Open thread

21 Responses to Open thread

1. Sara Q says:

   January 8, 2009 at 9:01 am

   I opened the new year realizing that we have a long way to go with racism and hatred. We have the execution of Oscar Grant by BART cops on the weekend, then the cop resigns, thus avoiding an internal investigation. Then midweek I also read Jezebel, where they linked to a “pick up artist” named roissy who argued that black women are “sluts” because of their skin color.
2. Janine deManda says:

   January 8, 2009 at 12:06 pm

   I’m wondering how to explain to my four-year old why we’re boycotting BART. What’s the pre-school age appropriate explanation for homicidal institutional racism? What’s the follow-up to help her cope with the fear for her father and brother’s lives that would result?
3. CJsDaddy says:

   January 8, 2009 at 1:18 pm

   Hi all – not as heavy a concern as Sara Q, but

   I’m having trouble finding are children’s books about multi-racial/multi-ethnic families. It seems like most books that contain multiple ethnicities fit into one of these categories.
   1) Classrooms, events, etc where a bunch of people of different backgrounds gather.
   2) Adoption.
   3) Books that include subject matter that specifically addresses race.

   Nothing wrong with any of those kinds of books at all – I have several of each type. But what I’m looking for are books about “whatever” where the family just happens to be multi-racial. For instance, something where mom is black, dad is white, and they go to the park and have a picnic. This in contrast to the book explicitly addressing the multi-racial aspect of the family

   Does that make sense? Any ideas?
4. mama d says:

   January 8, 2009 at 3:41 pm

   Why is it that in both Germany and two different, local Chinese language/culture classes I’ve been encouraged to play “cowboys and indians” with my kids, complete with hand-over-mouth woo-wooing and fingers held up behind the head to signify feathers?

   When I describe the situation to American-born friends, they cringe. But, when I explained to the Germans that the game/play was offensive, I was told to chill out.

   I guess this is a vent. The Germans in question are my in-laws and have used racist slurs (anti-Chinese, anti-Middle East) in front of children who have joined the family through adoption from China and Jordan. It boggles the mind.

   Let’s just say it was an interesting Christmas overseas and I haven’t quite processed it all yet.

   Thank you for reading.
5. Blackbird Pie says:

   January 8, 2009 at 10:30 pm

   CJs Daddy- for young children (toddler/preschool age), try Up. Up. Down by Robert Munsch.
6. Janine deManda says:

   January 8, 2009 at 11:38 pm

   CJsDaddy, here are a few titles that might be what you’re looking for:

   The Hello, Good-bye Window by Norton Juster with illustrations by Chris Raschka

   Dumpling Soup by Jama Kim Rattigan

   The Aunt in Our House by Angela Johnson

   Gem by Emma Kallok and Joel Bower

   A Visit to Amy-Claire by Claudia Mills and illustrated by Sheila Hamanaka

   Family by Isabel Monk

   Everywhere Babies by Susan Meyers

   More More More by Vera B. Williams

   It’s Not the Stork: A Book About Girls, Boys, Babies, Bodies, Families and Friends by Robie H. Harris {one or more of the families illustrating the text are mixed.}

   Always an Olivia: A Remarkable Family History by Carolivia Herron {the author’s epilogue addresses race directly, but the story itself focuses on part of a mixed family’s history without direct reference to race.}

   Two Mrs. Gibsons by Toyomi Igus {this may not quite fit your parameters, but it may.}
7. Psychobabbler says:

   January 9, 2009 at 12:59 pm

   Another book by Robert Munsch: Something Good. It’s a favorite in our house.
8. Patti says:

   January 9, 2009 at 1:45 pm

   One book we refer to as “ours” is:
   Splish Splash Spring by Jan Carr – kids playing in the spring then going home to hug mom at the door.
9. Patti says:

   January 9, 2009 at 1:46 pm

   Whoops – kids playing in the spring rain then going home to hug mom at the door.
10. CJsDaddy says:

    January 9, 2009 at 2:22 pm

    Wow – thanks everyone – lots of suggestions- I’m glad everyone seemed to get what I was asking. I took a peek at those on Amazon and will seek them out in person soon. I think we borrowed More More More from the library once.
11. Yoli says:

    January 9, 2009 at 7:45 pm

    Yesterday night having insomnia I watched a repeat episode (regretfully) of Momma’s Boys. What a mistake! There is this particular mother there who is so racist that NBC should be ashamed to have had that lady on.

