Quote Originally Posted by Catriona View Post
And the problem with what you're saying - is that the people that keep saying let's not make an issue of race or talk about it are typically white people who never have to deal with it and aren't comfortable discussing it, especially with black people around and in some ways that's a form of racism. And they're typically very ideological nice ones - but the problem is that's not all of the US and parts of the US is racist, and ignoring that by sweeping it all under the rug is not the solution.
As long as we keep making it all about race... it will be all about race. I'm not saying we should sweep it under the rug so much as I'm saying that we should point out the ludicrousness of it when it does happen.

The first time race was ever an issue for me was when a group of girls on the playground came up and asked, "How does it feel to have your mom dating a black man?" I was befuddled. "I don't know. How does it feel to have your mom married to a white man?"

That question made as much sense to me as would, "How does it feel to have your mom dating a redhead?" I don't blame my schoolmates, mind you. I blame their parents who were clearly discussing the "scandal".

Look, I'm plenty fine discussing it. I've faced prejudice: as a child in an interracial family, as an ESL learner, as a woman, as a lower middle class person, as a manager younger than my employees, as a significantly overweight person, as a white teacher in a school with a large population of Latino students.

(In fact, I love it when, as has happened a couple of times, I'm told, "You're just picking on me 'cause I'm brown." I respond, "Half my family is browner than you, so try again. Now get back to work." It's never failed.)

But I'm more than happy to say that we need to start shutting up about it when it isn't really an issue. When it is an issue? Sure, stomp on it and call it out for its idiocy. But when it's questionable and likely more imaginary than real? Why beat a dead horse that isn't even there?