visit or raise kids. Is that the impression you all hoped to leave?
Far, Actually I never said anyone was involved with affirmative action because I do not support such faux attempts to address inequality that creates more inequality.
I just read your first sentence of your last post and because you clearly have displaced reading and comprehension skills and could not be bothered doing your homework I cannot be bothered reading your posts.
I am sure you understand….perhaps you need a new script for glasses? I am sure you posts were brilliant and worthy of the Nobel Peace Prize. Truly.
In general, I do find all the assumptions some of you make absolutely amusing…and you make my point about how many ‘whites’ and/or confused people are ready and willing to drink the kool-aid on the racial hysteria train….
The inexperienced teacher-professor but not really who is not really a historian but spoke as if they were..should be held academically accountable for such bastardizations of truth and for deliberately pimping a social issue to create racial discord in this cheesey sanctimony when they were revealing their inner racism.
When “profesors” (regardless of their academic qualifications) speak to the media, they have an obligation to speak about things that fall witin their area of specialization. Otherwise their views are no more relevant than those of any other member of society.
Great point Buck. Being the article does not qualify that the person is speaking out of turn so to speak it should not be printed as implying they are an expert or such.
Regardless, opine away as long as you know what you are talking about.
This clearly is not an educated opinion despite the reporter’s attempts to portray it as it is…it is a socio-poli symptom and best to be medicated or alienated.
The ship and its crew openly discuss the issues, all of them past and present and many heard/ listened. That is my observation because I observed it. It is therefore a fact. This facts nullifies anything this faux expert stated.
mcgayle, my apologies – it was sangaman who made the affirmative action comment. I couldn’t tell one angry poster from the next I guess.
But… affirmative action is not a “faux attempt to address inequality that creates more inequality.” Speaking of doing homework, you should read a little more about affirmative action. And who are the whites and confused people of whom you speak who are “jumping on the racial hysteria train?”
This whole discussion = you couldn’t pay me enough to come back to Scotia (and I was made an offer earlier this year.) The real point, that Canada/NS has not come to terms with its history and therefore social problems result, has been glossed over completely in favour of personal attacks, and I have seen that way too often.
Just because you don’t like one person’s comments and one reporter’s bad journalism doesn’t mean you need to be aggressive and unpleasant to anyone else who does not agree with you.
The reason history is best left to professional historians is because they are trained. When you do a PhD in history you are trained to find, evaluate and write about history. You are trained to understand the difference and significance between primary and secondary sources. You are trained to translate properly, you are trained to put things in perspective in accordance to the time things occur. You are trained to present history in a fair and balanced way.
Believe it or not it’s a serious business, it’s not just hocus pocus stuff for King’s teaching fellows just rant about.
Yorkke, I agree with what you are saying but I have to laugh at the idea that historians are trained to present things in a fair and balanced way. I am sure many historians, and certainly the good ones, try their best to do just that, but it is impossible to be completely fair and balanced when every individual brings their own perspective – their ethnicity, gender, time and place they live in, religion, sexuality and all the rest – to the table and cannot completely live free of that however hard they try. I only took high school and undergrad history, but all my teachers emphasized that fact. I am sure you would agree that the history of transatlantic slavery has not really been told from the perspective of the slaves as fully as it might…. because that history was often partially erased by the practices of slavery. If every person on this thread got a phD in history, there would still be different opinions and emphasis from every single one of us stemming from who we were before and after we got that degree.
I really think that this could have been a point-counterpoint piece, with a pro-tall ships and anti-tall ships perspective presented, perhaps from people who have studied the history and are familiar with it.
I could be wrong, but I thought that the King’s teachers teach the Foundation Year and that the appeal of this year is that it spans a wide range of disciplines from literature to philosophy to religion to history – so don’t the teachers have to have SOME familiarity and have done SOME reading in the area of history? And don’t they have academic freedom just as any professor would?
