[guatparents2be]

We should all be able to come here for support no matter what.
I am sorry if you felt that I wasn't supportive, I didn't mean that, really.
Of course you have to trust your gut and take care of yourself.

For all of us though it is very good to talk about our instincts and to look at them and to assess them. If someone says it's true that you would have the exact same reaction to a white kid, great. Most people wouldn't. We have to be able to talk about it.

How many young black kids are stared at in terror just for walking down the street?!

How many of the relatives we talk about on this forum who make horribly racist statements because they just don't understand would call themselves racist? (The aunt who repeatedly calls her Guatemalan nephew Mexican because it's 'close enough' or the friend who says your kid must like tacos...) Where is the line? Who gets to decide what that line is?

I once had a contractor make a comment about a job poorly done by one of his employees (who was white) and said "I probably shouldn't say this but it 'all comes down to Jose." I responded that it was a racist thing to say and I know that he is NOT a racist man...which he pointed out to me over and over again- he had many employees that were his best employees that were Mexican...he had friends that were black. Etc.

People who are not racist can still make a racist comment, even if it is not intentionally hurtful.

I guess it is my opinion that especially as a parent of a child who is not white I have to look at even things that someone else might construe as racist even if I don't mean it that way.

It is pretty rare for anyone to not have a racist thought or to ever make a racist comment. This is not about black or white, it's about human.

Seriously, check out the anti-racist parent blog link. It's great. Food for thought.