I was blessed to grow up in a place where an overt incident of racism was only exhibited by the occasional strange, ignorant people you read about in the paper or someone being really mean. Example: As a child I was accosted by 2 girls on... the playground who harrassed me with days of name-calling, so eventually, I lost my composure and name-called them back. I was the one who got in trouble for it. It was wrong and mean...of all of us. I was more wrong than they were, because I certainly and absolutely knew better. Was it the last time I ever called somebody a bad name? No, and I still feel guilty and sorry about that. Wouldn't you know it....now, as an adult there is nothing that bothers me more than name-calling...Such is my karma.
General Mills has a mixed race family featured on their latest commercial, and it's caused some unfortunate people to show their "true colors," so to speak. The issue isn't exactly about name-calling, per se, but this is about racism. The effect is the same.
Rather than restrain myself, I do expect that the next time someone feels the need to mention someone's color or lack thereof (or any other unnecessary, extraneous and likely erroneous description) , I'm apt to just go off on them.
Honestly, I can hardly wait for that opportunity....
Shawn
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photo: Dulce de Leche Cheerios® Parfaits recipe from Betty Crocker
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