A few days ago, during her first week in 2nd Grade my daughter was asked by a fellow student, why she wore a “black mask”. It was not a question of innocence or curiosity. The same child, on the first day of school, brought a Vietnamese student to tears with mean-spirited, racially-charged comments about her ethnicity.
This from a 7 year old? Who will he be at 27 or 47 years old when there’s no authoritative figure in seat to mandate a less than sincere apology?
There are NO WORDS for how sick I am of the “race matters” discussion! Tired of explaining where racism and culture bias occurs to people who don’t have to live within its historic time stamp. Repulsed by people who wield their sickness openly and willingly, while expecting me to be patient, understanding and capable of looking beyond it.
Angered by having to educate my innocent 7 year old (I’ve been through this “coaching” twice already with my sons) about the crap she’ll have to face as a result of being sugar-honey brown!
Unbelievable I walked away from a life rooted in Civil Rights and Social Justice 15 years ago only to find we’ve made little to no progress in the struggle for freedom and justice. Feels more like we’re living in 1964 rather than 2014.
As the senseless deaths of black males continue to be a tragic American past-time, inconceivable the 1857 words Chief Justice Roger B. Taney spoke to Dred Scott and the world ring truer than ever! That black men…
“had no rights which the white man was bound to respect; and that the negro might justly and lawfully be reduced to slavery for his benefit. He was bought and sold and treated as an ordinary article of merchandise and traffic, whenever profit could be made by it.”
And this is our PRESENT DAY reality?!
My Great Grandmother Annie Jackson’s Jim Crow South admonishment and warning to her sons has found its 21st century incarnation and medium in ME?!
Damn. Damn. Damn!
How the hell can this be?! Makes me wanna holler!
Luckie
Sources:
- Melissa Harris-Perry’s Searing Tribute To Black Men Killed By Police
- KSDK.com: Ferguson protests continue for 3rd night
August 20th, 2014 at 3:26 pm
Preach Luckie!
August 20th, 2014 at 4:04 pm
Hi Luckie…thanks for sharing your thoughts and concerns…I would venture to say that many of us feel the same way. I like the “sugar-honey brown description…my brother calls our great-niece brown-skin, which she loves!
I believe that we have a life-long task of educating and re-educating people…some just do not get it.
I was watching a documentary on pregnant women in Papua New Guinea…one of the white workers from America was sharing how blessed she is to be a part of the helping process…what GOT ME is when she started to cry and state that she was impressed that the women loved their children…she seemed surprise at this fact. Why would she not assume that this is natural (barring the anomalies in our societies)? Why do we think that we are the only CIVILIZED society?
Florida, I am feeling you…just keep the info before the people…one day someone will get it.
August 20th, 2014 at 5:33 pm
Well said Luckie. This reminded me of a conversation I had with my son years ago.
August 20th, 2014 at 11:07 pm
Although I don’t know what your daughter told him, it seems you guys handled it well. Better be glad he didn’t say that to some kids like my mouthy little 8 year old niece. She would had started a fight. For instance, my niece said when her Latina friend start speaking in Spanish she tells the friend that she needs to talk in English so my niece can know what she’s saying. That’s the kind of mouthy girl we got. I tell her that she’s too smart to get kicked out of school and go chill when something happens that makes her mad. Sounds like your daughter “chilled” and told her mommy who will take care of her battles. Good for you guys.
August 27th, 2014 at 8:47 pm
Yes, it’s very tiring.