"Black People Don't Like You"

I don't believe that kid understands what that sign says.  Something in my gut says a jackass teenager thought it would be humorous to have the kid pose with a sign like that.  I mean, come on, he's like 6 years old???  Anyway, I was looking for an image to use with this post, and when I saw this, I couldn't stop myself.  I had to use it.  It's only stupid to me, but I imagine this image could really agitate some folks.

"Black People Don't Like You."

When my family and I moved back to the states from Germany, I was 14 years old and my sister was 11.  Before my dad reported for duty we traveled around the states visiting various relatives.  My favorite relatives were my cousins, Eric and Brian.  We were a perfect foursome; always raucous - making fun of each other, pillow fights, water fights, etc.   I really should get back in touch with them.  I've actually avoided interaction with any of my relatives because of the drama (of which my mom is usually at least part!), but I'm rethinking that now.

Anyway, Eric and Brian joined my family for part of the road trip.  On one day, at some hour and for some reason, the conversation turned to racism, and specifically, black people.  I really can't remember why.  But my sister and I were disturbed when my cousins informed us:

"Black people don't like you.  Stay away from them. They'll hurt you."

I was really offended and a little sad.  I was old enough to understand racism, obviously.  It had been discussed in classes several times, and there were the occasional bouts of name calling leading to fights on the bus, in the schoolyard, etc., but I'd never heard anything stated so categorically.  What they were telling us is that black people didn't like white people...just because they were white!!  This seemed like absurd bullshit to me and I tried to argue with them, but they started telling me stories about "black-on-white" violence, etc. - it really was pointless to discuss the issue with them.  And the reason is quite simple - it was part of their social reality in Alabama, which is where they were from.  Of course, they never offered up any examples of "white-on-black" violence.

It was a reality and mindset that confused and upset my sister and I.

In Germany, Americans stuck together.  We were all military brats, right?  We understood each other; we related.  Some of my best friends were black.  Race by itself just didn't matter, and even when it did, certainly not that much.  We were more focused on who the best break dancer was, or who "going with" whom, or what "so-and-so said about her"...you know, stuff like that.  We all attended this international/Department of Defense school in the Netherlands called AFCENT (yes, their website sucks).   My bus rides were 90 minutes long each way, and we had to carry our passports with us every day because we crossed the Germany-Netherlands border to attend school.  But my point is, race didn't make or break friendships.  At least, I never noticed that it did.  Cliques existed, but not based on race.

Since we're talking about race (among other things), I should mention how welcoming and friendly our German neighbors were.  They embraced Americans into their little towns with open arms.   Every Christmas, my sister and I got visited by two different versions of Santa Claus:  the regular American dude, and Saint Nicholas.  Saint Nicholas was cool because he delivered CANDY and other goodies to your wooden clogs if you left them outside your front door on Christmas Eve.  So, I never noticed any German vs. American animosity either (except the time I dared my sister to tell our German bus driver that he stunk. She didn't have to do it, though!!  But she did and there was definitely some negative feedback).

Someone was mean to me in Paris, once.  A weird French dude sauntered up to me and said, "Little American bitch!"   I realize this isn't racism, but it's an example of another categorical rejection based on bullshit criteria.

But my real bottom line is that I didn't learn the harsh reality of racism until I returned home, to the United States.  How fucking sad is that?  And now, it's a daily part of my life but at least it's not part of me.  I guess I was old enough that when I returned to the U.S. that I already had my own opinions about most things.  The same can be said of my sister - she never bought into the racism crap either.  

But it's real, isn't it?  :(