Yorkke, I agree with what you are saying about professional historians, but I think that while the good ones make an effort to be fair and balanced, people are human and will always bring their own bias and perspective into play – and in Canada, the vast majority of historians do not come from African or aboriginal communities and therefore that perspective is underrepresented.
Browsing the Tall ships website, there is nothing on there about the usages or history of the ships at all, so it does come across as a quaint, fun festival and that is all. Maybe once you get there some history is presented but not on the promotional materials at all.
Not only were tall ships used as slave ships but from where I sit, they were also used as warships, as the means to perpetuate colonialism, as transport for the products of the industrial revolution…. without global transportation we would not have the capitalist society we have now – and that also goes for railways and later for air travel – and that capitalist society took a lot of victims.
While I do accept your apology I donot accept your need to ‘correct my behaviour’. I have made it clear that I do not like posts that are personal attacks and combative and will either ignore or respond in kind I already established that.
Perhaps you were best to address your need to correct Neo’s post that was unpleasant and aggressive..you lost credibility in the way much like the reporter and ‘prof’ selected their moral outrage.
I used to ignore the LCD on board but every once in awhile I think they need a bitch slap. But that is my prerogative. If you want me to take you seriously then be as factual, fair and as unbiased as possible which you clearly were not.
Again I didnot read any further because your passive aggressive rudeness in calling others YOU disagree with as angry is symptomatic and it would be unethical for me to keep replying to your ‘need’. Good day!
While I agree historians know best but we all know or should know that history is often written by the victors therefore inherently selective and biased and lacking…..however when a person does not qualify their opine and leaves the reader to imply this is expert opinion that is neglect on the reporter’s end unless the subject misrepresented themselves which can happen.
Regardless, such rhetoric serves one purpose and the reporter did exactly what his papi does….NOT his homework as it should be done. A good reporter would have called out the crap and challenged the subject with opposing CORRECT views on this imaginary issue.
Now if this is a student reporter than too it should have been qualified so the reader can weigh the credibility of the subject, the topic and the medium.
To print this garbage as try to pass it off as information will keep that reporter unemployed unless nepotism is alive and well…. 😉
The good news it lets us know where not to attend school.
Lawyer Anne Calder attended Kings….she is an alleged drug dealer now….mmmmmmmmmmm for a pimp who didnot go to Kings…what is Kings doing over there….
So lets recap…
El Jones comments are a little ill-informed and are guilty of only remembering one aspect of history, the very sin she is trying to bring to light.
McGayle is a reactionary ass who doesn’t see how racist it is to preport a black womann must have taken “free crack”.
Only historians are allowed to comment on society.*
Kings College should be judged on the basis of one teaching fellow and someone who may or may not have sold drugs who attended there (because every university doesn’t have numerous people selling drugs!).*
Your parents define everything you will ever do. Don’t even bother.*
Halifax has never had any problems with racism. Ever. As a city, we don’t have a long legacy of inequality. Africville never happened. *
And finally, a well spaced comment is much easier to read than a big block run on sentance.
* denotes the use of sarcasm
mcgayle: “Far, Actually I never said anyone was involved with affirmative action because I do not support such faux attempts to address inequality that creates more inequality. “
A fine, fine comment. Reverse racism IS racism. You are still singling that group out. Black history month is a ridiculous concept. Why relagate all the history, and achievements of blacks to one month? Black history is Canadian history. One and the same. Why use it as ‘compensation’ for racism? The best way to get rid of racism is to stop talking about it. Blacks, whites, we are all Canadians. Stop referring to people as black or white. Whats the best way to stop racism? Stop talking about it. Stop usingg those terms. We are Canadians.
“Only historians are allowed to comment on society.*”
I didn’t say that, I’m saying the value you place on it is higher when it comes from someone trained.
People comment on health issues, but advice from doctors is given more value.
People comment on legal issues, but advice from lawyers is given more value.
Academia is no different.
You want perspective, how about this.
The slave trade from Africa to the Arab World is over 1300 years old and continues to this day.
Slavery from Africa to the New World occurred for less than 500 years, and has been abolished for over 200 years.
