So...spent today at an indoor cooperative playspace. Got to thinking about race relations. My youngest clothes-lined a dark-skinned Indian girl (not that that matters) and I made her apologize. Got to noticing the racial make-up of the group (I live in an highly-educated, reasonably affluent area): lots of Asians (Chinese, Japanese, and Korean; not too many Vietnamese or other South Asians, so far as I can tell), LOTS of Indian/Pakistani families...
So, I was wondering why I (white middle-class educated male) feel ZERO tension/animosity toward/from Asian/India/Pakistani families... I wonder if it is all "expectations management." That is: my child clotheslined an Indian girl--I made her apologize and give up the Tiny Tikes car she was after... No harm done.
But... but... but when I see an AA mom, I am pre-disposed to worry about any "racial overtones," that is, I am CONDITIONED to be overly concerned with how SHE might perceive things--much to the detriment of the other party (in my opinion).
Does this make sense yet?
My point is that those who simply assimilate into society (and by this I do NOT mean assimilate into white culture--rather, AMERICAN culture, which, in my opinion, is not color specific) enjoy success--are accepted immediately, no question, no problem.
Those with chips on their shoulders... not so much.
So, I looked around the room: LOTS of Asian/Indian familes... ONE African-American mom. Hmm...
I'm tellin' ya: I'm rootin' for Obama.
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