Happy Kwanzaa, everybody.

[Benjamin Strange]

Today's the first day of Kwanzaa. I'm celebrating - who's with me?

[IconBasser]

I forgot to buy vegetables. Sorry.

[Benjamin Strange]

Originally Posted by IconBasser

I forgot to buy vegetables. Sorry.

That's ok. Do you have any black, red, or green candles?

[BassActionBtard]

obligatory

[lunarpollen]

They guy who invented Kwanzaa in 1966 was convicted of doing some really vile things in 1971, along with two accomplices

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ron_Kar...time_in_prison

[Stanley Design]

Yeah, it's just basically celebrating the major points of "What are the most important things about being black?" and each day is a different way of celebrating being black.

[StyleOverShow]

Originally Posted by lunarpollen

They guy who invented Kwanzaa in 1966 was convicted of doing some really vile things in 1971, along with two accomplices

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ron_Kar...time_in_prison

You had to have been there. The whole SLA (Symbionese Liberation Army), the Patty Hearst abduction, the free food for Oakland ransom, etc. It was a tumultuous time in America with Viet Nam applying pressure on a society that was becoming divided, and organized (Mr. Karenga was one of those organizers) all at once.

NPR is running a piece on it today with an ironic ending that a black man with a Kenyan name is the next president. Perspective, my main man!

[funkybass4ever]

Im gonna celebrate it using my left over chaunukkah candles!
never celebrated it before but what the heck, it can't hurt

[IconBasser]

it always seemed to me like a pretty racist holiday...

[FL Knifemaker]

I would celebrate if I could get one of those tassleless Fezes.

[lunarpollen]

Originally Posted by StyleOverShow

You had to have been there. The whole SLA (Symbionese Liberation Army), the Patty Hearst abduction, the free food for Oakland ransom, etc. It was a tumultuous time in America with Viet Nam applying pressure on a society that was becoming divided, and organized (Mr. Karenga was one of those organizers) all at once.

NPR is running a piece on it today with an ironic ending that a black man with a Kenyan name is the next president. Perspective, my main man!

In 1971 Karenga, Louis Smith, and Luz Maria Tamayo were convicted of felony assault and false imprisonment for assaulting and torturing over a two day period two women from the US organization, Deborah Jones and Gail Davis. A May 14, 1971 article in the Los Angeles Times described the testimony of one of the women: "Deborah Jones, who once was given the Swahili title of an African queen, said she and Gail Davis were whipped with an electrical cord and beaten with a karate baton after being ordered to remove their clothes. She testified that a hot soldering iron was placed in Ms. Davis's mouth and placed against Ms. Davis's face and that one of her own big toes was tightened in a vise. Karenga also put detergent and running hoses in their mouths, she said."

I don't know, it's a little hard to view something like that as just "part of the times"

[IconBasser]

Originally Posted by lunarpollen

In 1971 Karenga, Louis Smith, and Luz Maria Tamayo were convicted of felony assault and false imprisonment for assaulting and torturing over a two day period two women from the US organization, Deborah Jones and Gail Davis. A May 14, 1971 article in the Los Angeles Times described the testimony of one of the women: "Deborah Jones, who once was given the Swahili title of an African queen, said she and Gail Davis were whipped with an electrical cord and beaten with a karate baton after being ordered to remove their clothes. She testified that a hot soldering iron was placed in Ms. Davis's mouth and placed against Ms. Davis's face and that one of her own big toes was tightened in a vise. Karenga also put detergent and running hoses in their mouths, she said."

I don't know, it's a little hard to view something like that as just "part of the times"

seconded.

[Starrchild]

How Did Christmas Come to Be Celebrated on December 25?

A. Roman pagans first introduced the holiday of Saturnalia, a week long period of lawlessness celebrated between December 17-25. During this period, Roman courts were closed, and Roman law dictated that no one could be punished for damaging property or injuring people during the weeklong celebration. The festival began when Roman authorities chose “an enemy of the Roman people” to represent the “Lord of Misrule.” Each Roman community selected a victim whom they forced to indulge in food and other physical pleasures throughout the week. At the festival’s conclusion, December 25th, Roman authorities believed they were destroying the forces of darkness by brutally murdering this innocent man or woman

[Disco_Gee]

Originally Posted by lunarpollen

In 1971 Karenga, Louis Smith, and Luz Maria Tamayo were convicted of felony assault and false imprisonment for assaulting and torturing over a two day period two women from the US organization, Deborah Jones and Gail Davis. A May 14, 1971 article in the Los Angeles Times described the testimony of one of the women: "Deborah Jones, who once was given the Swahili title of an African queen, said she and Gail Davis were whipped with an electrical cord and beaten with a karate baton after being ordered to remove their clothes. She testified that a hot soldering iron was placed in Ms. Davis's mouth and placed against Ms. Davis's face and that one of her own big toes was tightened in a vise. Karenga also put detergent and running hoses in their mouths, she said."

I don't know, it's a little hard to view something like that as just "part of the times"

Yeah, there is no excuse for that.

[Rattman]

Originally Posted by IconBasser

it always seemed to me like a pretty racist holiday...

Thats the impression I'm getting too. So I'll 'pass' on the celebration.. thanks.. Because Christmas is all I need this time of year.

[bassrique]

I'm doing the Mithras thing.

[Thunderscreech]

I'll set things on fire instead of lighting candles. Find some red, black, and green houses...

[heroincredible]

Originally Posted by funkybass4ever

Im gonna celebrate it using my left over chaunukkah candles!
never celebrated it before but what the heck, it can't hurt

Hannukah isn't over until monday, so how you have left over candles is beyond me

[Disco_Gee]

Originally Posted by starchild

How Did Christmas Come to Be Celebrated on December 25?

A. Roman pagans first introduced the holiday of Saturnalia, a week long period of lawlessness celebrated between December 17-25. During this period, Roman courts were closed, and Roman law dictated that no one could be punished for damaging property or injuring people during the weeklong celebration. The festival began when Roman authorities chose “an enemy of the Roman people” to represent the “Lord of Misrule.” Each Roman community selected a victim whom they forced to indulge in food and other physical pleasures throughout the week. At the festival’s conclusion, December 25th, Roman authorities believed they were destroying the forces of darkness by brutally murdering this innocent man or woman

That answer doesn't actually answer the question, and it's not completely accurate. It's more likely that the 25th of December was chosen as it was the winter Solstice according to the Julian Calendar.

[Starrchild]

Originally Posted by Disco_Gee

That answer doesn't actually answer the question, and it's not completely accurate. It's more likely that the 25th of December was chosen as it was the winter Solstice according to the Julian Calendar.

The reason for establishing December 25 as Christmas is somewhat obscure, but it is usually held that the day was chosen to corresspond to pagen festivals that took place around the time of the "winter solstice", when the days begin to lengthen, to celebrate the "rebirth of the sun", not the son of God.

This is a fact.