2009.... Are we no further ahead? Despite our president elect.... Is America advancing or regressing or is it just again coming out?
23-year-old son of former baseball star shot in his driveway by police officer
Robbie Tolan, a minor league baseballer, remains hospitalized with bullet in liver
Family alleges racial profiling: "If these had been white kids, this does not happen"
Tolan's father, Bobby, had a 15-year career in the majors
Guess he stole his own car?
I know this is a blog about "happy thoughts" but I think its a relevant topic when bringing Black boys into this continuing climate of racism. Its minorities, Black and Hispanic... Our Ethiopian and Guatemalan "Princes".
TTYL
Robbin
15 years ago
Happy thoughts are all well and good, but sometimes we need to talk about what's going on. I appreciate you bringing these topics up -- I think sometimes we all get too "PC" to talk about what's going on in the world.
ReplyDeleteI had this discussion with a friend the other day. Seems like after 9/11, the country really came together and were "one"... has quickly we forget and go back to being stupid.
I re-watched the video from the other day again and it still shocks me to the core. Takes me back to Malice Green here in Detroit. Why don't we learn? I know I am being silly, but a 60's song comes to mind... "come on people now, smile on your brother, everybody get together try to love one another right now".
As for my excruitating wait... LOL I am hoping to hear something in the next coming weeks. Anything. Either a court date or a status check (need to redo a document etc).
How are you hanging in there?
Hi Robbin,
ReplyDeleteWho says everything related to an adoption bog has to be "happy" thoughts. We live in a world that produces saddness, anger, and dispair. We wait for little ones who have experienced their own dispair at very young ages.
It's time someone is willing to pull off the rose colored lenses to deal with real issues that will affect each family as they decide to adopt a child of color.
This is real and life isn't always happy and sunshine. Keep in coming.
You're going to be a terrifically passionate attorney!
100% in agreement - as a white woman I get really tired of trying to articulate this very point "it's not class, it's race!" to my colleagues, friends, and family. Thank you for stating this one more time in one more place for more visibility and transparency. Nope, we don't have to be happy all the time - raising young black men is not going to be a happy go lucky experience.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, this is all to relevant for all of us. Medina, in kindergarten, has already dealt with racist comments...and she's in a really diverse school that works very hard to foster a great community spirit. I can only imagine what it will be like in another environment. I'm sure it won't be any better - just different - for Ruby. Nothing in life is all happy and we do ourselves, and more importantly, our children a great disservice if we pretend it is.
ReplyDeleteHaPPy? Hah...I'm pIsseD right about now. Why pissed and not pooed nor peeed? Because Piss is hotter! Right now, my child is on her way to walk in a peaceful protest "again" because as she stated to me, "Mom, enough is enough is enough"! She has joined a group called CAPE in the Bay Area to lend her voice to the nonsense our "peace officers" of non-color keep dishing out.
ReplyDeleteShe is taking a stance for her younger brother, my son, who will have to deal with DWB; avoiding getting arrested before age 21; and being "toyed" with mentally because he wears locs.
Yep, sometimes you have to go raw and set the happy-meal-kumbayaing stuff behind while there's work to do.
Again, Thanks Robbin for telling it like it "T-I-tis."
Thank you, Robbin. I think so much about what my child will face and the fact that I have no personal experience and can read all the books I want to but it will never be the same. I will more than likely be raising a son. You post challenges me to keep seeking answers and to become more vocal when I see hints and yells that reflect racism. It is quiet some places - a hushed whisper, but more surprisingly, many places it is loud and blatant.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the truth.
Ellen
It all begins with Jesus Christ as first in our life, then maintaining the integrity of the family... Sad subject, but very relevant today. It all begins with us...
ReplyDelete