gallantwarrior
Gold Member
My daughter very proudly relayed this story to me:
My youngest granddaughter (8 yrs old) has been going on about her best friend in school. Naomi this, Naomi that...Naomi is does so many neat things, knows so much, is just so nice. My daughter had no idea that Naomi was black until she showed up (with her 14-yr-old brother as escort) for my granddaughter's birthday party. The point here is, at no point did my granddaughter feel the necessity to express Naomi's race.
An additional aspect: the 14-yr-old brother was very obviously uncomfortable at the party. Hell, what decent, self-respecting teen-aged boy would feel comfortable at a party for 8-10 year old girls! But my daughter welcomed him, included him in the laser-tag game, and he had a great time. My daughter was glad to have at least one person her size as an opponent (he became the team leader for the "opposing" team).
When these children's mother picked them up, she and my daughter engaged in a conversation. At first, my daughter was cautious, as one must be these days. After a very short conversation, these two women discovered they had many things in common. Now, my daughter has a new friend and they visit back and forth frequently.
The point here is, you can be color-blind. You can respect others and cherish who they are without bitterness and vitriol.
I am proud of my daughter. I am foolish enough to be pleased that I must have done something right to have raised such a magnificent person. And now she is raising two very sweet, wonderful little girls. I wish I could protect them from all that is nasty and hateful. Alas, I cannot.
My youngest granddaughter (8 yrs old) has been going on about her best friend in school. Naomi this, Naomi that...Naomi is does so many neat things, knows so much, is just so nice. My daughter had no idea that Naomi was black until she showed up (with her 14-yr-old brother as escort) for my granddaughter's birthday party. The point here is, at no point did my granddaughter feel the necessity to express Naomi's race.
An additional aspect: the 14-yr-old brother was very obviously uncomfortable at the party. Hell, what decent, self-respecting teen-aged boy would feel comfortable at a party for 8-10 year old girls! But my daughter welcomed him, included him in the laser-tag game, and he had a great time. My daughter was glad to have at least one person her size as an opponent (he became the team leader for the "opposing" team).
When these children's mother picked them up, she and my daughter engaged in a conversation. At first, my daughter was cautious, as one must be these days. After a very short conversation, these two women discovered they had many things in common. Now, my daughter has a new friend and they visit back and forth frequently.
The point here is, you can be color-blind. You can respect others and cherish who they are without bitterness and vitriol.
I am proud of my daughter. I am foolish enough to be pleased that I must have done something right to have raised such a magnificent person. And now she is raising two very sweet, wonderful little girls. I wish I could protect them from all that is nasty and hateful. Alas, I cannot.