In2 My kid was called a racist today…
2009 January 20
My oldest child, like many American school kids was forced to watch the Inauguration today. After voicing a disliking for Obama based purely on political lines and a desire to be doing something else in school other than watching television a classmate tagged my child with the R word.
I understand the civics lesson value, both real and imagined in watching the show today. I am sickened however that my child got another poli-sci lesson today.
This lesson which was eagerly predicted by many on the Right and glibly brushed off by those on the Left is real and is indicative of what is to come.
You will have hope for change or, you’re a racist ! You will obey the President or, you’re a racist ! Swallow, don’t rinse, repeat or, you’re a racist !
Talk about elitism….
It’s going to be a loooooong 4 years.
whatever
@Alfie
Sorry but most of your rambling comment made little sense and the age of the kids in question would have been helpful but I guess that is a state secret. I thought I was a privacy nut…
“I felt moved to post on the grounds that the BS culture that anyone/thing anti- O is racist is reality.”
Sorry, there is no majority in our culture saying anything or anyone anti-Obama is racist and it’s just in your head. I suggest you worry about more widespread cultural problems like people who really are racists and no they are not anyone who does not like Obama.
This tread has run it’s course so I will leave and say god day to you sir…
I think the post speaks for itself if you actually read it. I didn’t include the ages because my personal life is just that-personal; however, I felt moved to post on the grounds that the BS culture that anyone/thing anti- O is racist is reality.
The few words in a post and more so the still fewer in a comment lend themselves to wide interpretations. Assumptions were clearly made here by MJ and myself methinks and so be it.
For my part I say you (MJ) look at the post with politically charged partisan eyes and I responded to your comment in the same manner.
Let’s put a few things to bed though.
I didn’t support McCain and a McCain Inauguration would not have been as widely used as a civics type lesson and that’s reality.
I related a personal happening to a larger picture that solely involves adults,the media and politics in general. The flip side of this was seen during the election over voters color and who they were or were not voting for. That too is reality.
The watering down of the word and the concepts behind it (much like Free to… alludes) is real. In the end I assumed anyone that happened to read this would make connections with their own experiences.
FWIW thanks to all for stopping by, chiming in, etc. thx
@wickle
“MJ, I don’t think the flippancy is warranted.”
I used the word “forced” because that was the term Alfie used in is his post and if I was “flippant” so be it. I believe did make a valid point if the school was “forcing” the kids to watch the inauguration then it stands to reason they also “force” the kids to do homework and other educational things. Alfie picked a bad choice of word and ended up hurting his point. We all know if John McCain had been elected or someone else of Alfie’s liking and he wrote a post about the school having the kids watch the inauguration he never would have used the word “forced”.
I find it odd Alfie leaves out the age of kids involved which would make a difference. We have no idea what really happened but the story of a “kid” but apparently we have a widespread problem of parents teaching their kids to label anyone “racists” who don’t like Obama. I say BS…
Well, it’s the easy insult – no need to look at the critique just reach for the slander… kids pick this up because that’s what we adults do too often.
Every leader has folk who don’t want to worry about being wrong at their choice of leader – and there’s always been names to hand to club a way out of the debate… In a way, I think if for the next 4 yrs ‘rascist’ gets used at a drop of a hat it’s going to be so devalued as to be meaningless after that and then what will folk call each other?
I too would like to know how the teacher addressed this. Or did they? It sounds like me that the other student did not like what was being said and instead of intelligently debating the merits of his statements, the classmate went straight to the “R” word. Popular tactic when it is obvious that an argument cannot be won.
Unfortunately, we’re probably going to see more of this as criticism of Obama’s policies begins. We (as a nation) can either “get used to it” or we can challenge it. I hope that we have the wisdom to challenge it.
MJ, I don’t think the flippancy is warranted.
I’m okay with schools having kids watch the inauguration or not. I don’t really care. My boys (5th and 7th grade) watched it in school, and I believe that my mother’s 3rd grade class did, too.
I guess what I’d want to know is whether anyone from the school stepped in on the name-calling. (This, probably, is age-dependent.) In any case, I’m sorry that this happened. Kids do not deserve to be caught up in the divisive political games of the grown-ups.
At the same time, it would help if the grown-ups didn’t act like children.
My kid was called racist for voting McCain in a mock election last Fall. And he is a senior in high school, so these are people who will be of voting age very soon.
Alfie, I hope you told your kid to get used to it.
Actually Alfie,
all kinds of child’s psych now finds that parents have little to do with what kinds of ideas children accept, though they are largely responsible for the opening up of ideas to kids. So the kid may have heard “racist” but the kids decision to use it more likely had to do with the schools internal kids culture (lots of kids at that school call each other racists), or that kids personality. Hence why I thought it was more likely a comments on that kids distaste for your child – his parents opened him up to fact that being a racist is bad, and he then applied it to your child.
@ Marc I wholeheartedly disagree with you. It is a matter of politics. The caller and callee are both white. On behalf of the caller I agree the parents probably have a lot to do with it.It is also open for the “osmosis theory” that propaganda,fads etc. thrive on. Media,celebrities and pols have placed an obscene level of importance on this event and it has a life beyond that of the man in question. That is backed up by the thoughts of more rational folks who caution at the expectations being projected on the new POTUS.
@MJ I leave the ages out for a reason and if that does a disservice to the reader so be it. Your rant about homework etc. hints at a swipe at me please note I did write
I’ll assume you mean “I would’ve kept my kid home and shared this moment” or something like that.
It’s not just a name though, it’s an idea that whether the kid has the IQ to know what it’s about or not. It’s indicative of the ignorant reflex people will exhibit over the next 4 yrs.
Damn, kids are being forced to watch the inauguration at school? Next thing you know schools will force kids do homework, read books, and do other educational things. Haven forbid kids witness a historical event at school.
If had children myself I would not have let them go to school and forced them to watch the inauguration with me at home or if had the means would have taken them to DC to see it in person.
A kid calling another kid a name? Shocker…
While sad Alfie its not as if this was some kid turning your kid into the cultural revolution. We’re talking one dumb ass kid expressing distaste in a way that kid probably heard his parents misuse in the privacy of their own kid. It’s a statement of dislike, not of politics.
Not apologizing for the kids use of the term – just saying that your belief we may all start throwing the R word at those we dislike may be a tad bit overblown.