27th May 2009

Bullets: Rainy and gray

posted in Racism, Weather |
  • Bah.  Our thunderstorm fizzled–we ended up with a little bit of drizzle, and the thunder and lightning disappeared.  Today, to demonstrate the amount of moisture we had that resulted in our monsoons, we have had gray skies all day, and rain.  We need the rain, but…oh, well.  I really wanted that thunderstorm to be a biggie.
  • I tried–unsuccessfully–to avoid the homemade Rice Krispie Treats we have on the kitchen counter.  Some people are made of strong stuff, and can Resist; I cannot.
  • The dotter is now in summer camp.  Woohoo!
  • Which means she is encountering new people again.  Woohoo!
  • Which means, in our rednecky area, another encounter with a kid who says “I don’t like Chinese people.”  This was apparently announced to the dotter and to R. and her brother H., who are also adopted from China.  That’s the bad part.  The good part is that the dotter found her favorite counselor, Mr. Zane (who is incredibly cute and sweet) and told him.  Mr. Zane then pulled the youngster aside and told him, “Hey, man.  That is so uncool.”  And no doubt a bit more.  The other good part is that the dotter told us at the dinner table and was suitably scornful, and talked about it easily.  Damn.  I hate this stuff.  I really wish there were a way to protect the dotter–and her friends–from such idiocy.  Anyone have any thoughts on a low-key camp-style diversity curriculum that I can pass on to the counselors?
  • What possesses people/kids to say things like that, anyway?  Goddamn.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, May 27th, 2009 at 7:37 pm and is filed under Racism, Weather. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

There are currently 8 responses to “Bullets: Rainy and gray”

  1. 1 On May 28th, 2009, VinegarMartini said:

    WTF is WRONG with people? Those kids aren’t coming up with that crap on their own - they’re hearing it from adults!

    I hate it for your Dotter but good for her for recognizing it’s coming from pure idiots!

    Oh - and if you’re really jonesing for thunderstorms, I’ll shoot you the gazillion that roared through here last night!

  2. 2 On May 28th, 2009, GrannyJ said:

    1) I fear that some people will always find a characteristic that they can use to separate themselves from other “them”. It may be built into the animal, unfortunately. Do you remember being called a “brain” (and the attitude that went with that call)? I sure do.

    2) You can bring some homemade rice crispies goodies with you. DO NOT EAT ON THE AIRPLAIN. I forbid it.

    3) We are having a Very Weird May rainy season; it is now well into it’s 2nd week, the my house has only had one really good downfall.

  3. 3 On May 28th, 2009, preTzel said:

    Poor kids. I feel sorry for the kid who said it too because he’s young and it is very apparent he is being raised by one, or two, very ignorant and bigoted parents. It is too bad that people who are assholes can be parents.

    It has rained here so much that both of my maples have fungus. It sucks.

    Thank you for your support in my gargantuan task that I am hoping to succeed! I really appreciate it.

  4. 4 On May 29th, 2009, CuzRache said:

    I agree with GrannyJ #1. If it’s not ethnicity, or intelligence, it’s being overweight (me), or having a disability (Son1), or being tall (Son2), or a Yankee (anyone who’s “not from around here”). Cutting one down makes another feel superior. I figure we’re given our lot, and talk to folks 1 or 2 at a time.

    And taking on pain or future pain of your child can be health and well-being threatening. I know from direct experience.

    And also, some people are just Stupidheads.

  5. 5 On May 29th, 2009, Miss Cellania said:

    The hate just sucks. On the bright side, Omegadotter handled it the best way possible for her age. She’s a strong kid.

  6. 6 On June 1st, 2009, MommyWithAttitude said:

    If I had time to write you a novel here (and if you’d want to read it!) I have a lot to say about this. But short version is that I (and some people I know) feel that it’s better to live in a place where people let that horrible stuff out (as opposed to where I live now which is so over-the-top politically correct you can barely acknowledge race/ethnicity exists) — because having lived in places more like you are now, it really is good in some ways to know where people stand, to have a starting point for conversations with your kids about what’s wrong with where those people stand, to learn to get along with the idiots just the same and for them to be learning to get along with you even in their foul-mouthed idiocy.

    I dunno — I could be completely off-base but having experienced both sides and trying to raise kids in an environment so different from where I grew up, I just think there’s a blessing in there for you somewhere even though as a mother I completely know how it rips your heart out to hear that your daughter had to be on the receving end of something so gross and wrong.

  7. 7 On June 3rd, 2009, Jozet at Halushki said:

    I agree. Bullying comes in all shapes and sizes, and isn’t limited to one area of the country. Kids who say those kinds of things are saying them because 1) they are hearing it from parents or other kids and 2) they feel powerless themselves in their own lives and 3) people fear what they don’t understand, whether it’s race or religion or sex or size, etc.

    A great book for dotter - for all girls - is the new American Girl book, Stand Up For Yourself and Your Friends. One the best books on dealing with mean (i.e. fearful, powerless) kids. Also, do a search on American Girl and bullying. They have an entire program they are working on with Ophelia Project. Maybe a little too hard hitting for summer camp, but great info overall.

  8. 8 On June 5th, 2009, kris said:

    everything ok? been awhile since you wrote…

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