More slaves have been transported to the Arab World than have ever been transported to the New World.
All this and yet every time slavery is mentioned it’s America this, America that. Tall ships this, tall ships that. Yes, the New World was a player, but the main player always has been, and still is today, the Arab World.
A historian would know this and balance the equation fairly. Focusing all your criticisms and energies on the New World is like blaming Artur Axmann for starting World War II. Or for you hockey nuts, crediting Alex Goligoski with winning the cup for Pittsburgh.
Actually, yorkke, your comments about the Arab world and slavery are correct, BUT they fail to take into account the devastating scale of transatlantic New World slavery. Leaving aside the fact that you’re going to hear more about that type of slavery in NS than Arab world slavery because it is that type of slavery that affected the ancestors of NS Blacks and continued to affect them, New World and Arab slavery, or African slavery, were/are different because they did not come with the race/colour dynamic that New World slavery did. The European slave system, and colonialism in general, worked because a belief was spread that Blacks were inherently inferior to whites because of their skin colour, and that that could never change. To this day, we have the residual effects of that as seen with white privilege. Arabs and Africans were less hung up on race and colour and so it was easier to escape slavery and the stigma of it in subsequent generations. Also, Arab/African slavery tended to be more small-scale or household slavery, and there were not the devastating effects of the Middle Passage or plantation slavery.
I am not sure if you are presenting yourself as a trained historian, but if so, you definitely did not present this facts as fair and unbiased. A clear bias shows in the way you worded your post: a desire to discredit Black Canadians who speak of racism and historical injustices and make a claim that “it’s not that bad.”
Speaking of New World slavery does not mean that Arab slavery did not exist, but it is New World attitudes that are currently affecting the world as a whole and it is New World slavery that is responsible for racial inequities in Scotia, which was the topic of this discussion was it not?
Also, we still have slavery in the New World also – not specifically with people of African descent, but sex slavery or domestic slavery, with women and children from all over the globe.
Phantaz… there is no such thing as reverse racism – there is just racism. And I agree, Black history is Canadian history, but most Canadian educational instutions have not realized this yet. Black History Month is a first step… better than nothing…the best we can do at the moment. If the Black community wishes to use it to celebrate its accomplishments and talk about its past – since most events are optional for anyone to pay significant attention to, what it is to you?
And the idea that “the best idea to get rid of racism is to stop talking about it” – I cannot believe that anyone is really that naive. So when someone is the recipient of racist treatment, pretending to ignore it and be “Canadian” is going to stop the perpetrator from doing this again, and the recipient is going to feel better? Actually, the best way to get rid of anything negative is to expose it – talk about it – make it socially unacceptable – put people on notice that this behaviour will be noted and will not be tolerated. I think that was El Jones’ point – that ignoring NS history does not make it go away. Ignoring that Africville happened doesn’t heal the descendants.
I don’t think it matters what people call themselves – black, white, Canadian, hyphenated Canadians, whatever. There are still inequities between Canadians – the labels people use are not the main concern. But people in this thread have referred to their Scottish heritage or called themselves Scottish and no one seems concerned about that – so what is the difference if people of African descent wish to acknowledge that? What is it to you what other people call themselves?
I just present myself as a poster that prefers to stay on the bitches section, but occasionally gets sucked into this shit by a crazy article on the front page.
I need to remind myself that arguing on the internet is like the special Olympics; even if you win you’re still retarded.
“Black history month is a ridiculous concept. Why relagate all the history, and achievements of blacks to one month?”
just as ridiculous as mother’s day, father’s day.
mcquale your a serious ass, who is guilty of what you accuse other of. moron, disgrutled and perhaps, from the sound of it a racist as well. jackass.
Phantaz: while I understand your Canadian position I do not think there is anything wrong with acknowledging people in their ethnicity because with that is valuable socio-poli and genetic-bio information.
I do not support a colour-blind politic because it ignores so much information that we do need, we do not all have the same structure for example or illnesses or issues. These differences if forgotten could cause other issues.