    Here is a link to some of the comments:

    http://boards.nbc.com/nbc/index.php?showtopic=812330
12. T says:

    January 9, 2009 at 10:56 pm

    Well I am thinking about the best way to talk about race with a two year old—-as posted on my blog.

    http://designermama-manaallamano.blogspot.com/
13. MomTFH says:

    January 10, 2009 at 3:44 pm

    I think the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy is discussing the recent rise in teen pregnancy in a racist way.
14. karen says:

    January 11, 2009 at 8:20 pm

    A suggested topic of discussion:

    “Racism persists because we don’t really find it offensive ”
    http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20090109.wracism09/BNStory/Science/home

    This is an article in the Globe and Mail about a study by researchers at a major Canadian University. The study investigates the effect of witnessing an overtly racial slur on the feelings and opinions of bystanders. I haven’t, myself, looked into the quality of the study but its result are certainly eye-catching.
15. cwr says:

    January 11, 2009 at 11:52 pm

    Hey CJs Daddy, if it’s not too late I’d like to Suggest “Billy & Belle” by Sarah Garland. It’s about a little girl who goes to school with her big brother when her mom & dad go to the hospital because the new baby is coming. It’s an interracial family and a multiracial class, but there is never any mention of race – only the tale of the ruckus Belle causes! It was one of my kids’ favorites.
16. Katie says:

    January 12, 2009 at 2:18 pm

    Hi there -

    For all those who’ve been looking for anti-bias children’s books, I thought you might be interested in the books on the Teaching for Change webstore. It’s here – http://www9.mailordercentral.com/teachingforchange/. I work at the bookstore that TFC runs, and they carry only books that are ism-free, so to speak. If you’re interested, do check it out.

    (I’ve commented here before, but mostly on Racialicious. Sorry if this is not an appropriate post for an Open Thread – wasn’t sure – just wanted to let folks know there was a good, independent retailer online. Of course, support your local bookstore if possible!)
17. K says:

    January 12, 2009 at 4:06 pm

    Janine deManda, would your little one be able to handle it if you left the institutional aspects out? “We don’t ride those trains anymore because one of their employees did a bad thing, and the company is not doing enough about it, so they don’t deserve our business.” Probably followed by lots of questions from the four-year-old. But presenting it as an isolated action by an employee may allow her to not worry about her own loved ones.
18. PureGracefulTree says:

    January 13, 2009 at 2:49 pm

    karen, that article you posted and the comments that follow are terrifying to me. It’s crazy to see how far people will squirm and twist to try and absolve themselves of personal responsibility…claiming blacks are racist too, saying they’re discriminated against in some other ways…

    I’ve been thinking a lot about cultures in which the individual is valued rather than those in which the collective is valued. I think the attitude of “I am responsible for myself and no one else” is what allows so many to be silent while witnessing oppression.
19. D. says:

    January 14, 2009 at 11:36 am

    I was accused of being anti-Semitic this week because I do not always agree with every action that Israel takes and because I am made uncomfortable by discriminatory, hateful “jokes” about Palestinians. I am trying very hard to understand the thousands of years of pain and misunderstanding that my Jewish friends have endured, but I also see thousands of years of misunderstanding and pain on “the other side.” I do not think that either side/country/race is inherently evil, completely wrong or completely right. Bigoted, cruel jokes about Palestinians and/or Muslims (which I have heard and said something about) make me uncomfortable and sad, and it made me very upset that I was accused of being racist and anti-Semitic because I expressed discomfort at those “jokes.” (Anti-Jewish jokes would make me just as upset. I am neither religion btw.) I left because I was upset, because there was no reasoning with the people I was talking to (who got very angry) and because I was angry at the hatred. Now they want an “apology.” I’m not sure what I’m supposed to apologize for! I trust you guys to be straight with me — was I anti-Semitic because I was upset by a disgusting joke about Palestinians/women? Do I owe these people an apology? Or what? I do not want to be a racist person. But I have friends who are Muslim with family in that part of the world too. (They are probably just as angry and frustrated but do not speak of it in front of me, or at least haven’t yet.)

    Please help me deal with this. Obviously every friend I have who is Jewish does not feel this way but more than one person does.

    What am I doing wrong? What am I doing right? Should I not say anything next time and just leave the room?
20. Janine deManda says:

    January 18, 2009 at 2:06 pm

    K – thank you for your suggestion. We did go the route of vagueness as we have with other incidents and issues, so she can have a general framework for the existence of injustices without being burdened with terrible specifics just yet. When I originally posted, I was just very raw and despairing.
21. Ruth W says:

    January 26, 2009 at 10:20 am

    Another good book with a biracial family is “It’s Raining, It’s Pouring” by Andrea Spalding. Also it shows the dad putting away the laundry