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Kwaanza

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A.West

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I find Kwanzaa extremely philosophically offensive, but see that it's now being injected into the mainstream. My 7 year old niece, whose parents are both from China, is greeting my family with "Happy Kwanzaa" this year thanks to her public school in Atlanta. I was innocently watching "Blue's Clues" on TV and some winter holiday show had a feature explaining Kwanzaa to a blue dog, with a man saying it was a celebration of "what makes our community strong."

Kwanzaa is actually a racist/collectivist philosophical program [my comments in brackets]:

From http://www.tike.com/celeb-kw.htm

DEFINITION OF KWANZAA Kwanzaa is a unique African American celebration with focus on the traditional African values of family, community responsibility, commerce, and self-improvement. Kwanzaa is neither political nor religious and despite some misconceptions, is not a substitute for Christmas. It is simply a time of reaffirming African-American people, their ancestors and culture....

Kwanzaa is based on the Nguzo Saba (seven guiding principles), one for each day of the observance, and is celebrated from December 26th to January 1st.

Umoja (OO-MO-JAH) Unity stresses the importance of togetherness for the family and the community, which is reflected in the African saying, "I am We," or "I am because We are."

[collectivism in spirit]

Kujichagulia (KOO-GEE-CHA-GOO-LEE-YAH) Self-Determination requires that we define our common interests and make decisions that are in the best interest of our family and community.

[collectivism in politics]

Ujima (OO-GEE-MAH) Collective Work and Responsibility reminds us of our obligation to the past, present and future, and that we have a role to play in the community, society, and world.

[collectivism and duty to the U.N., I suspect]

Ujamaa (OO-JAH-MAH) Cooperative economics emphasizes our collective economic strength and encourages us to meet common needs through mutual support.

[collectivist economics]

Nia (NEE-YAH) Purpose encourages us to look within ourselves and to set personal goals that are beneficial to the community.

[success defined as duty to community]

Kuumba (KOO-OOM-BAH) Creativity makes use of our creative energies to build and maintain a strong and vibrant community.

[creativity in the service of others]

Imani (EE-MAH-NEE) Faith focuses on honoring the best of our traditions, draws upon the best in ourselves, and helps us strive for a higher level of life for humankind, by affirming our self-worth and confidence in our ability to succeed and triumph in righteous struggle.

[vague, inspirational-sounding words suggesting that self-worth comes from tradition, race, and a righteous struggle against what exactly? - not collectivism I surmise]

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I find Kwanzaa extremely philosophically offensive, but see that it's now being injected into the mainstream. My 7 year old niece, whose parents are both from China, is greeting my family with "Happy Kwanzaa" this year thanks to her public school in Atlanta. I was innocently watching "Blue's Clues" on TV and some winter holiday show had a feature explaining Kwanzaa to a blue dog, with a man saying it was a celebration of "what makes our community strong."

Kwanzaa is actually a racist/collectivist philosophical program [my comments in brackets]:

Well! I guess I'll just unwrap your Kwanzaa presents and take them back to the store!

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despite some misconceptions, is not a substitute for Christmas

[...]celebrated from December 26th to January 1st.

Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight, it's not meant to compete with Christmas. No way.

"I am We," or "I am because We are."

Gosh, the resemblance is eerie...

  "WE ARE ONE IN ALL AND ALL IN ONE.

  THERE ARE NO MEN BUT ONLY THE GREAT _WE_,

  ONE, INDIVISIBLE AND FOREVER."

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Thanks for this. I never cared enough to look into this 'holiday' but if it has spread its evil so far and wide as to be on 'Blue's Clues' then I think I'll have to. Any chance you can get your daughter to start watching something else? Maybe we need some children's books and cartoons published and produced by ARI. :lol:

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Ujamaa (OO-JAH-MAH) Cooperative economics emphasizes our collective economic strength and encourages us to meet common needs through mutual support.

I wonder if this includes price fixing?

I'd never looked up its meaning either, so thanks, that was edifying. Hopefully it will become so commercialized people will forget the original meaning, like with Christmas!

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That was very enlightening A.West. I suppose it harkens back to the fact that for thousands of years, Africans have existed in a collectivist tribal existence, I suspect Kwaanza is the legacy of that.

as for good children shows, Get your kid some Duck Tails. Come on, the protagonist is a businessman who became rich through hard work!

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  • 1 year later...
Lighten up, guy :)

I assume you find the other winter holidays just as philosophically offensive?

If I were him I wouldn't lighten up. I am a little offended by the holiday, too, but not on a personal level -- I suspect I would be offended personally if I was black. The reason this holiday is more intellectually offensive is because it is not, like most holidays, based on mythology. Mythology can be easily dismissed, where Kwanzaa seems to be firmly rooted in secular altruism, which is much more devious.

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As an interesting side note, the creator of Kwanza, Dr. Maulana Karenga, is one of the multiculturalism professors at my college. I just asked my dad if he knew anything about him, and he said that Dr. Karenga gave militant speeches in his past--complete with anti-white slogans--but has since toned down his act significantly.

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I'll note that I was watching "Blue's Clues" at the request of my 3-year old daughter. I favor South Park personally, and wouldn't be surprised if that show ridiculed Kwanzaa in the future.

Futurama did it once.

The gang at Planet Express manage to overpower the Robot Santa at his fortress in Neptune. They free the elves (or whatever they were) to make toys again, then paint Bender red and set him out as the good Robot Santa.

