Many face Kwanzaa, Christmas quandary

St Paul Pioneer (de)Press ^ | 12/31/01 | JASMINE KRIPALANI

[Valin]

Seven candles symbolize seven principles. That's one fact every family participating in the Kwanzaa celebration at the Minnesota History Center could agree on.
But whether the seven-day celebration should replace Christmas or augment it is up for debate.
"Kwanzaa" is derived from Swahili for "first fruits." Beginning Dec. 26, each day celebrates a particular value: unity, self-determination, collective work and responsibility, cooperative economics, purpose, creativity and faith. Sunday was the fifth day, which means it celebrated purpose.
The celebration of the African-American culture and values that dates back to 1966 is a relatively young holiday and its identity still is being shaped.

On Sunday, families joined in the arts and crafts table, making "purpose" necklaces out of crescent-shaped cardboard, feathers and shells. On a floor above, children from the Walker West Music Academy in St. Paul pounded djembe drums.
Angela Earl hopes her 4-year-old son will be better informed about Kwanzaa than she was.
Growing up, Earl celebrated Kwanzaa only once, when she was 5.
"We were attending a dinner with my aunt, and they passed the cup around for each of us to drink," Earl said. "When the cup got to me, I wiped the rim of the cup and all I know is that based on the way everyone looked at me, it was embarrassing."
Wine is passed in a goblet known as the Unity cup. The act of sharing the cup of wine represents community and family.
"Maybe he won't wipe off the rim from the Kwanzaa cup," Earl said, whose family has replaced Christmas with Kwanzaa.

Others said they celebrated Kwanzaa in addition to Christmas.
"To abandon Christmas for Kwanzaa is making more of a political statement than it is about a religious or spiritual renewal," said Bruce King, who with his 8-year-old daughter made necklaces. "It's like celebrating the Fourth of July, which recognizes nationalism. Celebrating the African-American heritage is not really a religious holiday. I'm comfortable celebrating Christmas and the next day celebrating Kwanzaa."
The festivities ended in an auditorium where most of the 350 seats were filled with people singing and clapping along to Fred Steele's performance.
Steele, 47, said he became aware of Kwanzaa, which ends Tuesday, during his early college years.
"It wasn't something we celebrated," Steele said. "Now, in the last decade, families talk about the principles and what they mean. But in my family, we don't go as far as lighting the candles."

Jasmine Kripalani can be reached at jkripalani@pioneer press.com or (651) 228-5061.
© 2001 PioneerPlanet / St. Paul (Minnesota) Pioneer Press / TwinCities.com- All Rights Reserved copyright information

[anniegetyourgun]

Actually, they have some incredible stories of faith, family, bravery and industry in this country's history. But I've not figured out why they instead want to focus on their tribal times on the African continent.

[Osinski]

If you don’t want answers to questions, don’t ask them, genius.

Oooohhh dead. Warming up for your irritable New Year's hangover retorts?

[anniegetyourgun]

I say this as a second-generation American from England. I prefer to research my roots (shallow as they are) in THIS country and have no strong desire to investigate my British heritage. I had the opportunity to meet Margaret Thatcher once and that was indeed interesting, but it didn't make me want to say, "God save the Queen" or go out for bangers & mash afterwards!

[.45MAN]

collective work and responsibility cooperative economics

Is this an African Holiday? and where in africa did it start? Sounds to me like something that started in Russia or China. Actually it started as an offshoot of the Liberal bedwetting demoncratic socialists party..... And is that what it is Christmas doesn't have a chance..........

[TheOtherOne]

Kwaanza was created to fuel racial separatism, and is therefore far more insidious.

Is that what you see when you see some kids making Kwanzaa necklaces? I see a people with a horid past trying desperately to recognize some positive about their history. In spite of what ever they intentions of Kwanzaa's creator, what is the holiday today? Why is today's Kwanzaa so threatening to you?

