I loved your article. Calling a child a thug really hit home. My son married an African American woman. I love to call my son a Heinz 57. He is Mexican, Native American, Spanish, French, Italian & Scottish. So obviously my grandson is biracial. No big deal....our family is very diverse, with many cultures in it. I heard someone call my grandson a thug and it stopped me in my tracks. First of all....he is a baby (he was 2) and secondly how is it that someone could even call a 2 year old a thug. Here is the real jaw dropper....the person that called him a thug was his mother. Whenever he did things that little ones do (ie. put toast or oatmeal into the vcr) he was called a thug. She thought it was funny..."Oh, look at my baby, he is such a thug". It killed me, because as a "former" abused woman, I know that if someone calls you something enough times you begin to believe it. My son and her are no longer married and it pains me to not be able to see him and also to think of him going through his life being called a thug by his Mom. I am afraid of what affect it may have on his life a life that from the beginning is already "suspect". Thank you for this article, hopefully it makes people think...before they speak. Please squeeze those babies for this Grandma :)
I loved your article. Calling a child a thug really hit home. My son married an African American woman. I love to call my son a Heinz 57. He is Mexican, Native American, Spanish, French, Italian & Scottish. So obviously my grandson is biracial. No big deal....our family is very diverse, with many cultures in it. I heard someone call my grandson a thug and it stopped me in my tracks. First of all....he is a baby (he was 2) and secondly how is it that someone could even call a 2 year old a thug. Here is the real jaw dropper....the person that called him a thug was his mother. Whenever he did things that little ones do (ie. put toast or oatmeal into the vcr) he was called a thug. She thought it was funny..."Oh, look at my baby, he is such a thug". It killed me, because as a "former" abused woman, I know that if someone calls you something enough times you begin to believe it. My son and her are no longer married and it pains me to not be able to see him and also to think of him going through his life being called a thug by his Mom. I am afraid of what affect it may have on his life a life that from the beginning is already "suspect". Thank you for this article, hopefully it makes people think...before they speak. Please squeeze those babies for this Grandma :)
ReplyDeleteVery well-written.
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