I remember the moment in my life when I discovered race. I was probably about 5 or 6 and I was playing with one of my neighbors, Kelly and Cindy, and they said that Aaron and Susan's parents were not their real parents, that they were adopted. I cannot remember if I understood what adoption meant but I do remember feeling confused: How could Aaron and Susan's parents not be their biological parents? When I expressed my confusion, Kelly just laughed at me. She said that how could they possibly be their real parents, they didn't look anything alike! That's because Aaron and Susan were Indian, while their parents were white.
I was still confused when in first grade, my teacher announced to my class that we would have a visitor from Japan. I was so excited because I was Japanese, too. I was thinking whether or not I should share this with the class but then my teacher said that we had someone in our own class who was also from Japan (I had moved to the States the year before). I looked around the room because I had no idea one of my classmates was Japanese, like me. I still remember how red my face felt when my teacher called my name. How did she know that I was Japanese, I wondered, completely mystified.
We learn that everyone looks different. Then we learn that these differences separate people into races. But at what point do we learn racism? At what point do we learn that certain people, based on how they look, are better or worse than us? How do we learn to hate? I wondered when Hazel learned about race, about racism, and when she learned to hate. I wondered whether Hazel, if she had grown up in a different place or time, would she think the same things that she thought? If I had grown up in a different place or time, would I think the same things I think?
Hate is still very much alive today. It was not only a part of Elizabeth and Hazel's adolescent worlds. I read recently in USA Today that 11% of polled Americans believed interracial marriages would bring negative consequences to our country. In 2012 and as a part of an interracial family, this statistic really shocked and saddened me. There are politicians who are running to become the leader of our nation who believe that certain people should not have the right to marry. There are people, children, who will bully peers until they feel their only escape is suicide. How do we learn that hate is something worth pursuing? More importantly, how do (re)learn that it's not?
Jessie, I was trying to imagine that little girl's feeling at that moment...wow how young she was...
ReplyDeleteI didn't know that the people in the US still had such negative belief toward interracial marriage, because it is not so hard to find interracial marriages and families around (especially in the West Coast area). Also, my friend from previous degree had an interracial marriage too, so I thought interracial marriage was not so new to in the US (except Jewish population) Even in Korean, perspectives on interracial marriage changed so much during last 10 years.
However, let me tell you this-- I briefly mentioned about my high school- first and last- American boyfriend in identity writing. At that time, it was not only my parent who didn't like the fact that I was dating different race, but also his mother who was a English teacher at my high school. She didn't like me when I was dating him--She always dropped off/ picked up him when we went to movies, followed us for school sport games or sent his sister to watch us( i know this because she said this to us), etc. After all, she was a nice teacher after I broke up with him... by the way, now I find her interesting even more because of your 1st paragraph--she adapted him, too.
I strongly believe that people have right to marry who they love despite their races, backgrounds, etc. and sometimes things aren't just easy -- I heard it from my friend !!! BUT Don't let those people sadden you!:):):)