WE do not use all the same products because our bodies do not have the same needs.
While it is not important in a general context to know that I am from Scotland-immigrant and from a biracial family..in some conversation that IS important because it DOES define and influence me as a woman and an immigrant and a socio-poli being that must make choices for me and my family.
These things are important to me just like my gender is and I should also know what being female versus male means too, they are not the same just as race is not.
Yes we all belong to the human race, well some of us do….;)
I also do not support the notion of reverse racism simply because there is no such thing. Racism is racism you cannot reverse it. Reverse racism is based on the faulty premise that some are always victims and some are always perps based solely on skin colour which is a mis-education that is epidemic all over.
Not all Tall Ships are slave ships. Tall Ships are mostly replicas of the ships of the past. They are replicas of Gloucester fishing schooners, their are replicas of the whaling vessels, there are replicas of ships that brought the colonists to America. Many Tall Ships that are sailing today are war prizes paid out by Germany after World War 2. A fair portion of Tall Ships are used for education purposes. They teach sailing skills, marlin spike seamanship, team work, environmental awareness. Many Tall Ships are involved as good will ambassadors to North America and Europe but there are several ships that bring cargo to islanders in the South Pacific. Today, ships are co-ed and women play just an important role in the operation of the ships as men. Women are cooks, deckhands, bosuns, engineers, mates and captains. There are ships dedicated to solely educating women.
Yes, there are ships that are replicas of those involved in negative portions of history such as the slave trade, but look at these ships as education tools. If you want to explain tight living quarters, heat, exhaustion, etc bring your students or family to these ships and learn from them.
Please do not decide not experience these ships because of the dark past some of these ships are associated with but visit these ships to be a part of the good that the organizations, captains, educators, and crew are trying to bring into this world.
I find this a bit ironic. In the days of slavery, tall ships carried black slaves, but also had black officers, even captains. They represented both degradation and high achievement for African Americans.
Sailing tall ships was hard and often dangerous work, and to a degree still is. Celebrating that period of history is important. Tall ships carried everyone and everything before the 1850’s, slave and abolitionist alike. Even up until the 1900s, only the wealthy came on steamships.
For free blacks in the north before the Civil War, sailing tall ships was one of the few occupations that offered even slim opportunities for advancement. Crews were often hard to get, and all races and nationalities were usually taken. In the hard life of a whaling ship, some blacks even became mates or wealthy captains of either all black or even mixed race crews. Captain Absalom Boston of Nantucket, Mass. and another sailing from Cold Spring Harbor, NY, are two examples. In the 1840’s sailing tall ships was virtually the only work where whites would sign up for work where blacks were in command.
Pretty weak article. First of all, I do not believe any of the ships docked in Halifax during the festival were slave ships. History is sordid with exploitation of some groups by others, and it is in no way acceptable by today’s standards. However, by suggesting that ‘tall ships’ generally were associated with the slave trade, and that we should not want them to visit is overreactive. We should want to learn about their history — good or bad. Guaranteed, if a slave ship had joined the Tall Ships festival it would have been presented in that fashion. Despite being a mechanism associated with those miserable acts, there is still educational value. The author’s argument forgets that there are historical sites around the world associated with terrible historical atrocities. Still we visit them. Still we learn from them. If only we learned not to repeat our mistakes.
As an aside, human trafficking and slavery victimizes more adults and children today than during the slave trade represented in the article. Clearly, the world has not learned the lessons of the past.
you are all ironic.
Everyone of you.
ironic.
Whites accuse blacks of reverse racism.
Blacks accuse whites of racism for reacting to the feeling of generalizations towards them all.
Whites feel the need to defend us.
defend us by using someone’s reference as crack as a solid way to argue “subconscious racism” when in fact, you attack your own.
I have had a white have a conversation with me and call them selves a “race traitor” like it was an attribute.
That is sick.
We read someone’s OPINION about something, and decide to discredit her as not being well read, or misinformed.
Of course she knows of the positive historyies of the Tall Ships…we all know that.
