I think it’s unfortunate on one level that Kwanzaa doesn’t have much connection to authentic African traditions. But on another level, that’s kind of the point. Slaves had their traditions ripped from them by force. They were prevented from preserving their culture. The child of slaves might be sold to another family and never learn one thing about what his mother and father did on holidays. By the time their descendents were free to exchange traditions and practice them openly, only remnants were left. It seems really unfair to criticize people for wanting to recreate a part of what was taken from them, and to create anew to celebrate their survival and who they have become.

Anyway, one of the most Christian men I know celebrates Kwanzaa. He’s a street preacher, possibly a little crazy, but since I watched him talk an abused prostitute into leaving her pimp and going home to her mother at 2 am in a convenience store I’m a huge fan. If Kwanzaa works for him I’m cool with it.

I note that this was written in 2009. Wasn’t that the year that Starbucks had the signs that said “It’s Red again”? I’m not easily offended but that offended me. It’s not fricken RED. It’s Christmas. Or Yule. Or New Year’s, Ramadan, Hanukkah, Winter Solstice, or what have you. But in no way is anyone anywhere celebrating red.

It would seem to me that the people who get most upset about this stuff are the hardcore atheist types, which makes me wonder why they don’t object to Happy Holidays as Holi- and Days are “Holy Days” and the idea of days being “holy” being okay to them?

There was a big stink in Philly recently. A Christmas Village held every year – an artisan crafts/shops village with a great big tree out front had to get changed to the Holiday Village because a couple of people complained. By a couple of people, I mean, actually… two people. This was something that was enjoyed by many and two people had to go put a wrench into it. Now, on the other hand, they did have a point about it being held on civic property – and if changing “Christmas” to “Holidays” can keep them happy enough for people to still be able to hold the village, why not? People were fighting over this thing and I thought “Yeah, both sides are being babies here.” – From my view, as long as no one’s trying to take away the village itself, the people who go to buy crafts there will still know what it’s about.

I know a number of African Americans who *d0*, indeed, celebrate Kwanzaa, and they find it speaks to something deeper within them than even their identity as Christians (which is also part of who they are). I’ve never heard any of them mention its founder or beliefs held by him, by the way. To them, it speaks to their membership in a community with a shared history, and shared ancestry in a place far away, from which they were removed unwillingly. Some have told me they celebrate it out of a desire to have something they have created as a community that is their own, and not thrust upon them by the dominant culture. It was not invented out of “nothing”, as you rudely suggest. It was created out of a shared and painful history, and a contemporary sense of alienation and disenfranchisement from the mainstream, Caucasian-centric culture.
If you have a problem with that, you are certainly free to ignore it. But don’t tell me or anyone else what we should and should not acknowledge. Who made you the arbiter of what is and is not real or legitimate? Congratulations on your lack of fear of sounding like a racist. You must be very proud. It’s too bad I’m so late in commenting, as I doubt you’ll even see this.
Happy Kwanzaa to you anyway, Aurora.