Black and White

I was talking to my dad this week about a video one of my classes watched on the Rodney King beating. Mary Frances and Thomas were sitting with us and asked what riot meant. So, we began to explain to them a little of what happened..."Rodney King is a black man that was beaten by some white police officers, and when the police officers didn't go to jail for what they did, some of the black people in the city got very upset and started destroying things and hurting people."

After a good explanation of what happened, Mary Frances said, "Mommy, I've never heard anyone say "black people and white people", but I think I know what you are talking about. I think you are calling the bad people "black" and the good people "white"."

I thought she made an interesting inference, but I was shocked that she had NEVER heard the terms before. I told her that I loved that she didn't know what I was talking about. We really have tried hard to not point out the differences. We are surrounded by people from many different cultures. We have talked a lot about friends who are "brown", but we don't want the kids to grow up with the prejudices that so many people have.

Anyway, I explained to her that we are considered "white" people, to which she was a little confused since we are not actually white in color. So, I said, "can you guess who the black people are?"

She was stumped. I then gave her a few examples of friends who would be considered "black" which still baffled her since they are not, in fact, black! I even had to explain how some of her friends have one "black" parent and one "white" parent.

Anyway...it was a fun conversation! I really do love that she is six and half and just now hearing that for the first time!!