I am a mother of two children living in Oklahoma. My children do not see people based on the color of their skin. My children judge someone by the grin or scowl on their face when they meet them. My children judge people by the inflection and pitch of their voices when we talk with them. My children base the value of someone based on their actions. My children respect people based on if they deserve it because of mutual respect shown. My children do not know hate. My children will come up to you and say hello to you first. My children will tell you good by nice to meet you. My children will be the first to ask you how are you doing. My children will be the first to say can I give you a hug when they say good bye. They do not care what you look like. They care what you act like. My children are taught to be respectful, be kind, and to follow the Golden Rule of Treating Others How You Would Like to Be Treated as well as counting their blessings.
My children are taught and reminded of their privilege everyday. However, I do not teach them privilege of color I teach them they are privileged because of the loving home they are able to grow up in. I teach them their privilege is that their father chooses to work so hard for his family to be so comfortable. I teach them their privilege is their mother gets to be home with them every day. I teach them their privilege is they never have to worry about where their next meal comes from. I teach them their privilege is their parents make sure they never miss a doctor’s appointment. I teach them their privilege is having clothes and shoes and sunscreen to wear every single day. I teach them their privilege is their parents made the decisions they made to move from an apartment to 5 acres. I teach them they are privileged because they have family who loves them all from the West Coast to the East Coast. I teach them they are privileged to have Native American Heritage. I teach them their privilege is they live in America where they are free. I teach them they are privileged because we are privileged to live in the United States of America.
I do not teach my children to hate. I do not teach my children to think of what others have and what we don’t. I do not teach my children to point. I do not teach my children to tease or make fun of. I do not teach my children to be bullies or to allow themselves to be bullied. I do not teach my children to bow down to any person. I do not teach my children that if you are not with us you are against us. I do not teach my children that we are better than anyone else. Period.
Now. You tell me. Based off the actions of my children am I racist?
This is what some mandates on social media bring me to believe you could be thinking right now:
“But you didn’t post on social media a black square, but you didn’t post a meme that says Black Lives Matter, but you didn’t go to a protest, but you didn’t do what I told you to say to prove to me you aren’t a racist…you haven’t said enough on the internet to prove to me you are anti-racist….”
I do not take orders from anyone. I do not have to say anything, I live my life proving I treat everyone as equals based on my actions. The internet bullying of friends and followers into compliance with your views of life by shame needs to stop. Stop worrying about me. Stop worrying about whether your friends on social media post a black square. Be a productive change to the way you want the world to be. A positive change.
I can not condone or endorse the destruction of America. I am too damn proud to be an American who has the freedom to be exactly who I am and want to be. I have the freedom to be the change I want to see and to say what I want to say. I love America. We are the land of the great. I am devastated that it is being ran over by domestic terror. I am devastated that we cannot see that we had the opportunity for further unity in the horrific death of George Floyd. This was an opportunity for America to show we agreed and we united as a people and we are not ideologically divided by race. But the cause has been hijacked and is now being ran as a trojan horse for domestic terrorism.
I do not support the destruction of America.
Well said!!