Skin Deep
I am so grateful this election is about over! Like most other Americans I would guess. In fact I’m pretty sure the whole world is getting really sick of the mud-slinging and such too.
For those who don’t know I live in the Southern U.S…. the South is different on many levels. There are many things about my South that I’m very proud of, the hospitality, the beautiful landscape, the commonsense attitude of many of its residents, just to name a few. I’ve long been bothered with the typical Southern stereotype most of which is attributed to our “accent", almost as if we’re stupid because we don’t talk good (bad grammar intended)!
Other than the whole ‘Southern drawl’ thing I’ve always been relatively proud of my heritage and home. That all changed recently…
I overheard my boys and some of their friends talking about the election last week. At first I was glad that at 16 yrs. old they were actually keeping up with something other than MySpace and MTV but I was quickly sickened by the whole conversation. I hear one of the boys (yes one of mine) say, “If that nigger gets President he won’t be President long!” all the boys laugh and one of their friends chimes in with, “Hell ya, my Uncle said he knows somebody that will put a cap in his ass!” more laughter. I seriously wanted to beat all of them bloody then I just became very sad.
I can’t blame this attitude totally on their Southern roots or upbringing, but lets not pull punches, racism is still a very present thing in our region. But I can say with conviction my children have never heard anything like this come out of my mouth. In fact the “n” word has always been banned in my house. As teenagers they have black friends and I’ve heard all of them say to each other, “What’s up my nigga?” and I’ve questioned both black and white about it and they laugh about it and say it’s no problem. It’s kind of a problem to me.
I know the conversation I overheard is not limited to a group of quasi-redneck teens (and for the record I detest the label “redneck" too), I know all too well there are people in my very neighborhood that wouldn’t vote for a black man no matter what his platform. I know members of my church who feel the same way. I even have family members who, while they won’t admit that is the reason, they won’t vote for Obama, I know it’s his skin color.
I’m deeply ashamed of racist things that have happened in this country’s history. I was an infant when some of them occurred but I simply can’t imagine living in a world where one color of people sat at the front of the bus and another color sat in the rear. I don’t think I’d ever want to live in a world like that yet my home, the very place I spend every day was like that. I’ve asked my Grandmother and parents how they dealt with things like that and their answer usually is, “that’s just the way things were.”
This entire post is like a large jigsaw puzzle someone threw in the floor, heh. Yes, it’s disjointed and a little circular but there are many points I’d like to make but didn’t take the time to organize them.
Bottom line, racism is not limited to the South, I know that. But it’s really scary to think that in 2008 a black man could be in harms way simply because of his skin color. Call me naïve, but I suppose I gave some of my fellow Americans just a little too much credit.
Maddog
Maddog. That's my new pet name for him. If you spent any time with him now you'd understand why!
I realize none of you want to hear why I don't post much anymore, you have busy lives just like I do, right? But seeing Maddog in all his glory is the best reason for me personally not having too much free computer time these days, that and the fact that we've disconnected the home connection for now-long story, but lets just say it involves very hormonal 16 year old boys and naked women.
To anyone who might wonder, I am (a) doing well and (b) hoping to write again like I used to. With that said I'll leave you with a few recent happenings with the grand prince I like to call "Maddog Unplugged"
5 weeks ago while playing trucks in the living room floor with his Mom he tripped over his own two feet and fell with his left arm extended, locked into position onto the floor. He cried for a bit but not all that much. Maddog and his parents came to 'Nanny's' house that afternoon for a visit. Nanny quickly noticed Maddog wouldn't put any weight on that arm, and when she asked his parents what happened they said, "oh he fell this morning." Upon further Nanny investigation a small lump was sighted just above his left wrist, very little swelling and no bruising was present. Concerned Nanny (some call her paranoid) suggested taking him to the ER "just to be sure". Turns out the bone was 'wrinkled'/broken. Maddog was placed in a temporary cast for the weekend and got a plaster one the following Monday at the ortho guy. He tolerated the cast very well and seemed to get great pleasure beating it against anything he could. When it was removed there was 4 goldfish crackers and two french fries tucked inside... thank goodness he only wore it for 3 weeks!
He's obsessed with his belly button. His Mom was teaching him where his various body parts were starting with his eyes and nose which he picked up on very quickly but for some reason he's fascinated with his belly button... and anyone elses! Sunday afternoon at our annual church picnic everyone wanted to know why he had a band-aid on his belly button, well, it was to try to discourage him from picking at his nearly-raw belly button. I fear he will become intrigued with his nose. Ack! I picture a day soon when all his orifice's will be covered in band-aids!
He loves french fries from McDonalds, we sort of established that fact when I told you two of them were crammed in the bottom of his cast. He calls them "rye-rye's." Last weekend I had rode to the river with he and his parents sitting in the backseat exchanging Maddog gibberish the entire ride. We turned off the highway right beside the local McDonalds, he looks out the window seeing the golden arches and immediately starts chanting, "rye-rye's, rye-rye's, rye-rye's"... he turns 16 months old tomorrow! While it's obvious he's pretty sharp I fear his cholesterol levels will be off the charts by age 10.
Can you tell this Nanny is just a bit 'taken' by Maddog? I swear he is more fun than a barrel of monkeys and just about as wild! It is a pure joy to see him developing his own little personality with each passing day even if it is a little on the wild side.