[dead]

oh shut up!
(and stop using capital letters! they hurt my head 8-)

[Valin]

I do not understand people's hatred of it though.

Because as someone else put it,
it's another way to divide us, Started by a founding member of the loony left.
I'm not sure hate would be the word may scorn for stupidity would be better.

[Dynamo]

Christmas is the celebration of the miraculous birth of Jesus Christ. While there are many valid ethnic celebrations held around that same time, I see them merely as more proof of the impact Christ has had on all of mankind... as the Bible predicted He would.

Just like when people claim to be atheist, or agnostic, or Hindu, or Muslim, etc., yet celebrate New Year with Christians...

...all of whom know what it was that happened 2002 years ago.

The one event so miraculous that it split time in two, changed this world we live in forever, and which is honored by all, whether they know it or not. Happy New Year.

[Valin]

I had bangers ONCE, I could feel my arteries clogging up.

[FITZ]

I do not understand people's hatred of it though.

I don't either. If people don't feel like celebrating it they shouldn't but if others wish to then they should. Groups who've come more recently than blacks celebrate heritage weeks and different holidays, Jews have Passover and their feasts, Mexicans have posadas. We even let the Muslims have ramadan so why not let people have Kwanzaa.

[Osinski]

(you'd have a lot more fun over on the candy crowley thread)

[Focault's Pendulum]

I suppose the fourth of July is pagan as well?

At my house, it's a moral holiday.

[Spiff]

Can't miss a Kwanzaa-related thread to post my KounterKwanzaa Link List.

Kwanzaa Links

We Wish You A Phony Festival - Report (Canadian Magazine)

So This Is Kwanzaa - Newsmax.com

Ann Coulter on Kwanzaa - TownHall.Com

Mona Charen on Kwanzaa - Jewish World Review

Tony Snow on Kwanzaa - Jewish World Review

The TRUE Spirit of Kwanzaa - The New American magazine

The Story of Kwanzaa - The Dartmouth Review

The Truth About Kwanzaa - A Christian Viewpoint

A Momentary Loss of Reason - Binghamton Review

Kwanzaa & The White House - NY Post Editorial, 1997 (Freerepublic.com thread)

Michael Savage on Kwanzaa - NewsMax

Happy Kwanzaa - FrontPage Magazine - Link may not work, if it doesn't click here for the Free Republic thread.

I'm Dreaming of a White Kwanzaa - LewRockwell.com - Link may not work, if it doesn't click here for the Free Republic thread.

Letter to Editor - Ypsilanti Courier

What is Kwanzaa? - File Passed Around On Internet About Kwanzaa

Happy Kwanzaa by Patrick S. Poole

Ron Everett (aka. Maulana Karenga) / US Links

The Black Panthers and the Police: A Pattern of Genocide? - NEW YORKER MAGAZINE - February 13, 1971 (Includes great detail of the murders committed by Karenga's thugs)

PBS Interview with black radical Ron Everett (aka Maulana Karenga) - the guy that invented Kwanzaa 5 years before being sent to prison for torturing two young women

Ron Karenga - Dialog from the Black Radical Congress - December 1999

US, the organization the Ron Everett founded in 1965, the organization that murdered 5 members of the rival Black Panther Party, is back - well it was back in 1995, but they haven't updated their website since then. Their website is here.

Graphic used on Official Kwanzaa Website for the Nguzo Saba (The Seven Principles of Kwanzaa)
Graphic used on Official US Website (US is Karenga's Gang that Murdered Members and Leaders of Rival Gangs) as their logo

Afrocentrism Links

Clarence Walker Encourages Black Americans to Discard Afrocentrism

Pride & Prejudice by Dinesh D'Souza, Vol. 6, American Enterprise, 09-01-1995, pp 51 (Google Cached Version)

Fighting Fiction With Fact by Mary Lefkowitz (Google Cached Version)

Fallacies of Afrocentrism - Grover Furr

The Skeptics Dictionary - Afrocentrism

TEACHING REVERSE RACISM A strange doctrine of black superiority is finding its way into schools and colleges

The Skeptics Dictionary Review of Mary Lefkowitz' Book "Not Out Of Africa"

Review of Mary Lefkowitz' Books on Afrocentrism Myth "Not Out Of Africa" and "Black Athena Revisited"

The Trap of Ethnic Identity - New York Times - Jan 1997

AFROCENTRISM The Argument We're Really Having

[Spiff]

Can't miss a Kwanzaa-related thread to post my KounterKwanzaa Link List.

