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Skidmore

(37,364 posts)
Mon Aug 14, 2017, 08:52 AM Aug 2017

I have a brother who was pretty racist

His first words to my future husband when I introduced him were : "Who's your dark Gucci friend?" I called him on it, finished the business K had and we left.

He was in and out of our lives around my mother's illness and passing. Some years later I connected with his adult children, only to be lectured and told to stay out of their lives.

A couple of years later my niece began dating and subsequently married a young black man. My brother screamed at me on the phone that he had told me to stay away from her. At the time she and had only had minimal exchanges on FB. He blamed me for their relationship.

Then he became a grandfather to a gorgeous little girl but was shunning his daughter by then. Two years later they all reconciled.He learned a bit about tolerance and living together. My niece is also raising handsome young stepsons for whom he stepped up as a grandfather.

This learning must occur on a national basis. Understanding that all are worthy and equal comes from interacting and acceptance.

My OT session will begin in a few. This was on my mind.

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Skidmore

(37,364 posts)
3. Try nearly fifty.
Mon Aug 14, 2017, 08:56 AM
Aug 2017

Many families have people in them like my brother. No excuses or apologies for him, but I am glad he changed

lunasun

(21,646 posts)
4. Did he decide that they are different ? You know different than the rest ? Is he just tolerating?
Mon Aug 14, 2017, 09:00 AM
Aug 2017

I ask because I have seen this with super racist who then get color in thier family .
I know someone who married into a family with a racist mother . His mother inlay finally accepted him and told him she could see he was different They are ok they are different because they know them now. No attempt to know others and
all other POC ? Still hated

Skidmore

(37,364 posts)
8. Has developed good relationship
Mon Aug 14, 2017, 09:54 AM
Aug 2017

with her husband's family and their circle of friends. He has actually started going to the same church and become involved in community work. He has definitely changed.

neeksgeek

(1,214 posts)
5. Even people who think of themselves as "not racist"
Mon Aug 14, 2017, 09:05 AM
Aug 2017

Took my own father several years to stop making taco jokes. This started after I began dating the woman I'm now married to (she's from a Mexican-American family). He'd say snide things, like I'd announce I was going to thanksgiving dinner at her parents' and he'd whip out "what are they having, tacos?" Like it was witty or something. At first I'd eye roll and try to spar with him by saying, "no we're (by saying WE I include myself in their family) having a turkey, and tamales, and lots of other food. I finally had to just say "Stop it. You're insulting my wife, and angering me." He stopped.

JohnnyLib2

(11,212 posts)
7. As a counselor, I saw this learning-only-when-faced-with personal experience often.
Mon Aug 14, 2017, 09:21 AM
Aug 2017

Sadly, not all make the change. The same process can occur when people work together (e.g. Armed Forces).

madokie

(51,076 posts)
9. I keep repeating to any and all
Mon Aug 14, 2017, 09:57 AM
Aug 2017

round me that we are all humans.

No one better no one worse we're humans

I seem to think it helps some see the light, well while around me anyway. Not sure if it changes any minds though. We can hope it does and Hope is a strong emotion,

Peace

Have a great week

Atticus

(15,124 posts)
13. I saw a t-shirt a couple of years ago that said:. "There's only one race---the human race.
Mon Aug 14, 2017, 08:24 PM
Aug 2017

Everything else is just culture."

Barack_America

(28,876 posts)
10. Or are his family "exceptions"?
Mon Aug 14, 2017, 09:57 AM
Aug 2017

I don't know if racism truly ever leaves ones heart.

Certainly never did for my family. My deceased father respected the hell out of Obama, would defend him against his deplorable relatives, but insisted he would 'disown' me if I ever dated an African American.

Archae

(46,354 posts)
12. I had a relative who went to his grave being racist, anti-Semitic and generally a total asshole.
Mon Aug 14, 2017, 08:05 PM
Aug 2017

For instance, he hated Harry Truman since he was drafted and spent two years in Korea during that war.
It was a country "not worth it," in his opinion.
BUT...

He had nothing but contempt for those protesting the invasion of Iraq.

He hated blacks, (would only call them n******,) Hispanics, Asians, anyone not white.

And he himself was the target of discrimination too, because of his "Volga German" heritage.

LWolf

(46,179 posts)
14. Education and social change, at an individual level, doesn't happen
Mon Aug 14, 2017, 08:43 PM
Aug 2017

through the use of hate, bullying, derision, or aggression. All those things do is amp up the resistance to that change.

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