Let's not suppose that all racism takes place in the South. It has been my experience that it is just as bad if not worse in many Northern regions of the US. Didn't Dr. MLK even make a statement once to the effect that (paraphrase) They should come up north and really learn how to hate. THere will always be hate as long as there are sinful people. If the hate was not based on skin color it would be based on foot size, nose shape, hair texture, stature, handedness, or some other feature. If people could get beyond the physical attributes of one another, then they would hate based on occupation, education level, financial status, country of origin, ................Oh wait humans hate each other based on those those already. The problem with the world is that there are people in it. We just all need to do our part not to hate, and not to teach hate. Perhaps we can outnumber those who do as we ...."Go ye therefore and teach.........."
Oh god yes. I live in Oregon and even in Portland (progressive to the max) you find what my sociologist friends and coworkers call subvert prejudice. Yes go and teach. That sounds great. Currently, my job is to develop workshops to develop understanding of what racism is and the manners of it and how to eradicate it. As a homeschooling mom I take my son to my workshops and he has gained the benefit of seeing people's of all walks of life learn to break down our differences and be allies.
Tusagi, I'm glad your son can experience that and learn from your and their examples! My children only know prejudice from what they've read about from different time periods in history. I'm sure there's some out there, but our area is certainly not known for prejudice, and our neighborhood has people from all walks of life, all races and colors, and we all get along very well, and the kids play together very well! I'm very glad that type of thing is not lived in this area! The kids in this neighborhood, including my kids, just do the breaking down of differences and being allies and working and playing together automatically! The only "flare-ups" we've had are because of personality clashes, not race or other reasons. I remember when I was little, my brother wore glasses. He was teased a lot by older kids, and sometimes they were quite mean to him! I never understood that! I worried some when my ds (now 13) got glasses when he was 4. But he has never once been teased about his glasses! I am so pleased with the many children he's been around, that haven't once metioned that! Prejudice can flare up in many different ways, for many different reasons, and we've discussed that with our kids. But I'm glad they're having a chance to grow up in an area where people work together for the good of everyone!
I still think that pointing out a person's faults should not be considered having a "prejudice attitude" just because that person is a minority. I did say that he inspired others. Afterall, I am sure he was the driving force behind my lady, Rosa Parks. I am certainly not against MLK. I just don't think he in particular deserves a holiday. I was not directing that at you in particular. I was making a statement. I also have no problem studying MLK. My kids have read biographies on him. I have read much on him. I also do not stress any of the negative to my kids about him. Afterall, as I stated he was not unlike many men who were weak and fell in certain areas. I also don't tell my kids that JFK had an affair with Marilyn Monroe. I am sorry, I worded that incorrectly. I realize your post was not directed to me, I just worded it poorly. And yes, the schools have shown an inability to be unbiased when it comes to teaching history. That is exactly my point! That is what makes me angry. I makes me angry that a month had to be dedicated to Black History because for some reason great black men and women are left out of the normal history class. I am not against black history month because I am a racist. I am against it because black men and women who have made this country what it is today are forgotten about most of the year. Oh, and I am not suggesting that you think I am a racist. Which actually would be kinda funny, if you read my first post on this subject. lol If you havn't read it, please do so. Maybe you will then understand that my anger is toward a society that throws breadcrumbs out to shut people up rather than make real change. It pains me to have to teach my kids of racism. I hate the thought that they will and have encountered it for themselves. I hate that someone appears to not be a racist and then when you least expect it, the ugly head of racism comes out. I think that if we could just get rid of all the token junk. I grew up not knowing about a lot of great black men and women. My school only taught about MLK, and other great black men and women during a holiday or February. As years in school went on, even that diminished. Oh and to mention Malcolm X...never happened until college. I personally enjoyed his bio. I felt I got a better understanding of him and the time after reading it. I could never understand how history could be taught while leaving out so many important people. I must apologize to you. It was poor form to respond to you directly...it made it seem personal. It is not personal. I just don't think a person is prejudice or showing a prejudical attitude because he or she points out a black man's flaw. I sincerely think it is insulting to the black community to be thrown a breadcrumb (like a holiday and a month) and call it social change or understanding. I wish now, that is all I said. lol. Please read my other post about the prejudice I have experienced and you will see I am not prejudice or racist or anti-MLK or anyone else. Again, I do apologize if anything I said upset you. I am sincere in that. I will admit I have a big mouth and deep convictions. Although I can't say I don't believe what I said, I will say I could have said better.