As he flies over town, bender meets the Kwanza-bot. The latter is laden with millions of copies of a book called "What the hell is Kwanza anyway?" or words to that effect.

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That Futurama slight wasn't the sort of confrontation it deserves. Kwaanza deserves the sort of treatment South Park has provided for Mormonism, Scientology, and Alcoholics Anonymous.

To answer Hunter's question, I do not find Christmas or Hannukah nearly as philosophically objectionable as Kwanzaa. The story of the baby and the three kings and such is propaganda for Christ as lord, of course, but Christmas in practice has become Santa Claus dispensing rewards for good behavior unrelated to the Christian religion, and Rudolph overcoming a negative self-image. Hannukah appears to have less to it, but seems tied to resistance against oppression, though of course it's dragged down by mystical content.

Kwaanza is an attempt to take a very specific philosophical program and obtain for it equal time as some form of racial quota. It's very clearly collectivist and tribalist.

Who can think of something related to Ayn Rand or Objectivism that falls in late December? We need to start our own holiday and get our ideas disseminated for free in schools and media during the holiday season.

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That Futurama slight wasn't the sort of confrontation it deserves. Kwaanza deserves the sort of treatment South Park has provided for Mormonism, Scientology, and Alcoholics Anonymous.

Here's the Southpark treatment of Scientology. It is nothing short of hilarious. The "This is what scientologists actually believe"-banner made me laugh real hard.

If there is anything like this on Kwaanza (I have never heard of it before, actually), please let me know. :D

These guys deserve it.

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Who can think of something related to Ayn Rand or Objectivism that falls in late December? We need to start our own holiday and get our ideas disseminated for free in schools and media during the holiday season.

I don't know of anything directly Objectivism-related. I've been telling people I celebrate the birthday of Isaac Newton (who was born on December 25th, although under the Julian calendar which was in force in England at the time). Newton was certainly a foundational figure of the Enlightenment and thus of the entire modern world. He was the pre-eminent figure of the Scientific Revolution, and thus the prime mover behind the Industrial Revolution and everything that followed from it. He deserves celebration.

His first major scientific work, on optics, is celebrated by the many light displays put up during the season. The gift-giving celebrates the tremendous wealth his insights made possible. And the tree symbolizes, um... maybe the apple tree he was sitting under when he had his key insight into the law of gravity? (Ok, that's reaching.) Still, Newton does provide an appropriate, timely and above all *rational* thing to celebrate in late December.

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To answer Hunter's question, I do not find Christmas or Hannukah nearly as philosophically objectionable as Kwanzaa. The story of the baby and the three kings and such is propaganda for Christ as lord, of course, but Christmas in practice has become Santa Claus dispensing rewards for good behavior unrelated to the Christian religion, and Rudolph overcoming a negative self-image. Hannukah appears to have less to it, but seems tied to resistance against oppression, though of course it's dragged down by mystical content.

Kwaanza is an attempt to take a very specific philosophical program and obtain for it equal time as some form of racial quota. It's very clearly collectivist and tribalist.

But you speak of what Christmas is in practice; do you realize what Kwanzaa is in practice? If you did, I doubt you would be so quick to single out one non-Objectivist holiday over the other non-Objectivist holidays. If Christmas et al. are acceptable because they are "jacked" (nice phrase :D ) then I can only imagine you wouldn't object to Kwanzaa if you saw how it was observed "in practice."

Personally, I think if you check out Hanukkah, you'll find it a lot more worth your ire, but I digress.

..racial quota???

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Yes Hunter, racial quota.

Kwanzaa, a holiday created to celebrate and encourage black tribalism, collectivism, and race-conciousness, is recognized around the country and in the media primarily because race-activists have demanded that it be recognized in the name of racial diversity.

According to what I saw, the only good thing I saw about Kwanzaa was that its creator hoped it would push aside the mysticism that he thought black people who celebrated Christmas were falling for. (So I guess he was a pretty consistent Marxist).

The reason I single out Kwaanza is that it is 1)recently created by a racist collectivist with the explicit purpose of promoting that philosophy and 2) is now being mandated as the newest addition to everyone's "Happy Holidays".

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Then, wouldn't it be more accurate to say you hate the objectives and actions of the holiday's creator and "racial-activists" than to hate a holiday which is, in my experience, celebrated just as harmlessly as Christmas and Hanukkah?

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It is not celebrated as harmlessly as Christmas or Hanukkah though. It is celebrated in retaliation against those holidays. And not in retaliation against the worst parts of those holidays (religous aspects, mysticism, etc.) but in retaliation of their best aspects (the consumerism and culture of the West). They are purposly creating an us vs. them holiday and then celebrating it because of racist,collectivist, and tribalist premises; all the while claiming that it is not them, but the rest of the world that are the racists.

It's insane and wrong.

Try explaining that to your six year old when he asks what "Kwaanza" is. :D

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  • 2 weeks later...
It is not celebrated as harmlessly as Christmas or Hanukkah though. It is celebrated in retaliation against those holidays.
By whom?

The problem is you're using some vague "they" to make judgements on the merits of a holiday. If you don't like the way someone you know celebrates Kwanzaa, fine, but don't use that to make general statements.

If I made a post about hating Christmas for its religious significance, or Hanukkah for its "racism," hopefully someone would similarly take the time to tell me to lighten up.

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