Time to reject "Black Friday" concept
By Dr. Kwame Nantambu
December 22, 2010According to long-standing societal acceptable norms, the Friday after Thanksgiving Day in the United States is regarded as "Black Friday."
Indeed, one would have thought that with the anomalous election of America's first African-American/Black President that the race-relations gap in this country has narrowed considerably. One would have assumed also that as a result of this presidential first that the need to colour any national event would have been relegated to the ash heap of America's racial-cultural history.
However, this is not the reality on Friday, 26 November, 2010.
The fact of the matter is that African-American/Black consumers who shop till they drop on the Friday after Thanksgiving Day only comprise 12 percent of the national population; so, how is this day "Black Friday?"
Moreover, the vast majority of employees in America's stores/malls on that day are not Black; so, why is this day called "Black Friday?"
The majority of America's stores/mall owners are not African-American/Black; so, how is this day "Black Friday?"
Indeed, these store/mall owners reap massive profit on that day and the colour of the money they accumulate is still green; so, how does this day of profit maximization suddenly becomes "Black Friday?" These business owners do not collect Black money, as in dollars.
Ergo, now is the time for stores/mall owners to balance their books with green ink, not Black ink.
And even the stuff, as in snow, on America's Interstate highways, streets, roads, bridges, etc., is not Black; so, why is this day called "Black Friday?"
Indeed, the crucial questions that immediately come to the fore are: Is there a specific White Day celebrated in the United States? Is there a specific Yellow Day celebrated in America? Is there a specific Brown Day celebrated in the United States? And, most importantly, why then is this putative stigma only assigned to the colour Black?
In addition, another situation in which the colour Black is assigned involves the Flight Data Recorder in a plane. Now, when the plane takes off, this instrument's original colours are orange and yellow. However, not wishing, the plane crashes, then, this original orange and yellow instrument is suddenly called the "Black Box." How and why is that?
Now is the time in the era of racial inclusiveness for all Americans and the international community to totally reject the concept of "Black Friday."
This writer asserts that the concept of "Black Friday" conjures up a modicum of disrespect for America's first Black President, by accident or design. On the flip side, why wasn't this day celebrated as "White Friday" when a White-American was President?
Now is the time for all Americans and the international community to regard this day for what is actually is, namely, the Friday after Thanksgiving Day -- that's all it is. It's a colour-blind day.
Now is the critical time to heal the racial divide in America and around the world.
Now is the time for One America and one humanity to co-exist. Racial/colour divisiveness is self-destructive and should be avoided/opposed/rejected at all cost.
In the spirit of American patriotism and global harmony all human beings need to embrace each other as one, 24-7-365.
In the final analysis, Americans and the international community need to heed the poignant but apocalyptic admonition of slain African-American Civil Rights leader, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., as follows:
"Now the judgement of God is upon us and we must either learn to live together as brothers or we are all going to perish together as fools."
The election of Barack Obama as America's first Black President is the overt signal to reject the concept /notion of "Black Friday." Change, "Yes, We can."
The celebration of Christmas is another story.
Shem Hotep ( "I go in peace").
Dr. Kwame Nantambu is a part-time lecturer at Cipriani College of Labour and Co-operative studies.
Nantambu's Homepage / Trinicenter Home