Maybe we should all take a long look at what we say and do that promotes these hateful attitudes, and realize that this is the most self centered string of garbage that has ever been argued on the coast site.
We have a very large population of asian, jewish,native, dutch, german, arab, african, etc that have issues right now that we turn blind eyes to.
especially natives.
we talk about the natives having land stolen,
yet none of use will ever come to their aid and stand together to help them reclaim a thing.
The Scottish where crammed here on boats, and left to die in the highlands.
The french were left to die in the valley, then expelled from the province with nothing….
those french and blacks made the cajuns who they are today.
The blacks were forced to work and live on land that was unlivable, and relocated. And many of those communities that are not Africville, still sit on the outskirts of towns, in floodlands and a half a mile from landfill sites.
the Micmaq culture was nearly wiped out…and and far less off now then any of us were.
Everytime I get into a discussion with anyone about anything of this nature, someone turns and justifies their attitudes, yet doesn’t share experience. If someone does, they are somehow racist, when in fact maybe they admitting their position.
So do we reprimand them or explore why?
Have you whites felt the effects that we blacks have this day?
Are we lying when we experience racism?
Have your boyfriend/ Girlfriend’s parents deny you because you were black?
Have WE blacks understood the effect of someone who truly sees no barrier in culture be told they could not see someone because of how their parents were raised? The confict they feel?
Do we know what it feels like to be afraid of blacks?
what about when everyone decides that natives abuse the rights that they get? And a young native hears that it’s their fault.
do we understand why they “groan” for an apology when nothing can be done about the past?
no
we don’t understand each other at all.
we never will
but we can be smart
and make our own decisions and listen, learn and be just in our actions.
Whoever said El is drilling hatred in her students, should be as ashamed of themselves as they claim they are of her. I’ve had teachers that have done far worse outside the classroom in their public life, and have never interfered with my education.
She is kind
caring
and very intelligent
and very very tolerant.
maybe this article was a tad shocking
but maybe you needed to hear what this means for some people…
whether it was “right or wrong”, “misguided or spot on”…
she spoke about her feelings of our past.
There are many others that have feelings of these ships, for different reasons and different cultures, who didn’t speak up.
Because this is what happens.
But that was journalism is
it’s a tool for discussion
and insight
start learning people
or we go nowhere fast
oh wait…
we haven’t gotten anywhere anyway.
Cory Bowles
By the way that was just an opinion.
Cory you obviously have reading comprehension skills….This article is not about opinion, it is a distorted piece of hate motivated by her own racism and hysterics to accuse others of conspiring to spend tax payers money putting on a faux show to allow whites to escape being near blacks…
If you can find any credibility in that then you must be smoking crack too.
WE are not talking about what other teachers do, great but failed attempt to distract from the main premise. You accuse others of having argumentative issues when you just sank your ship with your post.
I feel sorry for you but you make my point so thanks, she has obviously brain washed you with her rhetoric and that was what I posted about: the damages she will do with her obvious lack of intelligence and education on her students and anyone ignorant/naive/shallow/confused/scared enough to believe her hype..
Cory… you made some good points, but undermined yourself by stating that everyone but you is wrong and ironic (how so? You should ask your professors to explain the meaning of irony to you.) I do know of and have had experience with everything you listed as examples of historical injustice, but I am not sure how that relates to peoples’ issue with whether or not this article is imbalanced, whether or not a teacher should speak outside their area of expertise, whether or not her comments were racist, and so on. I think you make a good point that for some people there is a gut reaction to the sight of these ships that some others will never understand or feel and that is really what this is about, but the blanket berating of everyone else is likely to create defensiveness rather than open anyone’s mind.
Also I guess yorkke was admitting s/he was wrong – and that s/he’s not a supporter of rights for the disabled.
Mcgayle, I doubt Cory learned all that in English class from one teacher.
