Racism is For Real

With all the recent events like the Trayvon Martin/Zimmerman trial and Paula Deen's racial slurs/attitude, I have been thinking about this world in which my children are growing up.  I have always known that racism exists...unfortunately, I have known far too many racist people.  However, it wasn't until bringing the boys home, that I realized IT IS EVERYWHERE!!!  It is not always presented with an in your face comment, but it is the way people act when a group of African American boys walk by, or a joke that is degrading to Hispanic people, or someone describing another human "as black, I mean really black".   (By the way---I absolutely hate this...what does it matter if they are light brown, dark brown, or black...are they more or less of a person by the degree of color in their skin...do I describe  you as "white, I mean really white"?)

As an adoptive mother, it is impossible for me to go anywhere with my children without people staring.  Now, some are staring because they are curious about adoption.  Some are staring because I have so many children.  However, some are staring because they disagree with our family makeup...and it is evident in their facial expressions. 

When you have children that are a different race than you, you become much more aware of the prevalence of racism and attitudes towards people of different races and ethnicities (both within yourself and those you come in contact with).  Over the past few months, I have noticed several cases/attitudes and it has really made me think about how my boys and oldest girl are going to be treated differently because of the color of their skin.  It will not matter to some that they were raised by the same parents as my biological children...whether they have good moral character or not...all that will matter is that they are not white!  That to me is heartbreaking and infuriating!

So, from this point forward, I am going to call people out on their off-handed remarks.  (This will be very challenging for me as I hate confrontation.)  However, I can not let my children grow up thinking that I think less of them because their skin doesn't match mine. I figure I might offend some people, but I'm willing to do that for my children.  I love them too much to not try and make the world a place "where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character." (Martin Luther King Jr.)