*This is a column I wrote for the COS Campus Newspaper if you enjoy it (or hate it, no matter) follow the previous link back to our paper’s site*

In the spirit of the Olympic unity I utterly denounce Black History Month and all other promotion of separate but equal - for all races, gender, orientations, beliefs and walks of life.. My column:

We’ve been celebrating, if you can even call it that, black history since the mid 1920’s. When first brought to the forefront in 1926 African American culture was highlighted during black history week.

Deep respect is due for the efforts of Dr. Carter G. Woodson, the activist who was the leading force behind the foundation of Black History Week. Woodson also started the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALF) to carry on the values behind Black History Month. The fight to have a place in recorded history reserved for many deserving African Americans is a noble one. Likewise, highlighting aspects of an integral culture in our nation’s formation goes beyond necessity. It would be completely wrong, a crime against humanity so to speak, to ignore the importance of African American’s and their culture.

The far-reaching impacts of Dr. Martin Luther King’s life alone could arguably be considered among the most momentous in our nation’s history. This goes without mentioning the accomplishments of Fredrick Douglas, George Washington Carver, Harriet Tubman, Malcolm (Little) X, Jackie Robinson, Moses Fleetwood Walker (who was really the first African American to play professional baseball) Rosa Parks and our own President: Barack Obama.   

Nothing of consequence should ever be left in the dust that is our history. However, the racial injustice served by dusty history books is all but gone. Flip through the index of any modern textbook to find the proof. The references regarding African Americans and blacks are equal if not greater than references relating to England and all things British. The references to all other principle “white races” (Italian, French, German, Greek, Irish etc.) combined scarcely total the “colored” references.

So disparity we have not. Under representation – a thing of the past.

Yet we maintain Black History Month.

To what end? What purpose remains for bringing awareness to the fact that we ALL are indeed different?  The month no longer stands as an acknowledgement of social equality but instead perpetuates racism, reminding each and every American that they are slightly more Irish, Russian, Chinese, Bulgarian or Haitian than their neighbor.

“Maybe America needs to be reminded once a year how worse off this country would be were it not for the contributions of African Americans,” wrote Jeff Mays, a blogger for blackvoices.com, concerning Black History Month.

Meaning that African Americans are owed a month in return for years of suffering. Is this then, a payoff of epic proportions not unlike the government permitting Indian gaming?

Instead of focusing for months (because lets face it Black History Month is not alone, consider Hispanic Heritage Month; Asian Pacific American Heritage Month) on the abstractions standing between us we ought to promote tolerance. Instead utilize our school systems to teach comprehensive views of history. Highlight the racist and prejudiced mistakes we have made as reminders that these atrocities were committed because people noticed irreparable differences in other human beings

The ASALH claims to “labor in the service of Black folks and all humanity.”

It is time we forget - the red, and yellow; black and white - to see each other not as a color or race; nor as a nation, but as humanity.

It is time we begin our own labor for a tolerant and united earth.

There iT iS… iT’s Here.

God! i cannot continue to notate the way Apple insists on naming their products. Whatever. Bad name, good idea.

Question is WHY? must everyone else insist on retaining the shreds of technology past. That’s why you people are critisizing the iPad right? It wouldn’t have anything to do with the lack of stones needed to produce your own ground breaking and world advancing “iT”, now would it.

Probably not I suppose. Most of you tech critics couldn’t pull yourselves together to make an app. So I’m sorry I concede, you’re not jealous. Though jealous would be perfectly acceptable human error, flaw, sin…

Just stupid then.

What we’ve been handed here is a lightning fast, well, pad. 16GB of memory inside a half inch device with a screen. Not just any screen but a TOUCH screen. Not to mention the patents Apple has for a technology to make it *gasp* better, more responsive, sensitive, thinner, lighter, (probably more expensive).

Lets continue, without digression, to the real importance of the iPad. Apple magaged to (in a business sense, really had to) release a device that:

a) looks cool. Don’t underestimate this factor; That little symbol on the back alone causes certain circles of college students to become weak in the knees.

b) costs a fortune reasonable price. Surprise, surprise and touché Apple. Kindle ($489) + Dell Inspiron Mini Netbook ($350) + Philips 9” Portable DVD Player ($130)… Must I go on?

c) reads, surfs, plays, watches - books, web, music, movies. FOR CHEAP (See above). Apple fully intends to eliminate all other devices which singularly cover set range. They plan to do so by *dun dun dun* (SEE ABOVE).

d) dreams big. WAY big. Cutting out multiple types of devices by integration of many general needs into one (a + b + c) pad. Keeping it secret KNOWING that no one would be able to develop iPad specific programing. It will sell anyway. And after it sells it will move in on the desktop market. It will eliminate the old way of thinking about data storage (get it through those dense skulls that 16GB of storage space is IRRELEVANT). Abolish the use of CDs and, possibly in the near future, many other forms of removable media. Wires… No more wires. There is a reason we have yet to supplant ourselves amongst the stars. We are much too teathered as a race at present (go ask your 7 year old what the purpose of cords are for and I guarentee with some coaxing he/she could form quite a thesis regarding their inconvience and utter lack of importance).

This could put Microsoft out of business, seriously. Does anyone know how much of their future is vested in “Table”. Cause if they weren’t watching the news Apple just released one… Maybe only the size of an end table now, but tomorrow…

Conceptualize the potentials here (Total life immersion and integration)… Then think about the ease of putting an iPad into your own hands.

I’m not saying go buy one. I won’t, not for several versions, I think. But I recognize what just happened in San Jose two days ago… Not so much for the rest of you, I think.

Prove me wrong.