Posted on 08/05/2019 3:34:50 PM PDT by EdnaMode
A 12-year-old thinks the premise of “Oh, the Places You’ll Go!” belies structural racism. What’s a parent to do?
My 12-year-old daughter had a sticker on her water bottle with a quote from Dr. Seuss: “You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose.” A classmate told her the sticker was racist because many people can’t choose what they want to do because of structural racism. My daughter peeled off the sticker and threw it away. When she told me about it, I was at a loss. I believe structural racism is real and pernicious, but I also think we should teach children that they have agency. And my daughter and I like the sticker’s message. Help!
M.P.
Twelve-year-olds are not famous for nuance. (Their greater claim may be making classmates feel bad about their water bottles.) But you are an adult. Start a conversation with your daughter that goes beyond slogans and stickers to a more thoughtful consideration of race.
She has surely learned about slavery in her history classes. But tell her about some of the subtler discrimination that makes up structural racism: our long history of inequality in housing and educational opportunities for people of color, for instance, and the modern-day hangover of those unfair policies.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
Utter nonsense....
Learn to read. You can go anywhere you want
No wonder more and more parents are home schooling their kids.
Tell the classmate to move to Cuba or Africa and see how much better her chances are there.
1950s! Literally Hitler. I can't even.TM
Yeah, the libs would change the title to “Oh, the Places You’ll Come” and have it read by a post-op transexual or an open homosexual.
Structural racism. Is that another form of systemic racism, which presumes that I am racist and cannot change? The goal certainly is the same. Put white people in a hole from which they cannot escape, even if they become woke. When that happens, they must constantly atone for their racism through symbolic actions like writing tripe like this.
The poor child has a parent who looks to the NYT for parenting advice...
The people who claim they have no choice - I find it hard to call them “American”. America was built on trust in the Almighty, dogged determination and refusal to pick from the provided choices. “NONE OF THE ABOVE”, and “OH YEAH? WATCH THIS!” are hallmarks of the American Spirit. In God We Trust is not just something we put on coins.
I get so tired of the wimpy victims I could scream. I’ve been told so many times that I can’t do this, or can’t do that, and I just ignore them and do it anyway.
Sure - some folks have a hard life, and end up depending on others. You may have a life you didn’t want, but trust Him, and keep on swinging, even if all you can do is vote or post your opinion online, or write your Congressman. DON’T QUIT.
Pray, and God will use you. There are a great many people who have been through hell and back and are hurting, but they show up and keep plugging - encouraging and sharing advice.
You want to be an AMERICAN? Trust God. Stand up and be counted. Suck it up and try again. Tell the naysayers to stick it in their ear. Find something you CAN do, and DO IT!
You want to be a victim? Go somewhere else.
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