The tourism association is promoting the province in a way that makes it so that “people from the States can get away from all the black people that live near them”? As a white Southerner who moved to Nova Scotia, I take offense to such a small-minded, racist, overgeneralizing statement. When I travel, I use information about hotels, car rentals, and attractions to help sway my decisions, not the skin color of others. I love it when people talk down about the misguided, ignorant beliefs of others, then use their own misguided, ignorant beliefs as support for their argument. Well done, Jones and The Coast!
I think this was the worst article I’ve ever read, it made me angry and upset. a big “fuck you” to the coast on this one. As a woman, an Irish immigrant brought over on a ship, and a sailor myself I want to tell Jones I feel she is fostering racism and ignorance. I loved the tall ships, if Jones wasn’t so hateful and truly wanted to live in the present she would have waddled down and saw that among the boats on which “women were raped” was the Unicorn, a fully female crewed tall ship which promotes female leadership and confidence programs for youth. That the “slave ship”, was a replica built for the sole purpose of telling the story of slavery and supporting black history (you can check out the movie it was made for). Many of these boats offer school programs for youth or deliver supplies to remote islands that need them, sponsored by governments to spread good will on behalf of there countries. And finally, Jones isn’t a sailor (obviously) and she’s got no right to attack a lifestyle and passion of people from all places, provided by the mind-boggling beauty and craftsmanship that is the tall ships and that is part of MY heritage.
I’m a proud Canadian, my colour and sex makes NO difference in my opinion. I am who I am, regardless & often in spite of how others might view me!
While researching a project I’m preparing, I stumbled across this article & comments and would like to share a link to another site I found.
I had the opportunity to see this Tall Ship in Shelburne, NS in July 2009. Please view all the videos as this information is interesting & related to some previous comments.
Information of The Amistad Tall Ship >> http://live.haligonia.ca/halifax-ns/tall-s…
Personally, I believe that these festivals are in celebration of the historical significance, the incredible skill involved in creating such vessels,etc that are being celebrated, not what “some individuals’ may or may not have used them for. The ‘ships’ caused no harm, they were merely a form of transportation.
If in this present day people are ever to get beyond whatever barriers of historical pains & sufferings and present prejudices, etc… etc… it has to begin somewhere.
I appreciate and understand that people whose ancestors endured ‘hardships’ to put it mildly & politely and believe their history should also be remembered, honored & respected.
However, those who are reflecting on negativity please try to see from shoes of artist, craftsmen/women & those who are trying to revitalize our tourism and also to praise & treasure what remains of our history…. good & bad should be remembered.
All we go through as individuals & a society make us who we are.
IF our whole history is ignored all then our society will also be ignored & die.
People need a source to help encourage values, thoughts, etc & to enable their strength & focus on goals, future & … life!
HERE is a good place to start!
In the video on that link above, a gentleman talks about how “PROUD” he is to be a part of the crew of that ship, The Amistad.
Perhaps you will enjoy the information as I did…. I listened & I learned something new… I wish I’d seen this video before visiting this ship. IF/when I ever meet this person… I want to ‘shake his hand & congratulate’ him for his bluntness & passion to his ideals!! 🙂
That should have been “YOU, Ms. Jones,”.
yes there was a tall ship used as I slave ship it was the Amistad.The Freedom Schooner visits ports nationally and internationally as an ambassador for friendship and goodwill. It serves as a floating classroom, icon and as a monument to the millions of souls that were broken or lost as a result of the insidious Transatlantic slave trade. The vessel offers an important message for all Americans about our collective history and future. The home port for Freedom Schooner Amistad is Long Wharf Pier in New Haven, Connecticut.
Oh give it a rest. You would be hard pressed to find one group that is completely innocent of enslaving or oppressing another group in some way. Stop pointing the finger at whites, during the trans-Atlantic slave trade the majority went to Brazil. Also there were more European slaves owned by Muslims during the centuries they ruled much of Europe.
El’s article is poetic, shocking and insightful. Think about it. Think about even ONE ship ever having been packed with a cargo like that. Stop defending your culture. Your culture is doing fine! Think about that human suffering, and feel compassion. You are safe, you can give that to the rest of humanity from your own inner grace. I’m speaking mainly to other light skinned people on this thread who’ve been posting really inflammatory rude things.
