Aselin

We’ve worked so very hard as a society to create an emotionally safe environment for everyone. Problem is with this plan, is as we try to squish ourselves into this definition of tolerance and love we actually become less tolerant and certainly less loving.

While working with a group of fourth graders today, out of the blue one of them asks me who I voted for. I’m really impressed with the political discussion my kid’s fourth grade teacher has led. These kids know way more about the political process that I did even when I started voting.

So as this kid asks me, other kids at the table chime in about who they voted for. (The class held their own election). All this is fine and dandy until they start fighting with each other. The premise of the kid who initiated the discussion was, if you didn’t vote for Obama then you’re a racist. Whoa!

She was clear and concise and defended her position when I tried to intervene.

This is why the Attorney General can stand up and give an inane speech calling Americans racial “cowards”. And I completely agree. I was scared to death trying to handle the insults being slung by this vehement fourth grader. In an offensive assault she called her non-Obama supporting classmates racists, bigoted, close minded... who wouldn’t be beaten down by this mudslinging?

I know in my soul I am not a racist. This being said, I don’t like some of the behavior of certain groups. If you’ve got the waistband of your pants riding around your thighs, your hat on backwards, tattoos and piercings and happen to have dark skin - I’m not comfortable getting in an elevator with you. But in all fairness, your name could be Sven and you could be an albino and if you’re dressed like that, I’m still waiting for the next elevator.

But no Swede has ever claimed oppression from the ‘man’. The Canadians don’t have an Al Sharpton picketing every 5 minutes loudly pointing out instances of racial oppression.

I abhor unwarranted prejudice directed at anyone, especially me. Calling me a racist makes me cringe, even cower in fear. I find it painful that this illegal Latino fourth grader that I volunteer for hours each week, can look me straight in the eye and call me a racist because I didn’t vote for someone.

I’m not saying there is no racism. I am saying we would do ourselves better if we quit finding it where it doesn’t exist.