Cabrera reports: "An Arizona lawmaker recently suggested a holiday for white people before his state Legislature, according to KPHO Phoenix."

State Rep. Cecil Ash (R-Mesa) is the latest Arizona Republican to bring attention to the state. (photo: KPHO Phoenix)

Arizona Lawmaker Proposes Holiday for Whites

By Claudio E. Cabrera, The Root

07 February 12

n Arizona lawmaker recently suggested a holiday for white people before his state Legislature, according to KPHO Phoenix [13].

The suggestion comes after a Latino state legislator, Rep. Richard Miranda, proposed a Latino American Day. Republican Cecil Ash proposed his idea on the House floor right afterward.

"I'm supportive of this proposition. I just want them to assure me that when we do become in the minority, you'll have a day for us," Ash told KPHO Phoenix.

There was laughter on the House floor after Ash's proclamation, but he said that he will not back down from his statement. "Yes, I think it was appropriate. It was appropriate for the mood that was in the House, and I think that if and when the Caucasian population becomes a minority, they may want to celebrate the accomplishments and the contributions of the Caucasian population the same way," Ash said.

So let's go down the list of interesting and controversial characters in the state of Arizona: Sheriff Joe "I Racially Profile and Don't Allow Spanish Spoken in Jail" Arpaio, Gov. Jan "I Wag My Finger in the President's Face" Brewer and now Ash.

The only reason there are observances honoring people of color is the history of forced exclusion of their accomplishments in this country's history books, classrooms and media. Too many children of all ethnicities don't know about the history and achievements of nonwhites; Ash's utterances just show how out of touch many people remain in this country.

Comments

We are concerned about a recent drift towards vitriol in the RSN Reader comments section. There is a fine line between moderation and censorship. No one likes a harsh or confrontational forum atmosphere. At the same time everyone wants to be able to express themselves freely. We'll start by encouraging good judgment. If that doesn't work we'll have to ramp up the moderation.

General guidelines: Avoid personal attacks on other forum members; Avoid remarks that are ethnically derogatory; Do not advocate violence, or any illegal activity.

Remember that making the world better begins with responsible action.

- The RSN Team

0 # kg_esq 2012-02-07 17:07

Not sure if I agree with the author of this article. As a white woman in my late 30's, I often find myself wondering when we are going to start actually being equal if everyone wants to cry equality. Why not stop things that continue to separate and segregate us like race motivated "days of appreciation"? Fight for the proper history, not the reparation by meaningless public day of acknowledgment. When does it stop being whites against everyone else? I think this is the question this man meant to ask. Our country needs to start having the real race conversation, not the one that continues to try and lift up "oppressed" minority groups but the conversation that talks about real, colorless, equality. I am a white person who has been the victim of racial violence, does this mean black people who had nothing to do with what happened to me should honor me because they are black and the black women who violently assaulted me for dating a black man represent the interest of all black Americans? Sounds ludicrous doesn't it? Equality is colorless. To me, that's what this man's statement, albeit trite and untactful, was meant to portray in my opinion.

+19 # feloneouscat 2012-02-08 05:09

Ash was not attempting to portray anything remotely resembling equality.

I'm in my 50's and I remember, quite vividly, when two white men discussed openly in an auto parts store that they would kill any black man who approached a white man.

In Texas MLK Day was "balanced" by putting "Confederate Heroes" day in the same week (one worked for civil rights the other tried to split the nation - which was a hero?).

Recognition that we come from different roots is not arguing for inequality - it is a basic fact. Some of us wear it in our hair, our name or in our skin - but it exists. That is an undeniable fact.

Where Ash errs is that Arizona has ALREADY banned books by Hispanic authors. It seeks to minimize those of Latin roots. His "white day" is absurd - everyone is taught what Whites did in school books. What is conveniently left out is what people of other races did.

Equality means more than "colorless" - it mean accepting that you have a family history that has a different culture than Joe Whitebread.

-7 # cdcl44@yahoo.com 2012-02-08 06:58

Then let's ban ALL racial and cultural holidays in the name of unification.

+6 # Alice 2012-02-08 12:27

I would say that everyone gets the white-washed version of what whites did in history, and that in itself is getting it wrong - especially when people are starting to re-write the history books.

