British Expats - Black History Month

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Re: Black History Month

Quote:

Originally Posted by gruffbrown

Because your mum would only have a typed letter, instead of a crappy carved duck on a stand to remember you by :D

"Carved duck"??? Bloody show offs..all we made were two bits of wood nailed together and called them bookends

Re: Black History Month

Quote:

Originally Posted by gruffbrown

Because your mum would only have a typed letter, instead of a crappy carved duck on a stand to remember you by :D

Actually it was a carved ash tray with a Model T Ford stuck on one corner.

Neither of my parents have ever smoked.

I wonder if they still have it, probably.

Re: Black History Month

Quote:

Originally Posted by rushman

"Carved duck"??? Bloody show offs..all we made were two bits of wood nailed together and called them bookends

Well when I say carved, more cut out on a band saw, in the style of a duck. Some looked like Platypus' with feathers and some looked like giraffes with webbed feet, the cream of Englands Carpenters we were :D

Re: Black History Month

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boiler

I wonder if they still have it, probably.

They always do :D

Re: Black History Month

Oooh look, we've gone off thread, there's a surprise...

Re: Black History Month

Quote:

Originally Posted by gruffbrown

Oooh look, we've gone off thread, there's a surprise...

They could have been made out of ebony.

Re: Black History Month

Quote:

Originally Posted by anotherlimey

I said IMO it was bad because it seems to promote segregation here.

I don't think the Irish and Italians have their own subculture or at least not one on par with "Black" subculture; there's no IET ;)

Perhaps we'll all meet in the middle, won't that be nice. :) Or is that an ideal we'll never reach?

I respect your opinion. I'd be the first one to head for the middle if it improved society over all and cured societal ills . But I subscribe to the ideology that only time, evolution not to mention the efforts of determine people will do that, and until then its more productive to embrace diversity and difference of thought.

Years ago I traveled to Argentina. Maybe the best travel experience to date for me on many levels.It was completely different from the States and had a very old world charm about it.I felt as if I'd step into a time machine once landing in Buenos Aires.It was only maybe 18 months after the Faulklands war(Falvinas).Their infrastruture was dated and the rythem of the city was much more layed back in comparison.

To adjust to the life style it was important to be my self while learning how their culture ran.It was one incredible positive encounter after the next.A plan two week stay morph into 3 months. I went to Tango dinners in the evenings and played tennis on RED(French Open) clay courts during the day. Its a melting pot type country with Italians,Spaniards,and other Europeans making up a large percentage of the population.

It was fantastic and they were so embracing of Americans and we shared each others company and cultural experience. Most had never ever met a Black American. At best 95% of the population has come to seeing a Black person was on tv only. Many times I spent dinners with those I had met at private tennis clubs or people who happen to meet me with recent new associates.

I was invite and I accepted the invitation to spend the weekend at a friends horse ranch about 50 miles outside of B.A. .Imagine being on a 600 acre ranch watching Gauchos rounding up about 50 wild horses into a stable. Something that is hard to forget especially after riding one with out saddle..The same new friends had a hugh barbeque in my honor a few months later as a send off and to show appreciation to me. I would do it all again in a minute because I like learning and experiencing difference of thought and manner.

In my opinion I think it would be boring if every body look the same or behave like each other. I get nervous of the thought that we all should be too simular to one another. Variety is the spice of life. For me the Australian and British ascents are the most interesting of ascents, but the cool thing is some attractive lady might think or prefer my multi-regional American sound. Last thing I would want to do is support an opinion that don't bring the masses together :D

Re: Black History Month

Quote:

Originally Posted by YankeemovingAbroad

For me the Australian and British ascents are the most interesting of ascents,

As long as you can tell the difference between the two :D

Re: Black History Month

Quote:

Originally Posted by Leslie66

The Italians and Irish have not been subjugated in American history. They came as willing immigrants and found a better life. The same cannot be said for people of African descent. Unfortunately, we have had our own Holocaust here.

We all know that because we were all tought it at school; it doesn't mean that it's a good idea to prefix anything with "Black" or African-American which IMO divides people.

For instance, I saw a bunch of car dealer commercials when I lived in Chicago which were aimed at African-Americans; now a local bank might assume that everyone applying for a loan through that dealer is African-American, and they might assume that these people are poor and therefore not give them a car loan.

Note that I'm not saying this kind of thing happens, but it's easy for racists to discriminate if you're going to prefix something with "Black".

Re: Black History Month

Falklands

Malvinas

Bothe the Irish and Italians immigrants suffered major discrimination, as did the Polish, Jews etc etc.