Kwanzaa Links

We Wish You A Phony Festival - Report (Canadian Magazine)

So This Is Kwanzaa - Newsmax.com

Ann Coulter on Kwanzaa - TownHall.Com

Mona Charen on Kwanzaa - Jewish World Review

Tony Snow on Kwanzaa - Jewish World Review

The TRUE Spirit of Kwanzaa - The New American magazine

The Story of Kwanzaa - The Dartmouth Review

The Truth About Kwanzaa - A Christian Viewpoint

A Momentary Loss of Reason - Binghamton Review

Kwanzaa & The White House - NY Post Editorial, 1997 (Freerepublic.com thread)

Michael Savage on Kwanzaa - NewsMax

Happy Kwanzaa - FrontPage Magazine - Link may not work, if it doesn't click here for the Free Republic thread.

I'm Dreaming of a White Kwanzaa - LewRockwell.com - Link may not work, if it doesn't click here for the Free Republic thread.

Letter to Editor - Ypsilanti Courier

What is Kwanzaa? - File Passed Around On Internet About Kwanzaa

Happy Kwanzaa by Patrick S. Poole

Ron Everett (aka. Maulana Karenga) / US Links

The Black Panthers and the Police: A Pattern of Genocide? - NEW YORKER MAGAZINE - February 13, 1971 (Includes great detail of the murders committed by Karenga's thugs)

PBS Interview with black radical Ron Everett (aka Maulana Karenga) - the guy that invented Kwanzaa 5 years before being sent to prison for torturing two young women

Ron Karenga - Dialog from the Black Radical Congress - December 1999

US, the organization the Ron Everett founded in 1965, the organization that murdered 5 members of the rival Black Panther Party, is back - well it was back in 1995, but they haven't updated their website since then. Their website is here.

Graphic used on Official Kwanzaa Website for the Nguzo Saba (The Seven Principles of Kwanzaa)
Graphic used on Official US Website (US is Karenga's Gang that Murdered Members and Leaders of Rival Gangs) as their logo

Afrocentrism Links

Clarence Walker Encourages Black Americans to Discard Afrocentrism

Pride & Prejudice by Dinesh D'Souza, Vol. 6, American Enterprise, 09-01-1995, pp 51 (Google Cached Version)

Fighting Fiction With Fact by Mary Lefkowitz (Google Cached Version)

Fallacies of Afrocentrism - Grover Furr

The Skeptics Dictionary - Afrocentrism

TEACHING REVERSE RACISM A strange doctrine of black superiority is finding its way into schools and colleges

The Skeptics Dictionary Review of Mary Lefkowitz' Book "Not Out Of Africa"

Review of Mary Lefkowitz' Books on Afrocentrism Myth "Not Out Of Africa" and "Black Athena Revisited"

The Trap of Ethnic Identity - New York Times - Jan 1997

AFROCENTRISM The Argument We're Really Having

[Focault's Pendulum]

Ya' just had to do that twice.....that picture makes my eyes hurt.

[Spiff]

Sorry for the double post. FR hiccuped on me.

[Focault's Pendulum]

Ya' just had to do that twice.....that picture makes my eyes hurt.

[Spiff]

Sorry for the double post. FR hiccuped on me.

[Osinski]

dead: someone's looking for you:

Got this mail:
Re: What has happened to Candy Crowley of CNN?
Focault's Pendulum
2001-12-31 11:23:39
what thread is dead on...I feel like razzing him? FP