Newark’s version of Memorial Day festivities

While the rest of the country observes Memorial Day, Newark, New Jersey celebrates African-American Heritage Day:

In what sense do these people belong to the same culture and civilization as ourselves? Why should we go on pretending that they do?

Elli, who sent the photo, writes:

If they’re going to be entirely ethnocentric about it, there have been black men who fought and died for the country, but they are unrepresented in the photos of the event. Are they unacknowledged in the parade? In all fairness, the picture here is the worst of the lot by far, but it is the one the newspaper chose to run in the print edition. The Italians must be completely gone and remembering their dead elsewhere—it still matters to them.

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Cindi writes:

That photo from the Star Ledger says it all.

Your commenter, Elli, wrote:

“The Italians must be completely gone and remembering their dead elsewhere—it still matters to them.”

I was born in Newark, as were my parents and half of my grandparents. I am of all-Italian descent, and yes, we all left Newark long ago. I have some small memories of how Newark was when I was young, mostly of Branchbrook Park and its beautiful cherry-blossom season there.

I know it’s wrong to hate those people and I try not to, but sometimes, seeing the destruction they’ve wrought on what was once so civilized and orderly, I … fail. It is really not their fault; they’ve been permitted and encouraged by the Left to be what they are and too many of us did not stand athwart history yelling, not just “NO,” but “HELL NO!”

We’ll be able to repair and rebuild nothing until the Left and the right-liberals are properly dealt with.

May 29

David J. writes:

I understand your dislike of events such as African-American Heritage Day. Which part miffs you more: the event itself or its occurrence on Memorial Day? When younger, I often became upset upon hearing about black festivals. However, with time, I began noticing Greek festivals, Irish festivals, Polish festivals, German festivals, and others, so perhaps I was being too hard on black Americans. Maybe they are simply following the model laid by other groups. Are ethnic celebrations totally unacceptable or do they have a particular, appropriate place in America?

Though one tasteless act does not excuse another, the linked Polish-American festival will take place on Labor Day weekend.

LA replies:

It’s not the fact of ethnic celebrations that is alien to our culture, but the contents of this particular ethnic celebration.

Posted by Lawrence Auster at May 28, 2012 04:58 PM | Send