There needs to be education on this aspect of the story. Its not about defending the individual boats — of course they are magnificent!
But this is the great paradox, that the creation of beautiful complex works of art (such as civilization as we know it) often requires a concentration of effort and value.. and that concentration most often relies on forced labour that humans (of various skin tones but most often lighter towards darker) impose on other humans. Its something that still happens all the time currently. Important to try and face.. in whatever way you can, through the arts, through gentle humour, through spirituality. Try and get yourself there. Catch your own small-mindedness and expand your consciousness a bit to care for years of and ongoing oppression.
Cory Bowles’ reply on here is really helpful for contextualizing why El Jones needed to write an article like this and have it published in The Coast. Good on the Coast for protecting free speech btw.
My reaction was that El incites us towards trying to begin to come to terms with the paradoxes inherent to privilege and beauty.. and to when we gaze, see the full picture of what those creations represent.
It’s about accepting the full story. Some commentators on this thread have pointed out that other parts of the world embrace depictions of the past that take more aspects into account. Are more real about it.
I really honour this work of seeking justice and peace. I know its an ongoing process.
I would also point out, that in regards to tourism, there have been many issues getting Black institutions officially promoted. So I would say questioning this is warranted.
God I love white people who use the word racism but clearly don’t know the definition. I also love the reverse racism thing you always rely on but clearly nobody ever thought that reverse racism would mean the opposite of racism. I also love how many show up to argue for their race but clearly are unaware that first the man you’re referring to “the mad professor” is a female and the fact you didn’t pick it up from the name El speaks volumes of your low IQ levels posting your outrage whenever anyone black has the audacity to mention the past some of your ancestors played a part in. How many are aware that without slavery the United States would’ve never become the prosperous nation it is because slavery allowed industries to undercut their competition. How many do you know that no prison system was established in the United states until after the abolishing of slavery and plantations such as Angola which is still called the plantation were converted to prisons and the same freed slaves were returned to their former owners on indefinite sentences for invented laws like vagrant law and truancy law which made you a criminal for not having an address or a certain amount of money in your pocket. Slavery was only rebranded as the prison industrial complex and by branding black men as criminals they were able to remain competetive in the same markets without other nations judging them. Slavery had no severance package. I also love that you all seemingly live under rocks and fail to realize that racism and oppression still exist and it’s predominately blacks on the receiving end. Here in Nova Scotia they can justify disproportionately using stop and frisk tactics against blacks in comparison to the percentage of the population blacks make up. How come when a young black man was murdered outside my building is was pulled over the first time leaving my building and my vehicle searched for a weapon even though the reason he used to justify pulling me over than when realizing I was a black male called 10 cars for backup and cuffed and detained me than the officer basically told me he had to charge me with something to justify the response…but he jumped the gun and called for backup cause the black man in the nice car must be carrying a weapon. Racism is when one Group has the power and uses it to discriminate, oppress another race when doesn’t hold the same power. As you’ve had 500 years head start you’re the people who have the power so by definition we can discriminante but we don’t have the power to racially oppose you nor do we have the positions in government or business to bend power in our favor.
I love how many white nova scotians purchased confederate flags the sale of it was being banned not because they have a historical connection to it but simply because black people fought to have it banned.
You sit and spew your hatred toward a highly educated intelligent woman who has made studying and pointing out the inconsistencies in the history others so willfully sweep under the rug. You know what I don’t ever hear is the same people speak up against jews when they mention the haulacaust or Irish when they complain about how the British screwed them or God forbid anyone ever say anything about guys because hheyve been through so much that people allow a cross dressing strip show complete with strapons, stripper poles and dildos to roll through our city but if you say that out loud you’re a homophobic gay bashing evil person.