+2 # Billy Bob 2012-02-09 11:46

Maybe we can start to implement your plan as soon as we can get all the confederate flags off of people's bumpers, mud-flaps and state flags.

Another idea would be to have a nationally funded public school system where it's considered illegal to only contribute to a local school district. If ALL public schools got the same amounts of money, that would help too.

Another thing we could do is stop trying to pretend slavery and the Civil War, much less Jim Crow were that long ago. Perhaps we could acknowledge that crimes against humanity were committed and that the people doing it has NO redeaming qualities.

+6 # kelly 2012-02-08 06:19

He wasn't asking any question nor was he talking about race reparation. A day or a month dedicated to the history of an ethnic group tells about their input in the building of the United States. Until just recently, studies about the black man's effect on the U.S. began and ended with the Civil War. There was a need to explore the contributions of persons of color to our society. This is not societal "payback" it is social recognition for jobs well done.
The point is not to make anyone against anyone...if anything, it is supposed to allow us a greater appreciation for one another. Give us a chance to explore the works of Americans one and all. The only divisions come when people start coming in and pushing the agenda of us v. them as opposed to just we.
Prejudice will still occur on both sides, but it is up to the enlightened to divert from that path, ignorance leads to bigotry and holidays like this give us a chance to free us from the bonds of ignorance and turn us more toward the conversations of which you speak.

+1 # Billy Bob 2012-02-09 16:13

Beautiful comments.

+14 # 666 2012-02-08 03:50

WHEN these people finally get national power, they will make the Taliban look like a bunch of sissy lefties.

What's really sad is that Arizona is simply the bellwether for the nation, they are 10 years ahead of the time.

the little political battles (with big consequences) that are being fought in city and state governments across the nation by the koch-funded forces of evil will usher in more and more arizona-style state governments. Arizona went through these battles in the late 80s and 90s as the whackos gained control.

+7 # Alice 2012-02-08 12:31

I always think of them as 50 years behind the times; and of course there is my state, South Carolina, which is 150 years behind the times...

+3 # Ninure 2012-02-08 05:19

Here's one example of the History racists like this don;t want included in the history books: http://www.ferris.edu/jimcrow/what.htm

+11 # CavKChas 2012-02-08 05:30

I wonder what Rep. Miranda would like to call his proposed holiday for whites? His view is evidence of the tit for tat strategy mainly seen by conservatives who totally resent any deviation from 100% of their beliefs.

+6 # MainStreetMentor 2012-02-08 06:14

Oh great. Another piece of legislation designed to be another hammered wedge to help widen the divisiveness between fellow Americans! We need to bring Americans back together - not widen the chasm. It figures the author of this legislation would be both a RepubTeacan AND from Arizona.

+1 # Alice 2012-02-08 12:32

I don't see from this article that there is any evidence of an actual piece of legislation. I think the guy was just making an insensitive joke.

-17 # LeeMG 2012-02-08 06:28

WASPs that are proud of their heritage, but not bigots toward other heritages should have a day to celebrate. How about launching sting operations on companies that employ illegals?

+6 # Tippitc 2012-02-08 17:18

The big problem with that idea is they arrest the wrong people - they should be arresting the "suits" that hired them!!

+1 # Billy Bob 2012-02-09 16:14

Be more specific. Which parts of their culture should be celebrated?

+4 # MidwestTom 2012-02-08 07:52

At grade school age was told that except for blacks, America was settled by Europeans and others who were the more intelligent and ambitious who were seeking a better life. Blacks were the only people that came to America who were not seeking a better life because the ones that were brought here were the least desirable if their own people in Africa. Which is why their own people sold them to the slave traders. I believe that this belief was widely taught, which is probably one of the reasons many had a hard time accepting blacks.

+1 # Billy Bob 2012-02-09 11:47

Our entire culture considered blacks to be sub-human until just a few decades ago.

-1 # barbaratodish 2012-02-09 00:29

Lets all find and/or make new memories and lose old traditions!

0 # barbaratodish 2012-02-09 22:33

Quoting

Lets all find and/or make new memories and lose old traditions!

Let's especially lose the "tradition" of war!

Refresh comments list
RSS feed for comments to this post.

THE NEW STREAMLINED RSN LOGIN PROCESS: Register once, then login and you are ready to comment. All you need is a Username and a Password of your choosing and you are free to comment whenever you like! Welcome to the Reader Supported News community.