It’s A “Racy” Issue
Katelyn has been obsessed here lately with people’s skin color. She is just now starting to notice that the people around her are different colors. She is always telling me she’s white and asking if she knows anyone with “brown skin”. Mind you, she does this any time the mood strikes her which is usually in public. And then she’ll go down a list of people she knows and ask if they have “brown skin”. So far none of the people she’s asked about have brown skin so I have to tell her no. Then she rolls her eyes, sighs forlornly and says ” Why don’t they have brown skin? Why don’t I know anyone with brown skin??”. The fact is, living in the area that I do, we don’t know a whole lot of people with brown skin! And the people I do know I haven’t seen in a while.
At first ,when she started asking these blatant race questions, I got a little embarrassed and tried to shush her as to not “offend” anyone near by. I thought there must be a more politically correct way to teach her to ask about people with “brown skin”. Then I thought, to heck with it! She’s an innocent child asking a sincere question about what she sees in the world around her. To her people with darker skin are “brown”. I decided I’m going to let her ask as many questions about people of different races as possible. There is nothing wrong with her noticing that people look different from her, because they do! And this is not a bad thing. We’ve gotten so caught up in political correctness that I think, as Americans, we’ve taken the politically correct race, appearance and nationality speak a little too far. Our kids are going to notice someone who looks different from them whether it be their color, their physical abilities or dissabilities or the shape and size of their bodies. And I think that’s ok. It’s ok for her to notice that someone is black and she’s white. Or someone is in a wheel chair while she can walk. I think there is an appropriate and frank way to discuss these things that doesn’t turn the conversation in to a socially awkward one. I think it will teach her respect for all people and empathy for those with less physical capabilities that she. I don’t want her to grow up shying away from these topics. I grew up in Brazil where there is so much interracial marriage that everyone there is all shades of color. It’s not a big deal. I grew up not really noticing the color of people’s skin. I hate the way everyone is calling each other “racist” these days. I also don’t take kindly to being told that because I didn’t vote for our African American president and don’t agree with his policies that somehow my beliefs are bigoted and racist. I think too many people hide behind the race card because they don’t truly know what they believe and what they stand for. I truly do not look at skin color. If he was my favorite shade of purple I still wouldn’t agree with him anymore than I do now. With all due respect.
So, I’m fine with Katelyn asking loudly about the color of someone’s skin. I’m happy to tell her that God made them that color. I think whatever color you are you should be proud to be that color. Because that’s the color God intended you to be. I’m proud to be white. Not because I think it’s the better color but because it’s the color that God made me. I didn’t have a say in it. I don’t need to apologize for it. I don’t think any race is superior to the other. I think each individual, no matter what their color, is responsible for his or her own actions and choices. Your race doesn’t make you who you are.YOU make you who you are.
Now, excuse me while I try to reconnect with some old acquaintances with “brown skin” so Katelyn can meet them.
