White History Month needed?

'White history' topic creates buzz

By Steve LynnFarmington resident Zang Wood, who is white, said prior to Monday's meeting that he felt the commission was discriminating against him by celebrating black, Hispanic and American Indian cultural periods, while not recognizing whites.Wood's "colorblind" argument:Wood, a member of the San Juan County Historical Society, said he only wanted to make a point that the commission should celebrate all races and cultures or none at all. He said he wasn't trying to promote one race over another.

Commission member Catalina Liles said she would organize a white history month, but she withdrew her motion to do so Monday after criticism from people at the meeting and fellow commissioners.

Wood, who missed Monday's meeting because relatives were in town, didn't expect the commission to celebrate white history month.

"What made this country great is the melting pot," Wood said. "You either make a level playing field and honor everybody or honor nobody."

Wood doesn't think the city should "honor some of the citizens some of the time, but none of the citizens the other times," Wood said.Comment:  How about a month for whiny crybabies? We don't have one of those yet.

As one website put it:When most of us were little, and asked our mom why mothers got a special day, we may have heard, "Every day is children's day!"Similarly, every month is White History Month.

Wood's colorblind argument is essentially racist. Why? Because it argues for maintaining the status quo, which is racist. Because Americans have devoted the vast majority of their historical studies and "honors" to whites. Even though the country was originally 100% nonwhite and is still 30% nonwhite.

If Wood wants a colorblind society...great. Let us know when 30% of the history textbooks, TV and movie roles, statues and monuments, comic books and cartoons, coins and stamps, etc. feature minorities. Until then, the country isn't colorblind. And you're deluding yourself with racist blinders if you believe otherwise.

For more on "white history," see White History Means "We Won." For more on the subject in general, see The Trouble with Stereotyping...and What to Do About It and Highlights of the US Report to the UN on Racism.

Below:  "Colorblind" (white) casting in The Last Airbender.