I am sorry that I ever used the “doll” study as a metaphor because the study has little to do with what I am talking about.

It was how society decided to deal with the results of that study and others like it that has proven problematic. In order to lift up one segment of society, a distrubingly large group of people resort to bashing another segment –

The “doll” study is not what is being discussed. I would venture to say that most folks understand that kids would benefit from and enjoy dolls that look like them (Though my kids always preferred dolls with costumes from other countries and the more exotic, the better). To me, this is such a no-brainer that it is not particularly of interest.

The last thing that I want is a “white history” month.

I WOULD be happy to see textbooks that didn’t have such an ideologically liberal stance.

When I was firt invited to do a textbook preview, I was actually shocked by what I read. One tiny example: Book after book had two negative sentences about George Washington and glowing page after page about DuBois.

I think that parents would be stunned to view the totality of what their children are taught from Middle School on.

Native Indians -All good. Pilgrims – genocidal greedy monsters. White men – Capitalist pigs, slave masters, privileged, oppressors. Minorities – vibrant, family oriented, loving, long suffering…

There is a lack of balance and white achievements are trivialized and often ignored while the achievements of minorities are given disproportionate attention. Ben Franklin – WHO?

I think that this is often done with good intentions, but after countless interviews with kids, they emerge from the system with a negative view of white men. Kids have a hard time sifting through years and years of indoctrination and emerging with an even view.

As I noted from another blog:

“This also explains the otherwise puzzling finding by social psychologists that young black men and women tend to have the highest levels of self esteem of all ethnic groups.”
http://www.dallasblog.com/caroline-walker/its-the-culture-stupid..html

That finding should not be surprising given the way that educators have decided to deal with racial identity in America.

Your assertion that the right is “for complete cessation or denial of any discussion of the obstacles that American ‘blacks’ have faced, or still face” is not accurate. Conservatives do not want to cover up or deny anything. As Jan indicated, all we would like to do is to remove the spin, the distortions, the flagrant political agenda.

And at the core, while we do clearly understand the historical wrongs done to minorities and understand the need to teach the truth, we simply believe it’s time to stop wallowing in past injustice and allow all races together to start getting on with things. The line is “we shall overcome” not “we shall whine and wring our hands.”

I agree with much that you say,Redbeard. In order to overcome the race-game, then all ’sides’ have to completely give it up, even wipe history clean.

The first step would be to deny and disown any historical or current effects of ‘white’ political, social and media dominance.

Additionally, the ‘PC brigade’ is hollering on both ’sides’.

The Left for endless discussion and redressing of the wrongs done to ‘blacks’ in America, and the Right for complete cessation or denial of any discussion of the obstacles that American ‘blacks’ have faced, or still face.

In short (taking Jan’s ‘black doll’ thing as an example:

- It is politically correct to certain leftists to dislike the ‘white’ doll.

- It is politically correct for certain rightists to dislike the existence of a ‘black’ doll

- It is politically correct for certain rightists to blame ‘black dolls’ for children’s highest percentage negative response to black dolls.

- It is politically correct for certain leftists to think that ‘brown’ dolls would help ‘brown’ kids feel less alienated in a ‘white’ world, even if the ‘brown’ kids where the majority in their own neighbourhood.

Etc.

But I will take a neutral paragraph in a history book about George Washington rather than the two ugly comments that I saw in one textbook that I was reviewing. Meanwhile, the book had four glowing pages about DuBois.

In another book, native Indians were painted as all good and the Pilgrims were painted as all bad, even evil. It was taught that the Pilgrims were disgusting racists who purposely engaged in genocide.

In virtually every book, slavery was painted as somehing only white men do and capitalism was painted as simply a tool for white men to continue to oppress the suffering innocent noble poor of the world.

The big problem is that many of the books we reviewed were written with an ideologically liberal slant rather than simply being a vehicle for factual reportage.

Of course, the idea of a history curriculum based upon race, any race, is inconsistent with a scholarly study of history. This is America, and a proper study of our history comprises all races.

It would be ridiculous, for instance, to study the Battle of New Orleans through the tiny prism of any one race. In that battle, whites, blacks, and indians were united as Americans, along with volunteers from every walk of life.

It seems that we, as a society, are in many ways backing up rather than advancing. Self-segregation is one primary symptom.

“There is no such thing as “White History Month”

Why not?

This is a very interesting topic to me. I think that it does start with parenting. Banning rap music is not going to solve the problem. What needs to happen, is we as a whole need to stop supporting those who supports rap music.

As far as the topic from jan and darkstar, I think the both of you make valid points, but at the same time you are both closed minded. It’s not always one way or the other. I didn’t see where jan made a reference to any particular study, but I could see what darkstar was saying.

Black History Month, and Cinco De Mayo, can be excepted by all. The media plays a role in which holidays are actually made into big events. Black history month has been around for years, it has only recently made it mainstream. There are holidays that were more for white culture, that everyone has just embraced as their own. Saint Patricks Day is one. Everyone thinks they are Irish for a day. Just embrace the days and make it your own.

Contrary to what all has said above, the media as well as parents equally has faults in what is happening to our society. Parents do need to be parents, and the media, well what can I say, they just need to stop trying to find the controversial stories to report. There are far more things that happen in this country that can have a positive impact on the kids.

Stage name. He’s one of a group of rappers who have achieved some popularity without promoting street thuggery and disrespect of women.

At any rate, it is not something I care to get cranky over.

I said in #45: It was only much later that I realized that my children had actually been taught to demean their own culture. I find this enormously sad. In an effort to make black kids prefer black dolls, so to speak, adults decided that the best way would be to demean the culture of whites.

Here is Darkstar’s response:Another faulty conclusion. The Black doll studies focused on Black kids. The result of the study was to get more Black images in the media. The result did demean white people. If you knew about the study, you wouldn’t have written what you did.

I throw it out there and I have to wonder if you guys think that Darkstar’s response indicated that he misunderstood what I wrote.

You may read what I write, but you obviously don’t understand it.

I read only what you write. The filter is yours.