"Most Americans are racial idiots", someone once said.
I wouldn't say "idiots". I'd say ignoramuses.
What's the difference?
Idiocy implies the inability to learn. But ignorance can be cured...with knowledge.
I know because I used to be as ignorant of our nation's racial history as anybody. (Maybe even more ignorant). Like most of US, I was "taught to be ignorant" by my teachers, schools and textbooks that did more to ignore or diminish the subject than to educate me about it.
But after spending almost 35 years creating advertising, I've spent the last 20 years getting myself....er...umm..."unignorant" about America's dark racial past.
This blog is about helping others make up for their racial mis-education as I have.
Maybe I could've saved Starbucks' Howard Schultz some pain. Ya think?
I'll start you off easy:
1. How many slaves did Thomas Jefferson own at the time he wrote what are probably the five most important words in US history? And what were those words? (No googling, please)
A. According to Pulitzer Prize winning historian, Edmund S. Morgan, Jefferson owned about 200 slaves at the time he was writing his most famous words, "...all men are created equal". But, over his life, he is thought to have had about 600.
Oh hell, I'm ignorant. I knew that Jefferson had slaves, but I do not know how many. And I have a vague sense that his common-law, de facto wife was a black woman, possibly a slave, who lived with him as his wife, although of course that all had to be on the down-low.
ReplyDeleteAnd now I will go ang Google this, because this really should be common knowledge.
JB,
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comments. I wish more people would use one of the real perks of being a citizen of the USA - the right to speak relatively freely in a public forum. So many of US are too apathetic, scared or maybe ignorant to express our thoughts and ideas where they can be challenged or applauded without resorting to flaming and blaming.
I'm posting this comment from an old adman friend. Technical glitches prevented him from posting it himself. But it was so important, I asked him to send it to me via email.
ReplyDeleteBtw: if you have a similar problem, just send your comment to moi at lowellt@hotmail.com and I'll do the same for you.
Comment: I knew his slaves numbered over a 100; but I would have had to Google it to get the exact number. I have been an advocate of telling the truth about our country’s hideous racial history for many long, long years. My kids hated it ( and me) because I would correct their homework because of the lies the text books spewed forth about Slavery. My boys had to appeal to my wife to get me to back off. I was never a happy camper about it. Glad (not in a glib or happy way because it was painful to watch their hurt and anquish) to say, racial injustices upon them taught them the truth of my efforts. Keep up with your RIQ. I love it! Hope you can do something a couple time a month. Too many AA truly believe we live in a Post-Racial America. Those that do are blinded.
Frank (Cold Pop Nation)
My "uncolored" friend Bob tried to make a comment here at least twice - and was thwarted by the arcane the crazy system...as I'm sure has happened to many others. So I asked him to send his missive to moi. Here it is, unexpurgated:
ReplyDeleteWhatsYourRacial IQ
I infact did know Jefferson had over 200 slaves.
With that being said, I am the type of guy who lives in the now, walks his talk and treats people like the way I want to be treated.
Fortunately 6 years ago the introduction of the smart phone started the means to bridge the gap of stamping out personal ignorance.
Given a moment like this where you find a challenging question at hand we no longer have to lie to ourselves by saying I'll go look that up at the library soon... lol.
We have the ability to quiry our phones any time anywhere to get relevant information on any topic allowing for truth and knowledge to increase personal awareness.
Bravo Smart Phone!
Cheers
Bob
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-------- Original message --------
From: Lowell Thompson
Date: 04/04/2015 9:25 AM (GMT-06:00)
To:
Subject: WHAT'S YOUR RACIAL IQ? MORE QUESTIONS
Http://WhatsYourRacialIQ.com