How many of you react when you hear the word racism like it’s an attack against all whites. Like so many of you non racists internalize the meer mention of what our ancestors endured and my children are still going to endure. The caricullum about black history taught in schools places you as the king, hero, discoverer and the Victor while a black child only learns about slavery and the underground railroad, Harriet tubman, Martin and Malcolm. When you state blacks act oiled there was no history before slavery that’s what your books start our history as negating the facts that we were the first civilizations, teachers, kings, astronomers and we actually taught you everything you eventually used against us.
As you spew your sneaky racism I wonder if you realize that Mr Kimber is the actual writter of the article and El is obviously someone he chose to get an option from because of her extensive knowledge in that particular field but I don’t hear any of you calling for his job because it’s easier to attack the minority and get you’re other closet racists to piggyback off your remarks.
A lesson on Africa for you also. Africa is not one country it is a continent comprised of many nations with many differences and dialects and sometimes even though they shared similar hue they were not all allies so yes black people fought wars, took prisoners and sold them into slavery so stop acting like we played such a huge role in our own demise when Britain invaded and fought many wars against all their white neighbors doing the same thing. I learned your history in school don’t forget.
What would you expect someone to feel who’s history with another race has been so violent to feel is they say a Shackel, or a rope, or a whip. An what should we feel of whites who get so butthurt any time we mention slavery or racism yet never attend any black history events or Crack a book on our history but are quick to discredit those who probably could.
I love how everytime a black person mentions racism you turn it into the sole reason racism still exists like you didn’t just watch your cousins across the border show how far we have to go during the election.
How many of you get mad at the mention of racism but never made any contribution to fighting against racism?
How many of you aren’t Irish but attend saint paddy’s events? Not gay but attend and support pride but ignore black history for an entire month? What you support speaks more volume than your politically correct racist remarks.
What do I think when I see a white man? I’m more white than black but white People would be quick to point out “I must be mixed with something” which is just their way of saying you’re not one of us. Oddly blacks never point out my percentage of whiteness as the deciding factor to be in your exclusive club. Do you see the difference? I’ve never been called a cracker by a black person but I’ve been called the n-word not by black people. See my intelligence and articulation whites quickly take credit for as if my percentage of white is a contributing factor in this, failing to realize I was raised by a black family and my black parents instilled in me the importance of literacy and I was expected to read at least one book a week and give a book report, I usually read 2 or 3 a week.
But really what goes through a white persons head at blacks mentioning a history that actually happened and segregation, Jim Crowe laws and many other oppressive systems born out of racism didn’t end that long ago. Racism still exists. So El pointing out our story omitted from your story you like to call history contributes more to racism than hateful whites who think their lack of hue makes them a better person.
A man should be judged not by the color of his skin but by the content of his character. But I bet you don’t even know who said that. That also shows a lot about who you are.
But yes the former poet lariat for nova Scotia, professor with my accolades than you’ll ever know pointing facts that were omitted from the story being presented probably knows way less on the topic than you jackasses hiding behind computers. Please do tell me more of your extensive research on black history? It’s funny how all the closet racists who never attend any black history events are all suddenly experts when a black person mentions it because white privilege makes tu think you’re always right even on topics you haven’t studied or things that you’ll never truly experience. I mean the University should definitely fire her and hire one of you without the degrees or experience, oh wait they do that already cause power and control is what makes the decision to give your kid or relative the job over more experienced and qualified people of color and that in its essence is how racism works.
Oh wait she probably only got the job cause they had to hire a black person, you know that one you like to put in the window to show how inclusive and non racist your companies and institutions are or so you can spew some racist shit while making sure to include you have a black friend so you’re all about us.
What I think when I see a white person. Given all the civilizations, nations and traditions you’ve destroyed while imposing your will and ideologies on the world? I think the world would’ve been better if we’d left you in your caves eating raw meat. But than I realize that I have awesome white friends and family who people like you make look bad everytime you open your mouths you’re a discredit to your race. Sadly it seems there are more of idiots like you than the good ones and when so many are silent during our struggles to me silence is a form of acceptance of those who know we’re still getting screwed but fear our equality will put one of you in our place at the bottom.