Something has really annoyed me and I need to get it off my chest

by mummatron 11 Replies latest jw friends

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  mummatron

  My children's paternal grandmother (G) and great grandmother's (Gg) racist attitudes. That's what. I'm sorry but I really need to vent about this...

  G was saying how she'd taken my son to the beach yesterday. She parked away from the seafront so had to walk through the fairground to get to the beach. The fairground was full of a couple of coach-loads of day-trippers. They were from Birmingham and they were black. G was saying how she felt really uncomfortablewalking through there and how she walked my son around the bay to the quieter beach to get away. Gg then piped up about how "they really should put a stop to them coming into our country. There's enough here now. There aren't enough jobs for all our young people". I think G saw the look of horror on my face as she then quickly changed the subject before I could get my 2p in about it. But OMG, I am still reeling from it.

  It is 2011, not 1811 FFS! I'm sure had the day-trippers been a coach-load of white Brummies [affectionate nickname for people from Birmingham] then she would not have said or done that. It makes me SICK! I am not happy that they are communicating those attitudes in front of me, but especially pissed that they did in front of my children. I want to bring them up to think and know that everyone is equal.

  People are people. Everyone has feelings. I know I tease people sometimes but it's done all in good humour, never intended to hurt and certainly not a personal attack based on race/gender/intelligence etc. How hurt would those guys have been if they could've read her thoughts? I've been on the receiving end of racist, contemptuous attitudes on more than one occasion - when I went to France was the worst. It is horrible that people can entertain the fact that purely down to where you or your ancestors may have lived and what you look like could make you despicable in their eyes. Gaarrrrrrrgggghhhhhh!!!!!!!!!
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  Violia

  Mumi

  I would say to just continue to set a good example for your son b/c after all, he does live with you ,not them.

  The older generations have their issues and you'll find as many racist blacks/other races/ as racist whites among that age group. I think we just have to be the people we want to be and teach our children.

  day tripper reminded me of the Beatles song
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  mummatron

  Thank you V. Good advice.
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  NewChapter

  I feel your pain mummatron. I can say that although my daughter was exposed to such ignorance, she followed my lead. Today she is a well-adjusted woman that isn't a racist. Your children will listen to your voice first.

  Before my daughter started school, I actually talked to her about racism. Until that point, she hadn't been exposed to much, but I knew she would have to face it "out in the world---not the JW world". I actually had to tell her it existed first, so I could tell her why it was unacceptable. She got it. She already had a variety of friends from many backgrounds and races. That's all you can do.

  NC
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  mummatron

  Your children will listen to your voice first.

  I do hope so NC. It's a worry as my son has 3 friends of varying mixed-races that he plays with on occasion and the last thing I want is for him to start treating them negatively or differently because Nanny does. Although I am amazed that for once she said 'black' and not 'coloured'. It's taken me 4 and a half years of telling her that it's a politically incorrect term and that it can cause offence. She's the boss where she works and deals with Equality/Anti-Discrimination Policy - you'd think she'd know better!
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  NewChapter

  Mum, she DOES know better. She is playing the innocent card to continue her bigotry. It's not a new game.

  You and your son's friends will have the greatest impact here. I think it's safe to relax and just be very open with him. Discuss these things so he can prepare for the attacks---subtle as they are.

  NC
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  Snoozy

  The way things are going we will eventually have one race on the planet..

  As a "Older generation " I still have to fight my racist feelings..Remember, we were totally brainwashed as children. I was taught that the Jews were a dirty people and should be avoided at all costs..and don't even stay on the same side of the street as the gypsy people..

  I wish I could stick around to see how it all turns out.

  Snoozy
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  Billy the Ex-Bethelite

  These gals need to be reminded that women don't need more than a 4th grade education and should be barefoot, pregnant, and in the kitchen. Beaches--like colleges, clubs, and positions of responsibility--belong only to white, Anglo-Saxon, protestant men.

  Prejudice and discrimination has many victims. They really should remember that fact. If you start taking rights away, it doesn't end for anyone.
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  Band on the Run

  I grew up in Newark, NJ, part of a white Italian enclave. Rather than mess with the power structures holding both groups down, they turned on each other. We lived through mulltiple riots and my parents were foolls not to get the hell out. Words cannot do justice to what racial violence and fear has done to me. I was the only person to have friends on both sides so I constantly heard "How you can be friends with..........". During one riot, the black students were allowed a black history assembly. The principal okayed the material. When I entered the auditorium, no one was sitting in home rooms. It was very racially segregated. My close friends were on the orchestra,far from me. My tall, brawny brother was far from me, too.

  I knew the black student in charge. Marcus Garvey said the most antrocious antiwhite words and no one moved. It may been DuBois. They sat threw all this antiwhite venom until H.Rap Brown made a slighly antiwhite remarks. All the Italians walked out en masse. My black friends and I were engaged in a pitched physical battle. No one agreed to ignore me. I was told not to go outside. The vigilante assembly man came by right on cue. Many people were arrested.

  Our family stood out. We had African-Americans over to our house and called them brother and sister. The neigbors flooded us with phone calls. They were not happy. Jehovah;s Witnesses did have a positive role in our house ---in the integrated North. When I heard that it was segregated to the South, I was utterly furious. Jesus would not segregate.

  Yes, I have soul. You're not really white. I am so pale if it went any further, I'd be invisible. Oh, we met in the housing projects. That created a great deal of good will and people willing to protect me.

  My father was more racist than my mom but nothing compared to the neighborhood. He did not drive in the vigilante caravans or break legs. My mom's example, plus all the good citizen stuff at school, convinced me my father was an ass. A shining example goes far. Unlike my classmates, i always had friends of both races. I knew the racist stuff was lies. My favorite special overseer was black. Instead of the usual lecture for bringing a fashion doll to a convention, he bent down and asked her name. The other kids knew no black people.
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  stillin

  I have to admit that if I had to walk through a bunch of strangers, I would rather that they be the same race as I am, simply because it's one less reason they would have to bother me. That's just good sense, not racism. Racism is when YOU are doing the bothering based on race.

  That's my thought anyhow.

  Besides, you guys got riots going on over there, don't you?