Today, I was going to blog about Disney World, yet something was weighing on me and I have to let it out.
First let me give you a back story.
I’m a Texas girl, born and raised. I love Texas, I thought I was in love with the South.
I grew up in Central Texas, we lived on and near the biggest military installation; this meant I saw all sorts of people from everywhere. Most people have their preconceived idea of what Texas is, in spite of that where I grew-up we were a melting pot.
My family is such a huge representation of the mixing of people from here and there. In my world love doesn’t see color. My children are mixed, my nieces and nephews are mixed, heck I’m a little mixed too.
When I married my husband we didn’t see an issue. He’s Caucasian and I identify with my Latina side. My family loves him and accepts him no judgement, but of course we always joke that my family is the United Nations.
Then we got pregnant. We heard statements from other people that, “our kids may have it hard“ annnd once our beautiful light-skinned baby was born we heard>>> she’ll pass <<<WHAT THE F*CK! She’ll pass? For what… a freakin’ human! I’m good, I don’t need anyone to pass my child.
Comments like that have always bothered me. Why? Why do we still have to meet someone else’s mark? Aren’t we all equal?
I sometimes think some of my friends forget I’m Latina or that I have family that is not. My husband has to deal with people who forget too. This is where my angst begins. Living here in the South the culture is different. People are proud of the civil war and the confederate flag, the word plantation is everywhere, and then there’s open and closet racist.
Side Note: We recently moved from IL to SC.
Yes, I’m well aware there are racists everywhere. Nonetheless, while I’ve been here (SC) I’ve heard and seen plenty (I’ve only been here a little over 4 months). Perhaps, I’m overly sensitive when it comes to seeing many neighborhoods named fill in the blank plantation, because to me I think of our country’s ugly history with slavery.
Okay, back to my angst
My husband is a genuine man, his heart is big, you may not see it from his outer shell and witty comebacks, but he’s a real good man. He loves his sports and when he is able to talk sports, he can talk. While conversing with a small group of guys yesterday he asked,”Did you see the Kentucky vs. Wisconsin game?” He went on about what a great game it was and how we stayed up to watch it.
Then what he heard next is what prompted today’s post.
“Yeah, I didn’t really watch it all. I’m not tryin’ to make this a race thing, but I was hoping Wisconsin was gonna win. Ya know Wisconsin is a white boy team.”
I don’t know how that isn’t about race?
My husband began to school him on the Wisconsin Badgers and their players, before losing his cool he walked away. May I add there were children near.
We can claim ignorance, however I think that’s too easy to do. I don’t know if we can keep saying ignorance in 2014 especially with anyone close to my age group (he may be slightly older but still).
My son in no way looks like a “white boy,” this man has seen my son, he has seen me. Why on earth would he say that to my husband or to anyone?
We now know where he stands; us and they. Would things be better if he hid behind a false facade? I don’t know which is worse honestly, open racist or closet racist…
What are your thoughts?
Sadly, I couldn’t bring my comments over to WP. If you’d like to see the original discussion >> http://mrs-aok-a-work-in-progress.blogspot.com/2014/04/open-racist-or-closet-racist.html
