Throwing my own mother under the bus...

She and her parents and five sisters lived in a Packard during the Great Depression, travelling aorund the Pacific Northwest picking fruit. She hitchhiked from Oregon to San Diego to marry my father before he deployed to the Pacific as a carrier pilot during WWII; quite a shock to his Baptist parents and her Christian Science mother. She's in her mid-80's, now, mourning the death last December of her husband of 66 years. I talk to her regularly on the phone.

Today she told me about looking out the window of our suburban home outside Portland, OR in the 50's and seeing a car with black people in it drive by in the evening. She saw the same car with black people in it going the other direction the next morning. She realized three things: 1) there were black people living in her neighborhood, 2) that she was scared, and, 3) that she was a racist. I'm not intimating that, that's what she told me.

Shortly thereafter she got my brother and me together and explained to us about racism in our country and in our hearts. I clearly remember that day, although today is the first time I've known what motivated it.

So, I guess my mom is a 'typical white person'. I suppose I am, too. I don't think either of us are guilty, but we're both accountable. I thank her for making it easier for me to do better.

She is a passionate and committed supporter of Barack Obama in his bid to become President of the United States of America. I suggest that you be very careful of calling her out; arthritis, macular degeneration, and her grief over my father's death notwithstanding, she will kick your ass.

She was a radical in her youth and that spirit remains today! :)

Peace and love, Kim

I wish there were more people like her! :hug:

Thank you for sharing it.

From a daughter who was born to a "typical white person", who changed her way of thinking in later life, before she passed away.

Maybe someday soon we will all become Human.:hi:

"I suggest that you be very careful of calling her out; arthritis, macular degeneration, and her grief over my father's death notwithstanding, she will kick your ass."

Digging it!

Thanks for sharing!

Go Obama!

Barack has emphasized the glory of our diversity for his entire career.

In one statement in his defense of his white grandmother he was falsely accused of throwing her under the bus.

Grow up people.

Yoohoo. . . There is still idiotic racism in this country.

See the idiocy Pat Buchanan spewed today.

Let's maybe get over it finally.

I see more of the current divisiveness to be rooted in ageism, than sexism, and racism.

Many older boomers are sucking on their sour grapes from the 60's and fail to want to see the possibility of a new approach or paradigm.

Many younger folks are just sick of all the collective and incessant fear mongering.

Here have a wombat

http://www.global-mindshift.org/memes/wombat.swf

and a Hopi Elder

http://www.sedonadigitalarts.com/html/video_previews.html

best and peace on

I certainly won't be voting for Obama; it has nothing to do with race, and it has nothing to do with your mother. My own mother will probably end up voting for Obama. It won't be the first time I've disagreed with her vote. I disagreed with her fervent admiration of and support for Bill Clinton for years, too.

What does your mother, or mine, have to do with making an informed choice about whom to support, or not?

She used the term 'typical white person', and that seems to be a trigger these days. As I don't want to see anyone get hurt I just thought it would be a good idea to provide fair warning. :-)

I know better than to tangle with my mom, and no one has ever come out on the winning end of tangling with me.

I certainly know better than to take on anyone's mom to make a point. ;)

I grew up in the late 60's in Cambridge Ma. From my experience, there was this fear of the unknown. I didn't know any blacks, I didn't have any blacks in my schools (moved from Camb. at 12 yrs. old). I had many childhood friends but not one was black. Some neighborhood kids that I didn't hang around with would throw fear at you toward the black neighborhoods at blacks.

Then there was desegregation in Boston schools.

Things are different today. In schools, and bigger cities. The young see it.

Now comes Obama. I'm not going to try to sell anything here. I'm just feeling sad over this whole race issue right now.

fast. Go, your mom.

RV, who lost her mom in May

who is also in her 80's, fiery as hell, and she loves Obama. Needless to say, as a Hillary supporter myself, we have some lively discussions whenever we talk on the phone or get together. :evilgrin:

My dad, a huge Kucinich fan (as I am, too), is also high on Obama this year. My father is probably the smartest Democrat I've ever known, but I can't figure out why he'd go for Obama this time. Then again, neither one of my parents have ever been fans of Hillary, unfortunately. Ugh.

Anyway, if Obama goes on to beat Hillary and become President, I'll be disappointed Hillary didn't win, but I'll be happy we beat McCain and I'll be happy for my parents, the Obama fans.

Sorry about your dad, btw.

Sorry about her/your loss. Thanks for sharing that. What an admirable woman for looking into her heart like that! She raised a lovely son.

:hi:

sometimes, they "Blacks" are scared too - of being in a new neighborhood, of perceptions...; under the skin, like most people, just like everyone else... good & bad.