-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- In <199712270322.VAA03217@einstein.ssz.com>, on 12/26/97 at 09:22 PM, Jim Choate <ravage@ssz.com> said:
Forwarded message:
SOME RETAILERS SAY WHITE CORPORATIONS ARE HIJACKING KWANZAA
graphic December 26, 1997 Web posted at: 9:53 p.m. EST (0253 GMT)
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- As celebrations begin for Kwanzaa, the 30-year-old African-American holiday, some black business owners say they worry the celebration, which emphasizes black self-reliance, is being hijacked by white-owned corporations.
"When this holiday came into existence, it was almost a laughingstock," says Magaji Bukar, a gift shop owner. "And now that (retailers) can make some money, now (they) want to be a part of this. We're saying, 'No.'"
"This is more than just money. This is culture," he said.
Bukar is one of about 1,000 African-American business owners who have launched a letter-writing campaign, demanding that large companies -- including Hallmark Cards and Giant Foods -- stop selling Kwanzaa-related items. They are urging African-Americans to buy Kwanzaa supplies and goods only from black businesses.
But not all African-Americans agree. For example, Pamela Rucker of the National Retail Federation says merchants are simply responding to the free market and showing respect for the holiday. Magaji Bukar Magaji Bukar
"Retailers have a responsibility to serve their consumers, whether African-American, Hispanic, Asian, whatever," she said. "If consumers didn't tell us they wanted Kwanzaa-related products, or other ethnic or culturally-related products, retailers wouldn't stock them."
Ahhh Isn't Racism grand!! I wonder what the Ministry of Propaganda, CNN Branch would have to say if rather than Magaji Bukar this was David Duke demanding that Blacks stop selling Christmas Items proclaiming it a "white" holiday and Verboten for Black. Oh I'm sorry, obPC: Black's can't be racists only the EAWM (Evil Angry White Men). Exactly what was the point of all this "Civil Rights" BS of the last 30yrs if all that is acomplished is to replace one racism for another?? - -- - --------------------------------------------------------------- William H. Geiger III http://users.invweb.net/~whgiii Geiger Consulting Cooking With Warp 4.0 Author of E-Secure - PGP Front End for MR/2 Ice PGP & MR/2 the only way for secure e-mail. OS/2 PGP 2.6.3a at: http://users.invweb.net/~whgiii/pgpmr2.html - --------------------------------------------------------------- -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: 2.6.3a-sha1 Charset: cp850 Comment: Registered_User_E-Secure_v1.1b1_ES000000 iQCVAwUBNKSAP49Co1n+aLhhAQH+lAP9HB+oj0bZ1KrP3aIPsqv9Vhvnyp0IsHDR YNWtzbHCb8XZaf6ICMnpnVDtYAgdfDlw6hQoubQJDE7YAokejthKYrAXohsjtUOI i7KUvHaXgh1xpgyAyr0uia9FdnpCUZDA1nkzY3dLYI76V4RhCUtBu/9BEfh30eCH rhaHhTGD9DE= =8Ni2 -----END PGP SIGNATURE-----