Quote:I want to clarify, or further explain my intentions on creating this topic.

 

I am by no means looking to another individual for gratitude or elevation based off of their success, or successes. I have repeatedly mentioned on this message board my beginnings, struggles, fortunes, and blessings to get where I am as a person both financially, and personally. I take pride in my own work through self evaluation, perseverance and humbleness and continue to rely on those tools (and others) to help mold me become the person I was destined to be.

 

Again, I have shared my testimony of my life (to a certain degree) on here that defines some of the reasoning's as to why I created this thread in regards to Wilson.

 

Some people celebrate the success of others, some people find the motivation from the success of others, while many people find out who they are (with humility) through the success of others. We must exercise caution when we begin to advise others of how they should celebrate the success of people who they can either relate to, or are inspired from.

 

We see cultures all the time celebrate their own heritage (sports wise) all the while maintaining the respect of society. The biggest and best examples I can readily think of is the Dominicans celebrating their baseball hero's, and Russians with Hockey. Should we condone them for the same thing when one of their own athletes achieve or make history in their respective leagues, even if they may celebrate their own sports stars differently?

 

Briefly removing the sports theme from it, Italian and Chinese people openly celebrate their culture and embrace other cultures as well. That carries over to the sports landscape. Are we to tell them "Why does race matter"? And point the finger at them as well?


 

Im going to go out on a limb and ask this question (albeit rhetorical). Is it doing me an injustice to be proud of Russell Wilson and his achievements? Should I celebrate this beautiful achievement quietly and privately? The better question should be, am I allowed to celebrate my heritage and race the way I want while respecting my fellow citizens?

 

This month is Black History, and next month is Women's History. Should we suppress a Woman's feelings if she wants to post a (non religious-political) thread on here celebrating a first time, or unique achievement of a Woman?

Valid. I was more talking about only focusing on the various cultural achievements, rather than self-improvement. I am sure everyone heres knows of the proverbial guy who shook the presidents hand and it was the highlight of his life. Well its kind of sad, if that is the only highlight.

 

I am not saying it is an injustice to celebrate, just don't let it end there. I went to a private highschool we had to come to school on MLK day. Everyone knew that come MLK day, all the black students would skip school and say they were celebrating when most of them were not. Well my Junior year we had a Black SA President who had a convocation the Thursday before MLK day, and he thrashed the black male students especially. He quoted statistics that said that 1 in 4 Black men would be arrested in their life, and went down the aisle counting to 4. He also said that he was having that speech that day because he knew that all the black students would skip on MLK day. He unequivocally advocated that students try to improve themselves and overcome their own limitations rather than just 'celebrating' MLK's life, i.e. He wanted them to live the way MLK said they should live, rather than just pointing to MLK as a 'great man.'

 

You should have seen the fallout. It was probably one of the best speech's I heard while I was in school, but it got nothing but hate. It was sad. That is what I mean. People shouldn't let other peoples success become an excuse for their own lack of success. He achieved so I don't have to. Its like a reverse denial, I keep pumping up somebody else, so people don't look at me. It like the reverse of making fun of people to make ourselves look less bad. But with either one of these methods, the point seems to be to ignore individual roles and emphasize the other people. Anyway, you have some valid questions, and I don't pretend to have answers to everything, but hope that clarifies.

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