My MLK day experience

I work construction, and I can't speak for all construction workers, but most of the ones I know are not very liberal, well read, or open-minded. When the subject came up that it was MLK day, one of the guys, and a friend too, made the "nigger" remark. I told him what a idiot he was to talk that way, and that my belief is that prejudice=ignorance. He asked me if I would let my daughter marry a "nigger". I said, my daughter will have my blessing if she marries a good man, regardless of race. He was astounded, as if I had broken some kind of white supremecy code. This guy lost custody of his kids due to drug use (meth) and I explained to him that I believed what MLK said when he spoke of judging a man by what's inside and not by their skin color. I didn't let it get too ugly, but I let him know that first of all, my daughter will marry the man she loves. My criteria are that he loves her, is smart and has ambition. It surprises me that in this day, there are still so many people with such extreme prejudice.

You may not have changed that guys attitude today, but I'll guarantee you that you gave him something to think about and hopefully in time, he will understand.

Thanks for sharing your experience. :)

their own environment. Scared to step outside the cocoon of the mind-set they were born into. Safe and secure in their bigotry and hatred.

Well done.

You weren't silent, and maybe he'll wake up someday.

daughter marry one" (fill in black. hispanic, asian, other) Well, yes, I would. My daughter, age 16, has had two boy friends (not serious yet), one Puerto Rican, and one Asian. She almost dated a black guy, a sax player in the jazz band, a basketball star, and the kid got a scholarship to Harvard. I think he would have made an outstanding son-in law. I learned not to be prejudiced in'68, when I had a black roommate, one of my best buddies.

She is amazing, and we all love her dearly. When they were engaged, my mom actually told me they should never have kids or their daughter would be spotted, like a pinto horse. Really. I then asked her why there were all sorts of shades of African American skin, and she said it was because they all came from different places in Africa. After I explained a few things, the light went on, and she decided to give my cousin and his wife a chance. She had some long talks with her sister, and they both decided it wasn't their place to talk anyway. Susan's been a wonderful addition to our family, and just by being her, she's changed some minds and hearts.

I am all for my kids marrying whomever makes them happy. My mom, after all these years, finally is, too.

My grandson participated in his first MLK march and rally today. He's eight. The march was full of children and parents. Kids of all colors and ages. My hope is in these young ones.

I feel bad that racism continues with generations, and you did your part to fight it today.

:yourock: